“There’s a snake, watch out,” Labyrinth yells.
Of course, I look. They’re using a long stick and tossing it in the water. I turn and march to the shore shouting, “It was a huge snake.” I hold out my hands and spread them as far as possible.
Their laughter drowns out anything more I can say in my defense, and they don’t even try to stop laughing.
“King, I don’t think we can have a Shadow Warrior afraid of snakes. It’s insulting,” Beck shouts to be sure he’s heard.
King lifts his fist to his chin and contemplates. “You could be right. I’ve heard you can snake proof pets. Maybe we can find someone to teach Marinah.”
“Hahaha, keep laughing.” I kick the water which sets them off again.
I’ll never live this down.
Chapter Eleven
King
Once we’re clean, we pull out our sleeping bags and settle in for a few hours. I hadn’t planned on this delay but changed my mind so Marinah can get some rest. She isn’t speaking to anyone, and the men smile whenever she isn’t looking. Eventually they’ll let up, and Marinah never stays silent for long. I can’t imagine what the sight of her on my shoulders looked like to the men. I’m so amused, it doesn’t incite the mating rage. We needed some downtime and humor helps. I learned at the beginning of the hellhound invasion that you can’t live continuously on the edge of life and death without a break. Or at least I understood it for my men. With me it was different. I was full of anger toward humans after the Federation killed my uncle. Humor was the last thing I thought I needed. Then Marinah happened.
I’ve smiled and laughed more than I can remember since she came into my life. I look over at her, curled on her side, not touching me. She lets out a small huff, and I take a chance and circle her waist. When she doesn’t pull away, I’m hoping her sulk is over, and I draw her closer. She sighs then falls into a deeper sleep.
Axel has guard duty, and he’s on the move, keeping watch in all directions. I’m tired, but my thoughts are reeling, and its driving me crazy not having answers. It all circles back to what the Federation is up to. And these thoughts won’t get me anywhere. Eventually, I settle against Marinah and close my eyes, joining her in sleep.
***
We make quick work of leaving the camp a few hours later and march quietly through the afternoon. We don’t risk running because we know we’re close, and we need to be on guard.
We finally leave the forest behind and hit the outer edge of Denver. The majority of the city is demolished, but there’s a clear path that’s been used, and we follow it. Broken glass from the destroyed buildings catches the fading light and sparkles, making the quiet city appear even more abnormal with the glittering light. During my fighting days with the Federation, we entered many cities exactly like this. It’s still hard to comprehend the destruction that brought us to this point. Over two million people died in Denver at the beginning of the hellhound war. The smell of death is long gone but here and there, I catch sight of skeletal remains. When millions die, and others are fighting for their lives, burial is not a necessity.
I can’t help pondering what genetically modified formaldehyde will do if it reaches these skeletons. Beck obviously has the same thought because he removes his sword and lobs off the head of the one closest to him. We pull our swords and begin doing the same.
Two hours after we hit the city, a slight ring of metal on metal clangs in the distance. I lift my arm, signaling stop. My rage spikes when I think of the death the Federation soldiers gave to the people living in the outpost. I have full control of Beast, but that doesn’t stop him from shooting additional K-5 into my system and trying to destabilize me. I need a clear head until I know what we’re facing and push back against Beast. Soon, I tell him.
I point to Labyrinth, sending him ahead with hand signals. We find cover in a building partially buried under debris and wait silently. Labyrinth returns about an hour later when the sun is almost gone. He holds up ten fingered claws and flashes five times. He’s saying fifty soldiers. He points further into the city and up at a group of half-demolished skyscrapers. He takes lead and moves us to a new location.
It takes twenty minutes of climbing debris to make it into a tall building that looks a bit more stable than the rest. We enter the interior and carefully make our way to a stair shaft. Following Labyrinth, we head upward. Toward the top, the stairway is blocked by large beams.
“I climbed through earlier and found a good defensive position at the top where we can see the city,” Labyrinth says.
Garret is the only one who has trouble navigating the stairwell. I turn when he doesn’t follow. His expression says he’s about to tell us to leave him again. I nod at Axel, and he assists him through the short maze. Garret has impressed me. He’s kept up without complaint, attacked the hellhounds with us, and when he knew he couldn’t go on, he encouraged me to leave him behind. I’m still reserving my final judgement, and that will most likely depend on if he makes it out alive or not.
With Axel’s help, Garret ascends to the top soon after the rest of us. This was once a massive office space. Cubicles are torn apart, most likely from the original bomb blasts to take out the hellhounds once the military knew the city was lost. Desks are on their sides, and paper is scattered along with glass.
Labyrinth walks to a far wall where there’s a short set of stairs. “It leads to the roof.” We follow him outside and look over the city. He points north. “They have at least fifty soldiers, and they have three railcars holding hellhounds. I also saw three with doors open and nothing inside. I suspect they’re meant to hold the hounds that separated from the main group of soldiers we were following.” He shrugs in frustration, wanting answers like the rest of us. “I wasn’t sure what the railcars were for until a guard beat on the side of one of the containers. The hounds inside went nuts. I’d estimate fifty hellhounds per car. One fifty total.” He looks around our circle, and Beast pipes up when he meets Marinah’s eyes, but I pull him back and wait for Labyrinth to continue. “The soldiers are fully armed and may have larger weaponry in one of the tents they’ve set up. They established their camp in metal warehouse buildings on low ground. The camp has been there a while.”
I take a moment to run what he’s said through my head, analyzing our chances of taking out the soldiers and hellhounds with only the five of us. Garett says he can fight, but he’s human, and we can’t rely on him. If he’s attacked by more than a few hellhounds, he won’t survive.
Marinah touches my arm. “If we can lure them away from the hounds, we only need to worry about the soldiers.”
Her idea has merit. “How would we do it?”
She tilts her head slightly and her expression, even in Warrior form, lets me know I won’t like her idea. “Bait. More specifically me—” I try to stop her next words, but she holds her hand up. “I shift to my human form, let them think I’m spying, and run for it. Unless there’s someone there who recognizes me, they’ll have no idea I’m a Warrior.”
I turn to Labyrinth. “Did you see anyone you know?”
Marinah breaks in. “I can braid my hair or something. If we play this right, it won’t matter.” She stubbornly crosses her arms.
“They’re led by General Smythe.”
Marinah slowly turns, glances at Labyrinth, then back at me. A slow smile spreads across her face, and I can tell she’s trying to control her Beast. She clenches her jaw during the silent conversation taking place between them.
Axel speaks up. “I don’t think seeing a lone woman would send the entire camp in pursuit.”
Marinah wastes no time answering, “It would if I killed one or several of them. I can establish high ground and use my rifle. Actually, I can establish several places to shoot from and draw them as far as possible from the hellhounds.”
“What if they release the hounds?” Labyrinth interjects.
Her eyes snap. “I can outrun hellhounds and soldiers.”
“Not a sn
iper bullet,” I say with finality.
My mate will not be bait.
***
We decide to check out their camp in order to finalize our plan. Garret stays behind after I inform him we’ll be moving fast, and he’ll hinder us if we’re spotted.
Labyrinth leads us to a spot where we can see the layout of most of the camp. As he said, it’s well-established using several large, metal industrial buildings to house the men. The buildings have large rolling hangar doors, and they’re open, allowing us to see inside with our Warrior night vision. There are also large tents which we can’t see into. We don’t spot General Smythe, but the hair on the back of my neck stands at attention the entire time I look down on the camp. If he’s here, he will die.
The railcars are situated in a horseshoe shape next to the solid wall of one of the buildings used for the soldiers. We move farther north and circle the camp. On the northern end, we discover a cleared path that recently, judging by the tracks, had large machinery on it. The best guess is they used the vehicles to transport the railcars in, and those vehicles are no longer here. The tents wouldn’t be large enough to hold vehicles. Heading to the other side, we smell a latrine and avoid it along with two sentries. The Federation is lax, and we’ll take advantage of it.
“I didn’t see Smythe.” Marinah says once we’re far enough away.
“No. They’ve been here for a while though, and it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s more than one camp of soldiers. They could take out the outposts one by one. After each attack, regroup, and scout out the next one.”
“We need to end them.”
She’s right, we do. Once we make it back to camp, I determine we need food and sleep before a meeting to establish our plan. There’s a small squeal in the corner, and Beck holds up a mouse.
“Sorry, not enough to share and I’m eating meat tonight.”
“Jerk,” Marinah mutters under her breath. I can’t help smiling. “The last time I suggested you try mouse, you almost killed me with your glare. What’s changed?”
“MREs,” she snarls.
I lean in close and whisper huskily in her ear, “I’ll find you warm food. That’s one of my jobs as mate.”
She licks her lips. “What’s my job?”
“To eat it.”
She gulps then nods. “You catch it, I’ll eat it.”
It takes fifteen minutes, but I come back carrying three dead rodents. I toss one her way, expecting her to jump up and run. With a quick turn of her head and snap of her jaws, the mouse is gone. I don’t laugh at the look on her face and offer another.
“You eat them. I want to be sure this one stays down. I think I’ve finally discovered something that isn’t good about Shadow Warriors.” She shudders. “I ate a mouse.”
It’s so pathetic, I smile. “You’ll live, and I promise it will get easier.”
“I don’t think I want it to get easier,” she moans. I pop both mice between my jaws and crunch. Her glare has me licking my fingers. “You don’t play fair,” she accuses.
“No, I don’t.” I walk closer and nuzzle my jaw against hers. “You need sleep.”
“You’re right, and the mouse wasn’t enough. I’ll settle for an MRE and try another mouse tomorrow. Maybe.”
After we both eat enough to stave off hunger, we clear a space through the debris and make a bed in a corner of the office after situating the cubicles to our liking. Marinah has second watch tonight, and she needs to sleep before Labyrinth wakes her. We spread our sleeping bags and curl into each other. Her clawed hand lands on my arm, and she carefully runs her palm across my skin. “I can lead the soldiers away from the hellhounds, and you and the men can ambush them.”
I’m unhappy she won’t let this go. “They have no problem killing women,” I grind out.
“You know I’m right. I’m a Shadow Warrior, and I’m a good shot, or have you forgotten?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten. Are you going to rest or argue with me until morning?”
Surprisingly, she curls into my side and makes herself comfortable. “Stubborn jerk,” she whispers before going quiet.
There’s the woman I know and love.
Chapter Twelve
Marinah
It’s unfair and not getting my way turns me peevish. I was a very spoiled child throughout my formative years. It taught me to use tears and plain old stubbornness to get what I wanted. Usually it worked. Unfortunately, I don’t feel my sad, moping eyes popping from my Shadow Warrior head do the trick this time.
I do need rest, and I have guard duty tonight. King assigned the duty to me to avoid another tantrum. Smart man. I’m almost asleep when I overhear Labyrinth whisper to Beck, “What, no temper tantrum because she isn’t getting her way and luring the Federation out?”
Beck’s reply is priceless. “She’s right, and our mighty leader is wrong. She knows she’ll get her way.”
I smile against King’s chest. “Don’t get any ideas,” he mumbles sleepily.
I sleep until Labyrinth wakes me. King tightens his hold then releases me and rolls over. I would smooth my hand over his head, but I would probably take out one of his eyes. Even in sleep the man is imposing. Add in his Warrior form, and he takes my breath away. I carefully rub my face and stand. With a last look at King, I grab my weapons and head to the roof.
Using my rifle’s scope, I run it over the silent streets, my Warrior eyesight giving me just enough to see in the dark. If I can get back here after alerting the Federation to my presence, I can take out anyone who comes through the cleared section of the city.
I lower the rifle and look over the dark ruins below me. One tall building stands in the distance almost as if untouched by the destruction. I head back into our top floor camp and take the stairs down to ground level. The sleep did me good, and I don’t feel the heavy weight of tiredness that’s been dogging me.
My thoughts travel to Che and Ruth. It hasn’t been that long, but I miss them. I never really thought about having children, and now, I just don’t know. But I think about it. It’s crazy. Who would want to bring a child into this world? Ruth and Che are enough. No not enough, a complete handful. King’s child would be their match. I’m too young for my biological clock to give me problems. There’s plenty of time, and maybe one day, King and I can discuss it.
In the meantime, I have Ruth to deal with. She will benefit from training, and maybe I can find a way to control her irrational behavior. And pigs fly. Oh well, it’s a thought.
I tune in to the sounds around me. Besides the small creatures of the night, the street is quiet. I find a space between two large slabs of cement that offers cover and a good place to keep an eye out in both directions.
If I wasn’t on watch, I would go look at high areas for our attack. If I could shoot several rounds and run to the next location, the Federation would think we had more men than we do. And they would release the hellhounds which won’t work. I contemplate what we’re up against and try to form another plan. The horseshoe shape of the railcars could work in our favor. If we used a large beam, we could block the doors. If I kept the soldiers away from the hounds, King could sabotage the railcars.
I don’t even know why I’m set on determining the best way to handle the situation. That’s King’s job, and he always knows exactly what to do. I think it goes back to my human insecurities. I want to be useful. There’s this itch inside me that craves it. I can be a Warrior and contribute like the rest.
I sink deeper into my thoughts and think about Nalista’s books and what they mean. The female Warriors condemned the men for the loss of their home planet. The men had always been volatile. When coming to Earth, the women gave the males another chance thinking the end of their planet would be enough to change them. When the male Warriors went immediately back to their old ways, refusing to learn from history, the women broke off and left the men to their own fate. They didn’t want the male Warriors’ violence betraying their secrets, and they no longer trusted th
e men to keep them safe.
The death of their home planet might not have changed the male Warriors, but the females leaving did. Their loss destroyed any chance of a pureblood Warrior entering the world again. The men knew the women were right, and they made the decision that changed their lives forever by becoming farmers and staying beneath human radar. They survived to fight for humanity when they were needed. No one knew they existed until they came out of hiding and saved us from hellhounds.
I can’t help wondering if there could possibly be another female Warrior out there. I’m a descendant of one such Warrior which increases the odds. The thought has kept me awake on more nights than worrying about Ruth. I have so many questions, and the only way I’ll ever get answers is if there is someone out there like me. One of the questions I have is how I’m able to control the K-5 better than the men? The mating rage affects me though. I just don’t have enough answers to even know the correct questions to ask.
I turn my thoughts to General Smythe and Ms. Beast purrs inside me, kill. I want him dead too, and I want him dead by my hand. It’s a personal vendetta, and I owe him for my friends too. Skylar, Kara, and Landan escaped the Federation stronghold with me. We worked together before I was promoted to Secretary of Defense and was sent to negotiate with the Shadow Warriors. Skylar’s husband died in the escape. When Landan requested going to the western outposts, Skylar and Kara moved to the other side of the island where King has a home away from the citadel. I haven’t seen them much because we haven’t been to that home in months. The last time I saw Skylar, she still had sad eyes, and I knew her husband’s death was still haunting her.
I owe Smythe several times over, and I will even the score for Skylar.
My thoughts twist again to my father. He knew I was a Shadow Warrior, and I haven’t quite forgiven him for never confessing the truth. After reading Nalista’s history, I understand that females don’t necessarily change to their Beast like the men do, and there was no way my father or mother could have known I was a shifting female. And more weight falls on my mother’s shoulders for raising me vegetarian. She knew it could hold back the change. Even Nalista mentioned it in her books. It was a common practice on the home planet. The females did not want their daughters turning as volatile as the male Warriors.
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