Alien Mine (Zerconian Warriors Book 7)

by Sadie Carter

“You want to help us?” Thor finally asked. From what he could tell, after a brief glance because he didn’t want to offend any of the Lazaruns by looking at their naked bodies, there were three women and six males.

  Danur nodded. “Mortef kill many of us. We only thirty. We want gone.”

  “I do not intend to offend, but how can you help?” Darac asked.

  Danur grinned. “We good diggers. Dig tunnel. Get to Mortef.”

  “So you’re saying you’ll dig us a tunnel that will lead us to into his compound?” Thor asked

  “What about the wards?” Willa asked.

  “No go into ground,” Danur told her. “Mortef build. Dirt floor.”

  Relief filled Thor. “And you can dig right through the floor and get us inside the building where Mortef is. That might actually work.” Thor turned to Darac who nodded.

  “You are certain the wards don’t go into the ground?” Willa asked.

  Danur nodded. “We test. All good.”

  “Then let us make a plan,” Darac said.

  “Something else.” Danur looked around at his people and chirped something in his language. One of the others replied, arms waving.

  “What is it?” Thor tried not to sound too impatient.

  “There someone else here. Intruder.”

  ***

  Thor watched the group of males in the clearing below through the high-powered binoculars. There were around fifty males in the clearing. Perhaps more scouting the woods beyond. Who the hell were they? Danur said he had never seen them before. Were they men Mortef had recruited? But if so what were they doing here?

  And why did they look as though they were preparing for battle?

  One turned, almost looking straight at him and Thor caught his breath.

  “Do you see what I do?” Darac asked through the communicator in his ear.

  “He looks just like Mortef.”

  “Brother?”

  Had to be. There was no other explanation. If not for the lighter hair and slightly larger build, Thor would swear he was looking at Mortef.

  “They are well-armed, and preparing for battle,” Thor said.

  “But it is who they are battling against that we need to know. So let us ask them. Rye, take the south. Thor, the north. I’ll come in from the East and Koran, you have the West. Move on my single. Fast and silent. They out-number us but we have the advantage.”

  Thor moved silently, the men with him fanning out on his signal. The idea was not to let them know they were coming. They didn’t want to engage in fire, nothing that would signal Mortef that they were here. Thor stilled, spotting a guard. He waited until the man passed, then jumped on him, wrestling him to the ground. The male let out a small cry but Thor quickly punched him, knocking him out. He stood then threw him over his shoulder.

  He signalled the others then moved forward.

  “We have your men,” Darac yelled. “We do not want to harm them. We just wish to speak.”

  Thor moved into the clearing. He saw Darac across from him, a male held up against his front, Darac held his blaster against the smaller male’s head.

  “Who are you?” Mortef’s lookalike stood, looking furious as he glared around him. By now, the Zerconians surrounded them. “What do you want?”

  “Our questions first,” Darac replied. “Who are you?”

  “Malif Mortef.”

  So they were related. “Why are you here?”

  The other male was silent. Stalemate. Thor glared at him. Maybe they should just kill them all.

  “Oh for goodness sake, males are so hopeless at communicating.” Willa stepped into the clearing.

  “Willa!” Darac scolded. “You were supposed to stay at the camp.”

  Willa shrugged. “Norman needed a walk.” She patted Norman’s head. He just panted, and sat pressed up against Willa’s leg. “Not my fault he led me here.”

  She turned to Mortef’s lookalike. “So we’re here to kill Husan Mortef. What are you doing here?”

  “I am here for the same reason. Perhaps you best all come sit down.”

  “You look like him and you share the same name. Are you brothers?” Willa asked as she moved towards Darac.

  The Zerconians were still on their guard, but they moved closer.

  “Yes.”

  “Why do you want to kill him?” Thor asked.

  “He is evil. I thought I might be able to forget him once he left our home planet. Out of sight, out of mind. But now he knows the truth and he will not rest until he has her.”

  “The truth? Her?” Willa asked.

  Malif stared around at all of them. “I can assure you that if you are here to kill Husan then I am an ally not an enemy. I wish nothing more than his death. I cannot leave until that is achieved.”

  Darac, after a long moment, nodded and set aside the guard he had captured. Thor set his down gently. Darac and Rye moved to flank Willa, Darac giving her a ferocious scowl. “We will talk about your disobedience later, mate.”

  Willa didn’t look the least bit concerned.

  “I am the youngest brother of three. Our oldest brother Eion inherited our father’s kingdom on his death. Husan could not stand that he did not get to rule. After he attempted to kill Eion, he was banished from the kingdom. Unfortunately, Eion did not foresee what a monster he would become. Once my brother discovered what a nightmare Husan had wrecked upon this planet and its native inhabitants, he determined that he must do what he put off in the first place. Kill Husan.”

  “So that’s why you are here?” Thor asked.

  Malif shook his head. “Eion died before he could enact his plan.”

  “So you inherited?” Willa asked.

  “No. I am chief advisor to the current ruler. Elora. Eion’s daughter. Our kingdom goes to the oldest surviving child, be they male or female.”

  “I like this place already.” Willa grinned.

  “You believe that Husan wants to be ruler still?” Thor asked. “That he would kill his own niece?”

  Malif nodded. “He was willing to kill his brother, why not his niece?”

  “He has his own little kingdom now, though,” Willa pointed out. “Maybe that’s enough.”

  Malif shook his head. “My brother is stubborn. He has not given up. I know this. I must protect my niece.”

  “How old is she?” Willa’s face was filled with sympathy.

  “Seventeen. Still a child, but taking on so much.” His face lit up.

  “I understand your motivation. But should you not have bought more reinforcements?” Darac asked.

  Malif nodded. “That is why I have positioned three other groups this size in the woods around his compound. We plan to surround and overwhelm Husan.”

  “Do you know about the wards?” Darac asked.

  “Wards?” Malif appeared confused.

  Willa shook her head. “Dude, you are so lucky we came along and threatened to kill you or you would be toast right now.”

  Malif looked at her. “I am afraid I do not understand. Could you repeat?”

  “Believe me, it will not help. It will only confuse you further.”

  “Hey!” Willa nudged Darac.

  Darac glanced over at Thor then Koran and Rye. He knew what he was asking. Should they trust Malif? Thor believed the other man was speaking the truth, however risking his mate’s safety was not something to be taken lightly.

  “The area surrounding the compound is heavily warded,” Darac explained. “If you try to storm it, the wards will fry you from the inside out.”

  Malif swallowed. “Then how do you intend to get in?”

  “We have help,” Darac said vaguely. “But what we could use is a distraction. Can you provide that?”

  Malif straightened. “Whatever I can do to ensure that Husan is stopped.”

  “Oh, we will stop him.” Thor stood. “Let us do this. Now. I have the need to hold my mate close.”

  Willa stood and rubbed her hands together. “You heard the man, let’s do
this.”

  “Not you, mate.”

  She turned to Darac. “But—”

  “No, this time you stay behind. Even if I have to tie you to a tree.”

  “Party pooper.”

  “Party pooper?” Malif asked Thor.

  Thor shrugged. “Do not ask me. Even after a year I still do not understand these humans.”

  ***

  “Come on. Come on. Come on.” She paced back and forth. It was time for the Zerconians to attack the wards. Had she miscalculated? It was difficult to tell night from day here. Had she got things wrong?

  “Sit down. You’re making my neck hurt,” Elika told her.

  “Then stop looking at me,” she snapped back, immediately she felt awful as the other woman closed in on herself.

  “Sorry, I’m being a cow.” She sat on the dirt ground beside Elika. The room was basically a large square.

  “What if they don’t come?” Elika asked.

  Doubt filled her. What if they didn’t come for her? What if she’d made the same mistake and trusted the wrong people? Thor’s face filled her mind. So intense. So full of determination and desire.

  “They’ll come.”

  “I don’t have anywhere to go.”

  “What?” she asked, turning to the other woman.

  “If we get out. There’s nowhere for me to go. My family is all gone. Any friends I had won’t remember me, if I can track them down. What will I do?”

  “There’s no one?”

  Elika shook her head. “I’ve been here twelve years. They will have forgotten me. Moved on with their lives.”

  Twelve years? Oh my God. Reaching over, she grabbed Elika’s hand and squeezed it. “You can come home with me.”

  “Yeah?”

  She nodded. “I promise. You have a home with me.” It was a promise she intended to keep, and she was certain Thor would agree with her.

  “Don’t you have a mate now?”

  “Yep, but he’ll agree with me.”

  “Sounds like a great guy.” Elika leaned her head back against the wall behind them. “You found one of the good one’s huh?”

  “I did. I pushed him away in the beginning.” Now she wished she hadn’t. She wished she had taken every moment with Thor and treasured it.

  She closed her eyes tiredly. How long had it been since she’d properly slept? “I’d give anything to see him right now.”

  Elika suddenly gasped and sat up. Her hair flowed eerily around her as her eyes went pale white.

  Freaky.

  “What is it?”

  Around them some people stilled, watching them while others slept on.

  “Someone is attacking the wards. With fire.”

  Thor.

  “You need to take them down.”

  “I can’t,” she whispered fearfully. “He’ll know.”

  The ground beneath them rumbled then a hole appeared. A small, furry head poked up through the hole. Someone screamed, jumping back. Another person ran to the door, pounding on it and screaming for the guard. A spy for Husan? Last thing she would do is scream for the guard.

  “Is that a mole?” she asked.

  What the hell was going on? The furry head disappeared and suddenly a man climbed out of the hole. Her knees weakened, threatening to dump her unceremoniously on the ground.

  Move, Lucy! Move!

  But she didn’t have to. Because he was there, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her up into his arms.

  “Thank god,” she said just before he kissed her. Relief, desire and fear were a heady mix, making her head spin.

  “I take it you two know each other,” Elika said weakly as Thor pulled back.

  “This is Thor. Thor, Elika. She’s coming to live with us.”

  Thor simply nodded at Elika as Lucy stared around her. The room was now full of Zerconian warriors who looked ready to kick ass.

  “What took you guys so long?” she joked as Thor set her on her feet.

  Rye came forward and clasped his hands on her shoulders, ignoring Thor’s warning growl. “We had to wait while Darac tied Willa to a tree.”

  She laughed then caught sight of Darac’s face. “Oh god, he didn’t.”

  Rye nodded.

  “I hope he knows how sleep with one eye open because she is going to be pissed.”

  Rye grinned.

  “Come,” Thor said, pulling her to the hole. “We have a distraction but it won’t last long. Our plan changed thanks to our friend here.” Thor pointed at the mole-like creature.

  “Someone called for a guard,” she told him as they started guiding people into the hole.

  “We will fight if necessary. But our numbers here are small and the priority is getting you out of here.”

  Then Lucy’s attention was turned as the door rattled. People yelled in fright as guards rushed the room.

  “Take down the wards,” Rye yelled before moving forward on the attack. Thor shoved her and Elika behind them as the other Zerconians entered the fight. They continued to push people down the hole, although many appeared too frightened to move.

  “Do it, Elika.”

  “I’ll be helpless afterwards. Unconscious.”

  “I won’t leave you. I promise.” She glanced over at Beau who hadn’t moved. Hadn’t shown any reaction. She’d get them all out. “Now.”

  Elika nodded. Her eyes went white again as she chanted. Lucy kept one eye on the battle, the other on Elika. Finally, Elika turned to her, her eyes blue once again. “It’s done,” she whispered before slumping over in a heap.

  “It’s done,” she yelled at Thor. “The wards are down.”

  The battle seemed to stop as abruptly as it started, the guards lay dead or unconscious on the floor. “More will be here soon. We must leave.” Thor grasped her arm.

  “Elika!” she cried out.

  Rye picked her up in his arms. “I have her.”

  “Look after her. I promised.”

  Rye nodded before jumping into the hole.

  “Now you,” Thor told her. “Are you well enough?” He ran his hand over her face. “He hurt you.”

  “I’m fine now. A few bruises and scrapes.” Sore ribs which were throbbing painfully since he’d hugged her, although she wouldn’t tell him that.

  “Beau. I have to get Beau.” Most of the room was cleared, but Beau still sat in the corner.

  “I have her.” Tae picked the other woman up gently.

  “What about the others?” she asked. “This isn’t everyone. And what about Husan. He needs to be stopped.”

  “Do not worry,” Koran said grimly. “I will see to that.”

  “I feel like I shouldn’t leave. I feel like I’m running away.” Except she wasn’t running or walking, she was crawling in a tiny tunnel of dirt. What if it collapsed? What if it fell in on them? She didn’t know how Thor was coping with the tight quarters, seeing as he could barely fit his wide shoulders through the tunnel.

  “Slow your breathing, Lucy. Everything will be fine. There is not too much further to go.” She could hear others in front of her. The occasional word or cry. Many of them were in a much worse state than she was, even with her bruises, so she really had no right to complain.

  “What about Koran and the others?” A number of warriors had remained with Koran.

  “He will protect the entrance to the tunnel so no one follows us. Then once we alert him that we are out, he will find Mortef and kill him.”

  “Oh right. Good, I guess.”

  “He wishes revenge for the bruises inflicted on Mila.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “She is healed physically.”

  Which means mentally she was probably flipping out. Lucy could relate. She was flipping out herself.

  “The tunnel won’t collapse?” she asked, knowing she sounded like a broken record.

  “I would never do anything to place you in harm’s way. Dunar and his people know what they are doing.”

  “Who are they?”
r />   “Lazaruns.”

  She stopped for a second then forced herself to keep moving. The sooner she got out of here, the easier she could breathe. She wondered how the hell Rye was managing with an unconscious Elika.

  “I thought Husan killed them all.”

  “A small group survived. They were happy to help once they heard our plan. The wards didn’t go into the ground so they dug a tunnel for us.”

  “How did you know where I was?”

  “We didn’t. It was pure luck that we ended up in the room you were being held in. The Lazaruns could only dig into the new part of the building as there are dirt floors. We were hoping for an empty room; I didn’t think we would find you so soon.”

  “What about everyone else? How will they get out?”

  “Husan’s brother and his men will get them.”

  “Umm, what?” She paused for a brief moment, trying to catch her breath. What had been an ache in her side, was becoming a sharp pain.

  “Lucy?” Thor stilled ahead of her.

  “Coming. Coming.” She forced herself to move forward. “What does Husan’s brother have to do with anything?”

  “After Dunar found us, and discovered what we were doing here, he warned us that there were others on the planet. We confronted Malif. He told us he was here to kill his brother. Said that his brother had been banished for trying to kill their oldest brother, Eion.”

  “Jesus, I knew he didn’t have a conscious but he tried to kill his own brother?”

  “Yes, and Malif believes he would have tried to kill his niece who is now the ruler of their kingdom.”

  “So he decided to take Husan out before he made a move? That’s what he was talking about when he said it was time to take his rightful place. He must have been going to use me to track Malif or his niece. He said we were leaving on a trip and I was coming as insurance. I guess in case he couldn’t find them.”

  “Malif said he has hidden his niece off-planet until Husan was taken care of. They didn’t know about the wards. They attacked the wards with fire bombs, giving us a distraction while Dunar and his people dug this tunnel. ”

  More light infiltrated the dark and Thor stood. She paused as she watched him climb up out of the whole. She stood and reached up as he grabbed her, pulling her up. She let out a cry as he tugged her out, her ribs screaming in protest.

  “Mate, what is it?”