Page 54 of Zinnia and the Zombie
“Commander Jaxxlariat t’Semon.”
“And where are you from, Commander Jaxxlariat?”
He hesitated, then went with the truth.
“Zathixia.”
A flash of surprise crossed the other male’s face—the first genuine reaction he’d shown. “Zathixia? Your kind are believed extinct.”
“Not quite,” he replied, feeling a familiar hollow ache at the reminder. “Though we are… fewer than we once were.”
Doren studied him with new interest. “The Zathix were highly regarded for their combat prowess and their… unique abilities.” His gaze swept over Jaxx’s golden skin. “I’ve heard tales of Zathix warriors who could become living statues, impervious to harm.”
He remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.
“If you are truly Zathix,” Doren continued, “you could be worth a considerable fortune to the right buyer. There are collectors who would pay handsomely for a living specimen of a supposedly extinct species.”
“I’m not merchandise,” he said flatly.
“Everything is for sale.” Doren’s tail snapped like an angry whip. “The trick is finding the right buyer.”
He didn’t respond. His only advantage at this point was surprise. Doren had no idea how dangerous a Zathix could truly be.
“However,” Doren continued, “there is also the matter of the bounty on this vessel. A very large bounty.”
“I see.”
“So you can understand my dilemma. On the one hand, I have an opportunity to claim the prize of a lifetime. On the other, there would be a sizable profit from selling the ship and its contents to a collector.”
“I see,” he said again.
Doren’s smile turned cold. “But perhaps you can sway my decision. So tell me, what will you give me for your freedom, golden one?”
“Nothing,” he replied calmly. “Because you have already decided to kill me.”
“No!”
Zinnia came tumbling out of the storage compartment and he immediately threw himself in front of her, bracing himself for the blast from Doren’s weapon. Instead the Tajiri started to laugh.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Zinnia tried to step in front of Jaxx but he kept her pressed against his back. She knew he’d wanted her to stay hidden but when he said that Doren was going to kill him, she couldn’t stand it any longer.
She’d been studying Captain Doren through the narrow crack in the storage compartment door as the two males spoke, trying to decide if he was truly dangerous. He was surprisingly attractive for a pirate. A wild mane of dark hair framed what she had to admit was a handsome face, despite his rather alarmingly sharp teeth. His eyes were an electric blue that seemed to absorb every detail of his surroundings despite his deceptively relaxed stance.
Jaxx’s casual pose was equally false. When she’d recognized the subtle shift of his weight that meant he was preparing to attack despite the weapon trained on him, her heart lurched in her chest. Doren would shoot him before he could close the distance and even stasis couldn’t save him from a direct hit to the heart.
At least Doren was laughing rather than shooting, although his weapon remained steady in his hand.
“Well, well,” he drawled as she peeped around Jaxx’s shoulder, his gaze sliding over her with frank interest. “This is an unexpected bonus. The Grorn don’t usually take human prisoners.”
“She’s not a prisoner. She’s my mate,” Jaxx growled, pushing her gently back behind him. “If you touch her, you will die.”
“You seem to forget that I have the weapon.”
“It won’t make any difference.”
Jaxx’s voice was so cold that Doren’s smile faltered for a second before he raised an eyebrow.
