“It’s calibrated to pick up helian signatures.”
“I’ve done a preliminary scan using the ship’s scanners,” Caze said. “No helians detected.”
Damn. Jamie tapped her fingers on her armrest again.
“They’d keep them well hidden,” Aydin said. “It’s likely we’ll need to get close.”
Soon, they flew in over dense jungle and she arched her neck to see out the window. Jeez, it was some of the most impenetrable-looking vegetation she’d seen.
“I got a blip,” Caze said. “No helians, but signs of Kantos occupation.”
“Find us somewhere to land,” Aydin said. “We’ll get in closer on foot.”
“Where the hell will we land?” Jamie asked. She couldn’t see any breaks in the trees except for the sinkholes.
“Found a small clearing,” Lara said.
As the ship swooped in to hover, Jamie raised her eyebrows. When Lara said small, she meant miniscule. As the ship dropped down to land, she heard branches snapping against the hull.
Then they were dirtside.
Jamie unclipped her harness. “Nice flying.”
She rose, grabbed her small backpack, and then checked her weapons. She strapped her combat sword onto her back. She saw the others checking their gear as well.
Next, she checked her blaster, sliding it back into the holster at her hip.
Caze opened the door, and he, Lara, and Aydin stepped out. As Jamie exited the shuttle, she was hit by a wave of humidity. All around was thick, overgrown jungle in vivid shades of greens, purples, and yellows. Neon-green vines curled through the branches, glowing brightly, and the jungle echoed with the screeching cries of some alien animal.
Caze and Aydin were talking, and her gaze dropped to Aydin’s strong thighs, perfectly encased by his armor. She had a thing for strong, well-formed thighs.
A hot throb pulsed through her, reminding her that her body liked other parts of him as well.
Sex. It was just sex. A biological reaction.
“They sure do make good alien warrior eye candy.”
Jamie jerked her gaze away to look at Lara. The other woman was smiling.
“You mean bossy and arrogant eye candy.”
“That too.”
The other space marine’s smile said that she didn’t have any complaints.
“Let’s get moving,” Caze said.
Caze and Aydin pushed through some heavy vines. Lara followed, and Jamie fell in behind them. It was hard going and, at times, she heard the warriors grunt as they shoved giant leaves and massive vines aside.
“Can we cut through it?” she asked.
“Don’t want to leave an obvious trail,” Caze answered.
They kept making their way through, and finally, it got a little easier. She realized the men had found a faint path. Probably used by Kelaff’s animals.
“You sure there aren’t any dangerous animals here?” she asked.
“There are some venomous reptiles,” Aydin replied.
Jamie wrinkled her nose. She’d never admit it, but she hated lizards. Snakes she was fine with, but little, scampering lizards freaked her out.
Aydin lifted his scanner, his face relaxed. He actually looked happy.
“You look way too happy for a man slogging his way through an alien jungle.”
“It’s nice to be off the ship.” He studied his scanner screen. “Fresh air.”
Sweat was trickling down Jamie’s back. It wasn’t that fresh. What she wanted was a good fight. That would make her happy.
She saw a flash of movement to her left. A tiny, furry creature—with huge, neon-green eyes, chocolate-brown fur, and a long tail—scampered up a vine. The little thing was damn cute, and about the size of a small cat.
It peered around a branch, staring at her.
Jamie waved and the creature chittered at her, then it disappeared into the trees.
Well, she hoped that all the animals they crossed paths with were as cute and friendly.
* * *
Caze looked at Aydin, and Aydin shook his head.
There were no signs of the helians. Aydin blew out a breath, fighting the urge to shake his scanner. Not even a faint, residual signature on the device.
His gut hardened. He didn’t want this mission to be a failure.
Beside him, Jamie paused, her forehead damp with sweat. The Terran women hadn’t uttered a complaint about the sweltering conditions, or the hard trek through the jungle.
Chittering noises caught his ear, and he saw a little creature rustling the bushes beside him. Two large, green eyes peered out from under a giant leaf.
“I swear that big-eyed fluffball is following us,” Jamie complained.
Aydin lifted his scanner and it beeped. “It isn’t showing up as dangerous.”
They pushed on, and soon, the dirt under their boots turned rockier. They started heading up a slight incline.
“Cren, watch out,” Caze called out.
Aydin grabbed Jamie’s arm and pulled her to a halt.
Carefully, they eased past some large leaves. Ahead, a large reptile slithered across the path they were following. It had ink-black scales and rose up, its triangular head turning their way. It bared huge, curved fangs.
“Back up,” Caze said. “Let it pass.”
They all moved back slowly. Aydin’s scanner beeped.
“This one is definitely venomous.” The snake was as thick as his thigh. A bite would kill quickly.
He heard Jamie take a few more steps back, then she cursed.
He spun and watched her skid on some rocks before she caught her balance. But then she tumbled the other way and fell into the vegetation.
“Ow.”
She lifted a hand and he saw she’d fallen on some spiky leaves. One of the spikes had cut through her glove.
He hurried over to her and lifted her into his arms.
She stiffened. “Put me down.”
“Quiet.”
“I’m not a fucking damsel in distress, Kann-Ath.”
From nearby, Aydin heard Lara stifle a snort or a laugh—or maybe both.
“The reptile is gone,” Caze said dryly. “In case you two were concerned.”
“Let me see your hand,” Aydin said.
“It’s a scratch,” Jamie bit out.
He ignored her and set her down on a rotted log. All he cared about was assessing her wound. He pulled her glove off.
“Ouch,” she muttered.
He studied the wound on the fleshy part of her palm. “It’s not very deep.”
“I told you it was nothing.” She tried to yank her hand out of his.
He held on. “It still needs treatment.”
“It’s a scratch.”
He scowled at her. “This is an unknown alien planet. We can’t risk an infection.”
She huffed. “Fine.”
When Aydin looked up, he saw Caze grinning and Lara biting her lip. Ignoring them, he opened his medical kit. He pulled out some gel and carefully spread it on the cut. He pressed a small bandage over it.
Jamie grabbed a new glove out of her pack and pulled it on. “Thanks,” she snapped.
Then she rose and shoved past him.
Aydin looked at the sky, barely visible through the heavy tree canopy, and blew out a breath. He wanted her. Badly. And it didn’t matter how snippy and bad tempered she was, it only seemed to get worse.
He packed up his kit and swung it onto his shoulder. He clearly needed his head examined.
Ahead, Caze was trying to keep a straight face. This time, the women took the lead, and they moved on.
“You okay?” Caze asked.
“Fine,” Aydin replied.
“Terran women are…”
“A test of a warrior’s patience?”
“Yes.” There was a faint smile on Caze’s face. The man smiled a lot more since Lara had come into his life. “But they’re worth every aggravation.”
Aydin grunted. Lara and Jamie were
out of sight by now. He lifted his scanner and it beeped.
He froze and Caze did, too.
“Helian signature. Faint. Extremely faint.”
“Hey, warriors, get a move on.” Jamie’s head popped out from behind some vines. “You’ll want to see this.”
Aydin and Caze shoved forward, and Lara stood there, her hands on her hips. Jamie crouched at the edge of an enormous sinkhole.
“By Ston’s sword,” Aydin murmured.
The sinkhole was circular, and filled with murky blue-green water. The rocky rim extended all the way around, and the water was a body-length down.
“How deep is it?” Jamie asked.
Aydin checked his scanner. “Very deep. And my scanner is detecting helians.”
“Really?” Jamie shot to her feet. “Where?”
Aydin pointed down. “Beneath the water.”
Chapter Eight
Jamie pulled out her breathing apparatus. “Everyone up for a swim?”
The others nodded, and she watched their helian armor form helmets over their heads. So damn cool.
Jamie shoved her small apparatus into her mouth, and her own helmet clicked back into place. It was nowhere near as sleek as the helian helmets, but it would do the job.
They quickly stashed their gear under some bushes.
“Ready?” Caze asked.
They all nodded. Then Caze leaped off the cliff, arrowing down toward the water. Aydin leaped off after him.
They were mighty fine to watch. She saw them slice feet first into the water. Then Lara dived off and Jamie followed.
She knifed into the water and it closed over her head, sending her into a world of silence. The water was a little murky. Treading water, she turned and saw the others hanging not far away.
The rock walls of the sinkhole were pockmarked, with clumps of water vegetation growing in places.
Aydin pulled out his scanner and pointed downward.
They all kicked and started to swim down. The quiet rasp of her breathing apparatus was the only sound in Jamie’s ears.
She caught movement and turned her head. A school of tiny, aquatic animals with bullet-shaped bodies and webbed feet moved through the water. They moved as a group, darting one way, then the next.
Aydin and Caze stayed close to the rock wall as they dropped. Jamie kicked rhythmically, keeping an eye out for any sign of the Kantos. She studied the rocky walls, and saw that some of the holes were deep. She peered into one.
A set of neon-green eyes looked back at her.
She jerked backward.
Suddenly, a creature exploded out of the hole.
All Jamie could comprehend was a long, sinuous body, and a mouthful of teeth.
She was yanked back by strong arms, and her back collided with Aydin’s front. She saw the eel-like creature had lines of neon color running along its brown body. Another creature exploded from one of the other holes, teeth snapping.
Together, she and Aydin spun away from the wall. Another eel, then another, propelled out of their holes, sending bubbles churning through the water.
Another one, a little larger than the others, arrowed toward Jamie and Aydin. Aydin threw his arm up and the alien creature’s jaws latched onto Aydin’s forearm.
Shit. Jamie reached over her shoulder and pulled her sword. She tugged it hard through the water and then spun her body. She slashed the blade down and cut off the eel’s head.
Blue-green blood spread through the water like ink.
The other eel creatures slithered toward their fallen comrade. They fell on it in a feeding frenzy.
Aydin jerked her away. She turned and saw the bite mark on his armor. She touched his arm, and he gave her a small nod, letting her know that he was okay.
Even as she watched, she saw the black scales of his armor repairing the small hole.
Jamie realized her heart was thundering. Seeing that he was okay calmed her racing pulse.
Once again, he pulled out his scanner and pointed downward.
Mission. Right. Together, and keeping away from the rock wall this time, they swam downward.
Caze and Lara came into view. The two of them were kicking steadily. With her blood still hot, Jamie scanned the water, keeping an eye out for any other alien lifeforms that might want to take a bite out of them.
Aydin’s attention stayed glued to the scanner, but when he did raise his head, his gaze met hers.
She read it in his face. They were getting closer.
Jamie wondered if there was a Kantos ship resting at the bottom of the sinkhole. She searched the gloom for a sign of something that should be there, but all she saw was murky water.
Suddenly, something appeared out of the gloom. It looked like a cloud of long, sinuous grass. The bright-green ribbons grew upward in long lines, dancing gracefully in the water.
She pushed through it and hoped there were no animals hiding in it. She watched the grass ripple, the color gleaming. It was pretty.
Then, something wrapped around her ankle.
She jerked her leg away, but more of the grass started to wrap around her legs.
Fuck. Either the plant was sentient, or it was actually some kind of creature.
All of a sudden, she found herself tangled up in more and more of the stuff. It started to wind around her body. Then it started to squeeze.
Jamie grappled with it, trying to reach for the knife on her belt. Another long strand of green curled around her wrist.
There was a burst of bubbles, and Aydin and Lara appeared. They started pulling at the grass.
Aydin formed a knife on his arm and started slashing at the grass twisted around her legs. She tried to stay still and calm. She didn’t want him to cut her.
Her heart was racing, the beat of it echoing in her ears. She felt more of the damn grass curling around her chest. Then it moved up her neck and covered her face. It squeezed hard, and panic sliced through her veins.
If it cracked her helmet…
One of her arms jerked, and then it was free. She felt the strands around her head tighten more. Screw this. She retracted her helmet, water hitting her face.
The grass slithered over her skin, feeling gross. Then one dislodged her breathing apparatus.
Crap. Bubbles streamed out of her mouth. She held her breath.
She blinked one eye open and saw Aydin’s blurry face. He was yanking at the plant like a man possessed.
She saw a flash of a sword, and Caze floated in the water below, cutting the plant off her legs. Lara was still at her side, fighting with the vegetation.
Jamie knew she couldn’t hold her breath much longer. And she hated holding still like this, depending on others to save her.
Her lungs started to burn.
Suddenly, Aydin’s face was an inch from hers. She watched as his helmet retracted.
What the hell was he doing?
Then he leaned forward and his mouth covered hers. He breathed into her mouth.
Jamie sucked in the air he’d shared.
Then he was gone, his helmet slipping back into place. She felt more tugs, and saw Aydin slashing with his wicked-looking knife.
Then she was free.
A second later, Aydin quickly pressed her breathing apparatus back into her mouth.
Jamie drew in a huge breath. Aydin held her in the circle of his arms, and nearby Caze and Lara were cutting a swathe through the plants.
Jamie merely hung limply in Aydin’s arms, catching her breath. She let him hold her, because she secretly liked his strength. A part of her knew he’d hold her up and not use the weakness against her.
As Caze cut more of the plants away, a glimmer of light appeared below them.
Jamie tapped Aydin and pointed down.
He frowned and she saw his lips move. She realized that he must have been talking to Caze.
Aydin tilted Jamie’s head back, staring carefully at her face. She looked back steadily. Then he nodded, clearly convinced that she was okay. Lara app
eared, patting Jamie’s shoulder.
Then together, they all arrowed downward toward the light.
Jamie peered ahead. There was no sign of a ship, or any sort of structures.
They all stopped, hanging in the water. She looked toward the light and sucked in a breath.
Glass windows were set into the rocky walls of the sinkhole.
She grabbed Aydin’s arm and pointed. They swam closer to one of the windows, and looked inside.
Shit. The Kantos lab was built into the rock.
* * *
Caze and Aydin found a door set into the rock. Together, they gripped the edges and pried it open.
Cren. The Kantos were getting stealthier and stealthier every day. Who would have guessed they’d hide their lab like this?
Aydin’s blood was still pumping hard through his body. Seeing Jamie in danger… He didn’t like it. Not one bit.
Finally, they got the door open, and gestured to the women to swim in. They moved into the small antechamber and, as soon as Aydin let the doors close behind them, the water started to drain.
Aydin pulled out his scanner and tested the air. He nodded at the others, and they retracted their helmets.
Instantly, he grabbed Jamie’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, pushing her wet hair back. “Thanks to you guys. What about that bite?” Her gaze dropped to his arm.
“Already healed.”
“Let’s take a look around,” Caze said.
Cautiously, they moved through the internal door and into a darkened corridor.
The walls inside the facility were a scaly brown, and gold lights glowed in places. Everything was silent, and there was no sign of any Kantos.
They approached a doorway farther down the hall, and looked into the first room. Aydin sucked in a breath.
The room was filled with several benches, and laid out on them were clearly test subjects of a bunch of different species. Aydin gritted his teeth. Some were linked to squat, brown boxes via tubes, others were cut open.
“Fuck,” Jamie breathed.
But she didn’t back away from the room, she kept looking, her face a grim mask. That was Jamie. She faced things, especially bad things, head on.
Aydin scanned the beings in this room and wondered how much they’d suffered. The cren-cursed Kantos. This went against everything he stood for as a healer.
Mark of Eon: Eon Warriors #5 Page 6