“Well, you old ass-biter,” Doss said and looked at Caveat. “Are you ready to steal more humans?”
Caveat whinnied and tossed his head. Zoe smiled.
Chapter 6
Zoe couldn’t help the shiver that ran down her spine when they came within yards of the Tonan slave camp. It was a solid domed structure; it arched like half of a football stadium, built from massive trees with trunk-like roots woven together. Green leaves fluttered from it, thriving with life. Doss explained this made it virtually impossible to spot from the air amidst all the lush foliage. Inside, she knew the walls and hallways were made like the sponge texture of the planet. The cells within were cold and dark. The ground was hard and icy cold within the cells, adding to any captured occupant’s discomfort.
Zoe was ensconced within Doss’ shield. Caveat had been left just on the outskirts of the camp. The Tonans wouldn’t take notice of a grazing, non-threatening beast. Loy was sniffing the air. Zoe was still amazed at the transformation of Loy when enveloped in his ebony armor. He was terrifying and yet inspired a feeling of safety. It was a stunning contradiction. She had little time to ponder her thoughts when both Loy and Doss began moving. Loy had caught his warrior mate’s chosen female’s scent.
Whereas Loy took to the high foliage of the building structure, Doss remained lower. Zoe soon realized why. Doss zipped past two Tonans without detection and Zoe realized the creatures couldn’t see Doss moving because of his color and uncanny swiftness. He really was an apparition. Though it caused her to worry, it was exhilarating to move so quickly with him.
Once inside the Tonan camp, the two men systematically checked cells. Many contained Castian warriors and Zoe could only imagine Loy’s frustration over not freeing fellow males. But his mission was his warrior mate’s pregnant female, nothing more. Doss was after human children and as backup for Loy.
In a tiny cell, Zoe heard weeping. The occupant was young. “Doss?” she whispered.
Doss smelled the air, inhaling deeply. “There are three children in this cell. All young. All female.”
When Doss opened the cell Zoe peered into the semi-darkness. The little girls were clothed in rags; all were under ten and over five. There was food and water in with them. They had been given blankets. All were filthy.
“Merciful, even for a Tonan,” Doss said in disgust.
When Doss entered the cell a little girl clasped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming, she looked up at him in terror. Zoe knew the children had been warned against making noise. Unless the Tonans were interested in sporting, a captive was to remain silent—otherwise they would wish they had been. The thought enraged Zoe. Doss lowered the top part of his shield and she slipped from Doss’ armor and crouched before the girls who had their arms wrapped around each other.
“My name is Zoe,” she whispered. “This is Doss, my mate. We came to get you out of here.”
“The Tonans said we belonged to them.” The girl who spoke was obviously the oldest.
“You belong to no one, sweetheart,” Zoe said kindly.
“Then who will take care of us?” she asked. “We’ll be all alone again.” Her bright eyes were filled with worry. Zoe felt so much compassion for these children. Zoe’s parents were gone, but she was an adult and now she had Doss. These poor little things were so young and looked so helpless and alone.
“We need to move,” Doss said urgently.
Doss scooped up the two smaller girls. His shield went back up and Zoe could detect neither child nor their outline. Zoe held the hand of the older child. All around, Zoe heard weeping. The sounds of despair from the other prisoners were endless. She felt the tears trickle down her own cheeks. She felt a warm hand touch her arm it was Doss. For a moment his talons were replaced by his fingers and his secretions sank into her skin. Zoe calmed immediately. To her surprise Doss was able to do the same for the girl whose hand she held. One touch from Doss and the child smiled.
An explosion sounded and Doss swore. The little girl screamed and covered her ears. Loy was moving swiftly toward them. Zoe saw him clinging to a small, dark-haired, male child. His armored body wrapped around the child when his back was hit with a fireball. Loy somersaulted, shot to his feet. The boy was buried in one of Loy’s powerful arms, he remained unhurt.
“Let’s move,” Loy shouted as he raced past Doss and without missing a beat Loy grabbed the girl from Doss. The upper half of Loy’s shield dropped, the girl was tucked within with another female then snapped back into place in less than a second. Another fireball exploded. Doss curled around Zoe as it rolled over his back. She felt nothing.
Doss flung Zoe over his shoulder and sped past Loy. Zoe was amazed; Doss’ back wasn’t even warm to the touch. When the warriors were side by side for a brief second, they exchanged information.
“I have two females already in with me!” Doss shouted.
“I have my warrior mate’s female. The babe knows I can move faster if her shield stays down and I keep them safe,” Loy replied.
“You need to get the boy to Caveat,” Doss yelled.
“I’m on my way.”
Once outside, all hell was breaking loose. Up in the sky, Zoe saw a massive black spaceship. Flashes of brilliant white light lit up the sky as the domed structure took a pounding. Massive ebony warriors were jumping from the open hull of the craft onto the structure. She heard Loy whoop in relief and claim it was a Castian warship. Cobra was coming for his men. Zoe had no idea who Cobra was except for what Loy had told them and she was still terrified of Castians.
“It’s all right, Zoe,” Doss soothed.
Zoe could feel her panic build. Doss couldn’t lower his shield. They made it to Caveat who pranced and reared then settled. The boy was tossed up onto the massive horse, but he was terrified; he had never ridden before. One of the younger girls Doss held was placed behind the boy and Doss reached for Zoe.
“No, they can’t ride a stallion alone,” Zoe insisted.
Doss growled. “One sign of danger and there will be no debate, understood?”
“Sure.” Like hell. Zoe jumped up; her arms encircled the children.
“Hang onto his mane and grip his sides with your legs. Hold on and Caveat will do the rest,” Zoe shouted.
Caveat burst forward and the little girl screamed. Soon the ground was being eaten up as the distance between the slave camp and the riders grew. Zoe wrapped herself around the children and hung on. From the corner of her eye, she could see Loy move from tree to ground to tree. Doss was nowhere, then beside her, then gone again. He seemed to just know when Zoe needed to see him.
Zoe knew they were being pursued, but by whom? Castian? Tonan? And what would happen when they caught up?
Near the cave, Loy stopped and dropped the woman and child from his armor before his shield went back up. Doss spun, grabbed the girl on the ground by an upper arm and dropped the top part of his armor and sent the other girl onto Caveat’s back while yanking Zoe to him and closing around her. Doss smacked Caveat on the ass to send the horse away.
“No, set Zoe between us,” Loy yelled.
“She is my mate,” Doss howled back.
“We can move together and nothing will touch her, I swear, but you have to trust me. Your shield will be stronger and of more use to her if you fight with her between us. You are half Castian, search your memories, you know I’m right. Look for the scent I emanate.”
Doss roared with anger when three Tonans came at them. Zoe curled into a ball when Doss plopped her onto her behind. Loy’s warrior mate’s female was huddled in a ball too, but she was off to the side. Zoe couldn’t believe the man would save her then just leave her. But when a Tonan approached the woman, Zoe stopped wondering. The Tonan was sent spinning when he got too close. Ass over tea kettle, the warrior was flipped. The babe’s shield was at full power—nothing could get near mother and child.
Zoe was the vulnerable one, and the children. When she looked, the horses were gone. Caveat had packed up his
brood and had taken the mares and foals away with the human children. All three Tonans attacked. Zoe had seen Doss fight before, but this time he was protecting his mate. He became a ball of raging fury.
Both Loy and Doss remained back to back, although Doss moved faster. He became a blur and he and Loy adapted to the change in pace. Because Doss moved faster and was hard to see, it became apparent when Loy struck a Tonan Doss was able to strike immediately after in the same spot, causing two damaging strikes. Loy picked up on this significance and before long it was Doss who struck first. Though not warrior mates, they worked well together. All three Tonans had lost their tails.
Doss’ weapon of death was used on a Tonan. His hooked talon slit the creature with a loud ‘squeee’ sound and Zoe covered her ears. It looked like he had opened a human tin can. Both Loy and Doss made short work of the Tonan’s vulnerable insides. Each took turns slicing the warrior’s flesh until one Tonan was down and dead. The armor fell away into dust. Another soon followed. The last Tonan growled in outrage and took to the trees.
Doss’ armor was down and Zoe was in his arms. She buried her face into his throat and clung tight. She could feel his body shaking. Her skin absorbed his secretions so fast it made her head spin. She felt his love and his worry and when he held her tighter and whispered her name with so much emotion, she knew he was feeling her love and overwhelming relief of being pressed against him. Zoe couldn’t help but love him. He meant so much to her. After thinking she might die and knowing he would too, the idea found its mark in her heart. He had sacrificed everything to keep her safe. No one had ever given all of himself to her and expected nothing in return.
Doss tensed and his armor enclosed them both.
“A hybrid,” Zoe heard.
“And two Tonans are dead,” came another voice.
“I helped to kill those Tonans,” Zoe heard Loy say. He stepped up beside Doss and had an arm around the other woman. “This female is named Brandy; she was my warrior mate’s chosen female. He was killed because he gave her his babe and his protection. This Tonian, Doss, helped save her life and the lives of four human children. The woman he hides is his mate; she fears Castians as well as Tonans. There will be no fighting this male.”
Caveat took that moment to come around a corner and seeing Zoe and Doss surrounded, he stomped his feet. One of the children cried out. Zoe tried to wriggle free of Doss to go to the horse, but Doss wouldn’t budge. Zoe felt his apprehension. She didn’t care much for the situation either, but they had no choice.
A massive dark-haired man approached Loy, he was un-armored. The man moved with the assured gait of one in charge. Caveat muscled forward and stood in front of Doss. The warrior peeked past the horse and crossed his arms. He looked curiously at Caveat, almost amused. Caveat gave him what Zoe referred to as the ‘piss off’ look. Only someone who knew a stallion would understand the meaning. The man had better beware. Caveat could bite, eat and run all at the same time.
“I will not harm your little female,” the man said.
“Doss, this is Cobra,” Loy said.
Doss nodded. “I saw you once with your warrior mate. About four hundred years ago right before the females were all poisoned.”
Cobra nodded. “My warrior mate died with his female. I have another who is young yet and home with his mother and sisters.”
Doss dropped his armor and Zoe slipped to the ground. She petted Caveat’s muzzle and helped the children down. Castian warriors came forward to take the hand of each child. They kept a respectful distance away from Loy’s female. Both Cobra and Doss studied one another intently. Zoe could see the distrust on Doss’ face, and his sadness. She could sense his confusion warring within him. It was impossible for her to tell what Cobra was thinking. Yet, Zoe wasn’t mated to him.
“The battle isn’t over,” Cobra said. “The Tonans are licking their wounds, but this isn’t the only slave camp we have yet to unearth. It took time and effort to find this one.” Cobra looked at Zoe who plastered herself to Doss’ side. “You and your mate would be safer on Bagron.”
“Trade filthy Tonans for dirty Castians?” Doss raged. “I helped Loy because he freed my mate at one point, nothing more. The children are human and humans have never harmed me.”
“Why do you hate us?” Cobra asked curiously.
“Because you rape human women.” Zoe sputtered.
“There is no condoning what my men have done,” Cobra said. “They were collared and tortured. The healing process will be a long one. Once again, Tonans have found a way to separate the men from the women. I understand your rage, little female.”
“Zoe,” she snapped.
She watched as the Castian men spoke gently to the children on their level, no doubt using secretions to calm them. At a nod from each child the warriors scooped up the three girls and closed armor over them. The boy was held by another warrior. The warrior’s hand rested against the boy’s face and he looked quiet and calm. For a brief moment, with their armor down, Zoe had seen from the expression on their Castian faces they were wary of Doss—and his claw hook.
“I understand your anger, Zoe. You have my word not one child or woman is harmed on Bagron or Dargon. None of the men are in captivity. The planets are free of Tonan filth. All of the women and children we saved will be taken care of.” He then looked at Doss. “But what did we, Castian warriors, do to you? Was a Castian female forced by your father? I have no knowledge of a female Castian coming here alone without her mate. Was your mother stolen? A Castian mother would be a good mother to you.”
“My mother was Tonan and she was a good mother to me. Tonan females are capable of compassion with their young—especially when they have no one and are shunned by their own kind.”
Cobra looked very surprised and his glance at Doss’ behind was discreet yet noticeable. He looked even more confused as Doss continued.
“That’s right; I have no filthy, lying tail. I was taught not to lie by a mother who loved me and loathed Tonan ways. My mother was Tonan. My mother and a Castian male met and my mother fell in love. He gave her his babe with a piece of his shield, but no mating took place. My mother and I were alone. Then I was all alone—I watched her age and die. No one ever came for me.
“I’ve spent seven hundred years in seclusion, catching conversations but never included. I was ignored and looked right through when Tonans walked by. No one wants anything to do with a hybrid. My own father’s people left me on a planet of evil when I was a child. My father was too afraid of bringing a Tonan to his wonderful Castian people. He was a coward.” To Zoe he sounded hurt; she hurt with him.
“I will say this, Doss, if I had known of you and your mother’s existence, I would have come for you. No Castian has ever harmed a female of their own free will in thousands of years. Tonans chose to center on the older memories and derive great pleasure our race once did from harming. We broke from them and they made their own race of cruel beings by experimenting with harmful evil memories. By breaking from them, we will not harm women. Our shields won’t allow it. The captive Castians are beside themselves with remorse. Their must was tearing them apart until that one small glimmer of ancient days was reborn and their shields couldn’t stop it. What the Tonans did to the men was evil as well. They destroyed Castian nature. Those females were forced to beg a Castian to take them. Search your memories, Doss. You know I’m right, now that you were reminded and can scent my emotions.”
Zoe looked at Doss as his nostrils flared. She wondered what scent Cobra gave off that would make Doss look so confused then enlightened, then somber.
“Are you certain your father even knew you were conceived? If it was his first must he may not have realized. There is a chance he didn’t. If he didn’t know and went to Bagron, he may have mated another and perhaps died with her later. We may never know; so many were lost to us. Doss, this planet is volatile. You and your mate will be in a great deal of danger if you stay,” Cobra warned.
“I’ll be
safe with Doss,” Zoe said and smiled up at him. She saw Doss’ indecision.
Cobra looked at her and offered Doss a smile. “Well, it appears there is someone who wants something to do with a hybrid.”
A massive ship darkened the sky and Zoe shielded her eyes when she looked up at it. The craft hovered in a clearing and the Castians began leaving. Loy remained behind.
“Thank you for your help,” he said.
“Yours too,” Doss replied. “You’re not so bad for a Castian.”
“You’re not so bad for a Tonian, and damned if I didn’t wish I had that claw of yours,” Loy said and chuckled. “Except your eyes are kinda creepy.”
Zoe knew the barb was said in good humor and Doss didn’t take offense. Loy had gray eyes as well but they didn’t shift like clouds on occasion. Zoe watched them leave with mixed feelings. The Castians took the children and Zoe thought it for the best. She doubted Cobra was lying but couldn’t stop the frown she knew was on her face. Doss hugged her hard.
“No, he wasn’t lying,” Doss said and Zoe looked at him curiously.
“The children will be fine,” Doss said. “But I’m afraid he’s right, it’s not safe for us here.”
Zoe realized he was scenting her emotions. “Where will we go?”
“I’ll find another cave we can use. It will need to be deep in the Ullion forest.”
“Why does that sound ominous?” Zoe saw him grin.
“You’ll see.”
Yep, definitely ominous!
Chapter 7
“Doss?” Zoe whispered. She glanced around at a small sea of creatures in the semi-dark.
“I’ve named them Moonway and they’re harmless.”
“Moonway?”
“They come out at night and follow the moon’s light like a trail. All night they follow it and when the rays stop, they think the moon has led them to a safe place where they can sleep and eat in peace,” Doss explained. “Look at their little feet.”
Curious, Zoe looked. They had claws but their feet were rounded, flat. Zoe watched as the Moonway crept along the ground and then through the trees. They looked like Doss with their short silvery fur and long, taloned fingers. The beings were no more than eight to ten inches high. Yellow bulb eyes gazed at them curiously, but they weren’t afraid. They walked upright and seemed to communicate to one another with an odd chirp-click sound. Zoe’s eyes widened as the tiny creatures came to a pond and didn’t change direction. They walked on water.
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