Page 141 of Dancing for the Minotaur

Taurex stood over him for a moment, watching until he was certain the human male would never threaten Terra or her family again. There was no satisfaction in the death—no pleasure in watching the life leave the human’s eyes and no desire to linger over the body.

Orlov had ceased to matter the instant he could no longer harm anyone. The ones who mattered now were Cody and Lisa.

Taurex turned and left the room to get them.

36

TAUREX

He moved quickly down the hallway, holstering the blaster beneath his jacket before he reached the bedroom door. He didn’t want the younglings to see the weapon, and he certainly didn’t want them to see what was behind him.

He opened the door and both children looked up. Lisa’s tear-streaked face went utterly still. For a heartbeat, she simply stared at him, then her eyes widened.

“Bull-man!” she gasped.

The cry tore straight through Taurex’s heart, making it clench like a fist in his chest.

“Taurex!” Cody shouted at the same time.

The boy scrambled toward the edge of the bed, dragging Lisa with him because their wrists were still tied together.

Taurex crossed the room in two strides and dropped to one knee beside them.

“You came!” Lisa sobbed.

“I came,” Taurex told her.

Her lower lip trembled.

“I was scared. So scared!”

“I know, little one.” He reached carefully for the ropes. “But you are safe now.”

Cody tried to hold himself together, but a moment later, the boy’s face crumpled.

“Are…are the bad men gone?” he asked in a husky voice that meant he was trying not to cry.

“Yes,” Taurex assured him.

“All of them?”

Taurex met his eyes.

“Yes. They will not hurt you again.”

“Good!” Cody nodded fiercely, clearly trying not to cry again.

Taurex pulled a small cutting blade from his belt and sliced through the ropes binding their wrists. The moment Lisa’s hands were free, she threw both arms around his neck.

Taurex froze—surprised at her reaction. Then Cody joined her. Suddenly both younglings were clinging to him as though their lives depended on it.

Taurex closed his eyes. He put his arms around them carefully, one hand spanning almost the entire width of Lisa’s small back while the other held Cody close.

“It is all right,” he murmured. “I have you and I won’t let you go.”

Lisa buried her face against his chest.

“I knew you’d come.”