I Dated a Legal Devil, page 23
“Techor was insistent that you get a tablet as soon as you wake, so here it is.”
She opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but Khytten elevated the bed for her.
“I have another shot for you. It targets scar tissue. And this other one will be taken an hour after that, or the healing will continue. Kritz is jealous. He was going to make nanites for you, but this will be faster and easier on your system.”
Drin lifted her hand and took the first vial. She shot it back, and it tasted like lemon cream. “Flavouring now?”
Khytten chuckled. “I had some time to fuss with it, and the babies are all weaned. I may have wished that they would grow faster once or twice while feeding, and they are all toddlers now. Bottle feeding for everyone.”
Drin moved her fingers over the tablet. Kiamut was a tracked substance, so she did what she did for Litha and sourced it.
She cross-referenced it with spending through her brother’s accounts and found two batches purchased. One was sufficient for most weddings. “Well, they bought it, and they bought the linberry tea. That confirms it. They only used a portion of the Kiamut in the tea, but with my allergy, it is enough.”
Khytten looked at her. “You did all that with a few keystrokes?”
“Oh, sure. Sourcing things is my... uh, thing.”
“You accessed their purchasing records?”
“I went through the supplier who has to record who buys the Kiamut. Then I found my brother’s name. I kept looking, and I found it again yesterday. My guess is that they were going to claim it was wedding related.”
She looked around and touched her collar and then the wristbands. “Where are the guys?”
“Salat is holding them off down the hall in case you needed to take in some healing directly. I know girls aren’t on your preferred list and didn’t want to embarrass you.”
Drin smiled. “Thanks. It is awkward enough having sex with other people in the room, but I finally got over that.”
Khytten smiled. “Doc Torenne helped with that and my birthday party. I was all mopey until Salat showed up.”
Drin tapped via the messaging system, and there was the sound of thumping feet.
Khytten grinned and stepped aside as the five came in.
Drin looked at Remark. “You had a thing.”
“I had a family emergency.” He was standing at the foot of her bed, and his hand was around her ankle.
She looked around at the concerned faces. “Am I still gross and blotchy?”
Vikor caressed her cheek. “You are lovely, all golden and sparkly again.”
Ekron pulled up a chair and pressed his forehead to her fingers. “We were very scared.”
Klauz gripped her other ankle. “I was petrified. Everything that I was planning but not saying. I want to say it and plan it with you.”
Techor took her hand. “I am so glad we formed that link, Drin.”
She squeezed his hand. “Me, too. I just knew I had to get cool fast, and I hit the pool and thought of you for some strange reason.”
Kritz spoke from the doorway. “Your plunge probably saved your life, Drin. It slowed the reaction that was burning you. You remembering the allergy stopped the reaction, and Khytten dosing you repaired the damage.” He smiled. “I tell you, sis, it is a weird allergy.”
“Thanks, doc.”
“It’s okay. You aren’t susceptible to it anymore. Khytten does some good work. No allergies to anything. By now, all the scar tissue should be gone. Her doses work quickly.”
She nodded and said, “When can I get up and out of here?”
“You need the final dose and the final scans that check everything, and then your link can take you home.”
Drin nodded. “Then, Khytten? Hand it over.”
Khytten passed the vial to Vikor. He popped the cap and held it to Drin’s lips. This time it was strawberry. Khytten must have been bored.
She swallowed and finished the vial.
The scans were quick, and Ekron pulled a soft knit dress over her head. He kissed her temple. “Just until you get home. Then you are back in bed.”
“That does not sound as fun as it should.”
Khytten and Arcady laughed, but Drin’s guys looked sober. They were taking this seriously. She was picked up and carried out of Z-Tech with her cuffs in place and Vikor’s arms around her. The huge SUV was waiting in the secure parkade, and they got in and headed back to Ekron’s place.
“Stella is going to be grovelling at your feet for a while. She met Jeanie and your brother at the door, and when she said that this was a housewarming present, Stella took her at her word. She has tried to quit every four hours since it happened.” Ekron smiled. “She will be relieved to see you up and around.”
She yawned and smiled. “I will be happy when I am back on my feet. So, when do you think that will be, precisely?”
Vikor frowned. “Are you tired?”
“No, but you twits keep carrying me. I need to make sure that my legs work.”
Techor looked at her with a scowl. “Did you just call us twits?”
She looked back at him. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
Klauz grabbed one of her feet and started a heavy massage. She squeaked and arched, twisting against Vikor. Klauz grabbed her other foot and ran his thumb along her instep. She was squirming in ten seconds, and Vikor held her while she whimpered and giggled while she moaned. No one had given her a foot rub before, which was both stimulating and triggering. When they pulled up to Ekron’s home, she was limp, and Klauz had moved the massage up her calves. He suddenly slid his fingers up her inner thigh and caressed her sex. Her legs kicked. He chuckled. “Your legs work just fine, but you appear to have some fluid loss.”
She grunted. “Funny. Don’t you have people to feed?”
“You are the most important person at the moment. My staff is good, or they wouldn’t work for me. I don’t leave your side until we are sure you are all right.”
“I am fine. Just a little weak. I feel like I have been run over by a paver.” She flexed her legs in his grip.
The driver pulled up at the entry, and Ekron left the vehicle first. He spoke with Stella and then nodded to Remark. The agent left first, and when Techor smiled at her, got out, and did a scan that she could feel crackling against her nerves, she realized that they were still worried about her being attacked.
“Vikor, were my brother and sister-in-law arrested?”
“They were. There are records of them hiring an assassin. It hasn’t been traced yet, so until we find them, you are going to be plastered next to one of us.”
She groaned. “Well, fuck.”
“The prefect has let your sibling know that if you suffer any additional injury, it is the death penalty for them. Your link is very high profile, and Aksalla would be poorer if you left it.”
“Link? I have heard that word today.”
“It’s a union with more than three participants.”
“Ah. I learned a new word.”
Klauz chuckled. Vikor carried her out, and he brought up the rear. She was protected on all sides as she was carried in. Techor was doing a broad sweep, and Vikor brought her to Ekron’s bedroom and tucked her into the bed.
“Get some sleep. We will be nearby. Techor is keeping his mind open.”
“Okay.” She pulled the covers up. “I am going to get some rest at home. Are we home?”
“Yeah, baby girl. We are home.”
She was kissed, and he stroked her cheek, and then, she was left to rest.
She let herself drift away.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Where did you get this?” Drin grunted.
“My therapist brought it over.” Techor chuckled as he slid oiled hands over her back.
“What day is it?”
“Monday afternoon. The incident took up most of yesterday.”
“Don’t you have judgy stuff to do today?” She grunted as he ran his thumbs down her spine.
“Nope. Off for a family day. Vikor is talking with the peacekeepers, and Ekron had to go talk to his mother. Klauz is in the kitchen, and Stella is housecleaning.”
“Where’s Remark?”
A familiar voice said, “Oh, I am just enjoying watching the massage. I am off duty until you are safe.”
She turned her head and grunted as Techor found another knot. Remark leaned toward her and offered her what looked like lemonade. She took a sip and rolled it around her mouth. “Those lemons are all fermented.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, they are. I am your food taster if Klauz isn’t around. We also got a scanner from Kritz to make sure that there is no Kiamut in the house anymore. The police seized the first batch.”
She buried her face in the padded table and groaned as Techor worked on her butt. She carried a lot of tension in her glutes, and Techor was persistent. He worked her over until she was limp and slippery.
He carried her to the outdoor shower and washed off the oil before returning her to the bed and rubbing lotion into her skin.
Having a hired killer after her should have been stressful, but she had never been more relaxed.
After she was all soft, she was wrapped in a sheet, and Remark held her on his lap while Techor went for a swim. She watched him under the water and fought the urge to join him. A quick consultation with Kritz let her know that she should probably take a day off from frolicking, but she really wanted to go into the water after Techor.
“So, are you adapting to having a price on your head?”
She breathed Remark in. “It’s no worse than having you guys hunting me or being shot by Ekron’s superfan.” She huffed. “It has been an eventful few days.”
He chuckled and kissed her softly, stroking his hand down her legs. She dozed under the soft caress.
A familiar voice chuckled. “Just can’t keep your hands off her, huh? Come here, Drinella and give me a proper greeting.”
She smiled and got off Remark’s lap. She took the dozen steps to Ekron and wrapped her arms around him. That was when she pulled all the energy out of his body, and he dropped to the ground, screaming.
She looked around and saw a plant. She fed the energy into the plant.
The assassin was writhing on the ground, and Remark had cuffed him. Techor was encroaching on his mind, and she walked back to one of the deck chairs and stretched out. Techor looked at her. “His mind is fractured. What did you do?”
“I removed the energy that makes him an active. He’s turning human, and since he was a shapeshifter, it hurts like hell to go back without the energy to ease the transition.” She bit her lip. “Where is Vikor? I think I am going to need a lawyer.”
Remark frowned. “He’s on his way. Why will you need a lawyer?”
“Because I am not supposed to do that. I don’t think anyone is supposed to do that.”
A heavy thud from next to the pool made her look over. Yasit was there with his gargoyle-like body straightening. He moved gracefully and stalked over to Remark. “This is your assassin?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s mostly human.” Yasit hauled him up and looked at him.
“My mate drained the activation energy from him. If he regains his activation, it is going to take some time before he can use it again, but we have internal video to show that a shapeshifter was in here.”
Yasit looked over at her. “You drained his energy?”
She nodded. “I put it in that potted plant.”
“How did you know he wasn’t Ekron?”
“He felt wrong, and some other things.”
Yasit nodded. “Interesting. I will take him to active holding. It will be fun to see what happens to a human in there. You look very calm.”
“I am resting. I have had a rough few days. What I need to know is if I have more visitors to expect?”
“Under mental examination, there was only one assassin hired. A shapeshifter was given information that only someone close to you would know.”
“And they picked Ekron because he is the most public face and therefore the easiest to copy,” she muttered and started shaking.
Remark came over to her and held her. Techor called Kritz, and she continued to shake.
Klauz brought a covered tray in, set it on the table, sat on the lounger, and patted his thighs. “Bring her here.”
Remark brought her to him, and from the moment that Klauz settled her against his bare skin, it set her off. She squirmed around on him until his loose trousers were open, and she had his erection in her hand. He was inside her, and she moved on him with a hot frenzy until she screamed.
He groaned and smoothed his hands over her bare back as heat spilled and pulsed into her. She smiled and wrapped her hands around his neck. “Thanks, I needed that.”
“I know. When you start shaking, you need us before food. Even my food.”
She chuckled and paused. “Wait, am I naked and around you with a stranger in the space?”
Klauz chuckled. “You are. Most of you is covered by me if that makes you feel better.” His hands gripped her ass and rocked her against him. She pressed her hands against his chest and rolled her head as her body felt loose and warm.
The second climb was slower, and Klauz had her put her hands behind her head so he could lean forward and tease her breasts with his mouth. When she came, the ripple of power was back to how she normally felt, and when Klauz came, the shakes disappeared.
She was draped over Klauz, and Remark was standing with a grin and his arms crossed while Yasit stared, and the assassin had regained a bit more colour. “Oh, dear. I gave him some of my energy. He might regain activation faster than we thought. Also, apologies for the show.”
Yasit swallowed. “No apologies necessary. It was lovely. So, do you know where to find my bluebird?”
She had an image of Mayel working out and lifting literal tons of weight to keep her body burning through the power to stabilize herself. “Interesting. Well, she is an escort for the BDC, so I would start there.”
“I am registered with them. I have not seen a description of her in the escort roster.”
“You are looking for the wrong thing. Look for a heavy hitter. She spends most of her time at a gym, burning calories to keep her body stable. If management lets you select those options, you will see a bunch of different escorts. Look for the ones who like picnics in the park.”
Yasit nodded. “I will do that. And now, I will take out the trash.” He pinned the man to him, bent his knees and shot upward, widening his wings. He flapped away with strong strokes, and then, she noticed that his tail was helping him steer. Oh boy. Mayel is going to have to deal with that.
Klauz stroked her back. “How did you know he was a shifter?”
“He called me Drinella, his energy was all wrong, and he was surprised that I was cuddling with Remark. That was not Ekron.”
She was plucked off Klauz, and Remark laughed at her squawk. “Time to get back to cuddling with me.”
He got comfortable in a chair and draped her over him. He just ran his hands over her skin over and over. It was his favourite part of her, and his slow stroking eased her into a light doze.
When she woke, Vikor was crouched next to her, and it was definitely him. She went into his arms easily, and he held her close. “They have the assassin.”
“Yes, and you made him mostly human. Well done. Can you do that to any active?”
“If I feel threatened, probably, but it’s new.” She kissed his neck. “I think it is possible because I am sated. I don’t need to consume the energy, so I can manipulate it. It was just shining on his skin, so I peeled it off. He will recover, but it will take months.”
“I am glad you were safe. Ekron is here. He is worried that his appearance will upset you.”
“That isn’t the case.”
Vikor whistled sharply. Ekron came in from the kitchen with a garment bag over his arm. She grinned. “Final proof that he wasn’t you. You went to your mother’s and didn’t bring back a garment bag. That made me instantly suspicious.” She tried to get away from Vikor, but he held her steady.
He stood with her pressed to his chest, and Ekron came over and gave her a sweet, toe-curling kiss. “I like bringing you pretty things.”
She chuckled. “I have noticed, so if you ever do have to come to me emptyhanded, bring a coffee mug or something; that way, I won’t have to bust you back to human.”
“Yes, pet.” He rubbed his nose against hers. “So, do you want to try on your party dress for the awards?”
“Right now, the result would be distinctly Vikor-shaped.”
Vikor snorted. “I don’t want to put you down.”
“Klauz made some kind of food, so you could alleviate your anxiety by holding me while I investigate the nummy stuff. I might need a towel or a sheet or something. Techor gave me a seriously good rubdown, so I might be a little slippery and definitely softer.”
He stroked her shoulder. “You are extremely soft.”
Techor grinned. “I do good work. She’s fun to work on.” He glanced at the folded massage table. “Now that I know how much fun it is, I will have to get one of those and put it in my room.”
Klauz snorted. “Like fuck it goes in your room. I could hear her from the kitchen. That was music I like to cook to.”
She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. “You seemed so nice and polite when I first met you. Now you are a ravenous perv.”
He cackled. “When Kritz started dating Arcady, it was sweet. He needed her, and she wanted him, so it all worked out. They courted and got together. I worked my way through the BDC until I met a sweet little thing who made my mind race and my blood heat but never to the point of having her. Then, I saw you through Kritz’s eyes at work, and I saw how you behaved with Vikor, and I knew that you were my muse. When Vikor called me, I already knew all I needed to. The possibility of a mate on my own has always been difficult. However, by joining this link and sharing you left all possibilities open. I could act on my own impulses, embrace yours, and finally have a woman of my own, even if it was part-time. They are with you when I can’t be, and I can satisfy myself in the ways I need to.”
