Page 36 of Her Alien Mercenaries
He screamed in frustration as Torren appeared at his side. “What’s wrong?”
“Jenna! She asked for help, but now I can’t get her to answer. We need to get in there!”
“Window.” Torren was already moving toward the nearest window. He pulled out his dagger and slammed it pommel first into the center of the glass. It shattered under the blow.
They used their bare hands to clear enough space to squeeze through, ignoring the damage the glass did to them as they worked. In seconds they were inside, both of them bleeding from dozens of small wounds. Not that it mattered. They barely noticed their injuries. Nothing mattered but getting to Jenna.
“You take this floor, I’ll take upstairs,”he sent to Torren.
“Don’t get yourself killed. Dead males can’t help anyone.”
He didn’t bother to respond. There was a time for caution and procedure. This was not one of them. He ignored the stairs and launched straight into the air. Torren would clear the ground floor and ensure there were no surprises, but something in his gut told Zanyr that their mate was upstairs.
There. He spotted her sprawled face down on the floor, not far from her bedroom door. He made it to her side in seconds, the downdraft from his approach making her hair blow in wild tangles around her head, but she didn’t move.
“Jenna!”
He dropped to his knees beside her, barely resisting the urge to pull her to him. She could be injured. She must be. But where? He raked his gaze over her and the floor. No blood. Good.
He touched the back of one outstretched hand. Her skin was cooler than it should be. He swept back her hair so he could see at least part of her face. Her complexion was grayish, her lips tight in a rictus of pain that made his stomach twist.
Poison? Illness? What was wrong with her?
“Mahaya. I’m here. Speak to me if you can.”
Her lashes fluttered and one eye cracked open a little, but he saw no awareness in her gaze.
Then she moaned. The low, pained breath leaked out of her lungs in a slow wheeze.
“Thank the ancestors. Jenna. Stay with me. Do not go to sleep. You have to stay awake.”
She didn’t answer, but her lashes fluttered.
“Torren! Get up here! I found her.”
He’d found her, but he had no idea what was wrong or how to fix it. He’d seen enough death to recognize the signs. Jenna was alive, but she wouldn’t be for long. Something was killing her.
Torren landed beside him. “What happened?”
“I have no idea.” He touched the side of her neck. Her skin was clammy, and her pulse was faint beneath his fingers. “I know how to treat battle injuries but not something like this. She’s not bleeding. I don’t see any blaster burns.”
“Then it’s something internal.” Torren looked as frustrated as he felt. “I’ve already sent out an alert. Help is coming.”
“It won’t be here soon enough.” Something dark and terrible tore open Zanyr’s heart. “We’re losing her.”
“No. We can’t.” Torren sat down and carefully drew her head onto his lap. “We finally got what we’d dreamed of. I will not let her go.”
They looked at each other. “There’s only one way.”
It wasn’t the way they’d imagined claiming their belovedmahaya, but if this worked, they would have time to make it up to her.
“Who does it?” Torren asked.
Zanyr lifted her hand, cradling the limp flesh in his. “We do it together.”
They claimed her, mixing their blood with hers and gifting her with the only thing they knew might save her life.
Torren crouched over Jenna, willing her to live. They both whispered to her, a litany of adoration and encouragement.
