Was that strange voice coming from some kind of… beeper attached to the sash on his trim waist? And… Azazel? What kind of name was that?
Next thing she knew, his brawny arms swept her up and held her close. With a sharp shriek, she wrapped her arms around his firm neck and hung on as he raced out of the room the same way he came in.
“JR14, prepare for extraction.”
“Affirmative,” came an answer from a red-gold spider buzzing next to her. A flying spider? No, wait. It looked metallic. And it talked.Must be some kind of alien robot.
The ship trembled, causing the man to stumble.
She gasped and hung on tighter. Fortunately, he never faltered. Shouts and the sounds of pursuit echoed from behind them, making it clear they were being chased. It stood to reason it had to be Baelon’s flunkies.
And on cue, a sharp, blaring alarm echoed down the corridor, growing louder.
The man she assumed was Azazel muttered a curse under his breath in a strange language.
Adjusting his hold on her, he shifted her weight and held her close to his wide chest.
She gasped and his masculine scent blanketed her with tantalizing warmth, a heady mix of spice and earth that ignited her senses, leaving her yearning for more.
“JR14, what’s their position? And can we still make it to Baelon’s hangar?”
The small, spider-like machine continued to buzz beside them. His red-and-gold body glinted in the dim light.
“Elites have detected energy fluctuations in this sector and cut off all access to the space dock. Probability of pursuit in that direction has increased to 92.4 percent. Suggest continued extraction in a different direction.” His voice was mechanical and unemotional.
Toni groaned at the obvious statement.
“What... what is that thing?” She pointed to the red-gold spider-thingy.
“JR14 is my AI companion,” Azazel stated, speeding down the corridor. His steps were quick but controlled, each movement smooth despite her added weight. “Introductions later. Right now, we have to get away from Baelon’s enforcers.”
“Where are we going?” Like she had any suggestions.
“Someplace safer than here,” Azazel said.
Oh, great, she thought. Someplace safer.Obviously a man of few words.
The hallway turned narrow and pulsated with a weak light. Toni glanced over Azazel’s shoulder. She squinted and caught sight of movement—shards of light that resolved into sharp, crystalline forms. Her stomach tightened. “They’re coming,” she whispered. She cleared her throat, trying to stop her voice from trembling.
Azazel didn’t look back. “I know.”
JR14 flew before them, and his short metallic claws in the front clicked as he zipped through the air.
“Suggestion: deploy secondary plan. Corridor ahead leads to a ventilation access point. Narrow passageways will hinder Elites’ mobility.”
Azazel’s grip on her shifted as he picked up speed. “Will it buy us enough time?”
“Probability of success: 68.7 percent,” JR14 replied. “Recommendation: extreme caution.”
“Caution?” Toni muttered with a weak smirk. “Darn, what a great idea.”
Azazel didn’t answer. Instead, he veered to the left and dashed into a dimly lit passageway.
Holy cow, this corridor was even narrower than the one they’d been in. Toni swallowed her bout of claustrophobia as the hated crystalline walls pressed in.
Behind them, the sound of pursuit grew louder. Heavy footfalls and alien voices shouting commands.
Toni’s fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. “They’re getting closer.”
