Maybe Dallas should make a play for—he jumped to his feet with a curse. Everyone’s attention swung to him, but he didn’t care. The Schön queen had just materialized behind Johnny and was now tracing her fingertip along his shoulder. The trainee didn’t seem to notice, was still snapping his fingers for Noelle’s attention.
The queen’s navy gaze locked on Dallas.
For a seemingly endless moment, he was paralyzed. Never had there been a more beautiful woman. She was petite in every way, almost delicate, like a china doll, with long, pale hair and utterly flawless skin. While looking at her, all a man wanted to do was protect her. After screwing her senseless, of course.
Breathe, damn it. Protecting and screwing her should be the last things on his mind. She had destroyed planets. Ruined countless civilizations. All without a single shred of remorse. And she did it through sex, by hitting men where they couldn’t resist. Whoever she screwed became infected with her disease. And if the infected male didn’t constantly infect others, in turn, he died.
It was a vicious, never-ending cycle.
Dallas had met her once before, on the day she’d come to this planet. He’d tried to kill her, failed, nearly allowed her to seduce him, despite everything he knew about her, and had battled midnight fantasies ever since. Fantasies that left him hard and aching and moaning for one little kiss of her lips.
God, she was gorgeous. And looked so soft. Smelled like fresh, dewy roses. And would probably taste like—
Fuck. She’s evil incarnate. Don’t forget.
“I’ve finally returned for you,” she said in a smoky voice that rivaled Noelle’s. She glided forward, closing the distance between them, tracing her fingers along Hector’s scalp as she passed him. Like Johnny, he seemed oblivious.
“Get your f**king hands off him,” Dallas snarled. He didn’t mind the threat to himself. But to his friends? Hell, no. He wanted to race to her, choke her, watch her eyes close and her body flop uselessly, but he remained where he was.
With anyone else, he could have moved faster than the speed of light and attacked. He could have gotten into her head and forced her to do anything he wished. Sadly, with her, he was as human as he’d been before Mia’s husband had healed him, changed him. His “powers” simply didn’t work.
How? How did she render him so … ineffective?
He’d once cursed his abilities, hadn’t wanted them, had thought they made him alien. Now, when he could have used them to save the goddamn world, he cursed the fact that he didn’t have them.
“Uh, Dallas,” Bride said, standing and waving her hand in front of his face. “Who are you talking to?”
“Who am I talking to?” His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “Who do you think I’m talking—” He pressed his lips together as understanding dawned. The boys hadn’t felt the queen. That had to mean they couldn’t see her, either.
No reason to alarm anyone. And no reason to anger the queen—what was her name?—by mentioning her presence and possibly sending her fleeing. Not before he’d had a chance to kill her.
This time, he wouldn’t fail.
Grinning, the queen wiggled her fingers at him. “Come, Dallas. Let’s go outside. Chat.”
He nodded. “I need some air,” he told his friends. When Hector made to stand, as if to join him, Dallas shook his head. “Alone,” he added. Then he stalked off without any more explanation, following the object of his hatred.
She reached the bar’s front door, but didn’t stop to open it. She merely walked through it, like a ghost. His stomach clenched. Maybe she was a ghost. A ghost who could take corporeal form for sex. And wasn’t that just an utterly peachy thought? One, the pyre-gun at his back would be useless. And two, killing her would only be possible while sentencing himself to death.
He stomped outside. The sun was setting, the sky a hazy pink and purple, the air warm. Wonderland, the bar, sat in the middle of a strip club and a Taco Bell, so there was plenty of traffic coming and going through the parking lot.
The queen didn’t stop until they stood between two of the metal buildings, hidden in the shadows. Dallas expected several of her soldiers to jump out and grab him—bitch always had her soldiers nearby—but all remained calm. That he could see.
He met her gaze, her beautiful, mesmerizing gaze, and felt himself melting, edging closer to—no, no, no. Grunting, he settled his weight on his heels. She’s the enemy. He’d remind himself as many times as necessary. “Why are you here?”
Her white dress billowed in the breeze, caressing her. “I’m here for you,” she said, matter-of-factly. Just then, her voice was almost childlike. Innocent, full of wonder.
Enemy. “And what do you want with me?”
“My name is Trinity,” she said, ignoring him. She frowned, again almost childlike, only this time in a way that reminded him of a kid who hadn’t gotten the lollipop she wanted. “Not that you asked.”
“Or cared,” he lied. Trinity. Merely a name, like his, or was there a deeper meaning to it? Any other name, and he wouldn’t have wondered, but the literal translation of trinity was three. There was the woman, the disease, and … what? Something else? Something worse? His stomach did that clenching thing again. “Your soldiers are infecting my people. I want you gone.” Forever.
How to do it, though? He withdrew his gun, and she might disappear before a single shot was fired off. Not that he even knew if that shot would burn her or mist through her like she’d done the door. Only one way to find out …
He had to touch her.
One step, two, he slowly moved toward her.
One step, two, she slowly backed away from him. “I’m sorry about your people, I truly am, but I need my men strong.”
Careful. He stilled. “Their strength comes at a very destructive price.”
“Yes.” She stilled, as well.
“And you’re okay with that?” As he tangled his hand through his hair, he stealthily took another step.
This time, she remained in place. “I have to be.” Tears filled her eyes, turning them into blue pools of sadness. Startling, against her paling skin.
Should he clap for such a stellar performance now or later? “We found a cure, you know. You won’t destroy this planet like you’ve done to so many others.” Another step.
Again she remained in place. “Yes. I know all about your cure.” Soft, gentle.