CAPTURED: 9 Alpha Bad-Boys(188)

Riley's frown turned to amusement when she heard the laughter from  numerous voices coming from the console. She heard the deep voice  speaking to someone else on the other end. "I think we have found our  missing hairball," the man said between chuckles. "I'm just not sure who  he needs rescuing from, the Marastin Dow or the female who is manning  the communication console.

"I heard that, honey," Riley replied with an exaggerated Midwestern  drawl. "I would place all bets on that bossy, arrogant, demanding … "  Vox's loud roar of rage interrupted her descriptive response. She turned  and glared at the huge cat that was glaring back at her in fury. "Well,  if you don't like what I have to say about you then you can just dump  my big ass back on my planet!"

Riley refused to back down. She was royally pissed at him, and he was  about to find out just how unpleasant she could be when she was pissed.  She had enough self-esteem problems without him broadcasting to half the  solar system that she needed to lose weight. She was happy with the way  she was, and he could just shove it up his hairy ass if he thought she  was going to let him put her down. She had to deal with that from enough  people when she was growing up.

She turned when she heard the voice of a woman on the other end of the  console. Her face flushed when she heard the woman introduce herself as  Carmen Walker from Wyoming. She clenched her jaw as a wave of emotion  swept through her. Tears stung her eyes before she forced them back. Her  chance to go home might just be on the other end of this console, and  she was going to grab it with both hands. If Vox didn't like her the way  she was, well, that was probably for the best. It was better to stop  these annoying feelings coursing through her before things went any  further, anyway.

Riley was just telling Carmen she hoped she'd had a better time of it  than Riley had when Bob's deep melodious voice spoke out in protest. He  was asking her if it had really been all bad. Riley released a resigned  sigh before explaining to Bob he had been a dear. " … I was referring to  that annoying pile of cat … " This time her voice faded because Vox had  shifted back into his two-legged shape again and was walking toward her  with a look that promised retribution.

"By Guall's balls, Riley, I'm going to spank your ass until it is bloody  red if you don't stop giving me a hard time," Vox snarled out  impatiently as he thrust the dead body of a Marastin Dow away from him  and headed for her.

"Don't you mean my big ass, you moron?" Riley replied sarcastically,  determined to make him more than willing to toss her ass on the nearest  spaceship heading toward Earth.

Her eyes widened when his face darkened and a low, dangerous snarl  escaped him. His eyes glittered with determination. Riley could have  handled it if the determination written on his face promised he was  tired of her smart mouth. Instead, the look smoldered with a deep  passion that scared her more than any amount of anger could have.

"Female, I am going to … " Vox's voice faded in disbelief when Riley  raised her arm pointing the laser pistol Banu gave her at him. She  remembered at the last minute to flick the charge to the lowest setting  before she aimed it at his arm and pulled the trigger. Vox's loud curses  filled the air. "You shot me!" he roared out in astonishment, freezing  and looking at her as if he couldn't believe she had really pulled the  trigger. If it wasn't for the burning on his arm, he wouldn't have  thought she had it in her.

"But not where I was aiming for," Riley snapped back defensively. "So  help me, Vox, you better stay away from me until my temper has cooled or  I won't miss where I'm aiming for the next time I shoot you."

"Vox, do you need assistance?" a different male called out from the console.

"Yes! I need you to come and … " Vox growled out, taking another menacing  step toward Riley, his mouth set in fierce determination. He was going  to whip her ass good for this little stunt! He groaned when she aimed  and fired at him again as he took another step toward her, almost  grazing him in the leg. "Come on, Riley. I didn't mean anything when I  said you had a big ass. I like big asses." He stopped when he saw her  standing up and taking aim between his legs with fury glittering from  her eyes. Shit, she was really pissed off at him this time. "I … " he  started to say before he jumped to the side when she fired again.  " … Shit. Will you quit shooting at me!" he yelled out, moving behind a  chair before he finally took refuge behind Tor and Lodar who were too  busy laughing their asses off to move fast enough to get away from him.

Vox peeked out from behind his chief engineer and his medical officer  with a low moan. "I thought you two were my friends," he muttered as he  looked at Riley who was busy adjusting the charge on the pistol in her  hand.         

     



 

"We are, otherwise we wouldn't let you hide behind us," Lodar chuckled.  "I think this is a fitting payback for the hell we've been going through  knowing Riley is your mate. You have no idea the effect she has had on  all of us, including Fred and Bob! I need a good fuck so bad I'm about  ready to take a Marastin Dow female as a captive."

Vox ducked back behind Tor-who was shaking with laughter-when Riley  looked around the room to see where he was hiding. "I would kill you two  for that comment if it wasn't for the fact I need you two standing so  she doesn't kill me!" he snapped out ruefully.

Tor chuckled again. "Well, you have to admit you can't complain about being bored anymore."

Vox glared at the back of his friend's head wishing he could smack it  but knowing if he did that Tor might move and give Riley a clear shot.  He opened his mouth to make a smart-assed comment, but the freighter  gave a horrendous groan at that moment. The lights flickered on and off  before finally staying off. Vox had no trouble seeing in the dim  lighting, but he knew Riley would. He made his move, pushing Tor and  Lodar out of the way and springing for his aggravating mate. His large  hand wrapped around the laser pistol, pulling it to the side where it  fired into one of the control panels. Smoke rose and alarms sounded as  an automated voice came on announcing that the life support system was  in critical failure, immediate evacuation was recommended.

"Oh hell," Riley huffed out, blowing her hair out of her eyes. "Not again! How many frigging things can go wrong in my life?"

"That's all right, Riley," Fred said coming over to where Vox had his  arms wrapped tightly around her. "I'll get your pink case for you."

"You might want to let me get it, Fred," Tor said with a deep sigh. "It's heavy."

Riley smiled at the guys, happy that everyone appeared to have survived  the attack. "Thank you, guys, for protecting me and everything."

Vox listened as Riley's voice softened when she talked to the other  males. His cat hissed angrily, blaming him for the mess they were in.  All he wanted to do now was to get back home so he could have Riley in  an environment totally controlled by him. He hoped if he was at least on  his home turf he could finally quit acting like such an idiot where she  was concerned.

"Come get us off this piece of worthless Trillian shit," Vox snarled out  to the Horizon. "There are ten of us on board. You can kill any number  over that," he added as he pulled Riley closer to him.

"A shuttle will be dispatched immediately," the male responded with a chuckle. "It is good to hear your voice, my old friend."

"Yeah, well, your uncle isn't going to like to hear it. That piece of  royal Valdier ass is mine! He'll wish he had never messed with this  Sarafin prince," Vox bit out harshly as he recognized Creon Reykill's  voice.

"Yewww, the big puddy-cat is hissing again," Riley's sarcastic voice  grated out. "Watch out-the next thing you know you'll be shooting  hairballs," she snapped out in a drawl as she stomped down on his instep  and darted away from him when he jumped back with a startled yelp.

"Riley, so help me I'm going to wring your neck when I catch you!" Vox  snarled out as he watched her jump over a pile of dead purple bodies as  he stomped after her.

"Tor!" Riley called out loudly as she hurried down the corridor after  Titus, Adur, Cross, and Banu who were laughing loudly. "Vox is being  mean to me again."

"Don't you listen to a thing she says. I am not being mean to her! What  did I ever do to deserve a mate like this?" Vox groaned out before the  communications link blinked out as the emergency power failed.





Chapter 12

Riley nervously smoothed down the robe over her nightgown as she stared  out the viewport at the darkness of space. She had always been a sucker  for sexy lingerie. It was the one thing that made her feel all girly and  not like an oversized cow in a china shop. She had to admit, she  thought she looked good in the stuff. She had a full figure with an  hourglass shape. She was big on top and had wide hips which made her  waist look small. She shook her head when she remembered what one boy  told her when she was fifteen. She had gone to an afterschool dance; it  had been the first and last one she ever attended. She had been standing  awkwardly to the side, watching as one girl after another got asked to  dance. The night was almost over when one of the football players, Todd  Patterson, came over and asked her to dance with him. It was a slow  song, and she had been thrilled. Sure, she stood a couple inches taller  than him, but it wasn't that bad. He had placed his hands on her hips,  and they had rocked back and forth for a couple of seconds before he  squeezed her, pulling her closer.