“You mated with a bulwark?”
“I’m not a human you imbecile.”
No she wasn’t. She looked like the other hybrids. Not quite seven feet, rainbow eye color, a fringe of a triceratops was ear-to-ear pulsing with flowing red veins. The baby hybrid had a very small fringe and black eyes.
“You created that little one to open our doors.” It was the bulwark in her that must have confused the lock that allowed Bubble-gum and offspring entry. The lock would have detected warmth, fur and perhaps the pads of a hand-paw. They’d outsmarted themselves by thinking the lock was unique when it detected bulwark.
“Of course. This was our key. You humans have nowhere to go that is safe even if you change your locks. We can get to you any time during the day or night, but we do not have to anymore. We have you. The villagers will do what we say, or you will die.”
The way the hybrid callously tossed the baby to another made Solace want to vomit. The baby was set on the ground and crawled to the bulwark, who sniffed her then settled. The hybrids began whistling and clicking. No more human words were spoken. Solace studied the hybrid baby. It gazed at her with curiosity. She detected little intelligence. It was cute in an ugly way. It was covered in a dark mat of fine fur. This little thing might be their undoing.
“Do you wish to kill it?”
Solace was startled when the hybrid female came forward. “What?” she asked.
“Go ahead, kill it. It served its purpose. You humans are no doubt changing the lock to your homes as we speak.”
“You are animals.”
“No you are the animals.”
“Yet, you still don’t understand space flight.”
“We will. It’s only a matter of time. Will your mate exchange the other female for you? Will he kill Doom to save your life? DaV-nin was my father. He would enjoy seeing Doom die, if Doom hadn’t killed him.”
Her words sent a tingle of fear through Solace. She hoped Menace would come quick. Solace knew he would. Her gaze went to the baby. What of that creature? How was it possible? A flicker of information from an old class at college. Mammal-like reptiles. What era? Think. Permian. Almost all the creatures were wiped out because of a severe draught and loss in oxygen. The Neandersauri were clever. They were even more deadly than she imagined.
****
When the hunters reached the birthing site, a group of ten hybrids were slaughtering the milk-giving creatures. The humans and their animals raced to aid the creatures. Five of the hybrids were slaughtered in a fast furious battle, the rest fled. The sea creatures were wary at first, but after coaxing and soft words understood these were the humans who protected them. The many containers the hunters brought were being filled with precious milk.
“That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Doom said.
“Maybe a little too easy,” Menace said. He scanned the area clutching his blood-covered sword. The hybrids not only ran, but they left their fallen and their kills behind. “They know we’ll take the milk and their kills. These carcasses aren’t poisoned. We normally don’t hunt these creatures, because we take the milk, but we have eaten them before when slaughtered by other animals.”
“The hybrids are young and don’t know who to turn to for authority, they keep attacking us or whatever in small roaming gangs,” Doom said.
“We were basically handed food and milk. In return for what?” Menace pondered.
“The homes are safe.”
“My gut is telling me something is wrong.”
“It’s dangerous to return alone.”
Menace gave him a sidelong glance. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
There was something inside Menace telling him to go back, fast. He wasted no time. On the move his feet flew over the terrain. A herd of mammoth mastodons gave him a wide berth. A velociraptor hissed as he went by then quieted, two little ones nipped playfully at his heels but Menace didn’t have time for them. When Menace reached the domed homes he heard weeping and children crying. Clarity’s voice gave him a semblance of release then terror.
“We’ll get her back.”
Menace flew down the open door wondering why it was open. Clarity jumped up to greet him and Em was soon in his arms sobbing.
“They took Solace,” Em said, crying her fear.
“Who?”
“A hybrid offspring bulwark opened the door,” Clarity said, tears in her eyes. “There were so many Neandersauri. They killed a few of our villagers and a male bulwark was found dead outside, the beta. Heath and Aba are wounded. Muffin is exhausted. I don’t know what happened to the other male bulwark.”
“The alpha male followed us,” Menace said and swore, goosebumps dotted his arms, his heart was racing in terror for Solace and their babe.
Menace sent a gaze around the room and saw Heath sprawled out, with a pad on his chest soaked in his blood. Aba was lying on a fur near a fire moaning, as were others. Muffin was on her side heaving with Bubble-gum pacing. Tables were overturned, the room was in shambles. The other female bulwark was also groaning and laying on her side.
“Where are the boys and Nina?” Menace asked.
“They are asleep in the safe room with Nina watching them,” Clarity said.
A cub sat under a small shelf pressed to the wall. The littlest one, the female. Menace set Em on her feet and took Clarity by her shoulders.
“I’m going after Solace.”
“You can’t go alone.”
“Send Doom and the others when they return.”
Menace grabbed more weapons and took off. The biggest of the male cubs trailed him briefly until Menace noticed him. He hunkered down and gazed at the beast. Smaller than his mother but larger than his father the cub was intelligent. This one was definitely going to grow up to be an alpha.
“Well little Alpha cub that’s as good a name as any. Go my furry friend, find Solace.”
Menace was terrified. If the alien was watching he’d grab Solace and take her away for good. The hybrids couldn’t get their hands on more knowledge. Solace knew of battle, she knew their plans and she knew Clarity could give them the means of flight as well as guns and bombs. The young bulwark led him to a cave he knew nothing about. From his position he could see the cave had a clear view of their homes. The Neandersauri were spying on them; all this time. Neandersauri milling around the entrance, seemed to be on high alert. The bulwark raised its gums in a snarl but there was no sound. Man and beast remained out of sight.
The cub skirted the hybrids and took Menace toward the side where a small entrance was. The bulwark was smart for one so young, Muffin had taught him well. The children taught little Alpha and his cub-mates hide and seek. The beast incorporated it into tracking. The pair slipped silently inside.
When Menace saw Solace huddled in a corner rage filled him. Her arms were wrapped around her middle. A small furry creature crawled toward her then shied back, then forward. Menace sucked in his breath when he saw the thing had a child-like face, yet not. Innocence, he was gazing upon pure innocence. He then noted the little creature’s hand-paws and suppressed a groan. He understood how the hybrids came to be able to open their lock.
Solace was sitting on a fur rug. There was a tied male bulwark in a corner also watching the small creature-baby. The little thing finally inched toward Solace and touched her hand. She didn’t move but smiled to encourage it.
“I won’t hurt you,” Solace crooned.
Both baby-creature and woman were wide-eyed. A slight sound and Menace shifted. There was a female hybrid watching the exchange, her face a mask of hate. Menace peered closer. There was a familiar resemblance to the female that tugged at Menace’s memory. DaV-nin. The female was the leader’s offspring. The hybrid must have been housed at a different cave. Menace thought they killed all of DaV-nin’s young. If there was this female there could be more.
“Go ahead, kill it,” the female hybrid said on a snarl.
“No.” Quiet dignity rolled off his beloved’s t
ongue.
“Then I will. It is useless and dumb as dirt.”
Solace was up, the baby between her legs and Menace knew she meant to protect it. Menace was on the move. He sliced into the female hybrid who shrieked and dropped to her knees. The baby-creature crawled toward the female Neandersauri sobbing and tried to climb on her chest. Others were racing into the cave and Menace tossed Solace a sword. They fought back to back with little Alpha fearlessly snapping and snarling.
Screaming shouts were heard from outside. Other villagers had followed. The fight inside was dragged outside and below the cave. Doom was there and Edge, Lochlan swung his weapon slicing into a hybrid and downing it. The battle raged as limbs fell. Soon the ground was slick with blood. Muffin and her other cubs were in the foray as well as Bongo who protected Kiki. Rex was whacking a downed hybrid on the head with a wooden sword. Menace didn’t know why they were all there but was filled with gratitude.
The bright sun sparkled off the red liquid. A breeze blew to ruffle hair, fur and grass. Swords clashed with claws, bombs began to go off. There were more hybrids than they thought and were soon outnumbered. Only Doom’s villagers fought this time. Menace pummeled the hybrids with hammering blows keeping Solace close. She tired and her sword drooped, her hand was on her belly. A rumbling of the earth was heard and many were knocked to the ground as the earth split.
The plane, when it came through the dark hole, was large and different. Sleek, black, rounded and equipped with machine guns. Bastian and Tain were firing weapons. Their seats swung in circles in different directions. The hybrids went down. There was some anarchy until Lochlan whooped the cavalry was here. Menace raised his sword in the air and the battle began anew. All of the hybrids must die. There was a means of flight here they mustn’t have.
Menace heard Solace scream before he felt the pain slice across his back. He blinked in disbelief. He knew he was dead before he hit the ground. He never got a chance to see his baby.
Chapter Fifteen
Solace screamed and killed the hybrid who downed Menace. Menace lay on his side. She heard Clarity bellow to the wind. Solace dropped beside him, her shaking hands splayed. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“No,” she cried out, her hands fisted in anguish. “Nooo.”
The alien appeared surprising her. Solace gazed up at him in shock, her heart pounded in her chest. Solace wanted to stretch out beside her love.
Doom was soon near. “Solace, I’m so sorry. Your friends have helped us kill the hybrids. None are left to lick their wounds.”
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” Solace whimpered.
“Yes, it was meant to be. It is time for these souls to be released,” the alien said and she watched his approach. It was then Solace filled with anger. He knew Menace was to be killed, it was the alien’s intention all along.
“You can’t take him from me, and you can’t take me from here,” she said and glared. “Not after everything we’ve been through. Why let me come home if you were going to let Menace die?”
“Have faith. Watch. They will go home to be reborn.”
True to his word the tattoos came to life, images turned to faces and Solace saw them smiling at her. The people were bright yellows, oranges and reds. They walked off into the air. Each person turned to a blazing light. She watched as bodies became a fine sheet turning into an accordion to fold higher as the feet legs and thighs disappeared up into the atmosphere. The small balls of fire gained in intensity, gathering momentum to spread into the heaven.
“They will grow and gather more, and thicker particles will land on another fledgling Earth. A showering of meteors will last for thousands of years with precious DNA enclosed. We have found a new planet,” the alien said. “By knocking the meteor against your planet into the other, the wayward planet that would have formed with yours has found its own atmosphere. It’s a new beginning.”
“What about Menace?” Solace wiped a tear away. Gazing down at his tanned flawless body she noted no blood.
“My gift to him for holding the souls needed is life. Your children will have need of him. Especially the son and daughter you carry within you now.”
The alien vanished. Menace groaned and struggled to sit. Solace crushed him to her chest. The plane leveled out and came to a halt. The men disembarked. Amidst the familiars was another. A man from another earth much like the one they were on. Huge, serious, angry. His name was Chaos. From an alternate earth as was theirs.
The hybrids scattered around were dead. The new man approached assessing all. Chaos was as large as Menace, bald, eyes so dark they appeared black. The clothing he wore was much the same as what men on Doom’s planet wore but he wasn’t covered in tattoos. Except one. A black patch of round ink was on his shoulder with intricate green designs.
“We found this guy on an earth a lot like this one. In fact we thought he was Doom until Joey told us no,” Joe said.
“I am Doom. I am happy to have your help, but why are you here?” Doom asked.
“We came for Lochlan,” Bastian said. The large man smiled. “We don’t leave our own behind.”
Lochlan smiled, and the men clasped hands. Rex nipped at Joey’s ass and Luke swatted the T-rex with a wooden sword.
“What do we do with this?” Kiki was kneeling on the ground studying the baby-hybrid. The tiny being was huddled in the dirt whimpering.
“It’s harmless,” Chaos said, dismissing it. “They are on my planet. There is no malice in them. Our hybrids wanted something sinister to battle us, they got fluffy mindless balls of fur.”
“It’s cute in an ugly way,” Kiki said.
“Well who’s going to care for it?” Doom demanded.
“We all will.” Solace smiled and picked up the hybrid baby. “She can be a playmate to our twins.”
“Twins?” Menace asked as he stood.
“It would appear we have a Win and a Destiny quite literally in fact when you gaze at the dead hybrids,” Solace said.
“It’s time to go back to the village,” Doom said.
“What about the plane?” Solace asked.
“We came for Lochlan and anyone else who wants to go,” Joe said. “We need to hurry. That crazy alien said we could take who we wanted but we better move fast. The other planet is a decent place to raise a family.” He gazed with meaning at Solace.
“My home is with Menace, here,” Solace said.
Joe caught Lochlan’s attention. “Well?”
Lochlan’s gaze was thoughtful. “Thanks, but I think I’ll stick around here for a while.”
“Suit yourself,” Tain said and clapped him on the back.
Solace hugged Joey. “Take care of your dad.”
Joey smiled and hugged her back. “I will. I need to get him on the plane. I didn’t realize Edge was so much bigger than my daddy.”
Solace chuckled. They loaded the plane and as they flew into the air a sinkhole opened sending those on the ground to their knees. The sleek vessel slipped into the unknown and was gone. Menace pulled Solace into his arms and they moved off.
****
“What’s happening on your planet?” Menace asked Chaos.
“Meteors began to hit. The phenomena began before I was born. The rock-like substance brought DNA of different species. New human life is forming but it’s strange in a way never seen. This little mutant hybrid is nothing compared to what has come to my planet. So far the new species keep to themselves. Our volcanoes are erupting, ash is forming in the air and it’s getting colder. A hypercane formed and there are maybe five percent of my people left. The species forming are adapting. The alien came to me and brought the plane. He said there is one last volcano yet to blow and it will be bad.”
“Maybe it’s another Toba, the volcano was huge. But science disputes science, so I can only speculate,” Clarity said. “After all unless we were there seventy-five thousand years ago on our planet when it erupted how could we know? Yet we are here. You are here and our e
arth exists.”
“Why did you choose to stay here?” Menace asked. “Why not continue on?”
“I am searching for a female that came through a sinkhole. She was not on the planet those in the plane travel to. The mark you see on my shoulder appeared shortly after she did. She vanished before I could find out what it is. I don’t know why but I will find out. The female changed me.”
“How?” Solace asked.
Chaos gazed at her and she shivered. “There is a pull that is driving me. A presence of sorts that protects me.”
Clarity leaned toward him to study the mark. “This could be anything but I think it’s a key.”
“To what?” Many chimed in.
“I don’t know,” Clarity said. “Why do you think you are protected?”
“Strange happenings occur when I appear to be in danger.”
“Such as?” Lochlan asked.
“That plane almost landed on me. It was brought to me I have no doubt because of the alien. I had little clue what a plane was until I saw it for the first time. I am definitely protected, perhaps with a little too much enthusiasm. Last moment, I was pulled up onto a wing, the plane never touched down. We were sent up into the air after I was dragged inside. We landed here. Since we touched down, here is where I’m meant to stay, for now. Something is coming here, or is here. Something big.”
“Something bad?” Menace asked.
“I’m uncertain,” was Chaos’s reply.
Solace had a strange feeling in her gut. She knew their world changed again. Something told her they would begin a new journey and would be walking with Chaos. After the thought, her tummy rumbled and she felt the stirring of life, only harder. Goosebumps rose on her arms. Without a doubt in her mind, she knew her new babies were going to be involved in something spectacular and maybe something sinister.
“Menace,” she whispered.
He gripped her to him. “Are the babies all right?” he asked.
Menace placed a hand on her belly and jumped when movement fluttered within.
“It’s all right Menace, the babies are supposed to move. You’ll feel more later, especially since there are two.”
Finding Solace (Ancient Origins Book 2) Page 20