“Don’t get too comfortable,” said Axen. “Since the Fraken are already sending in their own beasts to attack you, it means they want the game to end faster than I realized.”
“You’d better get a move on then,” said Eloise.
Axen grunted an acknowledgement. “Better for both of us if this happens fast.”
Eloise watched him in silence, her mind racing. Although she’d met a few Vorten councillors, this was her first warrior. He was different than she’d expected. She’d always been made to believe they were ruthless, emotionless killers. But she’d seen indecision in Axen’s eyes. She was sure of it. And he could have killed her or, at least, left her to be killed. Her breath caught in her chest. Maybe there was more to these Vorten warriors than she realized. Would there be an opportunity for her to negotiate with Axen, and together, they could find a way out? She shifted her gaze and forced her hands to unclench.
“You have tonight,” said Axen, dragging Eloise out of her thoughts.
“Tonight? To do what?”
“To live,” said Axen. “Tomorrow this ends.” He grabbed his weapons and clothes, turned away from the water, and walked into the trees.
***
Axen strode through the trees, his fists clenching as he put as much distance as possible between himself and the infuriating human female.
He’d shown himself as weak. He should never have saved Eloise. The Fraken would be watching, and his loyalty to the Vortens would come under question if word got back to them that he’d failed to end the life of one of his prey during a game. And a prey so feeble he could break her with his own hands.
But Axen was loyal and true to the Vorten, fiercely so. He’d sacrificed everything to prove his dedication to Vorten and protect the galaxy’s vortex when he’d been assigned to protect it. But still, it wasn’t enough. And now, he was here, showing he wasn’t a good warrior. To be distracted by an appealing female scent and a few curves was a disgrace.
The Fraken must be wondering what sort of game he was playing, keeping Eloise alive. It was a question he couldn’t answer for himself. She should be dead, but he’d found himself giving her food and warning her of danger. What was wrong with him? He slashed at a tangle of vines as he stomped along.
It was more than just his protective instincts going into overdrive, as sometimes happened when he discovered an injured child or wounded animal. Axen found Eloise’s physical form distracting. And her scent kept invading his nostrils and diverting him from his mission. It was as if it tempted him towards her, tempted him to try something different.
Then there were the conversations he’d had with his warriors about changing things and the work he’d done with Urel. There was another way. But it was too dangerous to try.
Eloise distracted him from his true mission, and that was a bad thing. A warrior could not afford to be around things that moved him away from his ultimate goal, to protect his planet and race at all cost and make sure no one took advantage of the Vorten. In the back of his mind, he knew that was exactly what the Fraken were doing with their insistence Vorten warriors take part in these ridiculous games. And not just any Vorten warriors, but the ones trained specifically to protect and patrol the only wormhole in this galaxy. But it had been decreed by his Elders that warriors take part, and with the Council members’ support, that’s what happened.
It wasn’t done to question any decision made by his Elders. They were the oldest and most knowledgeable Vorten. They spent decades in deep study and contemplation, often in a state of semi-hibernation, as they considered important matters and changes to laws. It meant the Vorten could be seen as slow moving when it came to change.
He came to a stop and turned back towards the water. It was time to end this. Eloise had had her time to make peace with her upcoming death. He’d told her she had tonight, but he needed to finish this for his own peace of mind.
Axen continued towards the water, finding a spot that was shallow enough to cross without having to risk swimming. The water felt refreshing against his hot limbs as he slid through it. He ignored the slight shake in his legs as he climbed to the opposite bank. It was time for Eloise to die.
Her scent had never left his nose, and as he strode along, it only intensified; she wasn’t far away. And she wouldn’t have gone far given the injury to her leg. The Healing Stick would have helped with the worst of the bite from the Fraken beast, but she needed to rest and keep the wound clean to avoid infection.
He grunted angrily at himself. He shouldn’t care about her injuries. It wasn’t important to him. Axen pulled out a long thin blade, took a deep breath, and stepped through the trees.
Eloise was there. He knew she would be. He watched her eyes widen with fear as he revealed himself.
“You lied to me,” she said.
Chapter 8
Eloise couldn’t hide the surprise and fear she felt as Axen appeared through the trees. She’d heard something sliding through the water a few moments ago and had been wary as to what it was, hoping it wasn’t another one of the Frakens’ monstrous beasts sent to torment her. She hadn’t expected it to be Axen.
“It’s better this way,” said Axen.
“For whom?” Eloise took several steps back and shivered. Her trousers hadn’t made it across to the other side of the bank, and she’d had to leave without them. She covered herself with her hands, seeing the way Axen’s gaze pierced into her. It made her feel completely naked.
“For both of us.”
“You said I had tonight.”
“You don’t want it,” said Axen. “It will only make things harder. You are already hurt; better to end this now.”
“Put me out of my misery,” said Eloise.
Axen nodded and shifted the blade in his hand. “I will make it easy.”
Eloise noticed the flexing of his arm muscles. There were barely any flaws on him, other than the battle scars he seemed to wear with such pride. “What can I offer you?”
“I need nothing from you,” said Axen.
“A Vorten must need something. Perhaps you’d like to visit Earth with me?”
“There’s nothing on your ruined planet I wish to see.” That wasn’t strictly true. Axen loved to travel and always enjoyed the missions he’d undertaken to other planets to deal with misbehaving individuals or to finish an argument that had not been settled peacefully by the Intergalactic Council.
“I can take you to the best places on Earth.” Eloise noticed a spark of interest in Axen’s eyes. “There are still remnants of my homeland that have been unscathed by the wars. You would like it. We have deserts, oceans, and ice. It’s extraordinary.”
“I hear your planet is waterlogged.”
“There’s a lot of water,” said Eloise. “But that simply makes it a lush environment. We can even go to a rainforest, although all the virgin ones have been chopped down. The artificial forests are better than this, though.”
Axen shook his head. “There is nothing I want from you.”
Eloise looked down at her nakedness. Could she offer herself to him? Would she be able to do that? He wasn’t unattractive, but he was intent on killing her. She couldn’t drive the thought out of her head long enough even to attempt a seduction. And what’s to say that, once he’d gotten that from her, he wouldn’t end her life anyway?
“There must be something.” Eloise looked up to see Axen studying her. She took a deep breath and dropped her hands to her side. Maybe this could be what he wanted.
Eloise watched as Axen shook his head and his eyes shifted back to hers. “Prepare yourself.”
“Not going to happen.”
Axen raised his eyebrows a fraction. “Do humans say any final words before death?”
“People usually say them for us,” said Eloise. “Do you want to say mine?”
Axen opened his mouth and then shut it. “I would not know what to say about you. You are a stranger to me.”
“You could say that I died against my will. I
was killed for no reason other than the entertainment of a twisted and evil alien race. That would be an appropriate epitaph.”
Axen shook his head. “I do not understand your meaning.”
“Of course you don’t. You’re nothing more than a killer.”
A low rumble shot through Axen’s chest, and he raised the blade.
Fear coursed through Eloise. It was too strong a sensation to force down any longer. She spun on her heel and fled through the trees as her survival instinct kicked in. She wasn’t a coward, but she couldn’t give in without a fight. If Axen did want to kill her, he’d have to work for it.
***
Axen’s hunting instincts devoured his senses, and his nostrils flared as the hunt began. But he didn’t hurry. Humans were not strong, and Eloise would tire quickly from her attempted escape.
He hated himself for feeling excited by the fact he was chasing her. She’d stood before him proudly in her nakedness, and he’d liked what he’d seen. Strong, compact curves, firm breasts barely concealed by her damp vest, and a soft down of hair between her legs that he had not seen before on any Vorten woman. It was an area he would have liked to explore under different circumstances.
Placing his blade back in its sheath, Axen took several deep breaths to gain control of his urge to hunt and kill. What filled him instead was curiosity and desire. Axen was still intrigued by Eloise. There was no way she’d be able to win against him, but still, she fought like a Fraken beast to stay alive. It must be the same instinct that had kept the human race going for so many cycles. Through all the devastation of their wars, they still clung to survival. He admired that trait.
Axen strode through the trees, occasionally pulling down vines or low branches that got in his way. He hadn’t been completely truthful to Eloise when he said he knew nothing of humans. He did know about their curious desire to mate for life or, at least, have one partner at a time and stay with them for a long time.
It was so different on Vorten; males and females were similar in looks and size. Women trained as warriors, just as males did, and you had to fight to earn your place alongside a Vorten woman in her quarters. And when a male had served his usefulness, the females were quick to discard them.
Axen had enjoyed three Vorten women and grown a sort of attachment to them. It was nothing like the pair bonds humans achieved, but there had been affection there. None of them had stayed, though. They liked their warriors young and virile. And although he wasn’t old and was an excellent warrior, there was a younger generation approaching swiftly from behind.
Vorten women would not look twice at him in a few cycles’ time. He’d have to resort to other races for pleasure or use the sex exchange ports located in most space stations.
He took a large inhalation of air. Eloise was close. He focused his thoughts on the hunt, pushing away his lust and interest in this woman. She was not his to have. She was prey.
Axen still felt some surprise at his reluctance to end this game. As he’d crossed the water to kill Eloise, he’d been so convinced she needed to die. It was the only way he was going to get out of this game. If a warrior failed to capture and kill their prey, the Fraken came in and eliminated them both. They did not want a failed warrior in their games.
Desire coursed through him again in an unwanted surge. His muscles tightened, and he felt himself grow hard. What if Eloise had never had a partner? He did know that, sometimes, human women kept themselves until after a ceremony known on Earth as marriage. Could it be possible that she hadn’t been touched by a human male? The prospect filled him with an urgency he’d never felt before, not even during an intense battle. To have a female untouched by another would be a prize in itself. Would Eloise negotiate over such a gift? Axen gritted his teeth. He’d never take a woman by force, and even if she agreed to this, he’d know it was not what she’d want. Besides, he couldn’t walk out of the game with Eloise still alive. And there was no place to hide for long inside a Fraken game.
Axen’s heart beat too quickly. He liked to keep his emotions in check during a hunt. He needed to find Eloise. She had to die, and then this torment would end.
As he turned to face the direction where her scent was strongest, he heard her cry out. It was a cry of pain and distress.
Axen surged into action, a wave of protectiveness running through him as he sped through the undergrowth. Who was hurting her? Whoever it was, they would die, painfully.
Chapter 9
Eloise stared at the slowly brightening sky above her head, shock pinning her to the ground. It was less than two days since her arrival in the game, and so far, she’d been threatened with death, repeatedly, attacked by a mutant crocodile, and now this.
She hissed in pain as she looked at her injury. A bone jutted through the skin on her arm. In her panic to flee from Axen, she hadn’t noticed the drop in front of her. One second she was running, and the next, she was spinning through blackness, nothing beneath her feet.
Eloise had fallen at least ten feet, and when she’d hit the ground, it had been at a bad angle. She’d heard the snap as she’d landed, and then the pain flooded through her, bringing bile up her throat and tearing a scream from her lips.
She was bruised, half-naked, and in agony. And, for a brief moment, she wished she had gotten Axen to kill her. At least then, it would all be over. The pointless terror, the futile attempts to get away. She could stop running and give in to her fate.
Feeling around with her uninjured arm, Eloise discovered she was lying on a heap of cool, damp foliage. She took a few deep breaths, and when the sickness in her stomach abated, she rose slowly to her knees. She almost blacked out as her damaged arm moved, but she grabbed it and held it close to her chest.
Eloise had left behind her bag when she’d fled from Axen and had nothing to heal her wounds. Not that a Healing Stick would cope with mending a broken bone. But it would have numbed the pain enough for her to move around without passing out.
A movement from the top of the drop made her freeze. Eloise knew who it was. Axen would be tracking her; it’s what he was designed to do. And now, Axen had achieved his goal, and he could finish her off, finally.
“How badly are you hurt?” came the low, deep voice of Axen from over her head.
“It shouldn’t make any difference to you,” said Eloise. “I was hardly a challenge for you when I had all of my limbs working.”
“You have broken something?”
Eloise looked down at her arm and a wave of nausea hit. “A bone in my left arm.”
Axen inhaled sharply. He shifted down the drop several feet, and she looked up to see he was using vines to take some of his weight. He extended his arm to her.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you out of here,” said Axen.
“But why?”
“Because you’ve been hurt.”
Axen disappeared from view and returned with a strong looking length of vine in his hand. “Use this. Take hold of the end, and I will pull you the rest of the way.”
Eloise knew what her options were, die of infection from her injured arm, be attacked by some horror from the Fraken while trapped down this drop she’d never escape, or have a few more minutes of life, and then have it ended by her so-called savior. She didn’t like any of those choices.
She grabbed the end of the vine, held her damaged arm closely to her chest, and gritted her teeth. This was going to hurt.
Axen pulled Eloise out of the drop as if she weighed no more than a feather. He set her down on the ground and dropped the vines before kneeling before her. “Let me see your arm.”
“It’s broken. I don’t need you looking at it.”
“I still have my Healing Stick,” said Axen. “And I always bring additional medical provisions.”
“Just in case you get hurt?” Sarcasm oozed through Eloise’s words.
“It happens.” Axen held out his hand, and Eloise slowly moved her broken arm, an unintentional cry of pain shooti
ng from her lips as she did so. She hated showing him any weakness.
Axen’s firm, warm hands enclosed her arm. His touch was surprisingly gentle, and Eloise was reassured by his presence. It was bizarre; even though she knew this was the end for her, somehow, being so close to Axen calmed her worry.
“What do you think, Doc?” asked Eloise. “Will I live?”
Axen grunted in response as he unclasped a small pouch on his weapons belt. “Take these.” He held out two green tablets.
“Poison?”
“Vortens have no use for poison.”
“Of course. You come fully equipped with a lethal arsenal strapped to your belt.” Eloise took the pills and crushed them between her teeth, a bitter sweet sensation flooding her mouth as she did so.
“The effect will be almost immediate,” said Axen. “You’ll feel drowsy, but don’t fight it. It’s just the effects of the medication.”
“I suppose it will knit together the broken bone as well.”
“No. But I will set it as best I can, once you have passed out.”
“I’m going to pass out?” Eloise shifted uneasily, the need to be somewhere safe when that happened coursing through her veins.
“Stay still.”
Eloise tilted her head to one side as a woozy feeling ran through her. “Why waste your resources on me?”
“You ask too many questions.”
“It’s what I do.”
“Stop talking and stop fighting. It’s better this way.”
“Better for whom?”
“All of us.” Axen breathed the words into her ear.
She opened her mouth, but her tongue felt too heavy to move, and her head slumped forward.
***
Axen caught hold of Eloise as she slipped into unconsciousness. He struggled to control himself being so close to her, his frustrating lustful urges trying to take over. He was just inches from her half naked form.
It was the first time he’d ever touched a human woman, and he was surprised by how warm she felt. And soft. Her skin was like velvet. He ached to touch more of her and see how she reacted. But he could see Eloise was fighting against her own pain. Her eyes kept rolling back in her head, and the skin puckered on her forehead. She needed his protection, nothing else.
Axen (Vortex Alien Warriors Book 1) Page 6