Page 21 of A Mate For Matrix
“Who… Who are you?” Herman demanded in a barely audible voice.
“He’s my boyfriend,” Jana boasted, glancing at Matrix with a pleading look of entreaty.
“I am more than her boyfriend,” Matrix stated in a quiet voice filled with conviction. “I am her life mate. Shall we dispose of him, Jana? No one will ever find his body.”
Jana’s eyes lit with amusement when she saw the teasing twinkle in Matrix’s gaze. She fought to keep her lips from twitching. Her gaze dropped to Herman as he turned and started crawling frantically across the ground.
“Nah, just toss him out with the garbage,” she said coolly.
“Garbage duty again? Ugh,” K-Nine grumbled with a snicker of amusement.
Herman jerked around and stared at K-Nine in disbelief. Jana couldn’t help the grin that curved her lips. She tilted her head and looked at Matrix.
He reached down, grabbed Herman by the arm, and jerked him to a standing position. When Herman took a swing at him, Matrix caught the other man’s fist in his left hand and squeezed it. Jana bit her bottom lip when she saw Herman pale.
“Did she also mention that we are aliens from another world?” Matrix asked in a soft, menacing voice.
“Oh, shit!” Herman choked.
“He wet himself,” K-Nine said with dry amusement.
“I can smell it. Get out of here before I change my mind and kill you,” Matrix ordered, pushing the man toward his transport. “If you say a word to anyone, we’ll hunt you down.”
“I always find what I’m hunting!” K-Nine called out as Herman wrenched open the car door and fell inside.
Jana walked down the steps to stand next to Matrix. Warmth flooded her when Matrix slid his arm protectively around her waist and pulled her close. She didn’t resist. There was something that just felt so right about the way he was holding her. She didn’t want to question it. There was always time for a reality check later. At the moment, she just wanted to enjoy this amazing, incredible, and totally unpredictable day.
They all watched as Herman started his car and put it into drive. Loose gravel flew out from behind the vehicle as he sped down the long driveway. Jana wrapped her arm around Matrix and casually scratched K-Nine behind his ear when he came to sit down next to them.
“That was absolutely the coolest thing that has ever happened in my life,” Jana whispered before bursting into uncontrollable laughter that quickly turned into tears. “He was the one who put the kittens in the pillowcase,” she sniffed, turning into Matrix’s arms when he gently wrapped them around her so that she was facing him.
“I should have ripped his throat out,” K-Nine muttered under his breath.
“You and me both, partner,” Matrix agreed in a grim voice as he tenderly stroked Jana’s trembling form.
Chapter Eleven
Matrix turned when he saw Jana step out of the house again. She had gone back inside to wash her face after her tears had finally subsided. Once again, he wished that he had just killed the human male.
“How do you feel?” he asked when she walked toward him.
“Okay, I guess,” she replied with a sigh as she came to a stop and looked around. “What are you and K-Nine doing?”
Matrix drew in a deep breath and looked over to where K-Nine was slowly moving around the perimeter, pausing every few feet to check the sensors they had set out as a precaution. He silently debated how much he should tell her before deciding it would be safer if she knew what could happen. If they survived this, it would be just the beginning of a new life for her. He had been thinking about his conversation with K-Nine. There was no way now for him to leave Jana behind.
Turning toward her, he rested his hands on her hips and drew her close. One thing he was fast learning, he loved the feel of her in his arms. Pulling her even closer, he silently held her.
“He is checking the sensors,” Matrix finally murmured.
Jana pulled back and looked up at him with a puzzled frown. “Is this about that thing you’ve been talking about?” she asked in a husky voice.
“Yes,” Matrix responded, releasing her and taking several steps away. “The Crawler is very dangerous, Jana. If we don’t eliminate the creature, it will mean the end of your world.”
Jana swallowed. Her eyes were wide, but she stared up at him with complete faith. His sense of pride and astonishment at her inner strength continued to grow. A slight smile curved his lips when he heard her quiet response.
“You’ll kick that thing’s ass,” she whispered with unwavering conviction.
“Yes, we will,” Matrix replied, stepping back toward her. “Jana, when we leave….”
