I glanced over my shoulder. Crap. They probably thought Raj would eat them.
I stepped in front of him and ordered, "Put your weapons away. The Gorum won't eat you; he's a friend."
"I do not need you to defend me," Raj snipped, wrapping a tentacle around me as he tugged me out of the way.
"It's what friends do," I responded. Wriggling free of his grip, I used my body as a shield.
An enormous Askole warrior snorted. "The Gorum have no concept of friendship. They are like the Tai-Kok. They live only to eat. Now move out of the way, female, so I may kill this obscenity."
"Obscenity? Get real. They are nothing like the Tai-Kok." I eyed his black armor-plated skin and the tentacles squirming around his snakelike features. "In fact you have a lot in common with the Gorum. Hey, who knows, you could be distant relatives."
The warrior hissed, "You dare to insult me?"
My temper flared to life. "I've had a really bad day, and all I want is something cold to drink and a shower. Put your gun down, or I will take it from you."
Everyone looked at me like I had lost my mind.
Maybe I had, but I was too tired to care.
Testosterone struck again. The cocky Askole laughed. "This tiny female thinks she can take my weapon?"
I bared my teeth in a predator's smile. "I can and I will."
"Go ahead and try," the warrior taunted.
On my private link with Voss, I asked, "Do I have your permission to teach dickhead a lesson?"
"I have to admit, I'm a bit curious on how you plan on taking him down. The Askoles are difficult to defeat."
Zarek popped in next to us and added, "Very difficult, but proceed."
"Watch and learn." I mentally grabbed dickhead's balls and squeezed with all my might.
The warrior's eyes bugged out, and with an agonized cry, he dropped to his knees.
Voss's laughter sounded in my head. "A unique solution."
"One Kaylee also used effectively," Zarek said with a chuckle.
"Drop your weapon," I instructed and squeezed harder.
The laser pistol dropped from the Askole's hand.
An elderly Askole wearing fancy gold battle armor strolled up. He studied Raj for a moment and turned his attention to the warrior on his knees before his compelling yellow-green eyes settled on me. "You must be related to Kaylee."
"Yes, sir, cousins," I answered, awed at the amount of power coming off the old guy. Betcha he was the High Commander.
"Sariel," Zarek said, clasping his arm in a warrior's greeting.
"What has the youngling done?"
"He pulled a weapon on Raj, our new partner in the fight to defeat Malik and his allies."
The tentacles squirming about Sariel's head stilled suddenly. "The Gorum agreed to become your ally?"
"We have a common enemy," Raj responded as Kunwar and the others appeared behind him.
The tension level shot into the stratosphere, and a multitude of weapons appeared.
I narrowed my eyes in aggravation. "Oh for God's sake. Do I have to unman all of you?"
Everyone took a hasty step back and holstered their weapons.
The young warrior gasped, "Please, my lady, release me."
"You insulted me and my friend, and I think reparations are in order. You're going to go out and kill ten sand sharks for my buddies here to eat."
Kunwar interjected, "Ten?"
"You're right. It's not enough. Twenty sand sharks should do it."
Tentacles squirming frantically around his head, the young warrior gasped, "Twenty?"
"Look at it this way. The Tai-Kok tortured and starved my friends here. Do you want them eating you or the sand sharks?"
"Sand sharks," he replied hastily.
"Good answer." I released his balls.
He climbed stiffly to his feet and gave me a slight bow. "With your permission I start the hunt, my lady."
I looked over at Sariel. "Any objections, High Commander?"
"None." He focused his attention on the young warrior. "Take Imo and Shivat with you, Kourian."
"Yes, High Commander." Kourian hobbled off.
A short Chinese-looking dude walked up in a spiffy green uniform and raised an eyebrow as Raj curled a protective tentacle around my shoulders. "You continually surprise me, Zarek."
"I cannot take credit for such a monumental event, Commander Zan. Zoey persuaded the Gorum to join our fight."
"Did she?" The commander's gaze surveyed my sweat-soaked hair, battered face, paused for a moment on Bedan, then took in my torn and bloody clothes.
Resisting the urge to give his balls a good squeeze, I snapped, "Gosh, who would have thought that females are good for something other than making babies."
Zan inquired incredulously, "You fought them?"
Rolling my eyes, I corrected him. "No, I fought beside them."
Kunwar announced proudly, "She carries the king's mark."
"That I would like to see."
"As would I," Sariel added.
"Fine." Handing Bedan to Kunwar, I pulled off my tattered tunic and armor, threw them on the ground, and turned to show them my back. "Everyone take a good look, because I'm not doing this again."
Commander Zan stretched out a hand. "Incredible."
"Touch me and I will kill you," I snarled.
He grinned at me. "Another fearless Jones."
"Tend to your mate, Voss," Zarek instructed. His cold amber eyes examined my bruise-covered body.
Voss scooped me up.
"Wait! My armor."
Sariel picked it up with a frown. "It will be my honor, Battle Commander, to provide your mate with the proper armor."
"The honor is ours," Voss said and teleported.
There was a fleeting instant of blackness, and we were standing in our chambers.
"God, do I need a drink. Got any Datol or whiskey?"
"Blood first." He sat me on the table.
"But … " I let out a groan as Voss held out his bleeding hand.
"Drink," he commanded with a scowl.
"Man, you're wicked fast with that knife."
"I am Zarek's Battle Commander. Drink."
I drank and drank and drank. The healing warmth of his blood spread through my aching body. "Okay, all better. Where's that drink?"
He held out his canteen of piss.
"Aw, c'mon."
"This will rehydrate you. The liquor won't."
"I'll drink some water."
"Zoey." Voss's voice was a low growl.
Ignoring the canteen, I opened my box of chocolate. "You wouldn't happen to have an ice-cold soda on this bucket of bolts, would ya?"
"Bucket of bolts? This is the finest warbird in the fleet," Voss said, more than a bit angry at me dissing his ship.
"If you say so." I popped a piece of chocolate in my mouth and looked for one with nuts.
"You will drink this, Zoey, or I will throw your chocolate down the disposal chute."
"You wouldn't dare." I held the box protectively against my chest.
Voss leaned down until we were nose to nose. "Try me."
After one look at his merciless expression, I took the canteen and chugged down the piss. My stomach roiled, and I clamped a hand over my mouth. It was about to come back up.
"You will not puke," Voss commanded and mucked about in my head.
My stomach settled, but I still had that awful taste in my mouth. "Happy now, snookums?"
"Ecstatic, sugar tits." He poured me a glass of water and held it out.
"You're a real comedian. Where's my Datol?"
"Drink it."
The menace in his voice sent a shiver down my back. I grabbed the glass, slid off the table, and stalked into the bathroom. God, what a bossy prick.
Voss followed me in.
"Get out!"
"No."
"I need a few minutes of alone time, you big ape."
"Until Malik is caught, you don't leave my sight."
"Fine." I slammed the glass down on the counter, kicked my boots off, and removed my bloody pants and underwear. Stepping into the shower, I touched a button, and jets of hot water pounded down on my sore muscles. God, that felt so good.
The shower door slid open, and in came the big guy.
I bared my teeth at him.
He flashed his lethal fangs, took the soap container away from me, and began gently washing my body.
"I'm quite capable of washing myself," I snapped and tried to take the soap away from him.
Voss held it out of reach. "You're my mate, and it's my duty to care for you."
"Ha! You just want sex."
His soapy hands cupped my face, and he kissed me tenderly. "I want you safe."
Oh. God. That was so sweet. A shuddering sigh escaped me. "I know I'm being a bitch, but my brain is on overload. So much has happened, and I haven't had time to process it all. I'm winging it here, and I'm scared to death I'm going to lose it." To my horror, tears rolled down my cheeks. "If I fall to pieces … "