Ria sat up and looked around. It was quiet, dark. She slowly came to her feet. Leaning the palm of one hand on the side of the building, she caught her breath, letting herself regain control of her body again.
We need to hurry, Shintara urged.
I’m ready. Ria peeked around the side of the building. No movement. She hurried to the door and tested the knob. Unlocked.
God, she was scared shitless. Clothes would be nice. It wasn’t cold, but goose bumps had popped up all over her body.
She eased the door open and took a quick look inside. No one was in the hallway. There were doors on either side. Maybe she could find something to wear in one of the rooms.
She slipped inside. The first two doors were locked, as well as the next three. She was halfway down the hall when she heard voices coming down one of the halls that branched off.
Oh, hell! Now what was she going to do? Shift!
No time!
Crap! She tried the next two doors.
Locked.
The next one opened. She slipped inside the room just as two men turned the corner. She left the door open just a hair to see what they would do. They stopped at the first door and unlocked it, then went inside. She breathed a sigh of relief, then looked around.
She was inside a lab of sorts.
Bingo.
There was a white lab coat hanging from a coat rack. She quickly slipped it on. A little too big, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. There was something in the pocket. She pulled it out: a name badge with a barcode. She looked at the picture. Crystal Webb was in desperate need of a makeover. She dropped the badge back inside the pocket and opened a few drawers until she found booties like medical staff would wear over their shoes during surgery. If she saw anyone, maybe they would think she was also wearing shoes and worked there.
She still felt really naked, but at least the coat fell below her knees and it buttoned up the front. Now to find Kristor.
The men she’d almost ran into had been carrying Styrofoam coffee cups. Cafeteria? She decided to go in the opposite direction. But when she rounded a corner, she came face to face with a set of double doors blocking her path. There was a sign that read RESTRICTED AREA.
Kristor had to be somewhere behind those doors. She pushed on them. They didn’t budge. To the right was a scanner, much like the ones used to slide a credit card through. Pffft, she knew how to use one of them. She reached inside the pocket of the lab coat and brought out the badge. It was worth a try.
She slid it through the slot. The doors beeped. She tentatively pushed on them, breathing a sigh of relief when they opened.
The hall was empty and dimly lit. On either side were doors again, but these had small windows. The first three were empty. She peered into the next window. It also looked empty. She opened the door to make sure.
Something grabbed her arm and dragged her inside. She opened her mouth to scream but a hand clamped over it.
“Don’t make a sound or I’ll have to silence you.”
She nodded.
He slowly moved his hand away.
“Kristor?”
“Rianna? What are you doing here?”
“Saving you.”
“I don’t need saving.”
“You’re in a cell. I’d say you do.”
“I was just about to leave. The guards make their rounds every hour from what I can tell. They just made them.”
“Then let’s get the hell out of here.”
She opened the door and glanced out. “All clear.”
They kept close to the wall as they made their way to the double doors. Just as she was about to swipe the badge, the doors opened and a man stepped through with two guards.
“Agent Richards.” Kristor nodded toward the older man as if they were old friends meeting on the street.
The agent sloshed his coffee over the side of his cup, burning his hand. He yelped and dropped the cup.
“Sir, I—” The guard didn’t get the chance to say anything else. Kristor threw one punch and the guy slumped to the floor. The other guard had barely opened his mouth when he met with the same fate.
Agent Richards turned to run, but Kristor clamped a hand on his shoulder and pushed him toward the cell.
“Maybe I should take you back to my planet and let you see how we question aliens from Earth.”
“Oh, God, please, no.”
Kristor opened the door and shoved him inside. Ria wondered if they really captured people from other planets. Did they poke them with probes?
It had been rather nice when Kristor had probed her. She mentally shook her head. Now was not the time to let her thoughts wander.
Agent Adam Richards was the man who had wanted to dissect the man she loved. She shoved up the sleeves of her lab coat. “Let me at him,” she said. She wasn’t sure what she would do, but she wanted to do something. Maybe punch his lights out.
Kristor shoved the agent against the wall, then clamped the cuffs on his wrists and ankles.
“Please don’t. I swear I’ll retire, anything, just let me go.”
Was he actually crying? The tough expression he’d worn when Kristor was taken to the van was gone. The guy was actually sniveling.
“If you don’t stop torturing aliens I will return, and I’ll bring others with me. Do you understand?”
“I’m not sure I have the authority—”
“Whatever it takes, you will get it done.” Kristor took a menacing step closer.
“Yes, I will. I will. Just don’t hurt me.”
Kristor grabbed Ria’s arm and they started out, but he glanced once more over his shoulder. “Don’t make a sound. If you do, I’ll kill you.”
He shook his head. “No, of course not. Quiet as a mouse. Promise.”
“Then shut up,” Kristor growled.
Ria thought Kristor was quite fierce. She rather liked this warrior side of him. He made her feel protected. Except they had to get out of there fast.
“How did you find me?” he asked as they slipped past the double doors and down the hall.
She glanced his way as they hurried down the hall and out the door. Fresh air was like a welcome caress on her face. He grabbed her arm.
“Rianna?”
“I shifted. There, I hope you’re happy.”
He grinned, then pulled her into his arms. His lips brushed across hers in a gentle kiss. Then it deepened with emotion as they both realized how close they had been to losing each other.
“I love you,” he whispered after the kiss ended. He continued to hold her close.
She sighed. “And I love you.”
“Then you’ll leave with me?”
“Can we come back to visit?”
“Of course.”
“Then yes, I’ll follow you anywhere. As long as I have a bottle of Valium.”
“Valium?”
“Yes, and Dramamine.”
“I will make sure you have plenty then.”
“Good. Let’s go home.”
The fog began to roll in as they both thought about their animal guides. Ria felt the burning pain, but this time she welcomed it like an old friend.
Shintara stretched her wings as the fog dissipated. She looked over at the hawk who was doing the same. Nice wingspan.
You’re not so bad yourself, Labrinon screeched.
Ria mentally shook her head. Having her animal guide free was going to take a little getting used to. But as long as she was with Kristor, she had a feeling she could get through just about anything.
Her life finally felt complete. As it should.