by Hope Hart
I nod.
“Well, Ivy took his eye. Idiot’s left looking like a yellow Patchy the Pirate. Oh, and Zoey? We rescued her. She had pneumonia from the damage to her ribs and the bad condition she was kept in, but she’s slowly getting better, and the healers think she’ll be okay.”
I’m weak with relief. Okay, we have no idea where Ivy is, but Nevada’s right—she’s tough. Especially if she managed to get free and hurt Killis in the process.
Nevada stretches out her long legs, crossing them at the ankles. “So now we just need to find out if Charlie’s still alive, kidnap Alexis out of Dexar’s camp, and get you guys back to the spaceship so you can skedaddle out of here.”
“Um. You don’t plan on leaving?”
Nevada waves her hand. “Nah. I’m happy with my honey-bunny. We’re even mated and everything.” She holds up her wrist, and I stare at the gorgeous gold band encircling it. I’ve seen those bands before but never thought to ask Zarix what they mean.
“Mated?”
“Yeah, you know, it basically means we’re married.”
“So you’re like a queen now?”
“Yup. And I didn’t even have to marry a balding playboy to make it happen.”
She winks at me, and I can’t help but laugh. My head is whirling with the influx of information.
“What about the other women?” I ask.
“Oh.” She snaps her fingers. “Ellie’s pregnant. So she’s not going to be joining your girls’ trip either. That’s why she’s not here, by the way. She needs to stay close to camp and the healers. Vivian wants to go home, and I know Alexis was working for NASA or some shit, so she’s probably not a fan of the whole backward, barbarian planet thing. And if Charlie’s still alive, I bet she’ll be the first one on that ship.”
She frowns, her face falling, and we sit in glum silence for a moment. Then she raises one eyebrow as a thought obviously occurs to her.
“How did you end up here anyway?”
I blurt it all out. How Zarix found me in the trap, took me to the healers, and then took me back to his camp. Nevada’s gaze narrows, and I frown at her.
“What?”
“You were in Dexar’s camp? You saw Alexis?”
“I did.”
“Was she okay?”
“Yeah, for sure. Dexar seems to be treating her okay, and I think she was bored more than anything.”
“Okay. If we live through this battle, I’mma need you to give me the lowdown on that security. Ellie and I may not be going with you guys, but we’re gonna help you all get back to Earth.”
Both of us turn as Javir walks in, meeting my gaze.
“You think you can return to your planet?” he asks.
Nevada gives him a look that would intimidate me. “Snitches get stitches,” she says.
Javir merely sneers at her, showcasing the gaps where his front fangs should be, and she laughs.
“You must be Javir.”
Javir bares more of his teeth, eyes narrowed. “Who wants to know?”
Nevada lets out a laugh. “I like this kid.”
I get to my feet, sending him a warning look. “This is Rakiz’s mate,” I tell him. “The tribe queen.”
He pales slightly but glowers at her some more and then turns, silently walking out the door.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into that kid,” I murmur, and Nevada laughs.
“Come on. Let’s go kick some Voildi ass.”
Beth
I was prepared for the fear. The knee-weakening terror. The bargaining with gods I’ve never believed in.
You know what I wasn’t prepared for?
The boredom.
It’s been two days since Nevada arrived, and while there have been a few skirmishes as the Voildi test our defenses, nothing big has happened yet. Apparently Rakiz has sent messengers to other tribes, but they’re located far enough away that this downtime is actually a good thing when it comes to building our army.
The problem?
If we don’t engage with the Voildi sometime soon, we could end up running out of supplies. There are a lot of mouths to feed, and we can’t risk sending out too many hunters.
It’s a tense kind of boredom. While the arrival of Rakiz and his warriors has lightened the mood slightly, we’re all well aware of the stakes. People will die in this battle, and the thought makes my palms sweat and my mouth dry.
Zarix has climbed into our furs each night, pulling me close. We don’t talk—both of us unwilling to spend the few precious moments we have together fighting. He hasn’t tried to send me away again. By now, he knows I’m safer here, although I often catch him staring at me, his expression agonized as our gazes meet.
I want to shake him, to make him admit that he’s afraid of caring, of being vulnerable, and that it’s affecting what little time we could have left together.
But I fell for a stubborn warrior. I’ve realized that now. He did what the few silk-tongued men I dated on Earth could never have done—he showed me that there is still life to be lived after ballet, even when I didn’t particularly want to live it.
“Beth?”
I turn and meet Nevada’s inquiring look. She hands me a piece of wood, and I pass it along to one of the warriors. Apparently this camp is in a strategic location, but Tecar hasn’t been taking advantage of it properly. He has no real lookout, so while the camp entrance is on a small hill, Nevada has us building some small guard towers which will help us defend the camp when the time comes.
Nevada looks past me, where Zarix has turned away. She lifts one eyebrow. “You want to talk about that good-looking son of a bitch?”
“It’s complicated.”
She laughs. “Been there. It was complicated for Rakiz and me as well.”
“How did you fix it?”
“He tried to step down as tribe king for me.”
I sigh, depressed. “Zarix tried to send me away to ‘protect me.’ Then he suggested I move on with another man because he is well liked, respectful, and honorable.”
Nevada winces. “Ouch.”
“Yeah. He just found out some news about his father that upset him, and instead of talking about it, he’s pushing me away. I don’t know how to get through to him.”
“Here’s the thing. These warriors aren’t like human men. They seriously believe that it’s their job to keep us safe. It sounds like Zarix is similar to Rakiz in a lot of ways—both believe they’re responsible for our safety. We have to slowly get them to see things our way.”
She grins at me, stepping back. I mull over her words as we watch the warriors load a bunch of small, round objects into large crates.
Nevada raises her voice. “I need torches burning at each of these points, but for the love of God, don’t let them get near these pods until I say so.”
She gazes around with a steely-eyed stare, and the warriors nod.
“What do the pods do?” I ask, leaning closer. They look like bunches of small coconuts, but the warriors are handling them as gently as if they’re newborn babies.
Nevada smirks. “Trelga tree pods,” she says. “You’ll see.” She turns her head, pointing at the hastily constructed wall that has been built around the camp. “This needs to be fortified,” she says, and one of the warriors nods, respect in his eyes.
“How’d you get them to listen to you?” I ask quietly, and she raises her eyebrow.
“I’ve been completely focused on camp security almost since I arrived. There was resistance at first, but these guys know all the changes were for the best, right, Hewex?”
He nods, grins, and gets to work fortifying the wall.
“Impressive,” I murmur, and she smiles.
“Wow,” she says, the smile dropping from her face. “Who’s that?”
I turn, raising my eyebrows. Around us, the camp goes quiet as the huge warrior rides through the south entrance. Everything about him is just big. His mishua stands a head above most of the others I’ve seen, her massive b
ody prowling forward, lethal horns catching the light. I wouldn’t be surprised if she breathes fire.
The warrior himself is also somewhat oversize. I’ve gotten used to being a midget on this planet, but this guy is bigger than most of the other warriors here. He nods at Rakiz and dismounts, boots hitting the ground with a thud.
Hewex leans close. “His name is Vrex. He belongs to no tribe, although technically he was born under Dexar’s father’s rule. Now he lives alone, choosing to hunt when necessary and occasionally stepping in when needed for battles such as this one.”
“So he’s a mercenary?” Nevada asks.
Hewex shrugs. “His loyalty is to those he judges as worthy, and he lives by his own code.”
Nevada glances at me. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“I don’t think anyone is ever thinking what you’re thinking.”
She grins, and my mouth drops open as she stalks over to where Rakiz is deep in conversation with Vrex. Zarix stands next to Rakiz, listening, and his gaze meets mine as I jolt into action and follow Nevada.
“Who sent a messenger to you?” Rakiz’s voice is curious, and Vrex shrugs.
“I chose to come.”
Rakiz nods, and that seems to be the end of their discussion as Nevada sidles closer.
“Sup,” she says. “Thanks for coming.” She glances at Rakiz, who pulls her close. “Can I interrupt for a moment?”
“Of course,” Rakiz says, his tone indulgent. He looks at Nevada as if she’s the reason for the stars in the sky, and my heart twists.
I can feel Zarix’s gaze on me, but I avoid looking at him for now. It hurts too much to know that we could have this. If only we could both get our shit together.
Nevada turns back to Vrex, and I let my gaze run over his body. Everything about him screams that he’s someone you don’t want to fuck with. He’s dressed in unrelenting black and built like he’s been popping steroids his whole life. He glances at me, and I almost shiver as I meet his gaze. His eyes are such a light amber that they appear almost gold as he glances away disinterestedly.
A warm arm wraps around my waist, and I breathe in Zarix’s scent. For whatever reason, he’s feeling territorial, and I sigh.
“I’d like to hire you,” Nevada tells Vrex, and Rakiz raises one eyebrow. Good to know that even he has no idea what’s going through his mate’s head at any given time.
Vrex raises his arm, running it down his mishua’s neck, and she preens at the attention.
“What task is it that you need?” he finally asks.
“Karja,” Rakiz says warningly, and Nevada turns in his arms, raising one hand to his face. They seem to block out the world as they stare into each other’s eyes.
“I need to do this,” she says softly. “Please.”
One sharp nod from Rakiz, and it’s decided. The mercenary doesn’t miss any of this, his eyes narrowing slightly as he takes in the couple.
Nevada glances at me, her expression suddenly uncertain, and I nod. I see where she’s going with this, and it makes sense. I have a feeling this scary, deadly warrior is our best shot at finding the other women.
“We are from another planet,” I say, and Nevada shoots me a grateful look. “We were separated from each other, and I was kidnapped by the Voildi along with two other women. One of them is safe now, but the other one is responsible for the damage to Killis’s eye.”
Vrex’s head tilts slightly at this, and for the first time, I see a hint of interest on his face.
Nevada clears her throat. “Her name is Ivy. She was last seen running through the prexas after she escaped from the Voildi. Will you help us find her?”
Vrex is silent for a long moment, and Zarix leans close, murmuring into my ear.
“Breathe,” he says, and I blow out the breath I was holding.
Vrex glances at me again and then turns his attention back to Rakiz. “If I do this, you will owe me one favor, due at the time of my choosing.”
Rakiz clenches his jaw but finally nods, and Vrex bows his head.
“It is done.”
I meet Nevada’s eyes, and she’s back to looking uncertain. It’s suddenly clear why Vrex is considered such a threat. How many other tribe kings owe him favors on a planet where honor is everything? And what will this warrior use those favors for when he’s ready to call them in?
Zarix steers me away from the group, and I look up at his tight jaw.
“What’s wrong?”
“Our spies have determined that the Voildi will attack tomorrow morning, likely in the early hours. We have let them assume that our camp is slow to rouse and have been careful to keep our warriors out of sight during this time.”
I shiver, suddenly freezing as I realize what this means. This time tomorrow, we could all be dead. No more wisecracks from Nevada. No more pickpocketing from Javir. No more kisses or heated looks from Zarix.
He turns to me, reading my mind. “Will you spend this night with me?”
I know what he’s asking. Will I push all our relationship problems to the side, choose not to pick a fight, and spend the next few hours with him before he goes into battle?
“Of course.”
Chapter Sixteen
Beth
It’s still dark when Zarix gently lifts me off him. Last night, Nevada arranged for Javir to be watched so that we could have some privacy. We ate dinner together, talking about everything except the upcoming battle. I told him about ballet, even going as far as to show him a few positions, slowly twirling before I raised my injured leg above my head.
My muscles stretched, feeling tight after weeks without dancing but still responding instantly. I was taking it very easy, careful not to overwork my healing leg.
Zarix’s eyes darkened as he watched me twist and turn. His jaw tightened as I moved onto tiptoe, on my right leg, slowly raising my arms as I danced to music that I could only hear in my head.
Then I was laughing in surprise as he snatched me out of the air, rolling me beneath him and murmuring words too low for my translator to pick up as he kissed his way down my body.
We made love for hours. The last time, he stared deep into my eyes as I choked back a sob, barely restraining the urge to beg him not to fight in the morning. He’s a warrior, a barbarian who was built for this, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
“I love you,” I whispered as he thrust, my breath catching as he ground into me, so deep it was as if he was trying to imprint his body into mine.
He slammed his mouth into mine, his huge body trembling as we found completion together.
Now he’s going to war.
I reach for my own clothes, and we dress silently. Zarix’s mind is already on the battle ahead, but he pulls me close as we get to our feet. He hands me my crossbow and nods approvingly as I slide the piece of armor beneath my dress.
According to Nevada, the stunning blue-green material is actually a dragon scale, which is why it’s large enough to cover my entire chest and stomach. It molds itself to my body, and I blow out a breath. We all have our part to play in this battle, and Nevada told me I wouldn’t be playing any part at all unless I wore this scale.
I follow Zarix out of the kradi, reaching for Javir as he walks toward us. I wrap my arms around him and squeeze. He lets out a sound like a pissed-off cat but allows it, his arms finally coming around my waist.
“You’ll stay with the healers, right?”
He nods, and I pull back, staring down at him. “Promise?”
He nods again, and I sigh. By now, I’m well aware that Javir has problems with impulse control. While he may be promising to stay safe now, and he may mean it with every inch of his body, the fact remains that he can’t be trusted to keep himself safe.
I glance at Zarix, who nods. Perik has promised to watch Javir for the entirety of the battle. He’s one of the warriors in charge of guarding the healers’ kradi, and after traveling with us, he’ll know that he needs to keep Javir within sight.
&nbs
p; “Be careful,” Javir says solemnly. I nod and give him a grin, patting the scale beneath my dress. “Nevada’s got me covered. I’ll see you later, okay?”
He turns to Zarix, and the males stare at each other for a long moment.
“I’ll make them pay for what they did to your father,” Zarix says. “But you’re of no use to anyone if you’re dead.”
Javir nods. “Fight well,” he says as Zarix slaps him on the shoulder, and then he’s off and running toward the healers’ kradi.
Zarix turns me and takes my mouth in a deep kiss, and then we move away to our respective posts, so many words unsaid and yet nothing left to say.
Nevada is stalking along the east walls, hissing orders as everyone falls into place. Everyone in this camp has been forbidden from using any fire this morning, and voices are allowed to be no louder than a murmur as we lull the Voildi into believing that most of the camp is still sleeping.
We line up at our posts, and the faces around me are grim as we stay hidden behind the wall. Most of these Braxians are older, although some were chosen for their ability to aim over a long distance. There are even a few other women, although most of them will be tasked with handing out supplies as they get low.
I peer through a crack in the stone, and we wait silently for what seems like hours.
The waiting is the worst part. I’m almost anxious for the Voildi to attack, if only to replace some of the terror with adrenaline.
It’s as if the thought conjures the Voildi, and I blow out a sharp breath as I see movement in the dim light. Nevada moves up beside me, and we both peer into the distance as the Voildi get closer.
The plan relies on patience, and it’s evident from the shuffling feet behind me that most Braxians aren’t real familiar with the word. Nevada turns her head, and the shuffling immediately ends.
“Closer,” she murmurs as we watch. “A little closer.”
It feels like they’re almost on top of us, but we need to lure them in for our plan to have the best chance of working. Still, we barely move, watching as the dark night lightens to a dull gray, and the Voildi come into view, lined up and marching, swords in their hands.