“So you aren’t going to kill me?” asked Jessie. “You want us to work together?”
Thunde exhaled, glad Jessie understood what they needed to do. “I do.”
“Where do we need to go? What do we do? Are there weapons for us?” Jessie fired questions at him.
Thunde grimaced. “I can’t help you with those queries.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“At the moment, my orders are to keep you safe until things are in place so we both get out safely.”
“Get out!”
Thunde nodded. “That is the mission.”
“Who told you to do this?”
“A warrior I know well.”
Jessie swirled the water around in the bottle she held. “You must believe in this individual who has told you to go against the Fraken game.”
“I do.”
“Tell me about this person.”
Thunde exhaled through his nose. Why was this woman so inquisitive? Orders are orders. “You do not need to know about him, other than the fact he is to be relied upon. He will not let us down.”
“How can I trust someone I don’t even know?”
“What options do you have?”
Jessie looked down at the container in her hand. “That’s a good point. I expected to walk through these trees and find a pack of rabid Fraken beasts ready to eat me.”
“If they were in here, it wouldn’t be anything to do with me,” said Thunde. “And I would have dispatched them if they were.”
“You’d protect me from Fraken beasts?”
“It’s what I’ve been instructed to do,” said Thunde. “Keep you alive and safe.”
“Are you sure I’m worth the trouble?” asked Jessie. “The Fraken will be angry you’re not playing their game.”
“They don’t know what I’m doing,” said Thunde. “But that’s why I instructed you to run from me. They need to believe I’m hunting you and have every intention of killing you.”
“I believe that’s what you’ll do,” said Jessie. “When you drew your blade, I thought you were going to take my head off.”
“It would be easy to do so,” said Thunde. “You are very... tiny.”
Jessie stood up straighter. “I’m not a Vorten woman, but I can hold my own.”
“My warrior brother said as much about human women,” said Thunde. “I did not believe him, but I am changing my mind. You don’t appear scared of me. Why is that?”
“I’m terrified of you.” Jessie flashed him a small smile.
Thunde suppressed his own smile. “You’re a slow runner. I could have caught you by simply increasing my walking speed. You need to put on a better performance if we’re to convince the Fraken this game is genuine.”
“And all I have to do to deceive the Fraken is remain terrified of you and keep running away?”
“That’s it,” said Thunde. “And we can’t stay in these trees for long. Fraken drones will be on us soon, and if they don’t spot us, they’ll send in some beasts. You don’t want to have to deal with those.”
“You could always give me one of your weapons.” Jessie’s gaze rested on the full weapons harness around Thunde’s broad chest. “One of the small blades should do.”
“It would be a waste of resources,” said Thunde. “I imagine you have never handled a blade before.”
“Antique ones,” said Jessie. “They were considered valuable on Earth. Some were set with precious jewels.”
“Hardly fighting weapons,” said Thunde, “and most likely blunt.”
“They were more for show than anything else,” said Jessie. “But I fought off two intruders who broke into the archive looking for some of the treasures we kept hidden.”
“How did you fight them?”
“I pushed a heavy box onto one of their heads, and the other one I kicked between the legs. And then I ran. You would have been impressed by how fast I managed to run on that occasion.”
This time, Thunde let his smile through. “And you did that to protect some old blades?”
“We have more than blades. We have books, as well,” said Jessie. “And we have alien history stored, too. It’s important to protect information resources.”
“You keep records of other races?”
“Of course,” said Jessie. “When we discovered we were not alone in this galaxy, we needed to learn who else was out there and what their intentions were towards us.”
“I imagine, when you discovered the true nature of the Fraken, you wished you had not contacted them.”
“Earth’s leaders would have accepted help from anybody,” said Jessie. “After we sent the final distress message and had that unpleasant visit from space pirates, the Fraken seemed charming in comparison.”
“But you have had genuine assistance from others.” Thunde rolled his shoulders as he forced himself to relax. He could see that talking to Jessie was calming her, and her hands shook less.
“We have,” said Jessie. “Several other races decided we deserved a seat on the Intergalactic Council. Some races have been genuinely helpful.”
Thunde found the sound of Jessie’s quiet voice soothing. She kept her gaze on him the whole time she was talking, most likely to make sure he wasn’t going to draw a weapon. But her steady, patient tone and her big brown eyes made him relax, as well. He could listen to her talk for hours. And he’d seen a spark of excitement in those beautiful dark eyes when she talked about her archive, and he found himself wanting to know more.
“You met other women when you were a captive of the Fraken?” asked Thunde.
“That’s right,” said Jessie. “We were on the same starship, the Capella. The Fraken boarded it and took everything they wanted. I’ve been in the same cell for over two weeks. To start with, there were ten of us. Sonia was killed when she tried to escape, and Eloise, Melody, and several others have already been in the games. They’re dead, as well. That leaves Grace; she’s the last of us. She’ll be the next one in the games.”
“Don’t be so sure your friends are dead,” said Thunde. He wasn’t certain how much to tell Jessie. He knew Eloise was safe and with Axen, and Lazet had also vanished from his game, taking his prey with him, although he’d yet to meet her.
“Eloise was clever,” said Jessie. “I like to think she found a way out. But Melody had a temper. She was always picking fights with the Fraken, getting herself slammed by one of their sticks.”
“You mean the lightning sticks?”
“Is that what you call them?” asked Jessie. “They have a laser on one end and a cudgel on the other.”
Thunde raised a hand to his damaged head. “I experienced the lightning sticks just before entering this game.”
“I thought you looked like you’d been in a battle,” said Jessie. “I assumed you’d come directly from a previous Fraken game. I imagine your muscles must be in big demand.” Her gaze lowered and a gentle blush spread across her cheeks.
Thunde let himself smile at that comment. “You are correct. I am popular in the games. But that is because I do a good job, not because of the way I look.”
“Don’t be so sure of that,” said Jessie. “Humans are obsessed with looks. People often enhance what they’ve got.”
“So, you think the audience don’t watch me because I’m a skilled warrior; they watch to see how much of me is natural?” Thunde’s lips twitched. “Is that an insult or a compliment?”
“Oh! Neither, you don’t need any help with implants.” Jessie waved a hand at Thunde’s chest. “Or, I mean, you look strong. Fit. Erm, well, you look like a Vorten should, just bigger close up.”
“And you’re not attracted to those kinds of improvements?” asked Thunde, enjoying seeing Jessie squirm, it made him feel less awkward around her. “You don’t find it of value?”
“I’m worried something will go wrong,” said Jessie. “How do I know something I have inserted into my lips isn’t going to explode?”
“Vortens are proud of
our genetic modifications,” said Thunde. “They made me what I am today.”
“But that happened over many generations on Vorten, didn’t it?” asked Jessie. “From my own research, I understand selective breeding was used, coupled with genetic tweaks, to fine-tune your warrior-like natures. You don’t have things inserted or removed to improve yourselves.”
“You are well-read when it comes to my race,” said Thunde. “And you are correct. Our Elders decided we were to be a warrior race and modified us over time. But I do not have anything strange inserted into my lips, and neither should you.” Jessie’s mouth was gently curved, making her look like she was always smiling.
Jessie’s gaze went to Thunde’s mouth. “You have a nice mouth. You don’t need any assistance with that.”
Thunde blinked rapidly. Was his prey complimenting him? He still couldn’t get over how calm she appeared. Here they were, discussing genetic modifications, when she should be quivering in the dirt and begging him not to kill her.
“So, what do we do next?” asked Jessie. “If you’re supposed to protect me, how can we make sure that happens?”
Thunde fiddled with the hilt of his blade as he considered the options. “I have a code to signal we are ready to leave. Until then, we act as if nothing has changed. I need to look like I am hunting you, and you need to run from me.”
“But what if you catch me?” asked Jessie. “You won’t have any reason not to kill me. And if you don’t, the Fraken and their audience will know something is wrong.”
“Then you have to get better at running,” said Thunde.
“Couldn’t you pretend you’ve injured yourself?” asked Jessie. “That will be a good reason for you to slow down.”
Thunde snorted out a laugh. “And how would I do that? I can hardly say you hurt me. I have a reputation to maintain.”
Jessie lowered her head. “I might be small, but that doesn’t mean I’m ineffective. There are still ways of bringing down a giant like you. We have a saying on Earth: size isn’t everything.”
“We do not have that saying on Vorten,” said Thunde. “Size is essential. If an infant is born too small, a Vorten woman abandons it. We don’t invest resources into individuals who do not prove themselves worthy.”
“You abandon babies?” Jessie’s head shot up.
“No, we simply do not invest in areas that aren’t going to prove productive for the rest of the population.”
Jessie scowled. “That’s cruel.”
Thunde returned her scowl and his fists clenched. “It is common sense. As it is common sense that you would not be able to beat me in a fight. Therefore, I shall not be acting as if I’ve been injured by you.”
Jessie looked at the container in her hand. “If we’re going to work together to get out of here, the least we should do is toast to our partnership.”
“Toast?” Thunde gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean by that?”
“You must have something on Vorten that seals an agreement,” said Jessie. “A handshake or signing a piece of paper, something like that.”
“We have blood bonds,” said Thunde.
“Maybe a blood bond isn’t appropriate in this instance,” said Jessie. “But on Earth, we toast, which means we share a drink. We can share my water. It will demonstrate we are working together. What do you think?”
Thunde shrugged. It was a strange arrangement, but he couldn’t see any harm in it. “I agree to your toast.”
Jessie raised the container to her lips and took a small sip before passing it to Thunde. “Now you take a drink.”
Thunde sniffed the water. “What’s in it?”
“A few drops of berry juice to take the earthy smell and taste out of the water. As you can see, it’s fine. I just drank some.”
Thunde nodded and downed the rest of the water. It tasted vaguely sweet. “So, we have a partnership now because of this toast?”
Jessie took the empty water container and stashed it in her bag. “We do. And I’m going to run as far away from you as I can.”
“Make sure you act scared,” said Thunde.
“That’s not going to be difficult. You’re terrifying to look at.”
Thunde didn’t like those words coming from Jessie’s lips. He never wanted to terrify anyone, unless he was facing them on a battlefield. “Am I really so bad to look at?”
“It’s all those weapons you carry,” said Jessie. “And you don’t need them, not for me. You could pull me apart with your hands.”
“That is something the Fraken would like to see.” Thunde shook his head, as a wave of dizziness ran over him. The blow to his head during the Fraken assault must have injured him more than he realized. He’d have to apply a fresh Medi-patch dressing to speed up his recovery. It did not do to appear weak in a game.
“Shall I go now?” Jessie took a couple of steps back.
“Wait a moment.” Thunde staggered to one side and hit a tree.
“Everything okay?”
“I’m not sure.” Thunde dropped to his knees, unable to keep his head up. His vision blurred and his limbs felt like lead.
“Maybe you should lie down,” said Jessie. “And don’t worry, the effects won’t last forever.”
“The effects of what?” Thunde sank to the ground, his eyes feeling heavy as he fought against the strange sensations coursing through his body.
“I wasn’t sure about you,” said Jessie. “I don’t know you, you see. And for all the talk about escape and me trusting you, I can’t do that. You’re in this game to kill me, and you could just be trying to trick me before dragging me out somewhere public and killing me to give the audience a good show.”
“Not the plan,” slurred Thunde. “Meant to keep you safe.”
“I’m pretty good at doing that for myself,” said Jessie. “I don’t need you looking out for me, especially not if you’re the one who’s actually going to kill me. That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Must keep you safe.” Thunde forced his gaze up and saw two images of Jessie swimming in his vision. What had she done to him?
“I’ll do my best to keep myself safe,” said Jessie. “And I think I’ll do a better job on my own.” She dashed towards Thunde as he rolled onto his back and cushioned the back of his head as he hit the ground.
His tongue felt heavy in his mouth, and the fight against his eyelids closing was failing. He felt Jessie’s fingers on his weapons harness and tried to push her back. She was going to stab him.
Jessie grabbed his hand and placed it by his side. “I need to give myself as much advantage as possible. I’ll take what I need from your harness and get rid of the rest. You’ve got enough muscles not to need weapons.”
“Not safe from the Fraken.”
“Or you,” said Jessie.
Thunde struggled to get words out. He felt the tickle of Jessie’s breath against his ear and stilled his movements.
“The berry juice you drank had a sedative effect, which will wear off in a couple of hours, and you’ll be fine. I haven’t poisoned you. And sorry about this; don’t be too mad when you come after me.”
Thunde tried to roll over and catch hold of Jessie, but none of his limbs moved correctly. He wanted to yell at Jessie, tell her she was being stupid and she wouldn’t stand a chance in the game on her own. But even as his senses left him, he couldn’t help but feel a grudging admiration for her. She’d just felled him, and he was unable to protect himself, let alone her. This tiny, human female had bested him, and he hadn’t even realized what was happening.
As Thunde slid into unconsciousness, a rare smile crossed his face.
Chapter 6
Jessie paced backwards and forwards as she watched Thunde. His eyes were closed and his breathing was deep and rhythmical. She still couldn’t believe her plan had worked. She waited a few moments and then checked his pulse and heartbeat. It was regular and smooth, and she didn’t think the berries would cause him any lasting damage.
Th
e Fraken were sneaky, putting those berries in the game. Many prey would have simply eaten them, but as soon as she’d let one touch her tongue, she knew their juice had a strong sedative effect.
Jessie stopped pacing and dropped to her knees before running her hands over Thunde’s weapons harness. She jumped back as Thunde twitched, her heart pounding, but he soon stilled. Jessie moved closer and tugged on the clasp of the harness, figuring out how to remove it from his broad chest. She pulled off the harness and shrugged it onto her own shoulders. It was a terrible fit and heavy; this wasn’t going to work. Jessie removed some of the blades to make it lighter. She also took three blades from the belt around Thunde’s waist.
Jessie gathered the larger blades, their combined weight making them almost impossible to lift, and hurried to the edge of a slope she’d spotted and tossed them into the shrubbery. Thunde might find them, but with a bit of luck, it would give her an advantage, and she’d take everything she could get.
Trying out a few of the weapons from the harness, Jessie shook her head, they were heavy and unusable in her small hands. She swung a long thin blade in the air but didn’t like the clumsy feel of it.
Jessie tried a smaller throwing blade, passing it from hand to hand. It was well-made and sturdy, and would also be easy to carry without getting in the way. This was her weapon of choice. She looked at the long thin blade and discarded it. She should throw it away as well but didn’t like the thought of leaving Thunde without a weapon. He had his muscles, and she was sure he’d be able to do plenty of damage with his fists, but if he was attacked by several Fraken, they might be too much for him.
Jessie chewed on her bottom lip as she continued to look down at Thunde. What if he was telling her the truth? Did he really have a plan to get them out of the game? And what did he mean by having a code to get them out? Jessie couldn’t believe it. As much as she wanted to, she knew there was no way out. No one had ever succeeded in escaping, at least, not that she knew about.
Jessie picked up the long blade and made to throw it, but then paused. She turned and knelt next to Thunde. “If I give this to you, you must make sure you don’t use it on me.”
Thunde (Vortex Alien Warriors Book 3) Page 5