Gracie's Touch Zion Warriors 1 (24 page)

Gracie threw her shoulders back making sure every inch of her five foot four frame was standing tall and proud.
Bring it on.
Gracie thought with another low growl which brought a chuckle from Cooraan who glanced at her with a mischievous grin.

“Just leave some for us.” He leaned over and whispered as they moved up the pristine white steps of the huge building.

Gracie flashed him an answering grin before turning her eyes to look at the building she was about to enter. A set of four huge black pillars cast in a type of stone offset the dozens of white steps leading up to a set of twelve foot doors. Even the doors looked intimidating with the huge carvings of warriors, warships, planets, and suns. Gracie took the steps slowly wanting to see the whole thing. There were statues of different creatures around the top of the building and great creatures of all types and sizes looking down on those coming up the steps. Gracie shivered when it looked like a couple of the creatures actually moved.

“They did.” Mohan whispered softly. “They are the sentinels. They guard the Council Chamber at all times.”

Gracie’s eyes widened as she watched the huge, gray creatures as they moved. They looked like they were carved out of stone, much like the ancient gargoyles on the buildings in New York. Only these guys looked a lot meaner. Their claws curled around the polished stone about their heads and were the size of carving knives. They had long, narrow snouts and rows of teeth. One of the creatures stretched out and jumped to another spot on the building. Gracie gasped as she saw its long, leathery looking wings spread out for a moment. She would have tripped if not for Cooraan’s hand reaching out at the last minute and steadying her.

When they got to high up the steps to see the creatures any longer without trying to walk with her head lying all the way back, Gracie focused on the next new discovery. Smaller, deadly looking insects moved along the vines cut into the stone. Gracie kept her distance from them as they made a humming sound of warning with their wings beating so fast she couldn’t see them moving.

“What are those?” Gracie asked wide-eyed.

“
Blasnits
.” Mohan said. “Nasty little creatures but very effective killers. They swarm their victims eating them from the inside out. Once they become bloated they leave a slimy trail behind them of the undigested remains. These have been genetically altered to remain on the pillars unless they are needed.”

Gracie shivered in horror. What if some poor mother brought her kids here and they started messing with them? What a horrible way to die. Two other aliens dressed in some type of uniform and carrying swords, as well as, laser pistols opened the doors for them. It seemed like the sound from their boots echoed forever along the cold, stone as they walked towards the opened doors. Gracie wondered half-heartedly if this was how Marie Antoinette felt when she was being escorted out of the palace to be beheaded.

“I don’t think I like this. Why are we doing this again?” Gracie asked nervously as their small group walked through into a dimly lit corridor.

Large carvings, paintings, and tapestries lined the walls. The ceiling looked like it was over fifty feet high with curved domes lit with scenes from what looked like different worlds. Gracie imagined if it was a museum it would be pretty neat if you liked the cold, dark, and scary stuff. Personally, she had enough of that on the Alluthan mother ship. She was ready for brightly lit, cheerful, and open right about now.

Gracie moved closer to Kordon and tucked her fingers up under his jacket so she was holding onto his waistband. She didn’t care what it looked like or what anyone thought. She needed to touch him.

Kordon paused a moment and looked over his shoulder with a reassuring smile. “The Council Chambers are not quite as bad. Several of the newer council members have insisted on it being remodeled.” Kordon said when he saw the frightened look in Gracie’s eyes. “I will not let anything harm you.”

Gracie nodded. “This place makes a haunted house look like Candy Land. Is it just me or is this place really depressing?”

Bran bit back a chuckle as did the other three men. “It is meant to intimidate any who enter into agree with the council.” He said.

“Not in this bloody lifetime.” Gracie growled out in understand. “I’ve been to the pits of hell and survived. This is going to be a walk in the park compared to some of the places I’ve been.” She said in bravo.

Kordon’s eyes flashed in anger at the memory. “We are prepared. Just follow Mohan if she tells you to. She knows what to do.”

Gracie frowned up at Kordon. “Yeah, that is something else we need to talk about when this show is over with.” Gracie pi
nch
ed Kordon lightly. “No more holding information from me. I can’t fight if I don’t know what is going on.”

Kordon turned so quickly he caught Gracie off guard. Grasping her face between his hands, he tilted her head backwards forcing her to look into his deep blue eyes. Kordon didn’t say anything for a moment.
Gracie stood
still
when she realized he was trying to get his emotions under control before he spoke.

Kordon took several deep breaths before he felt able to speak calmly. “I will protect you, Gracie. I do not want you to ever have to fight again. Twice, I have almost lost you. Twice, I have felt an emotion so devastating, so paralyzing that if nearly brought me to my knees. I have never known fear until I met you. It is not an emotion I like. I will protect you and our child with my life, Gracie Jones-Jeke. I have claimed you as mine and I always protect what is mine.”

Gracie opened her mouth but nothing came out. Kordon took advantage of her stunned silence to kiss her savagely in a kiss that proclaimed to all who she was to him. Gracie melted as Kordon’s strong arms moved down her arms and wrapped around her. Her arms moved upwards to wind around his neck in a desperate acceptance of his possession. She was determined to do a little claiming of her own.

Kordon pulled away almost as abruptly as he pulled her into his arms. It took a moment for Gracie to realize Quan was standing in front of them blocking several guards from approaching them. Gracie’s face flushed with heat and she lowered her eyes. She couldn’t believe she had totally tuned everyone and everything out the moment Kordon touched her. Gracie flicked at glance up at Kordon to see if he was as affected as she was. If she had not been so in tune with him she would have missed the slight tightening of his jaw and the muscle ticking in it rapidly. To anyone else who might see him, his face was as cold as the stone statues lining the outside of the building.

“Grand Admiral, the council
h
as requested that you and the female be escorted into the Council Chambers.” One of the guards said.

Two other guards moved aside to allow them to pass. When Bran and Cooraan moved, three additional guards moved forward and placed their swords in front of them. Bran, Cooraan, and Quan all growled in a low, dangerous tone. Quan moved Mohan back behind him gently as he took a threatening step forward.

“The Council requested you come alone with the female.” The guard said ignoring the threatening growls of the other Zion warriors.

Kordon’s eyes remained cold. “Very well.” He replied stiffly.

Bran started to protest but a slight signal from Kordon froze the protest on his lips. With a curt nod, the men stepped back. Mohan moved up behind Gracie and gently laid her palm against her back.

“Stay safe, Gracie Jones. We will be close if you need us.” Mohan said quietly in English.

Gracie started slightly when she felt Mohan pressing the small laser pistol into the back of the waistband of her pants. “I will. You said the back door, right?” Gracie murmured with a warily smile.

Mohan chuckled. “Yes.” Mohan replied before melting back behind Quan again with a small nod to her head.

“We will wait for you outside.” Bran snarled out as the three guards moved closer to them.

Kordon held his hand out for Gracie. He tightened his fingers around her delicate ones and gave them a gently squeeze. With a nod to the others, he turned and followed the head guard through the newly opened set of doors further down the corridor.

Gracie held tightly to Kordon’s hand and walked as straight and tall as she could. She had never felt so small as she did right then. Between Kordon and the guards, she really was the runt of this litter, she thought in drily. She let her eyes scan the room as they entered. The Chamber wasn’t very large. There were thirteen people seated behind a large, curved bench about three feet higher than where they were standing. Kordon walked confidently down the center letting his fingers slip from Gracie’s as they entered the room. Gracie understood he wanted to keep his hands free in case he needed them. Gracie slowed so she was just a couple of feet behind and to the right of Kordon. She wanted to make sure she had room as well. If things got ugly, she wanted to be ready for the worse.

Gracie looked at each council member. Over half of them were from a species she hadn’t yet met. She recognized the human councilman right off. She barely hid her laugh under a fake cough as she stared at him. He was your atypical politician. Gracie would have thought they might have evolved a little over the past eight hundred years but if the poofy hair, fake smile, and greedy gleam in his eyes were anything to go by the evolutionary bug missed him.

Gracie watched in disgust as the councilman leaned forward running his eyes up and down her like she was a prize thoroughbred waiting to be snapped up. She could feel her blood beginning to boil. She really hoped the little prick gave her an excuse to take him down a notch or two. She was so focused on what she would like to say to the slime-ball that she almost ran into the back of Kordon when he stopped in front of the panel of councilmen and women.

Kordon stood perfectly still. He didn’t bow or even acknowledge any of them. Gracie took her cue from him and remained perfectly still even though she really wanted to just scream at them to get whatever they wanted to say done so she and Kordon could get the hell out there.

Finally, one of the women stood up. She was beautiful in an unusual way. She was very tall and slim with a light bluish skin. Her hair was a darker blue and hung almost to her knees. She moved very gracefully. She looked Kordon in the eye before tilting her head to one side and giving a small nod of welcome.

“Welcome, Grand Admiral. On behalf of the Planetary Council, I would like to extend our appreciation for the
Conqueror’s
victory over the alien invaders.” The woman said.

“Councilwoman Burrol.” Kordon said coldly. “My reports detailed the events. While the
Conqueror
was indeed helpful in defeating the attacks by the Alluthans, credit for the actual victory should go to Gracie Jones.”

Burrol smiled gently at Gracie who was trying to act like she stood in front of a council of aliens every day. From the look in the woman’s eyes, Gracie had a feel
ing
she wasn’t doing a good job of acting. It took every ounce of strength Gracie had not to turn tail and run when all eyes moved to her.

“Gracie Jones, please step forward.” Councilwoman Burrol said quietly.

Gracie hesitated a moment looking to Kordon for guidance before she took a tentative step forward. “Councilwoman
Burrol
.” Gracie said inclining her head just as the woman did to Kordon.

Kordon forced his fists not to clench as Gracie stepped forward and nodded. He kept his eyes forward but all his senses were focused on the guards stationed throughout the chamber. There were twice as many as was normally in the room. Kordon had been before the council hundreds of times. Never before had the doors been sealed and locked or the clear shield activated when he was there alone. Something was definitely going on. Kordon wanted to take Gracie and leave. He knew of the emergency exit for the councilmen should an invading force gain entrance to the chambers. He knew every inch of the layout for the Council’s Chambers. He planned to use it if things took a turn for the worse.