She shook her head. She needed to start thinking differently. She had to believe there were good people out there. Well, good aliens at least.
Lazet pressed a warm hand into the small of her back, and his breath tickled her ear. “Almost there.”
“What’s the first thing we’re going to do when we get out of here?”
“There’s so much I’m going to do to you.” A smile traced through Lazet’s words. “First of all, I want to get to know every curve on your body. I want to taste every inch of you and feel what it’s like to be deep inside you as you scream my name.”
Melody felt her toes curl with desire. “I was actually thinking about getting some clean clothes and something decent to eat. And then, have a look around wherever we’ll be staying.”
Lazet growled and nipped her ear with his teeth.
“But what you’re suggesting doesn’t sound too bad either.”
Lazet pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “I will keep you safe. No matter what happens here, you’re going to have a better life.”
Melody turned to him. “And so are you. We’re all getting out of this, and we’re all going to find something better. No more Fraken games.”
Lazet nodded. “The games are ending.”
Urel hurried to their side. “The comms link is active. Axen will know we’re here.”
Melody felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders. “We’re almost free.”
Urel’s gaze shot to the sky. “But we have a problem. A Fraken vessel is approaching.”
Lazet hissed a curse as he pulled a blade from his weapons harness. “I thought they might send in their own fighters. They did when Axen and Eloise escaped.”
They all looked to the sky, as a triangular, midnight black ship slid into view above the clearing. It was a small vessel, but Melody could see the laser weapons attached to it.
“What are they waiting for?” Fear gripped Melody’s insides as she saw how the ship’s weapons trained around the clearing.
“Their orders,” said Lazet. “Maybe the Fraken aren’t sure of the best way to kill us. They’ll want something to please the audience.”
“And they’ll be waiting to see what happens,” said Urel. “They will be curious about how we’re planning our escape. They might not have figured out how Axen and Eloise managed it.”
“That’s our only way out?” Melody pointed at the comms link.
“It is,” said Urel. “And if we make it, the Fraken will hate losing two of their best warriors and their prey. They will want to keep us here using any means to ensure they win this game.”
“They will fail,” said Lazet.
Melody held her hand out for more blades. “Yes, they will.”
***
Lazet felt a rush of pride as he handed Melody another weapon. “Use it wisely. The Fraken don’t like to get close. Better that you throw it and hit your target than get too near and be knocked out by a Fraken lightning stick.”
“I’ve seen them in action before,” said Melody. “I know how vicious they are.”
Lazet turned to Urel and held out a blade. “Use this if you have to.”
Urel reluctantly took the blade. “I’m not much of a fighter. I do my best work in a laboratory.”
“Think of this as a biology experiment,” said Lazet. “You need to cut open any Fraken you get close to. Make sure you can see his insides. Don’t let him get too close, though.”
Urel nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
Lazet patted his arm. “I know you will. You’ve done so much to help us. Don’t give up now. We’re almost out of here.”
“There are fighters coming out of the ship.” Melody pointed her blade to the sky.
A troop of a dozen Fraken descended from the ship, small, flexible wings open on their molded body armor, enabling them to descend to the ground on the air currents.
“Be ready,” said Lazet. “They will fire when they get a clear shot.” He stood in front of Melody, his blades raised as the first Fraken hit the ground.
She moved to stand by his side, but he pushed her back behind him.
“What are you doing?” snapped Melody.
“Keeping you safe.”
“We’re in this together,” said Melody. “That means we stand together.”
“One blast from a laser and you’re dead,” said Lazet.
“Same goes for you.” Melody moved to stand next to Lazet again.
“Not true. I’d survive a hit; you won’t.”
Melody’s fingers brushed against his arm. “We look after each other. We’re all getting out of this, and we’ll do that better by working together.”
Lazet shot her a sideways glance. If only he could get her to obey him, just this once. Melody was fiercely independent, and that meant her life was now at risk. Why wouldn’t she just stand behind him and keep out of harm’s way? He shook his head. Of course, she wouldn’t; she was her own woman, and he wouldn’t be able to change that now. And he didn’t want to.
Urel stood next to Melody, shuffling his feet and moving the blade he held from one hand to the other. “Ready when they are.”
Lazet glanced towards the comms link. What was delaying Axen? They should be able to get through the game barrier by now. If something had gone wrong at his end, they were trapped. They’d be surrounded by Fraken and killed. Even if they could beat the ground troops, the ship in the sky had its weapons trained on them.
A Fraken stepped forward from the group. It was Vanis. He looked after the main games, and it was rare to see him away from the arena. He was a sucker for the hype and excitement of a live game and enjoyed fans fawning over him as he strutted around in his body armor, wearing a helmet with two large horns jutting out of it.
Lazet moved forward, ignoring Melody’s urgent whisper to stay hidden. “What a delight to have you inside one of the games. Did you get bored of desk duties?”
“One of my troop was injured in a recent encounter, so I decided to investigate this particular game for myself.” Vanis pointed his lightning stick towards Lazet. “You’re a traitor, too?”
Lazet kept his blades raised. “Don’t know what you’re talking about. We were having fun in this game before you decided to interfere.”
“So it would appear.” Vanis’s yellow gaze drifted from Urel to Melody. “And you’ve been making friends.”
“You put Urel in this game by mistake,” said Lazet. “I’m making sure he gets back to where he needs to be.”
“Urel is a traitor, just like you,” said Vanis. “We know he has been working with you.”
“He has,” said Lazet. “But only under your instructions.”
Vanis hissed. “We discovered his simulations. We know he has been working to break through the games.”
Urel opened his mouth, but Lazet raised a fist, signaling for him to keep silent. “Urel knows nothing about what we’re doing. He’s innocent in this.”
“The evidence shows otherwise,” said Vanis. “But we will take great pleasure in sending him through our justice system. Once we’re finished with him, he will confess to anything and everything.”
Urel raised his chin. “I have done nothing I’m ashamed of. I fight for something better, something decent, and freedom from the smear of Fraken association.”
“Brave words for someone who is living on borrowed time and hiding behind a Vorten,” said Vanis. “But I’m more interested in what you’re doing, Lazet. And what you think you’re going to do with this prey you insist on keeping alive.”
Lazet heard Melody hiss under her breath. “Melody is not prey. She is a free woman.”
“She is in a Fraken game,” said Vanis. “I hardly consider that freedom.”
“She will be free.”
“Your orders are to kill her,” said Vanis. “And I will spare your life if you carry out that order with immediate effect.”
“Not going to happen,” said Melody.
“Silence,” shouted V
anis. “Prey does not talk back.”
“This particular prey does.” Melody slammed the blade she held at Vanis’s body armor. It bounced off and fell to the ground.
Vanis stamped his foot on the blade. He aimed his lightning stick at Melody, and Lazet stepped in front of her, shielding her from the impending blast.
“Aim for his eyes next time,” said Lazet as he passed Melody more throwing blades.
“I’ll do that,” said Melody.
“Will you obey my command to kill this troublesome prey?” Vanis glared at Lazet. “You are considered one of our finest warriors, and I would hate to have to end your life over something so trivial.”
“Melody is not trivial.” Despite the cold surrounding them, Lazet’s body radiated heat as he suppressed the fury inside him for a moment longer. He would do everything in his power to protect Melody, even take out the Fraken troop standing in front of them.
“We can give you so much more than a single human female. If that is where your tastes now lie, I have many more human women in cells near your warrior rooms. You could have an endless supply brought to you to taste and enjoy. You will tire of this one soon enough.” Vanis clicked his sharp teeth together. “I have seen for myself how easy they are to break. Although, it is always pleasurable doing so. And don’t you find humans so soft and pliable? So willing to get on their knees and do everything you command of them.”
“Fraken scum,” hissed Melody.
“I don’t want another woman,” said Lazet. He hadn’t spoken to Melody about how he felt because he wasn’t certain of his own feelings until that moment. But seeing Melody’s life in jeopardy made him want more from her. He wanted this crazy, fearless, headstrong woman. Axen had big plans for when Lazet returned from the games, and he would be up to the challenge only if he had a strong partner. Someone to support him in every battle, even stand by him, like Melody was now, and fight for his life.
“Then you must want to die,” said Vanis. “And what a waste to lose your life because you let your emotions get the better of you. Vorten are stronger than that.”
“They are strong,” said Melody. “Strong enough to beat you. Strong enough to bring down the Fraken.”
Vanis grated out a bitter sounding laugh. “You are nothing but an annoyance, and the sooner your blood is spilt on this ground, the better.”
“She lives,” said Lazet.
“I do,” said Melody. “We’re not playing your stupid game anymore.”
“You will play until the end,” said Vanis. “And that end will be the loss of your life and anyone else’s who gets in my way when I kill you.”
Lazet twirled his blades in his hands and crouched into a fighting stance. “I’d like to see you try.”
Vanis gestured to the fighters behind him. “Restrain the Deorg and the Vorten. Bring the woman to me. I want her alive, although you may draw blood if you need to. I wish to see what is so entrancing about her that Lazet has turned against everything he believes in.”
Lazet and Melody both growled in unison as six of the fighters broke away from the main troop; three focused on Melody and the others on Urel. They advanced slowly, their lightning sticks pointed towards them.
“There’s too many,” whispered Urel. “We can’t take them all.”
“You focus on the fighters to your right,” said Lazet. “I’ll cover the rest.”
“No, you won’t,” said Melody. “I’ll take my fair share.”
“You’re not trained to fight Fraken,” said Lazet.
“I have these blades,” said Melody.
“And they have lightning sticks,” said Lazet. “Stay behind me.”
He heard Melody grumble, but she remained blocked by his body, out of harm’s way. Melody would want to fight for her life; he knew that, but if anything happened to her, and she didn’t make it out alive, he’d never forgive himself.
Vanis aimed his lightning stick at Lazet. “You’d be wise to get out of the way if you value your life. You’re not so important that I won’t remove you as well. We have other warriors we can make use of.”
Lazet ground his teeth together, finally releasing the flood of battle fury that honed his skills and ensured he always targeted his enemies when in battle. “You are not having any of us.”
Vanis glowered at him. “As you wish.” He shot a laser blast from his lightning stick, which Lazet deflected with a blade. The power of the blast made him stumble back into Melody.
He immediately felt her hands on his back. “Let me help,” she said.
“If I know you’re safe, I can concentrate on killing these Fraken.”
Melody sighed but stepped out of the path of Vanis’s lightning stick again.
Two more shots from Vanis fired towards Lazet, and he smashed both away with his blades.
“Bring me the female,” shouted Vanis to his soldiers. “Don’t fear the Vorten. He’s a disgrace and needs to be culled.”
The Fraken troop hunched their shoulders and strode closer.
“You’re not having her,” said Lazet.
Vanis smiled at Lazet. “I will take her if I want her.” He fired multiple shots.
Lazet deflected two laser blasts, but the third smashed him in the shoulder, ripping through flesh and searing muscle.
His cry of pain was mingled with Melody’s own scream as he flew backwards and hit the ground.
Chapter 25
Hot, bile-inducing terror flooded through Melody as she fell on her knees next to Lazet and rolled him onto his back. His eyes were closed and a large burn mark covered his right shoulder. Her shaking fingers ran over his chest. Was there a heartbeat? Was he still alive? She wouldn’t be able to face the Fraken alone, not without him.
A hand touched her shoulder and she whirled around, ready to defend herself against anyone who dared take her away from Lazet.
Urel stood behind her, his dark eyes wide. “We must defend ourselves. The Fraken are coming.”
“Help me move Lazet, first.” Melody grabbed one leg, and after a second of hesitation, Urel took hold of the other.
“We don’t have much time,” said Urel.
“I’m not leaving Lazet,” said Melody. “He’s been injured.”
“We will take him with us when we go,” said Urel. “But we won’t be able to go anywhere if the Fraken capture us.”
Melody looked up, her eyes widening as she saw the troops bearing down on them. She gulped down the choking sob that threatened. If they’d killed Lazet, she’d take down every one of them. He had promised her something amazing, a life so completely different from what she was used to that it made her head spin every time she dwelt on it. He’d stood up to her when she’d argued with him, smashed into her stubbornness head-on, and refused to back down. She loved that about him and would continue to love this alien for a very long time. She just needed to get them out of the game first.
“Take this.” Urel handed Melody a smooth metal oval.
Melody blinked rapidly, dislodging thoughts of Lazet’s death from her mind. “What is it?”
“You would call it a bomb,” said Urel.
Melody stared at the smooth, cool sphere. “What do I do with it?”
“Throw it at the Fraken,” said Urel. “Having seen you throw a blade, I can tell your aim is better than mine. It’s just the distraction we need.”
Melody flashed a grin at Urel, ran to the edge of the clearing, aimed directly at Vanis, and put everything she had into throwing the bomb straight at him. It hit him squarely in the chest, and a few seconds later, a blinding flash of light shot through the clearing, closely followed by the sounds of panicked Fraken.
Urel grabbed hold of Melody and pulled her to the ground. “Wait a few seconds. That bandwidth of light the bomb emitted temporarily blinds Fraken. They will have no idea where we are, but they can still hear us.”
“It’s not just the Fraken who’ve been blinded.” Melody blinked away dots of light in front of her eyes. “A warning ne
xt time would be helpful.”
“No time for that,” said Urel.
“I’ll check on Lazet; you get some weapons,” said Melody as she shook her head, her vision clearing. “Let’s get rid of this scum, once and for all.”
Urel nodded and dashed from her side. Melody scrambled on her hands and knees back to Lazet. His eyes were still closed, and the rank smell of his charred flesh stung her nose. “Please be alive. Please still be breathing. I’ll do anything if you’re still with me.”
Lazet coughed harshly. “Anything?”
Melody grabbed his arm. “You’re alive!”
“Had to be, with an offer like that.” Lazet tried to sit up but slumped back with a painful sounding groan.
“Stay where you are; we’re dealing with the Fraken.”
“They’ll kill you,” rasped out Lazet. “Let me help.”
“You can barely stand,” said Melody. “Stay where you are.”
“What are you doing with the Fraken?”
“Urel had a trick up his sleeve,” said Melody. “We’re getting out of here. This time, I’m saving you.”
“That’s my girl.” Lazet’s head hit the ground with a thud, and his eyes closed again.
Melody’s heart swelled with affection for her alien warrior. She was his, and he wanted her as well. Had she finally found someone she could be a true partner with? It had only taken incarceration by vicious aliens, and several near-death experiences to find him, but she knew he’d be worth it. This alien was going to change her life.
***
A laser blast close to Lazet’s head jerked him into consciousness. For a second, he had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered, he was protecting Melody from Vanis and his troop, then everything went black. The memories rushed back to him. Melody had been leaning over him, telling him she was going to fight the Fraken. But on her own? She wouldn’t stand a chance against them. A grim sickness clutched his stomach. She could already be dead.
He rolled onto his left side and a searing pain shot through him. The laser blast on his shoulder throbbed with a fierce intensity. But Lazet didn’t care about that. He had to make sure Melody was safe.
Lazet (Vortex Alien Warriors Book 2) Page 17