Devlin: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Hell Squad Book 11) Read online

“Home sweet home,” Marcus said.

  “Wasn’t sure we’d see it again,” Taylor said quietly. She looked and sounded exhausted.

  Devlin managed to push himself upright. “We need to debrief the general. Now.”

  General Adam Holmes had been the man who’d made Blue Mountain Base a haven for survivors, and the man who’d put together the squads to fight back against the Gizzida. He’d been the one to bring them safely to the Enclave after Blue Mountain Base had been attacked by the aliens. He worked tirelessly to keep all the human survivors safe, and he needed to know about the mind-control device.

  Taylor slapped a hand against Devlin’s chest, one dark brow arched. “You’re leaking blood everywhere, super spy. A debrief can wait—”

  “No, it can’t.”

  As she huffed out a sigh, Marcus opened the side door of the Hawk.

  Cruz appeared, helping Devlin to his feet. Outside the Hawk, Devlin saw a crowd waiting for them. Holmes, and Niko, the civilian leader of the Enclave. Devlin’s boss, Santha, was there as well, with her heavily pregnant belly. All of Squad Nine also waited behind them, looking tough, despite being dressed in civilian clothes.

  As Cruz helped him out of the Hawk, he noticed Taylor wincing as she stepped onto the ground. His torn feet were hurting too, but Taylor was leaving a set of bloody footprints. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, she must be in agony.

  Doc Emerson strode toward them. The woman had a no-nonsense bedside manner, and ran the medical teams at the Enclave. Her team waited, ionostretchers standing by, floating off the ground.

  The general stepped forward, his bearing straight as always. “It’s good to have you back.”

  Devlin nodded. “We need to talk.”

  Holmes nodded. “When you and Taylor didn’t check in on schedule, we knew something was wrong.”

  Emerson pushed forward, her white lab coat flapping around her body. The ends of her blonde hair brushed her jaw as she shook her head. “You can talk all you want, after Devlin is no longer bleeding.”

  Devlin traded a look with Holmes. He knew the man understood that what Devlin had to say couldn’t be discussed in front of a crowd.

  The general nodded again. “Of course, Emerson. I think Niko and I will come along with you to the infirmary.”

  Emerson pressed one hand to her hip. “As long as you stay out of my way.” Her voice was dry. She looked back at Devlin and pointed. “Stretcher.”

  Oh, no. He shook his head. “I can wa—”

  Taylor slipped her arm around his waist and urged him toward the stretcher. “You’re about to fall down. Besides, doctor’s orders.”

  He shot her a look, but when he saw the lingering worry in her eyes, he sighed. He allowed himself to be herded onto the stretcher.

  As Taylor stepped back, Emerson pointed to the second stretcher. “You too, Taylor.”

  Taylor started. “What?”

  Devlin laughed, and Taylor crossed her arms over her chest.

  The next thing, her squad surrounded her. “On the stretcher, Cates.” Roth Masters stepped forward, his muscular shoulders and arms stretching his dark T-shirt. “That’s an order.”

  “Glad you’re in one piece,” tall, sexy Camryn McNab said. The woman looked like she could stride down a runway, despite the fact she handled a carbine with ease.

  “And good work out there.” Roth squeezed Taylor’s shoulder.

  She let Roth help her onto the stretcher. Soon, they were pushed out of the hangar and down the corridors leading to the Enclave infirmary. As they entered Emerson’s domain, she marveled again at the state-of-the-art equipment the Enclave had. Blue Mountain Base had been an old military base, hastily converted with scavenged goods for the survivors who’d ended up there. The Enclave had been custom-designed by the Coalition President as his own personal little haven.

  Soon, Devlin and Taylor were moved onto beds in the infirmary. The doc and her nurses bustled around, connecting them to monitors and checking wounds.

  Holmes and Niko stood by the foot of Devlin’s bed. The civilian leader had some paint on his cheek. Devlin knew the man was an artist, but the first moment Devlin had met the man, he’d known Nikolai Ivanov hadn’t always just been an artist. It took a spy to recognize another.

  “The Gizzida are definitely using those factories to make vehicles and other tech.” Devlin watched the men scowl. “But there’s other stuff going on there as well.”

  As the doc probed his claw wounds, he hissed out a breath.

  From the bed beside him, he heard a startled, “Ow!”

  Devlin turned his head, and saw an older nurse, Norah, fussing over Taylor’s torn up feet.

  He fought a smile. Everything she’d been through, and getting cuts cleaned made her complain.

  “Devlin?”

  The general’s voice made him snap his gaze back to the men watching him. “It’s far worse than the aliens building more vehicles.”

  “It always is,” Niko said, a faint hint of his Russian heritage in his voice.

  “They tossed Taylor and me into a cage.” Devlin pressed his tongue to his teeth. “They demanded we mate, or they’d kill us.”

  Doc Emerson’s hands froze on his wounds and he heard Norah gasp. Devlin kept his gaze on the general and Niko. A muscle ticked in Holmes’ jaw, and Niko uttered a soft curse.

  Emerson looked up at him then over at Taylor. “Are you both okay—?”

  Taylor smiled weakly. “We didn’t do it.” She winked at Devlin. “We did put on a hell of a show, though.”

  Everyone around them relaxed.

  “We managed to escape, but we were forced deeper into the factory,” Devlin said.

  “We ended up in underground tunnels the Gizzida have bored out beneath the factories.” Taylor hissed and turned to glare at Norah. The nurse was swiping some liquid over Taylor’s feet. “That hurts.”

  Norah shot her a sour look. “Unlike fighting vicious aliens?”

  “Speaking of which,” Devlin said. “We fought off a velox.”

  “There was actually a pack of eight, but luckily, only one found us.”

  “So, with limited weapons and no armor, you fought off a velox,” Niko said incredulously.

  “And I lost count of how many raptors,” Taylor said.

  “I had a good fight partner.” Devlin looked at Taylor, but then his smile died away. “We also saw humans.”

  Both of the men cursed this time.

  “God, there are kids locked up in there, too,” Taylor said, sitting up.

  “They were being controlled.” Devlin’s stomach churned. “The raptors are using these glowing, yellow globes that appear to be some sort of mind-control device.”

  “What?” Holmes breathed.

  “They were leading humans with it, and the people were…blank. Completely docile.”

  “It caught me for a second.” Taylor wrapped her arms around her middle. “Devlin saved me by shattering the globe. It just wiped out all my thoughts except the urge to follow the light.”

  “Jesus,” Niko said.

  The general ran a hand through his hair. “Damn. This is bad.”

  “This must be the weapon we’ve heard mentioned,” Niko said.

  “Weapon?” Devlin said, frowning.

  Holmes nodded. “After Lia and Finn successfully reestablished communications with the other human bases, we’ve heard talk of some secret raptor weapon.”

  Not good. “I managed to get this from the globe I broke.” Devlin fished the shard of yellow glass out of his pocket. “With this mind-control tech, they’ll be able to draw out any humans in hiding.”

  ***

  Taylor fluffed the pillow behind her back. She couldn’t wait to get out of the infirmary. Her wounds were all cleaned up, but she desperately wanted a hot shower.

  The general and Niko had left. Off to schedule a war meeting with the squad leaders, no doubt. They’d want to discuss the intel that Devlin and Taylor had brought back.

&nb
sp; She glanced over at where Doc Emerson was finishing up with Devlin. “How is he, Doc?”

  Devlin stirred. “He is right here.”

  The doc finished spreading something across Devlin’s abdomen. “He’s fine. I’m going to give you both a small shot of nanomeds. It’ll deal with your injuries, and you’re both a bit dehydrated. So, the nanomeds will give you a boost.”

  The doctor held up two syringes filled with silver liquid. Taylor wrinkled her nose. She knew the liquid was actually small medical machines that would flow through their bodies, healing whatever injuries they could find. But she also knew, from experience, that even a small shot hurt like hell.

  She watched as the doctor injected Devlin. The man didn’t even flinch.

  As Emerson moved closer with the needle, Taylor squeezed her eyes shut.

  “You’re afraid of needles?” Dev asked, incredulous. “I saw you take down raptors twice your size without blinking.”

  “I’m not afraid of the needle. It’s the thought of those machines running amok in my body.”

  She felt the burn as the doc injected her, then Emerson stepped back. “There you go.” The doctor whipped something out of her lab coat pocket. It was a homemade strawberry lollipop. “For being such a good girl.”

  Taylor snatched the lollipop and barely resisted poking out her tongue.

  Emerson gave them both a look. “Are you both sure you’re fine? It sounds like you were in a pretty tough situation.”

  Devlin looked at Taylor and they shared a smile. “We’re good,” Taylor said. “Promise.”

  Emerson patted Taylor on the arm. “Won’t be long and your nanomeds will be done, since your injuries aren’t too bad.”

  Taylor moaned. “Thank you. I have plans for a long, hot shower. And then I’m going to raid my stash of chocolates.”

  Emerson tilted her head. “Chocolates? What kind?”

  “Belgian.”

  Now the doctor groaned. “Lucky.” She turned to face Dev. “You’ll have to stay a little longer. I want those claw marks fully healed before you head out.”

  Taylor dozed off for a bit while she waited for her nanomed treatment to finish. Every now and then she would open her eyes and check that Dev was still okay, still in the bed beside hers.

  Finally, Emerson reappeared. “All done, Taylor.”

  “Thanks.” Taylor slid off the bed, already feeling stronger. For some reason, she felt reluctant to leave. “Feel better,” she told Dev.

  He nodded. “Thanks. And you get some rest.”

  Her feet dragging, Taylor took two steps toward the door. She paused, looking back over her shoulder. “Dev? Thanks for everything.”

  He gave her another steady look and nodded.

  With nothing left to say, she headed out. Soon, she was back in her room. It looked exactly as she’d left it before the mission, but suddenly it felt different. Not so welcoming and cozy. Like she didn’t fit there anymore.

  With a groan, she stripped off the remnants of her dirty, ruined clothes, and tossed them beside the trash can. Then, she headed for the shower.

  As hot water poured over her head, she felt the dirt and grime slide away. She worked shampoo into her hair, and still felt strange. She still felt amped up. Edgy. She couldn’t really believe it was over. It was normal, she knew, to feel like this after a tough mission.

  One second, she’d been a prisoner of the raptors, she and Devlin fighting for their lives. And the next second, they were safe.

  Usually, she blew off steam with her squad. A few drinks, some laughs, or even a movie.

  She lifted her face up to the spray, letting the shampoo wash away, and thought of Devlin. What did he do to blow off steam after a mission? She was a hundred percent sure he didn’t hang out with friends. No, he probably got to work planning his next mission.

  A series of flashbacks burst behind her eyes. The two of them fighting together. Dev’s wicked, lethal moves. Dev encouraging her as they climbed that shaft. Dev stroking his long, thick cock.

  Damn. Taylor pressed her cheek against the tiles. Now she realized what she was feeling. Desire.

  They’d been in a terrible situation, but Taylor knew herself well. Being locked in that cage with Devlin had ignited something that had been there all along.

  She slid her hands down, cupping her breasts. She caught one nipple between her fingers, plucking at it. Closing her eyes, she thought of Devlin’s hard, lean body. He was built for stealth and speed, all those long, tempting muscles. She thought of his long-fingered hand as he stroked his hard cock.

  Moaning, Taylor closed her eyes, sliding her hand down her belly.

  A knock rattled her bathroom door.

  “Hey, Taylor. Brought you some chow.”

  Taylor jerked, pressing her hands flat against the tiles. It was Cam. And if Cam was there, it meant the rest of her squad was, too. They’d come to check on her.

  After a deep breath, she flicked off the shower. She stepped out, grabbed a towel, and dried off. She snatched her electric-blue robe off a hook on the back of the door, and wrapped it around herself, belting it tight. When she opened the door, all of her squad was crammed into her quarters. Her throat tightened with emotion.

  Theron and Roth—both wearing T-shirts stretched over broad, muscled chests—were sitting at her table, eating off a giant platter of food. Avery, Roth’s partner, was balanced on the arm of his chair. Sienna, her dark curls loose, had her petite body curled up on Taylor’s bed. Mac and Cam—both women looking deadly despite being relaxed—were leaning against the wall.

  “We came to check that you were okay,” Roth said.

  Taylor felt a curl of warmth in her chest. Her squad was her family. They made the crappy existence they all lived in so much better.

  “I’m all healed.” Taylor sauntered over and grabbed some fruit off the tray. Popping a blueberry in her mouth, she studied her friends. “And I’m clean.” She wrinkled her nose. “The inside of those alien factories isn’t exactly sanitary.”

  Mac—aka Mackenna Carides, Squad Nine’s second-in-command—stepped forward, grabbing Taylor’s arm. “It was bad. The situation with Gray.”

  The berry stuck in Taylor’s throat. She realized her friends were here to find out if they needed to beat up Devlin. “I wouldn’t have made it without him.” She sucked in a calming breath. “Yes, the aliens wanted us to mate, but we fooled them. And that man did everything he could to protect me. Without him, I wouldn’t have made it out. He damn near killed himself to save me.”

  She felt all her squad members relax.

  Roth nodded. “Good.”

  Mac patted Taylor’s arm. “We’re all glad you’re okay.”

  Cam crossed her long legs at her ankles. “I have to say, that man is fine to look at.”

  From the bed, Sienna gave a wistful sigh. “I wouldn’t mind being forced to mate with Devlin Gray.”

  A laugh burst from Taylor and she saw Roth rolling his eyes. By now, their leader was used to all the girl talk. Across from him, Theron scowled. Theron didn’t particularly like talking at all.

  “I’m fine, guys,” Taylor reassured them. She looked at Roth. “Have you met with the general?”

  Roth nodded. “He told me about the mind-control device you and Devlin saw.”

  The others all straightened.

  “You saw what?” Cam demanded.

  Taylor looked at her friends. “It looks like a yellow globe, and it can control human minds. It wipes out your thoughts and makes you follow the raptors.”

  “Fuck,” Cam muttered.

  “We need to find a way to stop this device,” Taylor said.

  Sienna shook her head. “It completely freaks me out to think the aliens have a way to control our minds.”

  “And they had more humans locked up in cages.” Taylor’s voice hitched. “We have to get them out.”

  Roth stood. “We will. Holmes is working on a plan.” Roth clamped a big hand on Taylor’s shoulder. “But fo
r now, you need some rest.”

  She nodded. “I have a date with some chocolate and a bed.”

  He smiled. “And I owe you a bottle of Chardonnay.”

  She smiled back. He’d promised her one when she got back from this mission. “So you do.”

  Her squad shuffled out, giving her hugs as they left. Theron tugged on her hair, his eyes serious. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  “No one for you to beat up, big guy, except the aliens.”

  As Taylor closed the door, her quarters suddenly felt very, very empty. She forced herself to eat some more of the food they’d brought her. Slowly, the warmth she’d felt from her squad’s presence dimmed.

  She stood there, staring at the wall, a strange feeling curling inside her.

  Now that she was clean and fed, she knew exactly what she wanted. She checked her watch and then turned and hurried to her closet.

  She didn’t really have many clothes to choose from. One or two party dresses she kept for the odd celebration, and the rest of the space was filled with cargo pants and tank tops. They all received clothing credits to use at the Enclave store, but she rarely wasted her credits on clothes she’d rarely wear. With a shrug, she pulled on some tan cargo pants and pulled a green tank over her head.

  She hurried out, striding down the corridor. The Enclave was far prettier than Blue Mountain Base had been. While the underground military base had been utilitarian, the Enclave walls were lined with artwork. She had to admit, while she missed Blue Mountain Base, and the rather spartan life they’d been living there, she quite enjoyed the decadence of the Enclave.

  Finally, she stopped at a door and took a deep breath. She knocked.

  A second later, Devlin opened the door. His dark hair was wet, and he was wearing dark trousers and a white dress shirt that was still open, revealing a strip of his bronze chest.

  She stared intently at his toned abs, then released a breath. There was no sign of those terrible claw marks.

  She lifted her head and looked at him. He looked back.

  Following her instincts, Taylor leaped at him.

  As he caught her, she wrapped her legs around his hips and kissed him.

  Chapter Eight