Free Chasing Mayhem by Cynthia Sax Page B

stood. “I have your permission to retrieve him?” She forced the words past her lips.
    Kralj’s nod was curt. “You have my permission.”
    Tension stretched over her shoulders. She had hoped he’d deny her request, not allow her to capture the male she cared for.
    “Thank you, Kralj.” That response was expected, engrained in her over hundreds of retrievals. She felt no gratitude.
    She walked to the door, her heart heavy with dread.
    “Good-bye, Imee.”
    There was a finality to her mentor’s words, as though he never expected to see her again. Did he know something about her future? Had he foreseen her death?
    Imee exited the chamber without voicing those questions.
    There was no point. If she asked Kralj, he wouldn’t tell her, and she wasn’t certain she wanted to know. She’d rather have hope than the brutal truth.
    Mayhem waited outside the door. He straightened when he saw her. “Are you done hiding?” His gaze drifted over her face, breasts, hips.
    “I don’t hide.” Much. She rested her hands on her guns. Should she apprehend him now, complete the task immediately? “You listened to every word, didn’t you?”
    “Yes.” He grinned, proud of his transgression. “I am your chance at happiness, my female.” He covered her hands with his, pressing her palms against her weapons.
    “You’re my target.” That twisted her stomach with torment, with pain. “Kralj gave me permission to retrieve you.”
    Mayhem would have heard that also.
    “Then retrieve me.” He squeezed her fingers. The fool didn’t appear concerned. He likely believed she wouldn’t turn him over to the Humanoid Alliance.
    She had to. Kralj wouldn’t assign her another target until she dealt with the one she currently had, the male before her, the male she cared for.
    “I will retrieve you.” She wouldn’t go back to hunting targets with unknown backgrounds, targets who might be good, might be innocent.
    “You’ll try.” Mayhem’s eyes danced with merriment. “And if you’re truly as skilled as everyone believes, you might succeed. But I won’t make it easy for you.”
    “What--”
    Before she could ask what he had planned, he raced away from her.
    This was another one of his games. She stared in the direction in which he’d disappeared, her blood pumping in her veins.
    And blast it. She shouldn’t play it.
    But she couldn’t resist the challenge, wanting to win, to prove herself to him.
    Imee ran after Mayhem, well aware that she was making another mistake yet unable to stop.
     

 
    Chapter Seven
    Mayhem traversed the corridors, moving at his female’s slower, human speed, ensuring he could sense all of the activity around her, that he could track the beings in the shadows, the warriors in nearby chambers. He wasn’t taking any chances with Imee.
    She was his to protect, even if protecting her meant allowing himself to be captured. He’d become her target, her prisoner and, together, they’d embark on one last glorious adventure. They’d free Imee’s family from the Humanoid Alliance.
    Her mom, sister, brother would be safe. His female would no longer be enslaved, forced to do the humans’ bidding. Imee, being a clever being, would realize he had been instrumental in liberating them, liberating her.
    She’d view him with respect, admiration, gratitude.
    Similarly to how she viewed Kralj.
    A beam of energy hit the wall by Mayhem’s head, the zap raising the short hairs on the back of his neck. Fraggin’ hole. He had to disarm Imee or she’d stun him in the ass.
    He’d been stunned. Multiple times. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
    It certainly wasn’t conducive to breeding.
    Mayhem took a hard right at an intersection, located an alcove, and slipped into it. It was deep enough to conceal him.
    His female zoomed past him. He snatched the guns out of her hands, disarming her quickly, easily. She skidded to a stop, pivoted, and glared at him, the passion in her eyes hardening his cock.
    “You