by Anna Hackett
He hadn’t hit it dead on, but it had felt the burn.
“Flamethrower, flamethrower.” He sensed Kaira trying to move. “Form, damn you.”
“Relax. Don’t force your thoughts.”
“It’s hard to relax right now, warrior,” she growled.
Despite the circumstances, Thane felt the urge to laugh.
He moved the flamethrower around as much as he could with his limited movement. A sharp, acrid scent filled the air, like burning hair.
He noticed a patch of web start to melt.
“Kaira! The flames are melting the web.”
“Got it.” He heard her flamethrower activate.
The spider gathered its courage and darted forward. It hit the melted hole and several of its legs fell through it. It thrashed and the web bounced crazily.
“Kaira!”
“Hang on.”
Thane felt heat singe close to his side. Then the web below him was gone.
They fell downward.
And landed in a pile of brown eggs.
“Ugh.” Kaira sat up.
Above them, the spider was tangled in its own web. Below them, the floor was covered in eggs the size of his head.
Nearby, the top of one of the eggs unfurled.
“Oh, fuck.” Kaira scrambled to him, her face frantic. “We need to go. Now!”
He watched a small spider climb out of the egg. Several more eggs started to open.
Kaira yanked on his arm. He leaped up, and together they ran.
Chapter Fifteen
Kaira’s chest heaved as she sprinted as fast as she could.
She and Thane powered through an arched doorway.
“That way.” Thane pointed.
They skidded around the corner and into a curved corridor. Kaira didn’t want to face a horde of small, ravenous spiders.
“Sabin and I fought a group of these spiders on Earth.” She shuddered. “We can’t let them catch up.”
The corridor opened into a large space, filled with people-sized cocoons.
Oh, shit. “What now?”
Thane slowed. “Most are empty. The rest seem to have hibernating creatures in them.” Then his head whipped around.
She saw a mass of small spiders fill the end of the corridor. They were on the floor, the walls, clinging to the ceiling. They were coming like a giant wave.
Her lungs locked. “Thane.”
“Come on.” He tugged her deeper into the maze of cocoons.
Then he stopped and touched one. The top of it opened.
The cocoon was empty, except for a few inches of brown liquid that lay, fetid, along the bottom. It smelled like a clogged drain.
“Get in,” he said.
She jerked her head around and stared at him. “What?”
“We’re going to hide in here.” His jaw was tight.
Kaira grimaced. “Hell.” She threw her leg over the edge and climbed in. The liquid clung to her armor.
“So gross.”
“Gross is better than dead.”
She lay down, trying not to imagine what the goop was made out of.
Thane shifted in beside her. He lay down, and the top closed over them. She breathed shallowly, trying not to panic. Thane lay beside her, the steady beat of his heart under her ear.
If those spiders found them…
“The smell should mask our scent,” he murmured, running a hand up her back.
She nodded. “I hope you’re right.” She wondered if Nisid was okay.
A noise.
She froze.
A second later, a small shadow jumped onto the top of the cocoon.
She watched the spider skitter across the top, then pause.
Another leaped on. Then another. She held her breath. Nothing to see here.
It felt like forever, but finally the spiders moved off.
“Keep still,” he murmured. “We need to wait long enough to ensure they’re gone.”
“The Kantos would know we got a message out by now. The soldiers will be searching for us.”
“Yes, but they’d expect us to get out, not head into the heart of the base.” He cocked his head. “I think it should be safe now.”
He pushed the top of the cocoon open a few inches, and they cautiously looked around.
There were no hungry, alien spiders waiting for them.
They climbed out, the brown liquid clung to them. She wrinkled her nose. Ew.
Thane touched her jaw. “Despite the smell, you’re still the most beautiful thing I’ve seen.”
She shook her head at him, but smiled.
The pair of them cautiously moved out of the cocoon room.
“The lab should be up ahead,” he said.
She followed immediately behind him. He stopped at another arched doorway, and they looked in.
A Kantos lab. Similar to the one on the battlecruiser, but far larger.
“No scientists.” Thane moved inside. “Come on.”
They passed several workbenches, some large tanks, and a table topped with gelatinous blobs sitting on trays.
She scanned the room, and suddenly went still. “Thane.”
The wall was filled with long, glass tubes, containing similar helian experiments as they’d seen on the Kantos ship.
A muscle ticked in Thane’s jaw as he took in the dying helians.
Then she spotted a holder with several vials of a multicolored liquid in it. “Is this it?”
They moved closer. It was milky-white liquid, shot through with blue, green, purple and gold.
“That’s it,” Thane breathed. “The pathogen.”
“There are nine vials.”
He took one and held it up. “We’ll keep one and destroy the others.”
“How?”
He slid the vial into a pouch on his belt. Then he held up his arm and morphed his flamethrower. “Like this.”
Kaira stepped back and watched the stream of fire engulf the pathogen vials.
The glass melted away, and then the pathogen burned, turning the flames into a kaleidoscope of colors.
Next, he turned and aimed at the dying helians on the wall.
“Have your peace now,” he murmured.
Finally, the flames cut off.
She pressed against his back, sensing his distress and sadness. She wanted to comfort him.
He spun and wrapped an arm around her, squeezed gently. “We need to move. Now, we can look at finding a way out.”
“You sure that vial is safe on your belt?”
“The container appears to be made of a toughened glass. It would require heat or a significant blow to break it.”
They jogged out of the lab.
Eon, there is nowhere for you to hide.
Kaira clutched her head. The multiple elite voices felt like a giant hand squeezing her brain.
We will hunt you down. We will destroy you and your Terran. Then we will consume her world and shatter the Eon Empire.
“Such pleasant people,” Kaira said.
Thane scowled.
Noises echoed ahead of them, and they stopped. A group of bugs skittered into view. They looked like cockroaches on steroids, with sleek, brown bodies. Except they had teeth. Lots of teeth.
“Back,” Thane bit out.
They backed up.
Then she heard noises behind them. They swiveled, and saw a group of Kantos soldiers appear.
“Down here.” She ran into a side corridor.
“I sense bugs converging on all sides of us,” Thane said.
Her stomach dropped. “What do we do?”
“I don’t know, but I will get you out of here, Kaira.”
Get Kaira out.
Get Kaira out.
He would save his mate.
Thane pulled Kaira down another corridor. Flying bugs flew at them from nowhere, wings flapping so fast they were a blur.
They ducked under them. Thane spotted holes in the ceiling. That had to be where the bugs had come from.
“Up!” He gripped Kaira’s waist and tossed her upward.
She gripped the edge of the hole and pulled herself up. Thane bent his legs and leaped.
He flew up through the hole and landed in a crouch.
“Come on.” She was already climbing up the wall, and disappeared through another hole.
Thane jumped again, caught the lip of the hole, and followed. They continued making progress upward, until they ended up in a large room. A horrible smell slammed into his senses.
Kaira held her nose, her eyes watering.
“Helmet,” he said.
They both formed their helmets, his helian providing filtered air for them.
A huge, brown pile of waste sat in the middle of the room. Several small, compact beetles were crawling all over it.
“It’s the organic waste generated by the bugs in the base,” he said.
“Trying not to vomit here.”
“Look.” He nodded his head. “There’s a ramp on the far side.”
They stuck to the wall, moving slowly so they didn’t gain the attention of the beetles.
“Thane, if we keep moving up, then what? We’ll end up at the top of the base, with no way off. We’ll be sitting ducks.”
He frowned. “Sitting ducks? Ducks are a bird on your world. Is it bad when they sit?”
She waved a hand. “It’s an Earth expression. We’ll be targets, with no options.”
“The Kantos are hunting us. We have to do what they’d least expect.”
“Nisid didn’t find us,” she said quietly.
No. Thane felt a punch of sorrow. It was likely that their ally hadn’t made it.
All the alien had wanted was a chance to live—free of fear.
They reached the ramp and jogged up. On the next level, they retracted their helmets, and thankfully the stench had lessened.
“Let’s—”
A familiar, buzzing hum.
“Soldiers,” she hissed.
They both scanned for options. He spotted several, shadowed alcoves set low in the wall.
“In there.”
They crouched and squeezed in. Kaira was practically in his lap. Thane pulled them back as far as they could go, and prayed to the warriors that the Kantos wouldn’t see them.
Several scaly legs stopped in front of their hiding spot.
Kaira tensed.
A second later, the soldiers moved on.
She released a breath. “Thank God.”
Thane tipped her chin up and kissed her. When she kissed him back, he felt a bright burst of warmth in his chest. “Let’s keep moving.”
She scrambled out and he followed. Once again, he was astounded at the strength and courage in this small, Terran woman.
They moved down the hall, alert and tense.
“If I get home, the first thing I want is a giant bowl of ice cream,” Kaira murmured.
“When you get home.” He nodded, indicating a right turn. “What’s ice cream?”
Her eyes widened. “The greatest thing ever invented.” She grinned. “A sweet treat. I’ll get some for you. You’ll love it.”
“I look forward to trying it someday.” If they survived. If Kaira even wanted to see him after this.
“Thane, over there.”
A set of stairs.
They jogged up them. There was a trapdoor at the top and he pushed it open.
It opened onto a flat area at the top of the base. The bright sunlight made him blink.
“Thank God, fresh air.” Kaira climbed out. “I thought we’d never get away from the Kantos stench.”
They moved across the top of the base to the edge. There were no railings.
“Oh, boy.” Kaira stepped back. “That’s a long way down.”
Thane stared at the Kantos far below. There was no way off the top of the base.
An idea formed, but his gut churned. It was risky.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
He glanced at her and she eyed him intently. His reluctant mate was getting used to reading him. He touched the pathogen vial at his waist. He had to get it to the Rengard. No matter what.
“Thane?” she prompted.
“We have to jump,” he said.
Her eyes shot wide. “What?”
“My helian can create wings between our arms and bodies.”
“Like a wing suit.” She glanced over the edge.
“It will—”
The trapdoor they’d just used opened. A Kantos soldier climbed out, its gaze on them.
“Fuck,” Kaira muttered.
Thane’s pulse pounded. Another trapdoor opened and more Kantos appeared. “It won’t give us powered flight, but it will help us control our glide.”
“Damn.” She bit her lip. “I’m not trained. I don’t know if I can—”
He grabbed her arms. “You can do anything, Kaira. You’ve powered through this entire ordeal without flinching. You’re the bravest woman I know.”
Her face softened.
The soldiers picked up speed, rushing toward them.
“Thane—”
Time was up. He wouldn’t let them have her.
He grabbed her and leaped.
Kaira screamed. Thane formed his wings, and felt them snap tight. Kaira’s formed, as well.
“Oh, God. Oh, God.” She chanted the words.
“Ready?” The wind rushed into their faces. He had to let her go because together they were too heavy for his wings alone.
“No, but do it.”
It was so hard to do, but he released her.
She dropped, then glided up. He heard her laugh.
Thane tilted, aiming away from the base.
They needed to find a safe place to land, then avoid any Kantos pursuers.
There was a whapping noise behind them. Whap. Whap. Whap.
He glanced back and saw several huge flying bugs, with large flapping wings, chasing them.
Cren. “Kaira, watch out—”
One of the creatures flew right at her and snatched her out of the air. She was clutched in its claws.
“Kaira!”
A second later, a heavy weight crashed into Thane. The flying Kantos screeched.
He struggled, the creature’s claws pricking through his armor.
Then the alien wheeled around, taking him back to the Kantos base.
Chapter Sixteen
Kaira was unceremoniously dropped onto the roof of the base. She hit hard and rolled.
She fought back the panic rushing through her. Thane was dropped not far away, hitting the ground with a groan.
Immediately, several soldiers rushed to surround him. They rained blows down on his body.
“No!” She pushed up and ran at them. She formed a sword and attacked the closest soldier.
Something slammed into her, and she fell.
Several soldiers towered over her, sharp arms pointed at her.
Kaira ground her teeth together, and let her sword melt away. She glared at the soldiers before looking for Thane. Her heart clenched. He was on his hands and knees. He spat out a mouth full of blood on the ground.
“Thane.” She tried to move toward him, but the Kantos soldiers stopped her.
He lifted his head. One eye was swelling and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Her belly clenched to a tight point. Assholes. She wanted to tear into them.
She hated seeing Thane hurt. Her throat closed. Despite everything, and all her best intentions, she’d fallen in love with Thane Kann-Eon.
She’d tried so hard to barricade her heart, but he hadn’t bashed through. No, he’d been like water. A relentless flow against the defenses she’d built, wearing them away. And now he owned a piece of her heart.
Now, she might lose him.
The Kantos would kill them. God, she’d been so stupid. Fighting the attraction between them all this time. She’d been stupid not to cherish every moment they had together.
A soldier shoved her forward. When she reached
Thane, she had to stop herself from reaching for him. Buzzing filled the air as the soldiers talked with each other.
“You okay?” His voice was a low, hoarse croak.
“Yes,” she murmured. “The pathogen?”
“The vial’s still intact. Stay alert. We’ll watch for a chance to escape.”
She bit her lip and nodded. They were surrounded by dozens of Kantos soldiers. She couldn’t see how they were going anywhere.
“Why haven’t they blocked your helian?” she whispered.
“I don’t know, but it gives us a better chance.”
Suddenly, she was picked up by the back of her neck. Two soldiers lifted Thane by his arms as others moved in close.
They were led back into the base and marched through the corridors.
Heavy dread settled on her like the awful stench of the place. Finally, the ornate, double doors of the council chamber came into view. Her chest locked.
She and Thane were carried into the chamber and dumped on the floor.
She reached out to touch Thane’s arm. They both looked up.
The nine elites watched them with hard, glowing gazes. She got the sense these elites were old. Their gray skin was stretched tight over their bodies.
We warned you that you would not escape.
She winced at the echo of their mental voices.
“Yeah, yeah,” she said. “Get on with it.”
Buzzing filled the chamber.
You are in no position to be insolent, Terran.
She shot them a sharp grin. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
We look forward to decimating your planet.
She kept her face impassive, but inside, her stomach churned.
“The Eon Empire will not let your wanton destruction continue,” Thane said. “You will be stopped.”
No. The Eon will be powerless to stop the might of the Kantos horde.
“Yada, yada.” Kaira rolled her eyes. She wasn’t going to kneel here and let them see her fear.
The Eon warriors will be left with nothing without their helians.
Thane snarled. “We will never allow you to sever the bonds with our helians. You underestimate us. And you underestimate our allies.”
The group of elite flowed forward. Like a pack of sharks.
Kaira tensed, watching as a few stopped by Thane.
“Leave him alone,” she snapped.
One elite snatched the pathogen vial off Thane’s belt. It held it up in its clawed hand.