Knell by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

From then on, things can take a slower pace.”
    That sounded so odd that she craned her neck to look up at him. “That has a peculiar ring to it.”
    “I know and I do not wish to rush you, but as I stated, time is a factor.”
    She settled back against his chest. “What is your mother’s race?”
    “Yevoshan.”
    “Do you mind if I confirm this?”
    “Please. I have already researched Terrans, and there seems to not be one specific courtship ritual. I am going with my instinct on this.”
    “Sometimes instinct is best. If all else fails, ask Jekross. He can tell you what I need.” She smiled and pressed her lips to his chest. She didn’t think about it, but after she kissed him, she tasted him lightly with her tongue.
    His shiver was violent as was the ridge against her belly. “What are you doing?”
    She went up on her toes and trailed her lips over the cords of his neck. “Going on instinct?”
    Dot smiled when he gripped her arms and he moved her back. “Not tonight. I need to get some sleep, Dorothea.”
    “Dot, please.”
    He sighed. “I think we should go back inside before things get out of hand.”
    It was funny that he said that. She had been thinking about putting her hands on him and lifting that wrap out of the way.
    Knowing that he wanted her had given her a freedom to explore that she hadn’t imagined. It was heady stuff, but she let him coax her back to her room, and before he had cleared her private space, she slipped the robe off her shoulders and slid into bed.
    He was next to her door and staring, his eyes glowing like coals. With his jaw clenched, he left her room and returned to his.
    He might be going to have a tense night, but she was going to sleep like a baby.
     

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Once they left for the mission, she looked up the traditions of the Yevoshan. They were serial pair-bonders for the most part, similar to humans, with the exception of those who went to a matchmaker. Enjels were life-maters, so she wondered how his parents had worked that out.
    As the time crept forward, she played the audio samples of the different styles of weaponry while she exercised. She memorized the name and the sound, one after the other, working her way through the library.
    When the time of the attack arrived, she switched on the vid screen and streamed the video from the archive feeds and the Guardian’s armour. It was hard to watch them all at once, but she really tried to keep focused.
    The traffic scanners caught the attack ship landing, and the troops deployed immediately, running for the archive with their weapons up.
    The shots were fired, but they were aimed at the Guardians now, not the staff working the archive or the visitors.
    Loxin was protecting the cluster of bystanders, Ralos encased the attackers in stone, but the shot she had been dreading was still fired.
    The administrator was pinned next to her desk and she slowly collapsed with a chest wound.
    Yekesh’s camera was focused on the wound, and he applied pressure while his other hand worked to seal the hole with spray.
    A medical siren wailed to indicate its approach. Yekesh worked quickly and the woman’s wet breathing eased.
    Dot sat back with a sense of extreme relief. The woman wasn’t in great shape, but she was alive. The attackers were encased in stone and rapidly running out of oxygen, and the rest of the bystanders were safe.
    When she checked Jekross’s camera, he was walking back from the smoking hole in the side of the ship’s engines with one of the blasters casually over his shoulder. The hatches were wide open and there were no signs of life.
    She smiled at the cocky swagger that he exhibited crossing the field.
    Inside, Loxin was being fawned over by two of the archive employees who were trying to see how much of his biceps were him and how much was the armour. His wings were getting an examination as well.
    Dot sighed and she wondered which side of his family he favoured. He didn’t seem to be