Page 4 of Courting Mayhem

“In a way,” Poppa Jacob agreed. He was one of the best pilots in the galaxy and he had taught me how to fly.

We exited the ride and there stood the hunter with a dangerous glint in his amber eyes.

Ballock’s balls. Was he monitoring our conversations? I walked up to him and gave him a vacuous smile. “We’re doing the Tower of Terror next. If you get scared, you can hold my hand.”

The hunter bared his strong, white teeth in a menacing smile. “Drop the act.”

“Act?” I gave him a perplexed frown. “I do not know what you mean.”

A low growl rumbled in his chest. “You’re bounty hunters. Who are you chasing?”

“Chase? Oh. We search for the mouse. Have you seen him?”

“No.”

“He must be hiding.” I glanced around. “Did you lose your family? Old ones should not be allowed to roam unsupervised.”

His eyes narrowed. “Old ones?”

“I will ask Father to find your caretakers for you.” I scampered off. Crap. The hunter followed me but kept changing his appearance.

Poppa Jacob hurried over to me. “Where did the hunter go?”

“He’s right there.”I pointed to a woman in a princess costume.

“That’s the hunter?”Alarm filled Poppa Jacob’s voice.

“Yep.”

“Fuck! He’s a Coletti hybrid with an illusion talent.”

“Or he has an illusion projector,”I said.

Poppa Jacob tapped on his gauntlet. “Security has erected an energy barrier over the theme park. We can’t transport back to the ship.”

“Central Command must consider us a threat. Let’s keep playing harmless tourists and get them to rethink that decision.”

“Sten says Zarek’s warbird just entered Earth’s orbit,”Poppa Jacob said tersely.

“That’s gonna freak Zan out.”

“Zan? It’s freaking me out. He’s here for you.”

“Zan won’t let him take me and if I have to, I’ll fight the Overlord,”I stated.

“Fight the Overlord? Are you crazy? He has never been defeated.”

“There is always a first time.”

“Zarek fights like a berserker. The only way to win a fight with him is to do the unexpected.” Poppa Jacob cast an angry glance over his shoulder.“Is the hunter still following us?”

“He is.”I took father’s hand and pulled him into the Tower of Terror line. “Harmless tourists. Remember?”I gave him my Debbie Sunshine smile.

Poppa Jacob threw back his head and roared with laughter.“You have never been harmless.”

I grinned up at him.“I know. Won’t they be surprised.”

“Very.”

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