Invasion of Her Heart by Trinity Blacio, Ana Lee Kennedy Page B

mine.” Gesturing wildly, Jaxxon shook his head. “I know it sounds insane, but I sense it here,” he tapped the center of his chest and then touched one temple, “and here. Also, what if we don’t find more human females? Worse, what if you feel nothing for any of the extractees we bring back to this time period? I can’t bear the thought of you being alone.”
    “Is it your heart or your guilt speaking, brother?” The harshness in Volund’s voice urged a pang of worry through Jaxxon.
    “Both.” With a heavy sigh, Jaxxon conveyed his feelings through his eyes. “I don’t want Venus to feel as though we’re sharing her because she’s possibly the only woman, or that we have no regard for her feelings, but if you just spend time with her, I think y
    You’ll both realize there’s something drawing us together in this mating trinity. If, once you’ve spend some time with her, you still think I’ve acted selfishly, then I’ll let the matter drop.” He stepped out of the crushed bricks and debris, closed his eyes, and vanished.
     
    ***
     
    Tonto ran ahead of Venus, sniffing the ground and blowing puffs of dust up with each snort. Old rusted playground toys lay in waste across the park. Venus could almost see the children of the past laughing and squealing with joy as they played. A single tear slipped down her cheek, the flash of a past memory surfacing, of her mother as she pushed Venus on one of the swings. She stepped up to one of the metal chains that once held a leather seat and ran her hand down it.
    “When I was a child, my mother and father used to bring me here to play. The swings were always my favorite. I used to pretend I was flying, soaring so high.” Venus turned and smiled at Volund as he stepped up behind her. “But that was ages ago.”
    She moved back to the path and followed Tonto until they reached the far side of the park. “How is it that you can wear metal armor and yet it doesn’t make any noise when you walk? And isn’t it hot?”
    Volund studied her as he walked beside her. “The metal only hardens when we are threatened; otherwise, it breathes like our skin does. It’s an organic matter, plentiful on our planet. It came in handy when we went into battle. On parts of our world we had weather like this, and that is where we found the substance. I could make armor for you, if you’d like. We have extra on our ship. I think it would be best for you to have it if you continue to move around here with those creatures lurking in dark areas.”
    Buzzards circled up ahead of them, and Tonto whined, stopping to sample the air currents.
    Venus frowned and joined Tonto where he stared down at the ravine that had opened up from the last earthquake, more than a year ago. The gorge stretched at least two miles, and from what she’d estimated, the earth’s crack was about fifteen feet deep. A lump with a white coat snagged her attention. She studied it for a moment. Suddenly realization hit her.
    “Dr. Zeon, no!” Venus slid down the hill, tearing dirt and small rocks free to roll down the steep incline. She reached the body and knelt down beside her father’s friend and partner.
    His skull had been crushed in. Bites covered his bruised and swollen body, and he clutched a small bag in one of his old, gnarled hands.
    “You knew of this man?” Volund knelt next to her and wrapped his arm around her waist.
    “His name was Dr. Reginald Zeon. He worked with my parents in their lab. He left with the last group of survivors over two years ago. Dr. Zeon wanted me to go with them, but I refused, since Randle, who I hate, was part of their group. I don’t understand why Dr. Zeon is here, though.” She reached out and took the small, white-leather satchel and opened it. Inside lay his journal and two metal vials that looked like medicine.
    Venus pushed everything back into the bag and closed it. She tossed the case into her hunting pack. “I hate to leave him like this, but I have no