“Oh crap!” I shriek when they both jump up into the sky, coming for me. I fly to where Alandra and Dane are fighting alongside our allies, lowering myself to the ground on slightly shaky legs, leading the guys away from Beck. They are on top of me almost instantly, and I swing around, kicking out with my leg, shoving one in the gut before he’s even properly landed, sending him soaring across the field.
“Ow!” Someone wrenches my arms behind my back with so much force it’s a wonder they weren’t pulled from their sockets. The second alien lands on the ground, looking like he wants to make mincemeat of my face as he runs at me. The alien at my back tightens his grip on my arms, keeping me firmly in place. Using my core, I squeeze my legs together, holding them tight as I lift them up. Exerting every ounce of strength I can muster, I slam my feet into the approaching enemy, sending him flying back into the middle of the fighting. Alandra grins at him before she executes a set of flawless kickass moves until the guy is rendered immobile on the ground. Without hesitation, she plants her palm on his face, setting his body on fire.
A myriad of emotions consumes me, and it’s not like I need further reasons to hate her, but her obvious prowess on the battlefield is cranking my jealousy and self-doubt to new levels.
Whoever has a hold of me is dragging me away now, and I snap out of my head in time. We are almost at the corner of the house. I try wriggling out of his hold, but he has a vise grip on my arms, and no amount of thrashing about is working. The guy is talking gibberish into an earpiece when Maddox appears out of nowhere, like some otherworldly avenger. He punches the guy in the face, grabbing hold of me and pulling me free. Dust clouds rise into the air, and the ground audibly shudders as he collapses on the ground, felled by Maddox’s superstrong arm. I look down at him, shivering at the thought of his trunk-like arms wrapped around me. The guy’s neck has got to be about thirty inches and his arms are even wider. His skin is scaly and cracked like a vase that’s been broken and put back together. Tufts of green straw-like hair sprout from his head like grass. “What the hell is that thing?” A shiver crawls over my spine.
“Don’t even ask,” Maddox says, swinging his arm around and leveling the guy creeping up on him. He takes a quick look around. “We’ve gained the upper hand. This will be over soon, so you can leave the active combat to us now. I’d rather you were safe. Can you check on Beck, obliterate any of the enemy you see on the ground, and then stay hidden in the shadows. Any of them with brains will figure this out, and they’ll be looking for an opportunity to grab you and run. Don’t give it to them.” He presses a hard kiss to my forehead and then races off, roaring as he charges back into battle before I’ve even had time to respond.
I do as he says, trying to keep a low profile while I creep through the warring factions, sticking to the perimeter of the garden as I head toward the direction I last saw Beck. Air whooshes out of my mouth in grateful relief when I spot him fighting a guy and easily holding his own. The connection has settled down, and I believe the danger has passed, so I move around the inert bodies on the ground, setting them on fire like Maddox suggested.
I don’t think about what I’m doing—the fact I’m ending so many lives. This is basic survival one-oh-one, and there’s no place for a guilty conscience. I just focus on the task, doing what I need to do.
Every so often, someone runs at me, and I stream a layer of fire in their face to keep them at bay. A couple of times, I notice Alandra watching me with a frown. When she’s not looking, I keep an eye on her, still distrustful of her motives and her perfect timing.
How did she know we were under attack?
And how come she arrived fully prepared? This stinks of deception, and I don’t trust her with my guys, so I watch her as closely as I can while watching my back.
Alandra and Dane are in active combat mode with their backs to one another as they circle around, expertly dealing with the enemy threat. These aliens are distinctly lacking in intelligence. One by one, they watch their comrades go down, but they still keep charging forward.
Watching her with Dane sours my stomach and my mood. I’m trying to quell my jealousy, but it’s hard. They work well as a team, instinctively reacting in tandem. Alandra moves elegantly and skillfully, and there is barely a hair out of place on her head. She is streets ahead of me in this regard, and the acknowledgment doesn’t give me any comfort.
Distracted by my depressing thoughts, I don’t hear the assailant approaching until it’s too late. Something cold presses against my temple, and a sharp click pierces my ears, sending my blood pressure skyrocketing. Something heavy nudges my lower back. “We are going to leave nice and quietly before anyone notices.” His voice is deep and menacing, and bile swims up my throat. I start to move my arm back, anticipating where I might find naked skin to hold onto, when he prods my back more forcefully. I arch my spine, crying out as intense pain cripples the muscles of my back, spreading throughout my limbs. “Don’t even try it. I’ve come prepared. You can’t use your supertouch to hurt me.” I lose all feeling in my bones, like my body is numb, and panic slaps me in the face as I slump back against my assailant. Gripping me at the waist, he hauls me against his body and starts moving backward.
I look around, but all the guys are occupied fighting, and no one has noticed me yet. My captor drags me with him, and I can’t do anything to fight back. Whatever he has shocked me with has paralyzed my body, but I’m hoping not my mind. Dampening my panic, I calm my mind and call out for help, shouting all the guys’ names in the hope one of them will hear me.
It’s almost funny how quickly and uniformly their gazes lock on mine.
My kidnapper growls, and the sound sends shards of ice up and down my spine. My protectors break away from the fighting, moving as a formidable force toward us. We jerk to a halt, and the asshole jabs the gun into my head with more pressure. Stars explode behind my retinas, and intense pain rattles through my skull.
“Stop right there or I’ll kill her,” he demands, shouting at Dane, Maddox, Beck, and Coop. They stop walking, standing in a line as they glare at the guy holding me hostage.
“Don’t move. Keep very still,” Coop says into my mind.
My kidnapper chuckles. “This only serves to prove what bullshit the prophecy is. You idiots can’t protect her, and she’s incapable of protecting herself. I could pull this trigger now and end the Chosen One, if that’s who she even is.” I hear the note of disbelief in his tone before a gurgling, choking sound emits from the back of his throat.
“Funny you should say that,” Alandra says from somewhere behind as I feel myself falling. “Because she’s not. I am.”
That’s the last thing I hear before darkness encroaches.
CHAPTER 35
“You have got to be the most stubborn pig-headed males I’ve encountered,” Alandra says as I slowly start coming to. I’m lying prostrate on a soft surface, and there’s a heavy blanket strewn over me.
“You showing up proves nothing,” Maddox snarls.
“I saved your asses out there,” she retorts in a venom-filled voice. “I saved her ass.”
“We had it covered,” Dane growls.
She laughs. “Yeah. I don’t think so.”
I keep my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep as I let the conversation continue naturally.
“Look, I don’t want to argue with you anymore.” The timbre of her voice has lowered, and her tone is seductive, almost hypnotic. “What more do I have to do to prove it to you? My performance in the field vastly outranks Alinthia’s. The facts speak for themselves. I’m the one with more ability and skill. I’m the Chosen One, not her. You can’t continue to bury your heads in the sand.”
“Get out!” Cooper spits the words at her. “You’re a manipulative, lying bitch and—”
“Enough.” Dane cuts him off. “We have some things to discuss, Alandra. Thank you for what you did tonight, but I think it’s best if you leave now.”
I can almost see her in my mind’s
eye, swathing herself around Dane and batting her eyelashes as she speaks in a deliberately alluring tone. “You seem to be the only voice of reason around here, Dane. You need me, and this stupid rivalry between us has got to stop. We need to work together, and Alinthia can still play an important part—no one is suggesting she’s cut out of anything. Think about it, but don’t take too long.”
Silence descends for a few minutes, and I hold my breath.
“She’s gone.” Beck confirms a minute later.
“Don’t tell me you’re falling for her crap?” Coop says.
“I’m not … but …” Dane trails off, but he doesn’t need to complete his sentence. We all know what he means. My heart aches as if someone has just shoved a dagger straight through my ribcage. Dane was so affectionate before we went into battle and, now what? He’s having doubts again? I wish his hot and cold attitude, and his continual suspicion, didn’t hurt so much, but it does. Winning his approval means everything to me.
Maddox huffs out a sigh. “I don’t care how fucking badass she is, she has still manipulated us, and I trust her about as much as I trust Jack, which is zilch. She’s full of shit, and Alinthia is going to prove it.”
“Alinthia is the Chosen One,” Coop adds. “No question about it.”
Maddox and Coop’s persistent support of me is the only thing stopping me from breaking down right now.
“And I think it’s rather convenient Alandra appeared when she did,” Beck adds. I hear the gentle tapping of the keypad. “And my systems are all fucking messed up! Ugh!”
I decide it’s time to “wake up.” Yawning, I let a little moan slip out of my mouth before sitting up and rubbing my eyes. Coop and Maddox kneel in front of me. “Are you okay, princess?” Maddox asks, helping to brush knotty strands of hair back off my face.
I arch my back, testing my limbs, wincing as an ache lingers bone-deep. Beck drops onto the couch beside me. “Where does it hurt?”
I don’t want to admit to any weakness, especially not after seeing Alandra in action. I bet she doesn’t have sore muscles, a pounding head, and a wounded ego. “I’m fine.” I attempt to shoo Beck away, but he’s having none of it.
Pressing a patch to my temple, he checks my vitals with a concentrated look on his face. “All looks good,” he says, and Coop lets out an audible gasp of relief. Tears sting the back of my eyes as I smile at him.
“Hey.” He cups my cheek. “It’s okay. They’re all dead, and the threat is neutralized. You’re safe,” he reassures me, mistaking my emotion, but I don’t correct him.
“Who were those guys that showed up? The ones on our side?” I ask, swinging my legs around and planting my feet on the ground.
Dane sits on the edge of the coffee table, resting his elbows on his knees as he leans forward. “They are local assets I’ve been in contact with. Beck sent them a message just before the attack.”
“I didn’t realize there were more of us on Earth,” I admit, wondering why this is the first I’m hearing of it.
Dane clears his throat. “We’ve forged some alliances of our own over the years, and we have a small group we can count on to back us up. I contacted them shortly after we arrived here, and they’ve been hiding in small towns close by, ready to assist should we need them. I’m going to officially request more resources, because you can bet that isn’t the last attack we’ll encounter.”
“That sounds like a smart plan.” My voice is quiet, almost meek, and the guys notice.
“What’s wrong, princess?”
“Nothing. I’m just tired.”
They trade wary expressions.
“What’s wrong with your systems?” I ask Beck, remembering what he said as I was “waking up.”
“You were right, someone did tamper with my equipment. I’ve no idea how they got in and out of the barn without detection, or how they managed to set and hide a timed virus, but the instant the attack started the virus infected everything. I’ve lost access to all my technology.”
I shudder all over. “So they could come back and we wouldn’t know?”
“Technically, yes,” Dane replies. “But I don’t think anyone will show up for a while. We eliminated that entire crew, and once news filters back, others will be reluctant to attack without better planning. There isn’t anything to worry about for now.”
“And Dane has sent a comm to Zorc using our emergency backup communicator requesting new equipment. I’ll have everything set up again within a day or two,” Beck explains.
“Okay.” I stand, giving them a feeble smile. “I think I’m going to take a bath and then head to bed. It’s been an eventful day.”
Coop opens his arms. “Let me run that bath for you.”
I have no energy to fight so I walk into his arms, snuggle against his chest, and close my eyes.
Beck knocks on my bedroom door while Coop is in the bathroom filling the tub.
I open the door and let him in. He takes my hand, placing a patch on my palm. My brows knit together. “What’s that for?”
“For your sore limbs and your headache. I also put something in there to help you sleep. Just put it on your arm when you are in bed, and let it work its magic overnight. You should feel right as rain in the morning.”
I hug him. “Thank you,” I whisper, grateful for the medicine and the fact he didn’t admit any of this to his brothers.
He rubs his thumb across the underside of my wrist, smiling lovingly at me. “No. Thank you. You came to my rescue out there, and I won’t ever forget it.”
I wrap my arms tighter around his neck, grateful I did at least one thing right tonight.
“You’re very quiet,” Coop says a half hour later when we’re snuggled up in bed. I’ve just applied Beck’s patch, and I’m hoping it won’t be long before it takes effect. I could use a break from my depressive, envious inner monologue. “I can practically hear the wheels churning in your head. What’s going on?”
I twist around until I’m facing him. “Do you think it’s true? That it’s really Alandra? Not me.”
He’s shaking his head before I’ve even finished speaking. “Nope. There’s no doubt in my mind it’s you and only you.” He takes my wrist pressing a kiss to my tattoo. “This symbol doesn’t lie.”
“She has one too.”
“And I’m betting it’s fake,” Maddox says from the doorway, startling us both. I prop up on my elbows. “Sorry, I did knock.”
Coop sends him a filthy look. “And then you just decided to bust in here anyway? What the hell, dude? We could’ve been doing anything in here.”
Maddox smirks, entering the room and quietly closing the door behind him. “But you’re not, and I just wanted to check on our girl before I go to bed.”
I pull back the covers on my other side, patting the space. As Maddox slides into the bed behind me, I decide immediately that I don’t want him to go. This bed is big enough to comfortably accommodate all of us, so there’s more than enough room. I look to Coop for agreement. It’s not like I’m suggesting a threesome or anything even close to it, but Coop’s jealousy is off the charts sometimes, and I need to know he’s okay with this. Maddox curls his hand around my waist, nestling into my back, and I press against him, welcoming his body heat.
“I can leave if you want,” Coop says, misinterpreting my look and my actions.
“I don’t want you to leave.” I clasp Coop’s hand and then place my other hand over Maddox’s where it rests on my stomach. “Either of you.” I peer into Coop’s eyes. “I want you both to sleep here tonight.”
Maddox stifles a yawn. “I’m cool with that plan, but I’m not the one with territorial issues.” I can see his smile in my mind’s eye.
Coop bites down on his lip, deliberately not retaliating. “This isn’t about me. It’s about Alinthia, and if she needs both of us, then I’m down with that.”
I kiss him softly. “Thank you.” Angling my head, I peck Maddox on the lips too. “Thank you too.”
Ma
ddox sweeps my hair to one side, pressing a soft kiss to my neck. “She isn’t our savior, Alinthia,” he whispers. “Like Coop said, it’s only ever been you.”
“But Dane—”
“Dane is Dane,” Coop butts in. “But he knows it too. We’re all on your side.” He kisses my forehead as my eyelids start to droop. “Put it out of your mind and sleep, beautiful.”
I’m still melancholy the next morning, and no amount of coaxing from the guys can pull me out of it. The car ride to school is uncharacteristically quiet, and I catch the guys sending surreptitious glances my way when they think I’m not looking.
I go through the motions in school, but I’m like a zombie. Alandra’s gloating doesn’t help, and I want to ram my fist in her arrogant mouth.
During the last class of the day, I excuse myself midway through the lesson to go to the bathroom. On my way back, a familiar shrill laugh and a deep, baritone voice reach my eardrums, and I slam to a halt. Peeking around the corner, I spot Alandra and Dane deep in conversation against a row of lockers. She has her hand on his chest again, and she’s leaning into him as she talks. He has his feet casually crossed at the ankles, and he’s smiling at her—that annoying smirking smile of his, but still—making no effort to remove her hand from his body. Blood boils in my veins, but I keep a leash on my anger and eavesdrop on their conversation.
“I knew you would come around, Dane,” she purrs.
He clears his throat. “Yeah, well, I’m not the one you need to convince.”
“Your brothers follow your lead, so I’m sure you can talk them around. But if you need any help, my persuasion tactics seemed to work well on Cooper the last time. I don’t mind making more of an effort if it’s needed.”
The Secret Heir (Alinthia Series Book 2) Page 26