“You wouldn’t have been able to use it,” said Lazet. “Your primitive space crafts would have broken apart. Jumping through a vortex is never a smooth ride.”
“I’ll make sure to take my anti-sickness pills when I go through.”
“You want to go through?”
“Why not? I could find my new home on the other side.”
Lazet grinned. “Well, if you want to visit my homeland, you’ll definitely need to go through. If you travel from Earth to Vorten, it would take you about four thousand of your Earth years.”
Melody returned his smile. “Tell me more about this battle you were in.”
“It was my first experience fighting in space,” said Lazet. “Previously, I’d been a guardian, looking after the Elders. But Axen recruited me to his elite warrior squad. He had to fight to get me in there as well. I got turned down the first time I applied.”
“Why’s that?”
Lazet shot Melody a glare. “As you noted, I’m not the biggest Vorten warrior there is.”
Melody laughed. “You do okay, looks wise.”
“Such compliments,” said Lazet, liking the sound of Melody’s laugh. “Anyway, once I was on the elite warrior squad, that’s when the fun began. I’d only been there a short while when the Mantee attacked a Vorten outpost, and we went into battle with them.”
“Were you a pilot?”
“I can fly if I have to,” said Lazet, giving a shake of his head. “Warriors need many skills. But I’m not a natural pilot. I’ll get you where you need to be, but it will be a bumpy ride.”
“So, what did you do?”
“Transported to the enemy ship and killed them.”
“Oh. That is what you do, isn’t it?”
Lazet nodded, not liking the concern lingering in Melody’s eyes. “That’s been my whole life.”
Melody pulled her hair off her face. “Might be nice to do something different.”
Lazet shrugged. “It’s all I know. Now, when we meet my other warrior brother, Thunde, he knows his way around almost every starship going. He’s trained in simulations and even owns two ships. But to look at him, you’d think he was just made for fighting and killing, not the gentle manipulation of expensive technology.”
“Is he involved in the games?”
“He is,” said Lazet. “We take turns participating, with one game on and then three off before we’re up again.”
“I hope he doesn’t go up against Jessie,” said Melody.
“Another of your cell mates?”
Melody nodded. “She’s tiny and so shy. Jessie could barely work up the courage to speak to any of us, and we’d been together for weeks. She’d only have to look at your friend, and she’d faint in terror.”
“He can have that effect on people. But I have a feeling he’ll be surprised when he meets Jessie for the first time. I was with you.”
“I got you with my rope trick.” Melody grinned at Lazet.
“It is a humiliation you must never share with anybody else,” said Lazet. “Do I have your word on that? On pain of death if you break it.”
Melody laughed again. “I make no promises. And I expect the Fraken will have broadcast what happened across the comms channel. There’s no way you’re going to get away with hiding what happened.”
“That means we’re definitely going to have to escape from this game,” said Lazet. “If my reputation is now in ruins, I need to be somewhere no one can see me.”
“I’m sure your ego can take it,” said Melody.
“It’s not as big as you think.” Lazet grinned at Melody as she sighed and shook her head. “Let’s get something to eat and then find a different shelter for the night. The Fraken will be out in force now, looking for us. We need to keep ahead of them.”
“And stay alive,” said Melody.
“Exactly my plan.”
Chapter 13
It was late into another frozen night as Melody fought against her chattering teeth. Despite swaddling herself in her thermal coat, she was numb to the bone. And it didn’t help that Lazet kept up such a punishing pace as they walked. No one would realize he’d almost had his arm torn off less than a day ago.
“Any chance we could take a break?” asked Melody. “I need to defrost my toes.”
“I thought you didn’t need rest,” Lazet shot over his shoulder.
Melody cursed him under her breath. “Five minutes?”
Lazet turned, and his gaze ran over Melody. “It won’t do either of us any harm to get some sleep. And the dark will conceal us from the Fraken.”
“Where should we stop?” Melody looked around at the snow covered ground, not liking any of the options.
“There’s a small cave not far ahead. We can shelter in there and get out of the worst of the wind.”
Melody nodded and continued to follow Lazet through the icy path. She was sure it had gotten much colder over the last hour. Maybe the Fraken were manipulating the environment to try to freeze her to death. It could be punishment for still being alive. She cursed some more.
“This way.” Lazet mounted a bank of snow and dropped out of sight onto the other side.
Melody scrambled over, lost her footing, and landed face first in the snow. She flipped over onto her back and spat out snow. “Do not say a word.”
Lazet laughed as he pulled her to her feet, before brushing snow off her hair and face. “Time to get you warm and dry.” He took hold of Melody’s hand as he led her into a low-ceilinged cave.
Despite feeling embarrassed about her fall, she enjoyed the way Lazet fussed around her, making sure she hadn’t been injured. Most men grabbed hold of her when they wanted a squeeze or to have something to grind against. But Lazet’s concern for her welfare seemed genuine.
“This is cozy.” Melody looked around the inside of the cave. It would only just fit them, and Lazet was already stooping, because the ceiling was so low.
“It’s discreet and out of the way,” said Lazet. “I’ll put a fire in the entrance and shield it with a bank of snow. It will help keep any Fraken beasts away from us, but the light will be low enough, so we don’t attract attention. If we pack the snow high enough, it will also protect us from the wind. Have you noticed how much colder it’s been getting?”
“The Fraken playing with us?” Melody stamped her feet and rubbed her hands along her arms.
“These environments are terraformed, and the Fraken can manipulate them. If they want to, they can make it much colder. Pretty soon, it will be too cold for us to keep moving.”
“And then we’ll be trapped.” A swirl of dread shifted through Melody. “I don’t want to be trapped in here.”
“We won’t be,” said Lazet. “I’ll get us out of here, with the help of a few friends.”
Melody nodded, feeling some reassurance at the thought of getting out of this frigid environment soon.
“Rest a while, and I’ll get the fire going,” said Lazet. “And I’ve got a couple of ration packs in my bag if you want one.”
“Great, I love dehydrated nutrition.”
“It’s the best you’ll get in here.” Lazet grinned at her. “Help yourself.”
Melody sat on the rough stone ground and watched as Lazet banked snow up as high as possible outside the cave entrance and then lit a fire. She liked the way he moved with such confident ease. He looked at home in his own skin, aware of his prowess and abilities, knowing he was a strong and capable warrior. It gave Melody a warm glow in the pit of her stomach, seeing him protecting her. It had been a long time since anyone had cared enough to make sure she was safe and warm. Not that she really was, but the illusion of having Lazet as her protector was one she clung to.
Lazet turned and saw her watching him, and a smile softened his features. “Where’s the food?”
Melody looked down and realized she still had the bag resting in her lap. All thoughts of food had been forgotten as she’d admired Lazet. “I’m too cold to eat. I can barely feel my t
oes.”
Lazet moved towards her and sat down. “If you eat, it will warm you up.”
“I’ll be fine once the fire gets going.” Melody shuffled closer to the flames and held her hands out.
“Your lips are blue,” said Lazet. “Let me help warm you.”
Melody stopped moving. “What do you have in mind?”
Lazet’s eyebrows quirked up. “It won’t be as enjoyable as you imagine.”
Melody felt her cheeks redden. “What are you going to do?”
“It’s a technique I was taught during warrior training,” said Lazet. “I get my hands as hot as possible and then rub them on you.”
“You want to rub your hands on my body?” The warm glow in Melody’s stomach increased.
Lazet grinned. “I know, sounds good. But my hands are rough, and once I’ve rubbed them together, they’ll be too hot for you to bear.”
“I can handle it.” Melody’s breath quickened.
“Take your coat off.”
“Do I have to?”
“You won’t benefit from it so much if I have to work through fabric.”
“It’s just so cold, even with the fire going.”
“You humans are so feeble.” Lazet gave an overly dramatic sigh.
“Says the warrior genetically adapted to survive a bomb going off next to him.”
Lazet smirked. “Even I’m not that good. Keep your coat on for now, and I’ll start with your feet. Didn’t you say they were cold?”
“Like tiny blocks of ice.”
Lazet undid Melody’s boots and eased them off her feet. He pressed his hand to the sole of her foot and frowned. “You’re right. I’m surprised you’ve got any sensation there. You’re close to getting frostbite. The Fraken didn’t provide you with the right equipment.”
“Not exactly a surprise,” said Melody. “They probably hoped I’d be dead by now.”
“Most likely.” Lazet rested Melody’s feet over his legs. He slapped the palms of his hands together and rubbed them briskly.
Melody needed to distract herself from how close Lazet was to her. “You were taught this in training?”
Lazet nodded. “All suitable Vorten train in battle and survival skills from a young age.”
“How young?” asked Melody.
“It’s all I remember doing when I was a child,” said Lazet.
“You never got to play or have fun?”
“Fighting was fun, sometimes,” said Lazet. “But I didn’t have the best of starts.”
“What happened?”
Lazet’s shoulders stiffened. “My mother dumped me after I was born.”
“Why did she do that?” Melody’s hand flew to her chest. “Couldn’t she provide for you?”
“I expect she could provide for me well enough,” said Lazet. “But I was born early and dumped because I was too small.”
“Dumped where?”
“In the street.”
Melody sucked in air. “When you said you were dumped, I assumed she’d sent you to a children’s home or had you fostered. That’s a horrible thing to do to a baby.”
“Refuges for children don’t exist on Vorten.”
“They should. On Earth, women sometimes have no choice but to abandon their babies, especially when times are hard. But to dump you because you’re small, that’s cruel.”
“It is the Vorten way,” said Lazet. “I was considered too weak and not worthy to be a warrior. I’m the smallest in the elite squad.”
“You’re not that small,” said Melody. “Bigger than most human men.”
“I was too small for my birth mom to consider acceptable.”
“What happened after she abandoned you?”
“I was dumped on the doorstep of an old woman, Talikee,” said Lazet. “She took me in and raised me. She was an outcast and has a deformed right arm. I think that’s why we get on so well; we both have our limitations. She was persecuted because she didn’t fit the typical Vorten model of perfection. But she kept fighting. We both do.”
“At least you had someone to take care of you as you grew up.”
“Talikee was good to me,” said Lazet. “She made sure I got into training as soon as I could. But going in at such a young age, with no father figure behind me, made things tough. I had to learn a few additional skills to be able to hold my own against bigger warriors.”
“What happened to Talikee?”
“She’s still around,” said Lazet with a soft smile. “I send her e-credits to make sure she’s looked after. Vorten are long-lived, so I expect her to go on for many cycles. But it’s been some time since I’ve seen her, and I haven’t been able to get back to my home planet for several cycles.”
“Well, perhaps when you go, you can take me with you,” said Melody. “I’d like to see the woman who raised you and your home planet. You might be small for a warrior, but you’ve done a lot to help me.”
“Let’s see if this helps you.” Lazet stopped rubbing his hands together and placed them on Melody’s ice cold feet.
***
Melody gasped as Lazet’s hot hands clasped her feet. “You feel like an oven. What are you using to make that happen?”
Lazet worked his rough fingers along Melody’s foot, feeling the delicate bones bend under his touch. “Just an ancient technique to generate heat. Warriors use it to dull the pain of an injury when they have no access to medical supplies. You might as well have my excess heat if it stops your toes from falling off.”
“I’m happy to share your body heat.”
Lazet glanced up and saw how flushed Melody’s cheeks were. “I can see it’s having an effect on you.”
“Something is,” muttered Melody.
Lazet moved his hands up inside the leg of Melody’s trousers and felt her soft skin shudder under his touch. He felt himself harden and shifted Melody’s feet, so she wouldn’t notice. “Tell me about your family.”
“There’s not much to tell,” said Melody. “Much like you, I had no father. Well, not one who hung around for long. Long enough to get my mother pregnant and then flee. Or maybe he was killed. Whatever happened to him, I never found out, and Mom never talks about him.”
“What about your mom?”
“We’re very similar,” said Melody.
“Noisy and over opinionated?”
Melody smacked at Lazet’s hands through the fabric of her trousers. “No, neither of us are like that. But we’re both determined and go after what we want. Mom always wanted to own a bar on Earth, so she saved hard and did just that.”
“Did you work in the bar?”
“I did,” said Melody. “Mom had to retire, so I took over. And even when it became illegal to sell liquor on Earth, I simply moved our whole operation underground and started selling it on the black market.”
“Must have been profitable,” said Lazet.
“It gave me enough e-credits to pay for my ticket on the Capella,” said Melody. “I wanted to bring Mom with me, but she was too sick to move.”
“She’s ill?” asked Lazet.
“She is.” Melody lowered her head. “The radiation got to her. She took the pills, but you can never rely on the supplies on Earth. Seems like she got a defective batch of medicine, and it did nothing for her. The last time I saw her, just before I boarded the Capella, she was only skin and bones.”
“Radiation sickness can be treated, even at such an advanced stage.”
“Not on Earth, it can’t,” said Melody, “not without becoming hooked on the Fraken anti-radiation sickness drugs they pump into every district. Mom wouldn’t take them, and neither would I. We stuck to Council approved supplies, but they weren’t always available.”
“If your mother was on Vorten, we would treat her.”
“Then send a ship down to collect her,” said Melody. “Oh, my mistake, we’re trapped inside a Fraken game and about to die. How can I get my mom any help in here?”
Lazet moved his hands back to Melody’s f
eet and massaged each toe in turn. “I would get her if I could. And when we get out of here, I can send someone to collect her. We can take her through the Vortex with us and get her the treatment she needs.”
“Why would you do that?” Melody stared at Lazet. “You don’t know her, and you barely know me. What’s in it for you?”
Lazet snuggled Melody’s feet into his lap as they slowly warmed. “You’re right. I don’t know her, but I’m getting to know you. Axen told me to be prepared when I met my first human inside the games. And he wasn’t wrong.”
“So, you’d risk sending someone to Earth, a planet so full of radiation it will most likely explode on its own, to get a woman you’ve never met before to safety, just because I’ve surprised you a couple of times?”
“When you say it like that, it doesn’t make me sound so great.”
Melody moved her feet off Lazet’s legs and shifted onto her knees. “It makes you sound amazing.” She leaned forward and kissed him.
Lazet gripped the back of Melody’s head and pulled her close. His tongue explored her mouth, enjoying her hot, sweet taste.
Melody straddled Lazet’s lap, and he gripped her hips and drew her tightly to him. He yanked off her coat, and his hands moved inside her shirt, exploring the soft curve of her waist before tracing his hands over her full breasts.
She ran her hands up his chest and attempted to get her fingers underneath the weapons harness strapped across him before letting out a frustrated sigh. “How do you get this thing off?”
Lazet pulled back and grinned at her. “Punch me in the chest.”
“Do what?”
Lazet lifted his clenched fist and pumped it squarely into the center of the harness. “It’s quick release, so I can get it off if I need to escape and the harness becomes tangled.”
“That’s fancy.” Melody slid the harness off Lazet’s shoulders.
He paused and studied Melody’s face. “This isn’t some trick to get your hands on my weapons?”
Melody licked her lips. “I’m not interested in your fighting blades.”
Lazet laughed. “You really are something else, Melody Marlin.”
Lazet (Vortex Alien Warriors Book 2) Page 9