Holiday Abduction (Alien Abduction Book 6) (7 page)

“If someone calls you a pirate or a thief, kill them. Or, if you’re feeling benevolent, or have cause to believe you might require their services in the future, correct them as to the correct terminology to use when referring to your professional title in the most painful method possible, of course. See Appendix Twelve for innovative ideas on torture.” – An excerpt from The Fine Art of Acquisition

Why did Jilly groan at his request? Vhyl worded his request to the humans at the door quite politely he thought. So politely his mother would have cried in shame. His father would have beaten him. As for the Earth agents facing him in the doorway? They laughed.

That wasn’t a point in their favor.

“Nice try, bucko. We’re the ones giving the orders here. Put down your tiny pistol and come out with your hands up.”

“What is it with you humans and commenting on the size of my weapon?” Vhyl turned his gun over in his hand before tossing it on the bed and raising his hands.

“You too, Miss Carver,” Agent Farley added. “Get the cuffs out, men. We’re placing them under arrest.”

“For what?” Jilly asked.

“I don’t need a reason when we think homeland security is at risk.”

Sidling to his side, Jilly kept a wary eye on the pair of soldiers entering the room. “What are you doing surrendering?” she hissed as she placed her own hands in the air. “I thought your plan was to stun them so we could escape.”

She seemed worried, whereas Vhyl didn’t pay the soldiers much mind. As far as he was concerned, they should have sent more men. It was almost embarrassing how little his reputation counted here on Earth. Anywhere else in the galaxy, they would have sent three or four times the number. Now that would have been a much fairer fight. Then he might have also kept his weapon and told them where they could shove their order to surrender.

“Given I am unsure how the stun setting will work on your unenhanced genetic structure, I felt it best if I resort to simpler methods,” he stated. He also felt it was more sporting. He allowed the two men to move behind him.

“Remember to not look him in the eye,” barked Agent Farley, who wore dark-tinted glasses while the four men he’d brought with them all wore helmets with black visors.

Vhyl could not understand why Jilly began humming a melody that involved sunglasses at night under her breath. At his quizzical gaze, he thought she mouthed, ‘Corey Hart’.

It made no sense, so he ignored it and focused on the men before him. Only the main agent didn’t have a weapon in hand. Given Vhyl wore his repelling suit, he didn’t worry much about the possibility of projectiles, unless one accidentally aimed for his head. Reconstructive surgery was never pleasant.

Jilly, on the other hand, didn’t have any such protection, something he kept in mind as he planned his next move.

“Cuff the guy first,” the one in charge ordered, still mistakenly thinking he controlled the situation.

It almost made Vhyl laugh. “You should have listened to me when you had the chance,” he teased. That was the only warning they got before he punched one of the helmet-wearing soldiers in the face while, at the same time, kicking sideways, the boot of his suit connecting with another soldier’s gun hand. The human cried out and dropped his weapon.

The one Vhyl punched still held his firearm, but his free hand attempted to stem the gush of blood from his nose.

Since he was occupied, Vhyl aimed a kick behind him at the male who thought to rush him from behind and slide an arm around his neck. A grab of the hand and a twist of his hips saw that soldier flying over Vhyl’s shoulder to hit the floor with an oomph.

Just warming up, Vhyl aimed some rapid-fire thrusts and kicks at the remaining security force still standing, his movements too fast for them to counter. His mother had planned his genetic enhancements in the womb well. Perhaps he’d do something unprecedented when he returned and thank her for it. The shock alone would prove entertaining.

It took only a moment until the four soldiers were on the ground, three of them unconscious, the fourth moaning something about a broken hand.

Agent Farley gaped at him. “What the fuck are you?”

“Someone you need to forget,” was Vhyl’s reply before a well-aimed punch knocked the man unconscious.

Seeing no other immediate threat, Vhyl pivoted to find Jilly shaking her head. “Dude, you could make a fortune as an ultimate fighter.”

“I already have great riches.”

“Then why are you here looking for this hunk of metal?” she asked, holding up the disk.

“Because it’s one of a kind.”

“You mean you’re going to all this trouble just to say you own it?”

“Of course. And then there’s the excitement of guarding it well enough from those who would covet it. There is more to being an acquisition specialist than just ownership. Keeping what I’ve collected also requires great skill.” It also made for some fun times as he toyed with thieves, faking easy access to some of his goods just so he could turn around and kill them for their temerity in trying.

A warrior created entertainment where he could. It helped keep his skills honed.

“You are whacked.”

“I believe I shall take that as a compliment,” Vhyl replied as he held out his hand in a courtly gesture. It was so utterly unlike him, and yet, he couldn’t help warmth spreading at the smile Jilly gave him as he aided her in stepping around the prone bodies.

In the distance, sirens blared.

“You might want this,” Jilly said, handing him his weapon. She’d also grabbed her own firearm, which he didn’t understand given she seemed disinclined to shoot anyone.

As they clambered down the stairs, Vhyl noted the five agents weren’t alone. Another trio hovered around the dark vehicles they’d arrived in.

At their appearance, the soldiers did not shout any foolish demand to surrender, but rather took aim and fired.

About time they showed some common sense.

And livened things up.

Vhyl had just enough time to thrust Jilly behind him before the first slug hit him in the chest—and bounced off his suit.

Still though. They’d dared to shoot at him!

Forget running away. For their temerity, he’d make them pay. It elated him to note the day was looking up.

Tucking his gun away—since hitting things with his bare hands was so much more fun—Vhyl dashed at the soldiers, who fired again. It only served to stir him up. Vhyl yelled an ancient Aressotle war cry, which, if translated, amounted to, “I’m going to kill you and drink of your blood then hunt down your family and annihilate your line.” Of course, he probably wouldn’t have time to do the latter, and given Jilly’s reminder about starting a war, he stuck to knocking the soldiers unconscious.

I really should get a second war cry for the times when I’m only causing chaos and not murdering those who stand in my way.

Something to ponder during the boring moments in between acquisitions.

Jilly joined him. “Dude, you are a fighting machine.”

Did he puff his chest at the compliment? Yes. And he also dragged her into his arms for a kiss that left her breathless.

He only released her as the wailing vehicle screeched into the far end of the parking lot.

“We should leave,” he stated unnecessarily.

“Says the guy who stopped to steal a kiss,” she muttered as she jumped into the driver’s seat of her truck. “You really like living on the edge, don’t you?”

“Any other way is not worth living.” He grinned as she shook her head.

Despite her admonishment, he caught the hint of a smile on her lips. Even more fascinating, her pulse raced, but he’d have wagered it was in excitement not fear.

His female barbarian thrived more on adventure than she let on.

She also drove like one of those insane Veloxrians who seemed to think traffic rules were meant to be broken.

“Now who is the crazy one?” he shouted as she weaved among the cars on the two-lane route they were on.

“Still you. But I’m beginning to think it’s contagious,” she added with a laugh. “You know, given you just took out some government dudes and I am now fleeing the cops, I should be freaking out.”

“But?” he prodded.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun,” she admitted.

“You were made for this kind of lifestyle.”

“Maybe in your world. In mine, this kind of lifestyle would either kill me or see me landing in jail.”

“You could come with me when I leave.” He made the offer spuriously and, for a moment, wondered if he’d had his body taken over by some kind of spirit. But no. As far as he could ascertain, he was in control of his mental faculties.
Which means I meant it.

When he dissected the idea further, he could see how Jilly would prove a fascinating companion to bring along on his travels.

There was just one problem with his plan. She didn’t want to come.

“Sorry, dude, but no thanks. I might drive like a speed demon, but even I know that leaving my planet and everything I know to fly off into space with an almost virtual stranger is nuts. I mean, we barely know each other.”

“I would beg to differ. I can state with assurance that I am familiar with most aspects of your body.”

“That’s physical. I’ll admit, when it comes to sex, we are extremely compatible. But a relationship needs more than that to work. I’m talking about the other stuff, the mental shit. Like love and friendship.”

“What does that have to do with joining me?”

“Everything. The very fact you don’t grasp it is why I can’t go. Maybe aliens like you don’t get the whole love thing, but with humans, it’s huge. Really huge,” she added as she swerved around a large truck, only to confront an even bigger one coming at them head-on.

For a moment as she spun the steering contraption, the vehicle lifted and teetered on two wheels before slamming back down.

How Vhyl missed the more stable method of travel exhibited by hovercrafts.

“Are you claiming you love me?” And why did the thought elate him?

“Of course not. It’s too soon for that. But, in order for me to give up my life here, my home, everything I know, I should at least hope the possibility of love between us exists.”

He couldn’t help but make a face. “Affection makes a warrior weak.”

“I highly doubt that. And even if that were the case, it’s different for humans. We need affection to thrive.”

“I cannot promise you that.”

“Then I guess we’re at an impasse.”

“So you are saying no, even though we would have grand adventures together?”

For a moment she didn’t reply, and when she did, she let out a big sigh first. “Yeah, it’s a no.”

While the scream of sirens had faded as Jilly’s expert maneuvering with her archaic land transport gained them a lead, Vhyl could still spot the red and blue flashes of her police force following in the distance.

“We should turn off this road when an alternate route becomes available and see if we can lose our pursuers.”

“Good plan.”

With no warning, she spun the wheel, sending the back end of the truck fishtailing before its tires caught the pavement and they shot off in another direction, one lined with trees and dark.

Vhyl held on to the dash, certain he was about to die.

But Jilly managed to keep them upright and on the road.

A miracle.

His wristband beeped.

“What now?” she asked. “More enemies coming?”

“No. My vessel has made it into your airspace and is currently tracking me overhead. If we can find a large open area, it will only take a few moments of stoppage for it to lower enough to transport me aboard.”

“Leaving already?” She sounded so disappointed. Before he could reply, she snorted. “Of course you’re leaving. There’s nothing keeping you here. You found the artifact. And it’s probably best you go before you start some kind of alien war.”

True, yet he found himself reluctant to go. Things felt unfinished between him and his barbarian. “There is the question of payment.”

She waved a hand at him. “Forget it. I’ll consider the fact I’m alive and that you gave me the adventure of a lifetime payment enough. Beside, the quicker you’re gone, the quicker I can go back to my old life.”

Odd. She refused to leave with him and live a life of adventure and yet, at the same time, seemed less than enthused at the prospect of staying.

And he thought the females of his planet were complicated.

It seemed they’d lost their pursuers for the moment. No lights gleamed behind them, and they only passed the occasional pair heading in the opposite direction.

When the forest opened up, the moon chose that moment to unveil itself, illuminating the world in a white glow that reflected off the snow on the ground. A poetic male would have found the scenery beautiful and probably waxed eloquent—which meant Vhyl would have had to kill him. He did so hate the artsy types.

Jilly pulled to the side of the road and did something to extinguish the lights shining from the front of her truck, but she left the engine running, probably so they wouldn’t run out of heat. Her world was cold.