Alien in the Family

I had a fanatic in front of me and probably a more intense fanatic out there, since Moira’s mate was probably older if I took the term more experienced at face value. And I had no way of knowing if they were the only ones here or if more were coming.

A part of me felt pity for Moira. To hate half of the population of most worlds so much, with so little reason. To have dedicated her life to what she saw as right and I saw as pure evil. But she was evil, just as ACE had said. Not evil because of who or what she was, but evil because of how she thought and what she was willing to do, and took joy in doing, without any provocation or cause.

All Reader had done was be loving to me, and she’d done her best to kill him for that—because he was a man, because she’d identified him as one of the overall targets—because she could. And she’d gloated about it. I’d killed several people by now, for what they’d done and wanted to do to Martini and to me and to the people we cared about, but I’d never gloated about it.

“I’m sick and tired of hearing about purity of the race, the world, or the universe. I’ve never heard that argument come from anyone who was sane, or decent, or close to a loving God. If your God truly tells you to do this, then She’s evil and doesn’t deserve anyone’s worship or obedience.”

“Our God is right, and She will help us to smite you and all who stand against us.”

I got right in her face. “Moira? I’ve got one thing to say to you. Bring it, bitch.” Then I reared back and punched her right in the mouth. “That’s for James. Be happy he’s the kind of person who wouldn’t tell me to rip out your throat for what you did to him.”

It was a good hit. My hand hurt a little, but I didn’t massage it. I was ready to hit her again. She licked at the blood ru

I was about to when the door opened. “All done.” Martini walked in with a needle and pulled me away from Moira. He grabbed her wrist and shoved the needle in. “Time for the crazy chick to go night-night.”

Moira’s eyes got fuzzy, then closed. Her head fell to the side.

Martini kept a hold of me and walked us out of the room. “Love the nasty side of you. You can’t possibly take her, and she was hoping you’d let her out of the restraints so she could kill you. Just in case you were wondering.”

“Oh, okay, fine. Wow, but I hate her, and I think I’m going to hate her mate even more.”

“I’d guess so, yeah. She was scared and upset by what you said, but, honestly, anyone with a penis should be terrified of these women. And there’s a whole planet full of them? No wonder someone put a net up.”

“I think the net turned them into this. I don’t care right now. I want to see James.” And shower. I felt kind of dirty.

Christopher locked the door. “We have guards on all levels.” I saw several of the big Security A-Cs in the hallway.

“Make sure we have someone guarding the pipe. Inside only, though. I don’t want any of our guys exposed outside, just in case.”

“Good point.” Christopher made a call.

I looked around. “Where are Paul and Tito?”

Martini put his arm around me and hugged me to him. “James is awake. They went to see him.” I opened my mouth, and he shut it, gently. “Yes, we’re heading there now.” He bent and kissed my forehead. “You’re quite the little tiger, aren’t you?”

I didn’t feel tigerish all of a sudden. Martini picked it up and picked me up as well. I wrapped myself around him and didn’t worry that Chuckie and Christopher were right there. I just wanted to feel safe.

Martini kissed the side of my head. “It’s okay now, baby.”

“Not yet. But I’m going to make sure that it will be.”

He chuckled. “That’s my girl.”

CHAPTER 24

WE GOT UPSTAIRS TO THE MEDICAL BAY. Tito and Gower were in the room with Reader, and there were Security guards all over the place. “Figure James is too vulnerable to leave without guard,” Martini said. I agreed and was glad he’d thought of it already. Of course, that was pretty much his life’s work, protecting people.

He put me down, and we went into the room. Tito stepped aside so I could get near Reader’s head. He looked like he was in a lot of pain, but his eyes looked the way they always had.

“Hey,” he said.

I grabbed his free hand; Gower had the other. “Hey yourself. How’re you feeling?”

He managed a weak chuckle. “Like I was hit by a Mac truck. Love that outfit on you. Try to not wreck it.”

“Probably too late for that.”

“Yeah.” Reader looked at Gower.

“Be right back, Jamie,” Gower said quietly. Reader nodded, just a tiny bit. Gower gave me a small smile, then he and Tito left. I realized Martini wasn’t in the room, either.

“James, I’m so sorry.” I felt like I was going to start bawling.

“For what, girlfriend? Saving my life?”

“I’m the reason you got hurt.”

“Hardly. That crazy chick was the reason.” He closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” I bent and kissed his cheek. “I’ll get Paul back in here.”

Reader tightened his hold on my hand. “No. Just you right now. I . . . need to tell you something.”

My throat got tight. “Okay.”

He opened his eyes and managed about half of his standard cover-boy grin. It was still great. “I was dead, you know.”

“No, you were close.”

“No. I was dead. I saw the light, I heard . . . voices. And I heard you, you and ACE. Then I heard ACE tell Tito what to do to bring me back.” He swallowed. “I know you think, and ACE thinks, that it was what ACE told Tito to do that saved me. It helped, of course, but . . . I was already dead.”

“I don’t understand.”

He reached his other hand up to my face. “God decided you needed to have someone around you could talk to.”

The tears rolled down my face. “He chose well.”

Reader tugged at my hand. “Come here, you need to rest.”

I figured the medical team would throw a fit, but I’d handle that when they came in screaming at me. I crawled onto the bed next to him. It was an A-C facility so the bed, like everything else, was top of the line, and it was large for a hospital bed, easily fitting two on it.

Reader put his arm around me and gently put my head onto his chest. “Relax. Nothing hurts but my head.”

I managed a laugh, though I was still crying. “Jeff and Paul are going to wonder about this.”

“They wonder about us already.” He stroked my arm. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to kill her.”

“I know. But I would have anyway.”

“Yeah, I know. I shouldn’t complain, I think it’s why I’m back, so to speak.”

“Why?” I closed my eyes. I wasn’t used to leaning on a chest with a single heartbeat in it anymore, but it always felt good when Reader held me.

“One act can change someone. If you’d killed her, or any of the others had done it, it would have made you what she is, just like ACE was afraid of.” He hugged me. “We’re here for a reason. It’s not always a clear reason, and we’re never going to win every time, but our reason is to stop evil, not become just like it.”

“She’s still alive and wants to kill every man in the universe. And she’s not alone.”

“Not saying evil’s got a pass, girlfriend. Just saying I don’t want you to go to that side of the house.”

“Good thing you’re still alive and functioning then.”

“Like I said.” He hugged me again. “You know, it was interesting.”

“Being dead, or almost dead?”

“Yeah. I saw a lot of things.”

“Like what?”

“Can’t remember them all—they’re fading more the longer I’m conscious. I think I’ll forget this, what I’ve been telling you, soon. Maybe not the light, but most of the rest. You might forget it, too. Consciously. But I think it’ll always be inside us.”