Page 10 of The Ozar Triad

Klaej couldn’t thump his brother as he normally would because of his precious bundle. Instead, he growled.

“Enough fooling around. Let’s go,” Rujali said.

Setzan jumped over the edge and waited with his arms out. Klaej handed their mate over, careful not to hurt her. Once she was secured in his brother’s arms, he leapt off the stinking pile of rubbish.

Rujali’s face screwed up with distaste. “Why was she in this refuse container?”

A growl rose in Klaej’s check. “When I find out who put her there, their days will be numbered.”

Rujali placed a hand on Klaej’s shoulder. “And we will be there to help you do the job. Now, we’ve found her. Let’s get her back to the jet. She needs medical attention. There is no more time to waste.”

Back inside, Rujali brushed passed the Norvegicus, followed by Setzan carefully holding their mate in his arms. Klaej stopped by the creature. Its beady eyes dropped to the ground, darting about but never landing anywhere. It had seen the whole thing. That wasn’t good.

Klaej tugged its whiskers so that it had no choice but to look into his face. “You need to forget what you just saw. If you say one word to anyone, I will come with my brothers and you will lose more than a mere loose bladder. Do I make myself clear?”

The creature’s pink tongue darted out of his mouth and along its narrow lower lip.

Klaej suppressed a shudder. He shook its head by its whiskers. The creature squawked.

Klaej brought his head closer and paused until the beady eyes locked on his. “Do. You. Understand?”

It worried its claws together, “Yes, yes. Of course. Not a word. Or you will come find me. I swear this will go no further. I’ve already forgotten, yes, I have.”

Klaej paused long enough for the Norvegicus to start to tremble. He didn’t trust the creature at all, but maybe the fear of whatever gods it prayed to would work to keep it silent. Not satisfied, but wanting to join his brothers for the sake of his mate, he turned his back and stalked back through the domicile.

He resisted the urge to look back at the creature, trying to ignore the slither of unease that worked its way into the pit of his stomach. The sooner they got off this godsforsaken rock, the better as far as he was concerned.

Chapter Five

Riley

Riley rose through layers of unconsciousness quickly, as she’d been trained to do. Coming to consciousness fast might mean the difference between life and death in a battle. That was something her commanding officer had drilled into her time after time. As was being able to quickly assess a situation under sub-optimal conditions. The last thing she remembered…

But no, that had to be a dream. She couldn’t have been kissing a massive red, horned man with skin like velvet and lips that could sear flesh. As she hovered behind closed lids, she sorted through her memory. It was one of the men from the place with those reptile creatures. She’d seen three of them, all built like Mack trucks with muscles on muscles coming at her. They’d tracked her in the street. She’d run, found shelter.

Crap, the smell of the rubbish hadn’t been a deterrent, judging by the predicament she’d found herself in—surrounded by three men, one kissing her so thoroughly, she’d succumbed and kissed him back as though it was the most natural thing in the world. She hadn’t been able to deny the urge for some strange reason.

That didn’t happen to her

Ever.

She was a kiss ’em quick and fuck ’em even quicker kind of gal. No lingering, not ever. Not when her job put her life at risk on a regular basis like it did. Once her physical need was sated, she moved on.

She’d never been kissed quite likethat. It was as though he’d kissed her for her pleasure. He’d put effort into it after all three of them had surrounded her. Three men. Six hands. All on her. If she hadn’t been semiconscious at the time, her underwear could have melted right off and she wouldn’t have complained.

Who wouldn’t have responded to that? A girl would have to be made of wood, and the last time she looked, she was flesh and bone.

At the thought of flesh and bone, she realized she lay on a soft bed.Definitely not in the garbage bin then.It didn’t smell either. The air wasn’t exactly fresh, but filtered. Much better than the dumpster mixed in with the hot, arid air.

Her arm and shoulder didn’t hurt so much, and a soothing warmth washed over the injury. She had to be medicated, but she didn’t feel lightheaded or woozy like she usually did from painkillers. The docs liked to keep those hurt badly enough sedated to save them from the worst of the pain.

She cracked open her lids. She was surrounded by silver walls. The lighting wasn’t bright, saving her a wince at least. The number of times she’d come awake under a bright surgical light when she’d been injured in the line of duty, she knew what to expect.

A panel was fitted to the wall and flashed with strobing lights. Various machines surrounded her, all medical looking. She couldn’t identity what they could be used for, though. Beside her hung a mechanical arm in which a sharp needle was pointed in her direction. It moved towards her.

Her eyes flew open. She tumbled off the bed. Her knees gave out beneath her and she stumbled against a wall, sliding away from the wicked-looking instrument. The room was small. No windows. No doors. There were rectangular shapes curt into the smooth surface of the walls with no discernible function. She had no idea where she could be and she was trapped.

She also realized she was naked. Her skin broke out in goosebumps in the cool air. She belatedly realized the wounds at her shoulder were closed, however the punctures were still deep red. Still, how had she healed so fast? She trembled as adrenaline pulsed through her system, urging her to run, but she had nowhere to go.

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