Savor Me Slowly (Alien Huntress #3)(62)
Author: Gena Showalter

Contain force, she told the chip. No bone breakage.

Another punch.

This time, she felt her muscles loosen so that, upon impact, the blow was softer.

Arching her back, Mia managed to work a foot between them and kick Le’Ace off. They were both on their feet a moment later, glaring at each other. Blood poured from Mia’s nose and mouth.

“Want more?” Le’Ace asked, hiding her need to pant.

“Fuck you.” Mia launched forward.

Le’Ace feigned left then attacked right, twirling her blade so that the hilt hit Mia rather than the tip. She’d been aiming for the temple, but Mia twisted, causing Le’Ace’s strike to land in the upper shoulder.

“Turn faster next time,” Dallas called helpfully.

“Finish up, sweetheart,” Jaxon said. “I need to talk to you. Alone.”

Alone time with Jaxon. Best motivation ever. “Two minutes and I’ll be ready.”

Mia was grinding her teeth, growling low in her throat. A patent stillness of a predator came over her, eyes narrowed, jaw clenched. Then, suddenly, she was gone. No longer in front of Le’Ace, no longer in sight.

Le’Ace blinked in confusion. Looked left, looked right. Nothing.

Something slammed into her head from behind. Gasping, she saw stars. They winked brightly behind her lids as she swung around, ready to engage. But…no Mia.

Where the hell was she?

Another fist connected with the back of her skull. She stumbled to the side, heels causing her to slide. She blinked rapidly to halt the blaze of lights behind her lids. What’s going on?

The alien has engaged hyperspeed.

Alien? Mia was alien?

Another fist.

This time Le’Ace couldn’t catch herself and landed on her ass, head swimming dizzily. Slow her down!

Can’t. Speeding you up…

Gradually the world around her screeched to a halt. Le’Ace no longer heard the incessant chatter of the people on the nearby streets. Insects stopped singing. Cars stopped humming.

What she did see was Mia in front of her, arm swinging toward her face. Reaching up, Le’Ace caught the agent’s fist in her hand. Stood in a single, fluid motion. Their gazes clashed together.

Mia’s eyes widened in shock. “You can see me?”

While everything else seemed to be at a standstill, Jaxon and the agents included, she saw and heard Mia perfectly. “Yeah, I can.” And then she shot her arm forward—crack the bone this time, just a little—and slammed her metal knuckles into Mia’s sternum.

The agent flew backward with a pained gasp. She hit the ground, propelling into the pretty red wall. Paint chips crumbled and dust formed a plume in the air. Her shoulders slumped, dark hair tumbling in every direction. Her eyes closed as she fought to breathe.

She did not get up.

Return to normal.

Ceasing hyperspeed.

Like that, the world around her kicked back into motion. The chatter was restored, a car honked. Le’Ace inhaled deeply, sucking in the sweet scent of victory.

“I’m ready.” Satisfied, she brushed her hands together and strode to a shocked Jaxon.

CHAPTER 20

Thirty minutes later, they were alone in a hotel room. A king-size bed with bright white covers dominated the small enclosure, but they didn’t fall onto it as Le’Ace had thought they would. Well, had hoped they would.

She sat nervously on the edge and Jaxon leaned against the far wall, much as he’d done when she’d found him outside of Nolan’s apartment.

Apparently “talk” was not code for “have sex” in Jaxon’s world. More was the pity.

“What are your friends doing?” she asked just to break the silence.

He shrugged. “Kyrin is, hopefully, out of stun and caring for Mia. Watch out for him, by the way. Mia’s the love of his life, and I could see murder in his eyes when you managed to knock her down. The others are either monitoring Nolan from afar or sneaking inside his apartment.”

“And you have the night off?”

“I’ve taken it off, yes.”

“So what’s on your mind?” Her hands dug into her thighs as she tried to hide her nervousness.

Silent, he studied her for a long while. Not a single hint of his emotions played over his face. “Are you wearing a camera, Mishka? A mic? Are you recording this for Nolan?”

Her mouth fell open. A moment passed before she had the presence of mind to snap it closed. “No! I can’t believe you’d ask me that. Not just because it’s highly insulting but because you had your hands all over me earlier.”

“Prove your innocence. Take off your clothes.” A commander expecting his orders to be obeyed, he crossed his arms over his chest.

She blinked over at him. “Excuse me?”

“Take off the coat, then take off the dress.”

Who the hell did he think he was? How dare he accuse her of such a thing? She should leave. But she couldn’t force her body to obey, so she remained on the bed, glaring up at him, chin raised. “You can go to hell.”

“You came, I didn’t,” he replied wryly. “Believe me, I’m already there. Now take off the coat and dress and prove you’re clean.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Are you wearing a camera? After all, Mia Snow, spawn of the devil, is your sidekick. She could have convinced you to betray me.”

Now his eyes narrowed. Didn’t like turnabout, did he?

“Take off your clothes,” she told him. “Prove you’re clean.”

Gaze never leaving her, he reached behind his head and gripped his shirt. The material swooshed off with a single jerk, leaving his muscled chest bare except for the straps holding his weapons in place. Such a splendid sight, all that muscle and steel mixed together.

He dropped the shirt and motioned to her with a nod of his chin. “Your turn.”

She pushed to her feet, unsteady though they were. Irritated as she was with him, she also experienced hot thrums of renewed desire. With a shrug of her shoulders, the coat slid onto the mattress. Her fingers hooked around the top straps of her dress, unlatching front from back, and gave a sharp tug.

Off fell the dress, leaving Le’Ace in a bright blue bra-and-panty set. She’d worn it, just in case Jaxon showed up.

“The boots,” he said. His voice broke a little.

She licked her lips. “First take off your pants. No telling what you’re hiding under there.” The words escaped on a wispy catch of breath. Her ni**les hardened, abrading the cerulean lace.

Pupils dilating, he kicked off his shoes. Slowly his hands moved to his waist. Twist. The button opened, the pants crumpled to the floor. Black briefs hugged low on his hips and stopped mid-thigh. He stepped out of them. Several more blades were strapped to his lower limbs.