She opened the kit bag and dug around inside. There were no fire sticks. What she wouldn’t give for a laser; one zap of that, and she’d have a roaring fire in seconds.
Melody walked outside the cave and stared into the gloom. There were no signs of any other creatures in the game. So far, it looked like the Fraken and their audience were happy to watch her as she established herself. But the Vorten was in there with her as well. As she’d come to, she’d heard the ominous sounding bell that signaled the start of the game. He would be tracking her. Maybe he was already watching, his skin camouflaged so she couldn’t see him, content to sharpen his blade as he waited for the right opportunity to kill her.
Turning back to the cave entrance, Melody’s feet became entangled in a root partially hidden under some loose rocks and snow. She fell face first, catching herself on her hands and cursing as the rough rock tore into her skin.
She kicked out at the root as she stood up. It looked like it was connected to the straggly pale foliage that traced up part of the rock face. Melody’s fingers felt along it, and she yanked out a section of the root. It would make a good binding. If she could incapacitate the Vorten sent to kill her, she might be able to tie him up and get rid of him. That way, she’d win the game. And then what would the Fraken do? Melody imagined, even if she beat this game, they wouldn’t set her free. She’d be killed or sent into another game until one of the warriors got rid of her. No prey could win a Fraken game.
There was no point clinging to false hope. But Melody still yanked out a length of the root and practiced tying it a few times. It did have possibilities. Now, all she needed to do was find the Vorten fast asleep, and the victory would be hers.
She grinned bitterly as she headed into the cave, the root in her hands. Melody’s experience running an illegal bar meant she knew how to handle troublemakers. Ever since her local council outlawed the sale of alcohol, she’d simply taken her mom’s successful business underground and carried on trading.
There was always a demand for liquor on Earth. It was often the only way the desperate and lonely could obliterate their futile lives. Melody got wealthy off the back of people’s desperation. But she’d become sick of the late-night raids from corrupt enforcers and having to handle drunken Wildens as they tried to start a fight.
She wanted something more. More than the desperate fragments left behind on Earth. So, she’d saved and saved, and when she got enough, she’d booked passage on the Capella. Melody had planned to start a new life on another planet or maybe even a space station. She didn’t mind where her new home was. She just wanted to be away from the dying cries of her own planet. Despite what the Fraken had promised them, there had been little assistance in getting rid of the radiation.
If anything, the Fraken had made everything worse. They’d taken valuable metals and resources. In return, they’d given a type of cure from the radiation sickness. But the drug made people addicted to it, so humans became even more indebted to the Fraken, desperate for their next hit to stave off the radiation sickness.
Melody had never taken it. She’d been tempted, and she’d had some horrible radiation sickness symptoms. She’d lost some hair, and right after a bomb fell near her bar, she’d had open sores that had taken months to heal. But she’d taken care of herself and used some of her e-credits to access clean water and medicine.
But Melody wanted to know what it would be like to spend even a week not having to break up a fight or smack someone around the head because they were misbehaving. That really was alien to her.
She now knew her trip into space had been a foolish one. It had been her first time on a starship. When she’d entered the Capella, she’d felt excited and terrified. She was going somewhere new, where she’d know nobody, and nobody would know her. She wouldn’t be taking her past with her and wasn’t planning to go back into the liquor trade. Melody had thought about joining one of the alien armies. She was a good fighter, strong, and could use her wits when she needed to. But first, she wanted to explore, maybe even take a trip through the Vortex, and see what was on the other side.
But Melody never got there. Within a week of the Capella entering space, the Fraken had appeared. They’d shot a hole in the hull, and the attack had been swift and deadly.
She stamped around the cave again, swinging her arms in an attempt to stay warm. What she wouldn’t give for a hot bath and a large glass of wine. Even the illegal stuff she served in her basement bar would be drinkable now.
But here she was, not shooting through space towards a new adventure, but maybe a day or two from death. Melody wouldn’t go down quietly. She would fight this Vorten, show him that humans were not to be messed with. He would still kill her, but she’d make sure he always had a memory of her in his head.
***
Lazet pulled a blade from his weapons belt and inspected it. As usual, it was sharp and well-maintained. He took pride in keeping his weapons in good condition.
Not that he’d be using it this time. He still didn’t know why he had to keep his prey alive, and Lazet couldn’t figure out how Axen had escaped the games with his own female. Was there something about these humans he didn’t know? They certainly weren’t revered by the Vorten. Most alien races saw humans as primitive and not worth bothering with.
Lazet hunched his shoulders against the cold and increased his pace. He had met a few humans when he was stationed away from the Vortex. They’d been loud, clumsy, and clingy. One woman hadn’t picked up on his unsubtle hints to leave him alone; she’d pawed his muscles and told him what she’d like to do with him.
He’d been tempted for a second. He’d enjoyed watching the bounce of her breasts in her too tight top, and her skin had felt soft when he’d stroked her. But then she’d been sick on the floor, and he decided to pass on the opportunity to sample a human. Besides, Lazet liked his females uncomplicated and preferably involved with somebody else, so they wouldn’t want to get involved with him.
Lazet was curious as to why Axen wanted anything to do with Eloise or humans in general. They were a destructive race and had destroyed their own diverse and fertile planet.
But Axen was someone Lazet trusted. He had fought to have Lazet in the elite warrior squad. Lazet was the youngest member; warriors didn’t join the squad until they’d cycled through many moons of experience. When Lazet had submitted a request to join, he’d been rejected instantly. He decided to appeal, and that was when Axen stepped in. Axen mentored him when he was training, bonding them, and Lazet considered Axen almost like a father figure, even though he was not much older. He’d follow him anywhere, into these games, and even into whatever Axen had planned next.
Lazet rubbed his hands together to keep warm and scrubbed his fingers across his arms. His muscles were lean, rather than bulky. It meant he had to work extra hard with Vorten women, convincing them that, although he wasn’t the biggest warrior around, he was smart. Vorten women like their men strong and virile, but they also appreciated when they had a brain to go with their muscles. So, he learned to charm and tease and how to please Vorten women in bed. It was a skill he’d enjoyed mastering, and he practiced frequently. And being the youngest in the squad did have one benefit; Vorten women looked at him first. Younger males were considered more virile, and that was fine with him.
He slowed his pace. The faint sound of stamping feet sounded from the nearby rock face. He grinned and placed his blade back on his weapons belt. It was time to meet his human prey.
Chapter 4
Darkness surrounded Melody as she tried hard to ignore the grating fear churning in her gut. Sleep eluded her, and every noise she heard sounded like an enemy approaching. Anything could be outside the cave watching her, and apart from her stick and the stones she’d collected, she was defenceless. She longed for a fire, but it would only attract attention, and she needed to be discreet. That was not an easy thing to do when you had flame red hair and a fiery temper to match.
Melody had her back pressed
against the cave wall, her eyes fixed on the entrance. Her teeth chattered, and her clothing was still damp. Would the cold take her before any of the predators discovered her hiding place? Would that be such a bad way to go? If she got cold enough, she’d slip into unconsciousness and know nothing about her death.
She chewed on her bottom lip, hating herself for wishing she was back in the Fraken prison. She never thought she’d miss that stinking cell, but at least, it had been familiar. There was a routine, food, and company, Jessie, Grace, Eloise, and Sonia. Jessie’s quietness had initially annoyed her, but she’d come to respect it. It took a lot to hold your tongue and listen to others as they chattered about their problems.
Grace had been solid and dependable. She seemed older than Melody, but only because she gave off a calm air. And she’d seen a lot of action in her role as a medic. Grace had mentioned working on one of the battlefields after the last nuclear bomb, dragging survivors back to Medi-tents and patching them up with broken equipment and substandard medical supplies. That must keep a person awake at night, but Grace never cried or fretted about the bad things she’d seen.
Melody wrapped her arms around herself, in a vain attempt to keep the sliver of warmth that remained in her body. She’d spent time with both Eloise and Sonia on the Capella. Sonia was flighty and overexcited, but she liked Eloise, and they’d enjoyed several evenings together, talking about all the opportunities the stars offered.
Melody squinted into the darkness. Was there something moving out there? She swallowed against the dryness in her throat. It was just a trick in the shadows. She must be able to survive a single night in this game.
If anyone would survive in here, it would be Eloise. As for Melody, she was probably going to be killed by a rogue meteorite slamming into the game, not one of the predators. Melody attracted trouble. She shook her head as her thoughts drifted to her last sleazy boyfriend. He was a perfect example, trouble in a huge, muscled package of tattoos. Sure, he’d sweet talked her, at first, and promised all sorts of things, a trip off Earth, a safe place to stay, but they had all been hollow promises. And then she’d discovered he was an addict of the Fraken radiation drugs, and he’d been stealing from her. He’d taken her e-credits to feed his habit and spent some on another woman. As soon as Melody discovered that, she’d kicked him out, hard.
And she’d do the same to any predator that came her way in this game. Melody clenched her fists; fear was not going to beat her. She was better than this. She could fight, hide, play the game for as long as possible, and take down as many of the enemy as she could before taking her final breath.
Her hand rested briefly over her heart. It had been bruised by her time on Earth. Not just by her cheating, drug addled boyfriend, but the whole squalid war, her sick mom, and the constant instability. Would a life in the stars be any different? Would a relationship with an alien be different? Melody had seen pictures of them on the comms channel. Some were freaky, with large heads and eyes that seemed too big for them. Many had different colored skin to humans, which wasn’t so strange. Although, it took a little while to get used to the green or blue hues.
Many aliens looked similar to humans, though. Melody had seen a comms report about how the different races evolved, and all aliens, humans included, came from a common distant ancestor. It made sense, given how similar many of them looked to each other.
The ones who’d gone all in when it came to genetic modification were the strangest. Some were giants, some tiny to cope with the different gravity on their planets. Some were focused on becoming warriors and fighters, like the Vorten, while others were more interested in increasing their brain power and developing new technologies and ways of working.
She’d even seen a few races covered in fur, and then there were the scaled ones; they were more like the Fraken. Melody shuddered as she remembered their cold, cruel touch, and the snapping of their teeth close to her flesh. There were several different alien races that looked like the Fraken, and Melody had watched a newscast making claims about Earth dinosaurs, and if they hadn’t been wiped out by an asteroid smashing into the planet, humans would look like Fraken. Another shudder ran through her. There was no way she’d ever go anywhere near anything with scales. Her time imprisoned by the Fraken had switched her off anything lizard-like.
Melody’s head snapped up, and her gaze narrowed. She’d seen a flash of something in the darkness, something metallic. Had the Vorten discovered her?
***
Lazet smiled to himself as he ducked. This human woman had good eyesight. He’d barely moved, and his skin was camouflaged grey and brown to blend in with the dead trees, but she’d seen him. He didn’t mind he’d been spotted; it was time they became acquainted. He glanced at the sky and saw no sign of any drones watching. But the Fraken had eyes almost everywhere. He needed to keep to the shadows and the trees to have any privacy with his prey. But he also had to give the Fraken a good show, so he drew his blade and swaggered towards the cave.
As he drew nearer, he saw the woman’s eyes widen. He took a few seconds to admire her curves. Despite her wearing a wet looking thermal lined coat, he could see the swell of her breasts underneath it, and she had a wild mess of bright red hair around her face. She was better looking than he remembered the other human females to be. Her mouth was full, and her green eyes had a slightly tilted look to them.
She snarled at him, and he caught a flash of clean, white teeth.
“You don’t need to be afraid,” said Lazet. “I’m not here to kill you. Not just yet.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
Lazet saw the woman’s fists clench. He admired her spirit. “I’m Lazet.”
“Why should I care about that?”
Lazet grinned. “What’s your name?”
She shook her head.
“I could call you Red, after that hair of yours.” Lazet grinned as she scowled at him. “Guess you don’t like that.”
“It’s Melody Marlin.”
“Sounds like one of the songbirds you had on your planet.” Lazet let his skin color change to match Melody’s, a pale creamy white.
“What do you know of Earth?”
“Enough to know all your birds are now dead, and humans aren’t far behind.”
Melody shrugged. “Like you care.”
Lazet tested his fighting arm, giving his blade a swipe. “You must be cold in that cave with no fire. And you look wet.”
“I’m doing fine.”
“I can hear your teeth chattering from here,” said Lazet. “And you need to get better at moving about quietly. I heard your stamping feet from a galactic clic away.”
“You’d find me no matter what I did,” Melody hissed under her breath. “So, what now?”
“I’m supposed to kill you.”
“But you’re not going to?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Melody narrowed her eyes. “What’s stopping you from spearing me with that flashy blade of yours, right now?”
Lazet lowered his voice and took a step towards her. “Orders.”
“Whose orders?”
“Unfortunately, I have a number of different commanders, but I answer to only one. The one who matters.”
“You answer to the Fraken.”
“When I have to,” said Lazet.
“They put you in here,” said Melody. “You obey them. They sent you to kill me; they wouldn’t tell you to do anything else.”
“They did instruct me to make your death public and impressive.” He saw Melody stiffen. Lazet needed to be careful not to scare her too much. Axen insisted they were getting out of the game, and this woman had to live.
“And yet you’re not doing it.” Melody tilted her head to one side, and her gaze ran over his muscles. “You’re smaller than most Vorten warriors I’ve seen.”
“It means I’m faster on my feet.” Lazet swung his blade in a wide arc in the air before pointing it at Melody. “How many Vorten have you met?”
“None in the flesh.”
“We’re more impressive up close if you want to come and inspect me further.”
Melody let out a quiet snort. “I’ll pass on that offer. I bet your lack of muscle means you have to work hard when it comes to your women. I hear they don’t like the puny ones in your race.”
The smile slid from Lazet’s face. “I do just fine.”
Melody nodded. “I bet you do. You’re nice enough to look at.”
“You’re complimenting your killer.” Lazet raised his eyebrows. “Don’t waste your breath. Nothing you say will make me change my mind about what I need to do.”
Melody lowered her gaze and looked up at him through her lashes. “Why don’t you come closer, and we can discuss it? I’m sure I’ve got something you’d like.” She pulled open the coat she wore, revealing more luscious curves, a flat stomach, and long legs.
Lazet felt himself harden. He’d never been interested in human women before, but this one was gorgeous. Even though she looked like she’d lost weight recently, and there was a hollowness to her cheeks, he could see she’d not lost all her curves. Her breasts swelled under her shirt, and her hips curved out, almost inviting him to place his hands on them and yank her to him.
“You like what you see?” asked Melody. “You can touch if you want to.”
“Why would you offer me that?” Lazet lowered his blade and took a step closer.
“Because you’ll enjoy yourself,” said Melody. “And looking at you, so will I.”
Lazet’s breath quickened. Axen never said anything about not accepting an offer like this from the human woman. “I’m here to kill you.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun before the end,” said Melody. “I always wanted to go out with a bang. And in this case, it looks like it will be literally. We might as well have some fun together, and then you can decide what you want to do with me.”
Lazet (Vortex Alien Warriors Book 2) Page 3