Zar stood protectively in front of her.
Were they in danger?
She inched away from him so she could stand by his side and fisted her hands.
Zar peered at her from the corner of his eye.
She nodded encouragingly. “I’m ready for anything.”
A shuffling sound drew her eyes forward. A slim woman with curly hair and a wide smile slipped through the door of the cabin and Simone gasped.
She was wrong.
She hadn’t been ready for that.
Twenty-Two
Zar
Was that a human?
Zar stared at the female with dark skin like Si-Moon’s. The only difference was Korben’s female did not have her hair plaited away from her face. She wore it wild and curly like a helmet. Her dark brown eyes sparkled, and she smiled in welcome.
Korben’s lips broke out into a smile as well.
Zar stiffened with confusion.
Just then, a streak of brown and white flew from behind him. To his surprise, Si-Moon launched herself at the other human female. The women collided in a pair of tangled arms and excited shrieks.
How strange. Were they acquainted on earth?
As if summoned, three other humans flew out of the hideout. They surrounded Si-Moon, locking her into a tribal sort of embrace.
They are squeezing her!
Jaw clenching, he took a threatening step forward when Korben stopped him with a hand to his chest. “They are celebrating.”
“She is being squeezed to death,” Zar growled, his eyes on his mate. She stood in the middle of the throng, more liquid falling down her face. “She is hurt.”
“Neh, Zar.” Korben smirked. “She is being reunited with her kind. Sah-ah did the same when she saw the others.”
Zar stepped back. “Very well.”
Korben frowned when he saw Chozo. “Is that a Heronas?”
“Yes.”
Korben’s spine dagger emerged. He broke it off and started running at the zapten. Chozo trembled like a reed, scrambling off the machine and skittering to his feet.
“Noooo!” Si-Moon shrieked.
The females hurried over in a group, crowding around Chozo to keep him safe. Zar marveled at their instant camaraderie. It was as if they had formed their own tribas on sight.
Si-Moon rattled a scolding at Korben, finger wagging and eyes sparking flames.
Korben’s female translated for her. “Simone says he is only a brood and that he is not going to harm anyone.”
“My heras, this is not a child but a killer.”
“I don’t want to hear it. You can’t just go around murdering kids on sight. What did this poor child ever do to you?”
Zar wanted to snort. Poor child?
Si-Moon began to speak again and Zar huffed in frustration. He needed to understand his mate. Now.
“Do you have any extra translator chips?” he asked Korben.
“Yes.” Korben’s mate smiled at him. “Don’t worry.”
Zar nodded. The thought of being able to understand his mate thrilled him. Si-Moon had seemed distant after their mating. Almost as if she had planted a wall that she did not want him to scale. He would stop at nothing to woo her and gain her trust, but first he needed to speak her language.
Korben snarled. “Zar, what in denizi were you thinking bringing a Heronas to our camp? What if he tells his species of our hideout?”
“I-I’m not going to…” Chozo squeezed his eyes shut. Beneath the mask, the brood looked like he was about to faint. “Please. I do not want to hurt anyone.” He wrapped his thin arms around Si-Moon.
Zar growled.
Chozo dropped his hands immediately.
The curly-haired female cleared her throat. “Why don’t we all go inside and sort this out, hm?” She tugged on Si-Moon’s arm. “You come with me. We’ll set you up with that translator implant so you can communicate with everyone freely. Have you eaten?”
The female led Si-Moon away and Zar’s heras ached. Though he felt that familiar anger, it was muted. Overpowered. Brought into submission by these new, strange sensations that demanded he be as close to Si-Moon as much as possible.
Zar could not control it and that frightened him. He had never been the type to cling. After his father’s death, he became a lone Plutonian, only joining Korben’s tribas because he respected the terros’s high standards and values. Never had he felt such a strong connection to another like this.
It must be the mate bond.
The females carried Si-Moon farther and farther away.
Did she have to walk out of sight?
Zar’s gaze followed her.
Korben shook his head. “You mated her, didn’t you?”
“And you mated her comrade?”
“Yes. I could not stop myself from caring for her no matter how hard I tried.” Korben closed his eyes. “They really do take over your heras, don’t they? They become your entire world.”
“Si-Moon has changed me,” Zar admitted.
“I can tell. Your eyes are softer now. You don’t look as… troubled.”
“I am still plagued.”
“Yes, but your female is healing your heras. There is not as much hate in your eyes. You do not seem as obsessed with the Heronas.”
Zar grew sober. “Korben, about the Heronas—” Before he could explain about Chozo, a commotion erupted in the dwelling.
He heard the shouts of his comrades and the clatter of something falling. Both he and Korben started running toward the entrance when Pin, Clavas, Tiegan and Lans stumbled outside.
Lans stuck a finger over his shoulder. “Korben, why in denizi is there a Heronas…?” His words dragged to a stop when he saw Zar.
Zar lifted one hand in greeting. “Comrades.”
His tribas strode toward him. Though they were not like the females who flung themselves together and leaked tears when reunited, the moment felt just as warm and welcoming.
Zar’s gaze moved to Clavas and relief coursed through his chest. Despite his bruises and cuts, the warrior seemed largely unharmed. Zar strapped his fingers around Clavas’s arm and thumped him on the back.
Clavas returned the gesture, grinning broadly. “Look at you, Zar. Always late to the gathering.”
“I am glad to see you safe and whole though I resent the fact that I was not a part of the rescue.”
“The Heronas cannot kill me that easily,” Clavas said with a broad grin.
“You did not tell me that you had Clavas already.” Zar nodded at Lans.
“Did you not receive my message?”
Zar thought of the video on his interface that he had rigorously avoided. His eyebrow nubs jumped. “You explained this?”
“I did,” Lans said, his square jaw relaxing in a hint of a smile.
“How did the exchange go?” Zar asked.
“The Heronas turned on us.” Pin spit to the side. “The exchange was an ambush.”
“As we should have expected.” Korben’s purple eyes narrowed. “Which is why I can’t trust this Heronas brood. Should we leave the females alone with him? Is it safe?”
“Touch him at your own peril,” Tiegan said with a shake of his head. “The females have banded around him as if he is some sort of delicate fein.”
Zar glanced at Clavas. “I am sorry you had to see such a stark reminder of your imprisonment.”
“Neh.” Clavas shook his head. “Don’t apologize. He does not offend me.”
“He is a Heronas,” Zar growled. “How could his presence not offend you?”
“He is not like the others. He is an expeh. A Heronas who lost his tribas and was taken into the city to be experimented on.”
Pin frowned. “How do you know this?”
“There were other expehs in the cells with me. They took my blood and injected it into them to test if the serum would work. Sometimes it was painful for them. Sometimes they passed out. You will always know the expeh because their minds are fully developed, but t
heir bodies are weak from being poked and prodded for so long. It gives them the appearance of a brood. They will never grow.”
“Now I almost feel sorry for him,” Lans spat. “Which makes me a little ill.”
“Neh. He told us he had parents,” Zar insisted.
The little liar.
“Those in the lab would take the expehs home and treat them like their broods. It was never with kindness. They were still only test subjects but, because they were Heronas, they were treated a step better than me.”
Korben cursed. “Those dirty Heronas.”
Tiegan, usually the quiet and thoughtful one among then, turned to him. His narrow chin was firm, and his eyes peered through Zar’s when he asked, “How did the expeh end up here?”
“He claims his city was vanquished.”
“By whom? Did the Rulari launch their war against the Heronas?” Korben asked.
“Neh. The Rulari and the Heronas are working together now.” Zar shook his head. “Chozo rambled on about a different enemy. A monster he cannot name.”
The warriors shifted quietly and shared long, knowing looks.
Zar stared at Korben. “Is there something I should know?”
“Pin recently discovered that the Red Death was not a natural plague.”
“When Ki-ah and I found refuge with the Dultge, their terros admitted that the plague was manufactured in their labs.”
“We believe that an enemy unlike any we’ve faced is about to wage a war here,” Lans said, his face tight. “But we have no clue about them.”
Zar growled, “I do.”
“You do?” Pin blinked.
“Yes.” Zar’s jaw tightened. “The brood has footage you need to see.”
Twenty-Three
Simone
“You have no idea how good it feels to talk with humans again,” she gushed, settling around the table with all the other girls.
Chozo winced. “Should I be offended?”
“Of course not.”
Sara laughed. “Gosh, he is so cute! I didn’t think I could ever like a Heronas.” She offered her hand to Chozo. “But you just proved me wrong.”
“I am glad I could be the exception.” He shook it.
Simone smiled at Sara. “You look really happy.”
“Yeah, well…” She twirled a lock of her curly hair around her finger. Tall and slim, Sara was stunning with dark skin and black eyes. Her grin was infectious, and she looked like a woman in love.
Kia, another one of the women who’d been kidnapped from earth, had the same expression. Curvy and sweet, Kia had dark hair and gorgeous eyes.
“Which warrior is yours?” Simone pushed away from the table and peered through the window, observing the six Plutonian warriors who stood outside. “Is it the handsome one with the lean arms and the face that looks like some alien version of a Hollywood celebrity?”
“That’s Tiegan.” Lilliana, a talkative and cheerful woman with tan skin and lush brown hair, giggled. “And he’s mine.”
Simone’s eyes widened. “Oh. My bad.”
“Want to guess again or should we just tell you?” Sara asked mischievously.
Emma rolled her eyes. She was the quietest of the bunch, although she’d cried the hardest when seeing Simone and she’d hugged her the hardest too. Her stunning blue eyes and pale skin made her seem delicate, but she sensed a strength in Emma that came from tragedy and hardship. Only someone who’d been through the same could recognize it.
Kia took note of Emma’s eye-roll and teased. “What? You don’t like this game, Emma?”
“I don’t know how you guys jump into bed with these aliens after knowing them for a handful of days.” She picked up a basket of fruits and started picking the stems. “It’s weird.”
“It’s love.”
“It’s Stockholm Syndrome,” Emma argued.
Chozo tilted his head. “What’s that?”
“It’s when the hostage falls in love with her captor,” Emma explains. “Or when a woman who’s been kidnapped by an alien who planned to give her off to his enemies falls head over heels for him.”
“Was she talking to me?” Sara pointed at her chest.
Kia snorted. “No, I think that was me.”
“It’ll be me.” Lilliana fluttered her eyelashes. “Whenever Tiegan opens his eyes and makes a move.”
Emma just scowled.
“I guess I’m in that camp too.” Simone raised her hand hesitantly.
Cheers broke out from Lilliana, Sara and Kia.
Emma frowned harder. “Look, we don’t have enough private rooms in this cabin for you and the aliens to keep pairing off.”
“Ignore her. She might seem grumpy, but she’s secretly a teddy bear.” Sara winked at her. “How did you and Zar get together?”
“It wasn’t planned, believe me. I don’t trust anyone easily.” She cupped her chin. “But Zar protected me with his life. He was willing to die for me.”
“It’s what they do,” Kia said. “They choose honor and integrity. They choose self-restraint and commitment. There’s something that’s very… reassuring about someone with high standards.”
“Not only high standards. They have honor, principles and the right training to take care of a mate,” Sara added.
Lilliana swooned. “And abs.”
Everyone glanced at Lilliana.
“What?” She shrugged. “Tail or not, these guys are ripped, and you know it.”
Simone laughed softly. It felt so good to be surrounded by people who got her. Sure, being kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night by scavenging aliens kind of sucked.
Okay, it really sucked.
But all the women here had gone through the same thing. They shared the same trauma, the same fears and even the same hope. It felt great to be a part of a community where she truly belonged. Where she didn’t feel like the one, odd man out because she didn’t have as much money or the dazzling childhood with the white fence and the happy parents and the golden retriever.
“Here.” Emma slid the basket of fruits over to her. “Sign up to the craziness of loving an alien if you want. I’m not going to judge.”
“You’re totally judging,” Lilliana said, scooping up some fruit.
Emma’s lips curled up in a small smile.
Sara leaned forward. “How did you react when you experienced the mate bonding for the first time, Simone?”
“Sa-ra!” Lilliana’s high-pitched giggle boomed around the room. “Why would you ask her something like that? What if she’s shy?” Flinging her hair behind her back, Lilliana begged. “No, seriously. Give us all the details. Where did he do it? Was it good? Which was bigger his tail or his—”
Sara slapped her hand over Lilliana’s mouth. “That is not what I meant.”
“I know what you meant.” Simone laughed.
Emma’s lips twitched. “Well, we know what Lilliana’s been thinking about.”
“I might or might not have spied on Tiegan when he cleaned off in the lake.” Her cheeks went red. “But I guess that’s not the point.”
“Simone?” Kia wiggled her eyebrows.
“I have to admit, Zar is quite…” Simone’s heart thumped as she thought about the way he’d flung her against the cave wall. “Aggressive.”
The woman squealed.
“But I mean that emotionally as well.”
Kia tilted her chin. “He’s always that grumpy?”
“Yeah.” Simone gave Kia a questioning look. “Did something happen to him?”
“Zar’s father was—ow!” Kia jumped straight out of her seat.
Sara smiled serenely. “Kia, why don’t we see if there’s any tumari left? Simone must be hungry.”
“The kitchen’s right there. Why do you need me to go with you?” Kia grumbled.
Sara slanted her a dark look.
Kia sighed, got up and followed Sara across the room.
“What happened to Zar’s family?” Simone asked Lilliana.
She bit down on her plump bottom lip. “It’s kind of tragic.”
“It has something to do with my species, doesn’t it?” Chozo said quietly.
Lilliana forced a smile.
Conflict tore through Simone’s heart. On the one hand, she understood why Zar would react with rage whenever he encountered a Heronas, but on the other, she wanted him to be free.
Fury and revenge required lots of emotional energy. It was exhausting and she wished she could help him overcome it.
She’d been through crap too. Her life hadn’t been a bed of roses. But she didn’t exist in that place. She didn’t let her anger direct her and control her. And she didn’t want to see Zar being controlled by that fury either.
Chozo hung his head. “I am sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She squeezed his hand. “Trust me. He’ll see you for who you are someday.”
“I hope so.”
“Zar must really love you, Simone,” Lilliana said, blinking rapidly.
“What do you mean?” Simone scooped fruit into her palm and knocked it back. The seeds were sweet and kind of tasted like strawberry even though they looked like a black grape.
“He kept Chozo alive because of you.” She grinned. “And from what Kia and Sara told me,” Lilliana pointed to the other two ladies, “Korben and Pin agonized over mating with them.” She laughed. “They were both so conflicted.”
“Conflicted? Why? Are aliens not allowed to mate with humans?”
“No, it wasn’t that. They were supposed to hand us over to their enemies in exchange for Clavas and the Healer.”
“Lilliana…” Emma warned under her breath.
“What? It’s true. And it seems like Zar didn’t care about any of that. He mated you before he even knew Clavas was safe. He chose you over his own tribas.”
“Lilliana!” Emma smacked her.
“What? What did I say?”
Simone’s head spun. “Zar was supposed to hand me over to the Heronas?” When the two girls went quiet, she pleaded, “Tell me. I deserve the truth.”
As the room filled with silence, Simone began to tremble.
The Alien Warrior's Heart : A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Plutonian Warriors Book 3) Page 11