He inclined his head. “Of course. And do not forget, Jillela—”
She cut him off. “I am Cerberus.”
Helion nodded. “Apologies, Cerberus.”
“I pay my debts, Helion.” With that, she opened the door and she and her friend walked out of the room.
Four dead aliens in less than a day. The smell of their blood was growing stronger. The complete nonchalance of Helion’s team at what we’d just done was making it worse. Rett and Quinn had been called Elite Hunters. Bahre was a warlord. Helion was a doctor and some kind of commander in their intelligence branch. Styx and Blade were making deals with the brutal female who had just put a bullet or whatever it was space guns used in a guy’s head in cold blood, and she hadn’t reacted at all. These people were brutal. Crazy. Killers, even if they were the good guys. I was not cut out for this.
Outer space was not for me.
“Bahre.” I closed my eyes. I couldn’t look at any of them right now. “Get me out of here. I can’t—”
He knelt before me, his large frame blocking out everything and everyone. “Just look at me, mate. It’s over. We got him. I am going to get you out of here. Stay with me.”
* * *
Bahre
My mate opened her eyes, and I held her gaze. Willed her to trust me. Focus on me. I had not wanted her to be here, but she had insisted. I knew with certainty that this was more than she had been prepared to face. She knew Cerberus would die, but had no idea what it would be like. She was not a fighter. But she was brave. Strong. Looking at me as I’d asked her to do, trusting me to care for her.
We’d traveled halfway across the galaxy, and yet it had only been less than a day since I’d been in bed on Earth with her. Since we’d been happy. Replete.
I stayed on my knees before her, surveyed every inch of her petite body. Her green eyes glistened with tears. They slid down her cheeks uncontrolled. Her lip trembled.
“Bahre,” she whispered.
“Mate,” I replied. Behind me, I heard voices. Thumps. I didn’t care what was happening. It was my job to see her safe. It had not ended when Cerberus’s heart stopped. The former Cerberus. The others would deal with the situation now. I only had to focus on Quinn. They had my back. Tane was a warlord and worthy male. Helion was an ass, but he respected only one thing in the universe, the sacred bond of a mate. They would protect both of us from any unexpected attack while I cared for my brave, stubborn female.
She held up her hands, her wrists bound. I glanced down her body, saw that her ankles were tied to the front legs of the chair. I growled even as Rett, the Elite Hunter who had acted as her captor in Helion’s plan, shrugged at me. “Had to make it look real.”
My beast rose and growled at Rett.
“Bahre, it’s okay,” she said. “They don’t hurt.”
Irrelevant. I hated seeing them on her body, the physical proof of the danger she had willingly placed herself in.
“Knife,” I called. In seconds one appeared to my right. I took it, not acknowledging who’d provided it before I carefully slit her bonds. She then fell into me, her arms going around my neck, clinging to me as if she would never let go.
That was fine by me. I breathed her in, felt her warmth, her softness.
“Why did Jillela do that?” she murmured. “Why did she record it? That’s sick.”
Styx heard her question and answered. “This one was not good for his legion. Jillela is respected among the legion and will bring order to chaos. But to take command of Cerberus Legion, one must defeat the current leader, and that defeat must be witnessed.”
“Defeat or kill?” she asked.
“Is there a difference?” he countered.
“That’s barbaric.” Her hands were now free, and she rubbed her wrists. The moment her fingers came into contact with the mating cuffs, she calmed, took a deep breath, and smiled at me. “Thank you, mate.”
“He will threaten no more females,” I assured her as I removed the bindings from her ankles. She had been brave and accomplished her goal. She had defeated the leader of Cerberus Legion. And now she was free from that danger.
“Thank God.” Quinn moved off the chair and melted into my arms, content to allow me to hold her.
I pulled back enough so our eyes met. “Are you harmed?”
She shook her head, her hair sliding over her shoulders. “No. I’m fine. But do they all have to have fangs? I mean, I’ve seen movies but this is insane. There aren’t supposed to be vampires in space.” She buried her face in my chest. “And the smell of their blood. I can’t, Bahre. I just can’t.”
Her words came out in a ramble, completely unlike her usual cool composure. This was my mate at her most vulnerable. She was not harmed, but she was in shock. I stood, keeping her in my arms as I did so. She was so light, so easy to carry. I turned her head into my neck so she wouldn’t have to look at any of the bodies as I walked past Helion.
“I resign, Commander Helion. Effective immediately.”
“I’ll comm you if I need you, Bahre.”
The fucking ass. I was not going to argue with the asshole while my mate was in my arms. He would discover just how serious I was about devoting myself to caring for my female if he did contact me in the future.
I didn’t bother saying goodbye to the others. The Hunters hunted. Cerberus Legion had a new leader. Styx Legion had a new ally and business partner. Helion had what he wanted as well.
“What happened to the blue lady?” Quinn mumbled the question. “The one who was going to meet Lukabo before?”
Rett answered. Damn Hunter hearing. “She is one of the
