Loving the Alien Spy (Brides of the Bohnari #3)

Chapter 1

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Carrik

It’s far too quiet. Of course, the moment the thought crosses my mind, chaos erupts. Massive explosions shake the ground I stand on just inside the boundaries of the rain forest bordering one side of Preska. Thick plumes of smoke appear in the sky above the city.

The rapid pounding of footsteps follows, and no sooner do I blink than a mass of rebel forces runs past my hiding spot and toward the gated entrance into the capital. The guards at their post scatter at the sight. They won’t be able to hold off that many rebels by themselves.

Unsure of exactly what’s happening, I race after the rebels I was assigned to infiltrate two anums ago by Prince Alik in order to assist in stopping the rebellion. They all believe me to be Bannik, given the fact that our features are exactly the same.

Nothing had been said about an attack on Preska today.

Not to my knowledge anyway, which is concerning.

While I’m not part of the small group of advisers Janik meets with to discuss rebel plans and strategize the next steps taken to ensure Prince Alik is dethroned and Janik takes his place as rightful heir, orders do trickle throughout the camp.

Never before have we not been notified of what’s coming. Never before has a full-blown violent attack where Bohnari are murdered been part of the plans either. Although, from the number of rebels moving through Preska, it would appear a select few know exactly what’s going on.

In the melee of people racing through the city streets, I happen to spot Covak, a young Bohnari who was recently recruited to join the rebellion. “On whose authority was this attack sanctioned?”

He’s covered in dust and coughs several times before he’s able to answer.

“I’m not sure. Some are saying Janik had explosives placed throughout the city and, on his order, they were set off.

Others say they have no knowledge this is what he had planned.

I know I didn’t. All of his plans have involved sabotage of equipment and disrupting supply lines.

He’s never talked about blowing up cities. ”

Around us, Bohnari and other species that reside on Bohna scatter with panicked expressions.

Some appear covered in blood, while others appear entirely unharmed.

The screams of the injured echo all around us.

The smell of burned flesh is powerful. I grip Covak’s shoulder and squeeze.

“Go. Get out of the city and to safety.”

“What are you going to do?” he rasps.

“I’m going to help those who are hurt. Now, go.”

Covak takes off running. I say a quick prayer to our gods to keep him safe. He’s barely into adulthood. I tear down city streets, dodging rubble from destroyed buildings and bodies that are beyond help.

A Jintiri priest lies on the street, partially pinned beneath a large beam. His cloak hood pools beneath his head, and his pained purple eyes meet mine. Resignation shines from them as well. I skid to a halt and kneel at his side.

“I’ll try to free you.”

He grabs my arm. “Do not waste your time, Bohnari. My life cycle is coming to an end, I can feel it.”

“Our healers can save you. Let me try to get this beam off you.” I move to grab it, but once again, he stops me.

“I am at peace.” Slowly, the glowing purple eyes grow dim until they’re snuffed out.

Gods’ blood. It pains me to leave him here, but I need to find my brother.

Make sure he’s safe. With a regretful glance at the Jintiri priest, I stand and run in the direction of the barracks.

I pass through the market square. Or rather, what’s left of it.

A large number of bodies lie scattered on the ground.

The vendor booths have been destroyed, and small fires still burn where they stood.

I continue moving and have just crossed an intersection when I dart around the corner of the building and flatten myself against it.

Three breaths pass before I poke my head around the edge.

Ten females—guarded on all sides by a group of rebels—are pressed against the side of a building.

Nearly half of them have tear tracks lining their faces.

In the distance, the vengeful cry of a phinnek fills the air.

Two of the females are known to me. One is Janik’s heart’s fire.

On the morning after he’d kidnapped her, I’d recognized Olivia for what she was when her mate had an episode of mating fever.

She’d been the person he’d clung to. The person who managed to soothe the raging beast within.

The one who sparked the flame to life in his eyes and kept it growing into an inferno that burned hotter and higher and should have consumed everything and everyone around him.

Olivia, with a single touch, had tamed Janik’s beast. Quinn had done the same for the commander.

I study the other two females closest to them.

They are of nearly equal height to each other, but that is where the similarities end.

Where one is dark, the other is light. Pink-hued pale flesh reflects the sun and almost glows.

Her light-brown hair barely skims her shoulders and curls up at the ends.

Neither of those is her most stunning feature, however. That honor belongs to her eyes. Even from this distance, they are the brightest green, sparkling like a gem I once came across on the planet Tekkar. Its beauty had been impossible to resist, so I purchased it.

To this day, there is no reason for me to own it.

In fact, I cannot even remember the last time I withdrew it from its pouch to merely enjoy the sight of it.

The gem has been my one and only purchase that serves no purpose to enhance my image as an overindulgent, wealthy Bohnari.

One who spends money frivolously in order to make others envious of all he has that they don’t.

I drag my mind back to the present and, once more, glance at the females.

Or rather, at the one particular female.

Almost as if becoming aware of my presence, she slowly turns her head my direction.

Her gemstone eyes meet mine, and heat flares inside me, licking at my veins with the sting of fire.

My stomach clenches and my fangs lengthen.

With more control than I’ve ever maintained, I attempt to put out the flames and rein in the desperate need to… fuck.

When an argument between Olivia and a rebel breaks out, our connection is broken as a blur of color launches itself at the rebel before he can strike the female. His screams of agony when the phinnek snaps her jaw closed around his neck may never leave my memory.

Shaking off the view, I abandon my spot and continue my search.

I’ve almost reached the barracks when I spy Bannik within a contingent of guards who’ve managed to detain a small number of rebels.

Their weapons are trained on them while a single guard binds their wrists with cuffs.

The rebels are chained together and, to my relief, Bannik doesn’t remain behind to guard them.

I cross several streets and duck down a narrow alley between two buildings.

Moments later, the contingent passes my hiding spot.

The gods must be watching over me, because my brother brings up the rear.

I wait a beat before I step out, wrap my arms around his neck and head, and drag him back into the darkness.

He kicks and claws at me with no success.

My grip tightens until Bannik goes limp within my hold.

I gently lay him on the ground and comm Ivik back at my estate.

“I have him.”

“Who?”

“My brother.”

A moment of silence passes before Ivik sighs. “Carrik, what did you do?”

“I need to get both of us out of the city unseen.”

“Carrik…”

“Are you going to help me, or am I going to have to figure it out myself?” Never before have I been impulsive. For some unknown reason, as soon as I saw Bannik, I knew I needed to keep him safe and out of the way. If he remains in the city, I can’t protect him or find out what’s going on.

Once more, Ivik sighs. “Tell me where you are.”

I give him my coordinates.

While I wait, I withdraw a small syringe from my trou and remove the cap.

I hesitate for only a beat before I jab the needle into his neck and press the activator button on the end.

It hisses and dispenses the sleeping agent that will ensure Bannik remains out of commission until Ivik can get him back to my estate and entrapped in the containment cube I had installed beneath it in a secured room.

It’s the only way I can think to keep him hidden while I discover what happened today and under whose authority the city was bombed.

Once things are settled, I’ll make sure my brother is released, and I will continue doing what I have been for the past ten anums since our father passed on to join our gods.

Bannik will still hate me as he has since we were teens, and no one will be any the wiser to what role I’ve been playing for Alik. Nothing will change.