Page 40 of Crossing Quinn

Quinn’s big, callused hands psychically rubbed my shoulders. “We wait. It’s only a few weeks until you come of age.”

“True.”The question was: could I keep my hands off Quinn?

An enforcer in full battle gear approached me cautiously. “I am Captain Cole.” His gaze darted over the pile of bodies. “My lady, we need your assistance with the Katanic shapeshifters. I was told you can communicate with them.”

“I can.”

Captain Cole blurted out, “Your battle skills are remarkable for a female.”

And there it was, testosterone at its finest. “Why are you so surprised?”

The enforcer eyed me nervously. “You are a tiny Farin female. It does not seem possible.”

“I could be a shapeshifter. Have you thought of that?”

“Do not provoke him, Xenia,”Zarek snapped.

Captain Cole’s hand dropped to his laser pistol. “Are you?”

“One more word, Xenia, and you will spend the next year on Tanith cleaning the caverns of Tanezumi dung.”A horrific stench hit me. It was a mixture of rotted eggs and ammonia. An instant later, the image of a fat, ratlike creature formed in my mind.

Detja had told me about them. All they did was eat and shit. I gave the captain a reassuring smile. “I’m merely a warrior like you.”

“I think you are much more.”

“Where are the Katanic shapeshifters?”

He pointed to the slaughter ship. “They went inside.”

I blinked in surprise when my handsome warlord walked up to us. No, the brainwaves were all wrong. It was Adan. “You just had to morph into Quinn?”

He totally ignored me. “The Executioners are investigating the murder,” Adan said in Quinn’s voice.

The enforcer stiffened. “Murder?”

“The Tai-Kok captured a female and her child,” I interjected. “Females and children are precious to the Katanic. They will not allow her murderer or murderers to go unpunished.”

“I must confer with my commander. Excuse me for a moment.” The captain hurried off.

Adan cocked his head to one side. “Did you know your eyes are glowing?”

“They get this way right before I kill someone.” I shot him.

Adan transformed back to his true form. “Crazy female. Why are you shooting me?”

“Because you are an idiot, and you almost got me killed.”I shot him again.

“Eeyore. Eeyore. Eeyore.”

What in the nine hells was that? It almost sounded like a donkey braying. I scanned the area for the source and stiffened in alarm.

The Executioners were floating down the slaughter ship’s loading ramp. “Eeyore. Eeyore. Eeyore.”

“Why are they making that noise?”

“They are laughing,”Adan answered.

“At what?”

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