PYTHEN: An Alien War Romance (Galactic Order Book 1)

by Erin Raegan

  Lauren just screeched hysterically and ran into a candy display.

  “Alright ladies, you just get on in the back. I’ll take care of this.” Mr. Colt bravely raised his fire-arm and marched towards the door. Viv jumped on his back. She wasn’t by any means hefty, but the rail-thin man crumpled under her weight.

  “Don’t go out there!” Viv cried and wrestled the old man into submission.

  He was holding his hip, I nearly laughed―except again, inappropriate, aliens were going to eat us.

  “Quit shoutin’!” Colt yelled.

  “They’re coming!” Lauren screamed and tripped over milk chocolate bars scattered all around. My belly grumbled, I hadn’t eaten since yesterday, but the idea of using my teeth to eat anything made me barf in my mouth a little. If I lived past the next five minutes, I think I’d live off soup from now on.

  “Okay guys, maybe we should run?” I asked timidly. Six aliens were taking very large strides towards the store, and I didn’t think an old gas station door and a shot gun would keep them out.

  “I was in ‘Nam,” Colt scowled at me. “I ain’t running from some ugly space suited fellas.”

  “Sir, those aren’t suits, that’s what they look like,” Viv said frightfully and backed away from the door.

  “Well, I still ain’t runnin’,” he grumbled and picked up the shot gun.

  “Okay, but we are.” I grabbed Viv’s hand and yanked her to me as I backed away.

  “Back here!” Lauren yelled, and I turned to see her push against a back door.

  “Mr. Colt, I’m sorry, and my mom taught me to respect my elders, but you aren’t in the war anymore, you are coming with us,” Viv said stubbornly and yanked Colt back by the belt in his pants.

  That’s how we got out of the store. Lauren holding the door, and screaming, I yanked Viv, and Viv yanked Colt as he stumbled backwards sputtering the whole way. Once we got outside a giant hound dog leaped at Colt and bit into the hem of his pants and, unbelievably, also started dragging him.

  “Bobo, you let me go!” Colt yelled. The dog growled and snarled, pulling harder. I got the intention behind it, but Bobo was a dog, so he probably wasn’t thinking about Colt’s balance when he pulled. Just getting his owner to safety.

  Colt when down, Viv followed him, as did I.

  Lauren ran for the trees.

  “Is that two UFO’s?” Mr. Colt gaped at the sky. I jolted and rolled to my back. Yup, there was another spaceship. This one different from the other.

  In fact, it was different from the one in Seattle, and the one on the highway. Where the white aliens had come from a whitish gray ship that was shaped like a lemon and had dozens of bright lights all around it, the other ship was all black and shaped more like a triangle. If It wasn’t the size of an elementary school, I would almost think it was a military type airplane.

  Except it was huge, and not flying―but hovering.

  “Girl, you got one of them tiny telephones with a camera?” Mr. Colt asked and pushed up from the ground. I shook my head mutely. I couldn’t tear my eyes from the two ships facing off against each other.

  “No, sir,” Vivian squeaked. Bobo barked.

  “Well that’s a shame, that cantankerous fart down at the gun club will never believe me when I tell him I saw two UFO’s plain as day,” Colt crowed and pointed to the sky.

  I didn’t tell him I didn’t think he’d ever have a chance to brag down at the gun club.

  The white aliens screeched from somewhere in front of the gas station and I doubled over covering my ears. Vivian curled into a ball, Bobo whined, and Colt scowled up at the sky.

  “What is that?” He shouted. “That noise is mighty irritatin’.” I couldn’t believe I could hear him over the painful alien screeching.

  I spotted the hearing aids in his ears as he reached up and fiddled with them. He turned to look at us, curled up and incapacitated by the shrieking and scowled at us. He was always scowling.

  “Get up then and let’s get, looks like these fells are lookin’ to have a showdown above my establishment.” He hunched down and urged us to our feet. He wasn’t very strong, so it was more like bony fingers pinching me then a helping hand, but I obeyed and stood up.

  Looking up I saw he was right, the black space ship rammed against the lemon ship pushing it out of its hover. Metal screeched with the alien’s screech, and sparks flew in every direction.

  A huge chunk of jagged metal flew through the air and imbedded itself a foot from Colt.

  “Hey! Watch it! I’ll put my foot so far up your―” Colt abruptly cut off as something flew out of the black ship. At first, I ducked thinking it was another piece of broken metal, but it flew upwards and hovered.

  “Is that a BAT?” Vivian screeched. She didn’t wait to find out, instead turned and ran for the trees.

  Leaving me behind.

  Viv was terrified of bats, and that was a big fucking bat.

  “Sweet lemony Lincoln!” Colt turned and bolted after her when several other bat-like creatures flew out of the black ship right behind the first one. Guess Colt was afraid of bats too. I was afraid of aliens in general, I tucked tail and ran after them. Bobo however, stayed behind barking for all his worth at the swarm of flying creatures in the sky.

  “We ain’t huntin’ Bobo, get yer ass over here!” Colt bellowed from the tree line. When I got to them I stopped and crouched next to Viv behind a tall tree and a group of thick bushes, watching the scene play out in front of me. The screeching had thankfully stopped, I wiped at the blood coating my nose and ears. Viv did the same.

  “They’re bats, Peyton, bats,” she breathed and clutched my leg. I nodded but didn’t look at her.

  Just as Bobo’s barks cut off, three white aliens rounded the side of the building and started after him.

  “Bobo!” Viv and I cried with Colt. The dog had some kind of self-preservation because he whined and turned to run back to us.

  This tree was not going to offer appropriate protection. I gripped Vivian and jumped up when Bobo met us, ready to run far far away, like Lauren had the sense to do.

  The white aliens spotted us and screeched again, my ears ached, but I was too terrified to let it stop me. I yanked Vivian behind me, thankful Colt and Bobo followed us.

  Branches wacked at my cheeks, stinging and cutting me. My breath nearly drowned out the awful noise the aliens were making, but not enough to drown out how close they were. I didn’t turn, but I knew they were right behind us.

  We ran through the woods for a moment before the trees broke into a clearing. Through there I could see the sun peeking out, little shadows fluttered along the ground. I couldn’t see Lauren anywhere, and hoped she made it far enough away. I didn’t know if these aliens could track us, but I prayed they would give up if we could lose them in the trees.

  When Colt stumbled and grunted halfway through the clearing all my hopes deflated like a balloon. Viv was already yanking me around to help him up. I couldn’t leave her, and as much as the old man had annoyed me so far, I couldn’t leave him either.

  I would get eaten because I felt bad. Great.

  I just hoped the alien ate my whole head, I didn’t want to feel anything if it only ate half my head. I kept imagining the half of my brain left would feel the pain of the missing half. I much rather it be quick.

  Viv and I each grabbed one of his arms. “Go you ninny heads,” he griped as we pulled him up. “I’ll show this alien what I learned in the war.”

  “Oh shit,” I gasped as two aliens broke into the clearing, mouths wide and teeth gleaming. “Oh shit, oh shit.” I gave a heave and propelled Colt ahead of us, Bobo stood back and growled. Stupid dog was going to die protecting us.

  It would do no good though, we couldn’t outrun those freakishly long legs.

  Just on the other side of the clearing I saw a flash of brown hair in the trees and my stomach dropped. Lauren peeked out. She was waiting for us or had come back for us. Either way, she would die for doing
it, she knew it the second she saw the aliens behind us and her eyes filled with horror.

  “Run Lauren!” Vivian screamed. We were only feet away, when the fluttering shadows beneath us grew wide. The sunshine fell away, and an enormous bat dive bombed us.

  Vivian screamed and ducked, and I turned in circles. There was nowhere to go, behind us and in front of us held our end. Tears fell from my eyes, and a pathetic whimper of distress tore through me. Maybe the bats didn’t eat people, maybe they would make it quick.

  I didn’t have to wait long to find out. I turned around and the white aliens were right behind us, mouths open and salivating for a bite of stricken Peyton. I looked up and for the first time since this started, thought of my dad.

  Maybe I would get to see him again.

  Vivian sobbed and hugged me tight. We would get eaten together.

  The bats shadow enveloped us moments before the heavy weight of it slammed into the ground. It landed smack in front of the white aliens and roared. Vivian shoved her face into my neck whimpering, and I smacked my hands over my ears.

  Three other bats slammed down next to it, and to my shock didn’t go after us, but the white aliens.

  It was horrifying and beautiful the way the bats slaughtered the other aliens. One second, they were jaws wide, chomping at us. The next, white fluid and chunks of translucent flesh slapped against my gaping face.

  Vivian threw up all over my feet.

  I hurled on hers. She was barefoot, she hurled again.

  “Sorry,” we both whispered and wiped our mouths.

  “Well, that took care of that,” Colt panted beside us. I looked up at him. He was watching the bat creatures. They were watching us.

  Not eating us.

  Or dismembering us. Just watching us. I nearly hurled again in relief.

  One of the bats grinned wide sharp teeth and winked.

  Vivian smiled and held out her hand.

  I smacked her in the arm.

  Chapter 7

  Peyton

  The bat aliens weren’t actually bats at all. They just sort of resembled bats.

  They were tall, around seven feet, so not quite as tall as the white aliens, but pretty close. Their skin was dark, black in most places, deep purple in others. They had patches of smooth scales scattered randomly all over their bodies.

  They had long sharp claws on their fingers―all six fingers, on each hand―and on their toes. All six toes on each foot, clawed toes. Their feet were long and hooked in the back, a claw peeking out into the ground from their heels. Their legs were massive and for the most part looked like human legs, but their knees bent forward, sort of like they were always crouching a little. Their arms were the same, massive and roped in muscle. Their elbows more prominent than ours, a claw peeking out the back, and bent out like they were ready to arm wrestle at a moment’s notice.

  They had pants on, a leather type material, but nothing on their chests. Just dark gleaming muscle. Their chests had formations on their pecks, almost like armored plates were attached―but under their skin. I noticed they had the same thick plates on their biceps, and forearms. Their necks were thick and roped with muscle. Thick veins peeking out all over their bodies glowed slightly, almost having a silver sheen to them.

  Their faces were infinitely more featured, and they looked way more humanoid than the white aliens at first glance, but with a closer look they had a lot of differences than us. Their mouths were broader, and large sharp teeth under thick light purply-grey lips. Their noses were wider, and much flatter than our own. In fact, looking at the one watching me, bat-one I dubbed him, I thought I saw three nostrils flaring. Their eyes were dark, with thick lashes, no whites at all, just black with a tiny silver iris. Almost cat-eyed shape, but more oval. Their ears were nearly flattened to the sides of their skull and pointed at the tip, almost peeking above the top of their skulls.

  Their skulls? No hair to speak of. Just bumps and ridges. Bat-one was rocking a mow hawk of ridges down the center of its head. And oh yeah, horns. Large curled horns that started at its temples and curled back behind its skull.

  If that wasn’t enough, they had wings. Like legit, real life, fly-through-the-air wings. At the moment, they were curled back behind each of them, brushing the ground and folded together until the tips shot above their heads at the sky. There were ridges on those too, and claws. They were scary to look at, and from when one dive bombed at us, I knew when their wings were opened they were well over ten feet wide. Those were just like bat wings, except bigger, and scarier.

  I took a step back. The bat alien made a low huffing-growling noise at me. A gruff. I nearly peed my pants.

  “Are you going to eat us now?” Vivian asked timidly. Her wicked claws were biting into my arm again. I would have permanent marks from her after all this was over.

  The bat alien, bat-two, off to her right made that gruffing noise and swear to god rolled its eyes. It was freaky.

  “Is that a no?” She squeaked. It just stared back at her blankly. It had fewer ridges on its skull than bat-one and were tipped in a greyish white color. Kind of reminded me of a certain pop singers’ spiky blonde hair I was obsessed with in middle school.

  “I don’t know Viv, why don’t you shake its hand and find out,” I drawled.

  “I’m sorry okay! I thought it smiled!” She whisper-screeched.

  All three aliens gruffed. Viv and I jumped.

  “So, your terrified of bats your whole life and one day an oversized bat smiles at you and poof fear gone? Bring on the handshakes?” I glared at her.

  “They saved our lives!” She growled through smiling teeth.

  “So, they could eat us themselves!” I hissed back.

  More gruffing. My nerves were shot. What did that gruffing sound mean?

  “Well they aren’t eating us now!”

  “I’m a feed you to them myself if you don’t quit yer yappin’,” Colt grumbled. Bobo barked in agreement. The bat aliens scowled at Bobo.

  “Sorry,” Viv and I squeaked at the aliens. They gruffed at us again.

  The one in the middle, bat-one, took an enormous step forward. Viv and I stumbled back into Colt and we all went down in a heap of frightened gasps. It looked up at the sky and shook its bat-like head, its wings quivered behind it.

  It gruffed a few more times and looked to the others of its group. Maybe it was communicating with them, but hell if I knew what it was saying.

  Its eyes scowled, and its lips squished together. Gruff. Gruuuff. Gruuuuffffff.

  Okay. It was definitely trying to communicate. Just to who, exactly?

  Grrruuuffffaaaaaah. Grruuuuuuffffaaahhhhhnnnnn.

  “I think it’s trying to talk to us,” Viv whispered in my ear. I was on top of her.

  “What do you think it’s saying?” I whispered back.

  “GGGGRRRROOOOOOFFFIN?” Vivian’s effort was commendable, but she just sounded like a demented dog. Bobo barked. He was nearly spot on.

  Gruuuuffffffaaahhhhhnnnn.

  “GRROOOOOOOFFFFHHHAAAAANNNN?” She asked it. She was very brave. I wished she was on top. The alien lifted clawed fingers and rubbed at its ridged face.

  “Sorry,” She told it sheepishly. “Go ahead, we’re listening.”

  The alien shook its head and looked at bat-three. This one had only three ridges on its head, just above where a hairline would be. They were extremely sharp looking.

  “I tell you what,” Colt grumbled from beneath the two of us. “Why don’t you two stop tryin’ ta play E.T. charades and get off the old man?”

  “Oh, gosh, so sorry Mr. Colt,” Vivian gushed and shoved me off her. I rolled right into the aliens clawed feet and sucked in a horrified gasp. It would surely eat me now.

  “Peyton!” Vivian gasped.

  Grrrrhhhhhhuuuuuuhhhmmmmaaaaaahhhhhnnnnnnn.

  “HUMAN!” I shrieked.

  “Point to chestnut,” Colt grinned. Bat-two winked again.

  “It said human?” Viv awed.

>   I nodded and looked up at the alien. It watched me raptly.

  “Well it growled GRUMAN,” Colt said and pushed off the ground with Viv’s help. “Ya get rid of the growl and ya got it fella.”

  “Yes, we are human.” Vivian smiled beautifully.

  An almighty crash shook the ground and Vivian screamed. The aliens looked behind them as the lemon spaceship came crashing down on top of the gas station.

  “Hey! That’s my livelihood!” Colt yelled and ran for the building. I shot up and tackled the old man to the ground just as the pumps exploded and blew hot wind towards us.

  “QUIT POUNCIN’ ON ME!” Colt rolled on top of me and shook my shoulders, or at least tried to, he just pinched them really hard.

  “OW!” I howled up at him.

  “Serves you right unmannin’ an old man!”

  “You can’t keep playing the old man card, geezer, quit trying to kill yourself!”

  “Why you―” Colt was plucked from on top of me and tossed to his feet beside the bat alien with the mohawk. He stumbled, and Viv caught him.

  “You grab at me again batman, I’ll shove my―”

  “Mr. Colt! Stop it!” Vivian hissed.

  Colt looked away and called for Bobo. “If the condom aliens are gone, I’m headin’ home,” he grumbled. My mouth dropped. Vivian gasped.

  “What? You were all thinkin’ it. They looked just like them prophylactics,” he grumbled and started walking off into the woods. “Condoms with teeth,” he rumbled to himself. “Ain’t never seen anythin’ like it in my life.”

  Holy shit, they did look just like condoms with teeth. My belly rolled, if I hadn’t lost all my stomach on Viv’s feet already, I would have just then.

  Grrruuuffff. Grrruuuuuuuufffffff.

  Bat-two threw Colt over its shoulder and started walking off.

  “Mr. Colt!” Vivian gasped, bat-three grabbed her.

  “Hey!” I jumped off and ran at her, but bat-one, or Mohawk, tossed me over his shoulder and trudged toward the remains of the gas station. Bobo barked and trotted after us. “Put me down!” For a hot second, I raised my fists to beat against it, but sharp scary bat wings had me rethinking it and I decided screaming bloody murder was the better route.