Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Bladen
Vortex Alien Warriors
Arcadia Shield
Published by Arcadia Shield, 2017.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
BLADEN
First edition. June 20, 2017.
Copyright © 2017 Arcadia Shield.
Written by Arcadia Shield.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 1
Grace Connelly coughed and a fine mist of blood sprayed out of her mouth. She grimaced and wiped her hand across her cracked lips. Her gaze shot to the Fraken standing in front of her. She’d avoided his cudgel three times, but he was just goading her and would strike when the crowd demanded it.
She looked around, her eyes still burning from seeing daylight for the first time in a month. There were at least a hundred Fraken peering down at her from the open arena, where she’d been dragged from her cell by the Fraken, who was now trying to beat her brains out.
“You have no fight left in you.” The Fraken sneered and jabbed his lightning stick at her.
Grace shifted backwards out of the reach of the lightning stick, her chest burning with an unnatural tightness as she did so. As a medic, she knew the tightness was a bad sign, and so was the blood she kept coughing up. It wasn’t an internal injury from a blow causing her pain, but she’d felt a fever spread over her in the last few days and, along with it, came the tightness and coughing. There was nothing she could do to treat herself, and the Fraken weren’t handing out medicine to their prey. They would consider it a waste of resources.
The ground beneath her bare feet was coarse and scraped her skin as she dodged another jab from the Fraken. The crowd cheered as they watched. Grace wanted to hurl abuse at them, but they’d love that, and it would only make the Fraken play with her some more. And that was what he was doing, taunting her, using her for his entertainment. Part of her wished the Fraken would just end it now, knock her senseless, and drag her back to the cell she’d been confined to for so long. But she also wanted to lunge at him and try to rip his yellow eyes from his scaled head and make him pay for humiliating her.
“Give me one of those fancy sticks, and it might even things up.” Grace glared at the Fraken through fever hazed vision. His scaled skin was pale green with hints of yellow, partially covered with black molded body armor.
The Fraken hissed out a laugh. “You’d still fail if I gave you a dozen weapons.” His blow smacked into Grace’s shoulder.
Grace grimaced as she tried to block out the cheer from the crowd and the throb of her bruised flesh.
“Dance for me, human.” The Fraken jabbed her again, pushing her into the middle of the arena.
Grace stumbled backwards but refused to be brought down by him. She forced herself to stay upright and ignore the urge to turn and flee and give the Fraken what he wanted, prey to hunt.
The Fraken snapped his teeth and spun his lightning stick, pointing the laser end at her. “If you don’t start running, I’m going to have to hurt you. Pain is always a good motivator.”
Grace swallowed the terror creeping up her throat. She’d seen how deadly Fraken lightning sticks were. She wouldn’t survive a strike at such close range.
“Move or die.”
Grace ran her tongue over her dry lips and closed her eyes. She wouldn’t run.
The crowd grew quiet, and then the stamping of feet began, a deep pounding rhythm around the arena as they whipped the Fraken into a battle fury.
Grace pressed her lips together and kept her eyes closed. She spread her arms wide and waited. Any second now, the laser would strike, and she would be free. No more cell, no more fear, it would be over.
The blow to her head was harsh and unexpected, and Grace cried out as she hit the ground.
“I told you to run,” the Fraken snarled in her ear, before yanking her to her feet.
Grace raised her fingers to her head as she felt the warm trickle of blood run down her cheek. “No.”
The Fraken inhaled sharply. “Obey me.”
Grace shook her head. “I will not.”
“Then die.” The Fraken smashed her in the head again.
As Grace hit the ground, she exhaled deeply. At last, she could rest.
Her eyes opened and Grace's weary gaze shifted to the high windows in the cell. She was still alive, if you could call this living. A bone jarring anger slid through her as her gaze moved to the door. She had thought it was the end when the Fraken had dragged her out of the cell to play with them in the arena, but they’d kept her alive, repaired her injuries, and she was back where she'd started.
She’d been alone for a week, and in that time, her only company was the constant sounds of crying and screaming from the other cells and the occasional unpleasant violent visit from a Fraken.
Grace knew it was only a matter of time before the Fraken came for her and thrust her into one of their games. It was what she was here for, and it was what the Fraken did.
The cell felt large, now that Grace was alone. She shifted onto her side, half expecting to see the kind, calm eyes of Jessie Keenan looking back at her. She’d been the last woman taken from the cell they shared, the last one put into the Fraken games. But she wasn’t there; no one was. Jessie was dead, and her other friends, Melody, Eloise, and Sonia, had also gone, lost to the Fraken and their cruelty.
Grace’s vision clouded with tears, and she dashed them away with her fingers. The Fraken weren’t going to have any more tears from her. They’d taken her away from a new life, something she was excited to be starting after losing everything on Earth. It was such a cruel thing to happen, and Grace’s stomach clenched as she recalled the ruthless way the Fraken had boarded the ship she’d been on and ripped out the passengers, making them their prisoners.
She’d been heading away from Earth to start again. The planet was ruined, but that wasn’t what had made her decision to leave so easy. She’d lost a husband in the war, all of her friends, and then her sister died from radiation poisoning. And that had been it. Grace was truly alone, and she didn’t want that. She needed something different and turned to the stars to see if they would provide that.
Grace took several long, deep breaths, and her lungs protested. She sat up on t
he hard floor and massaged her knuckles into her back. That sometimes brought relief from the tender ache in her torso. But not today, nothing she did made her comfortable. Perhaps the infection slowly invading her body was finally winning. She knew it was only a matter of time before that happened, and in a way, she welcomed it. It would be an escape, a way out of the cell without having to face the Fraken game. And she knew that was coming. It wouldn’t be long, and she was in no condition to fight off any predator, who came to take her life with the blow of a fist or a strike from a blade.
Grace barely raised her eyes as the door of the cell slid open. She shifted her gaze to the Fraken in front of her. She recognized this one. She didn’t know his name, but he’d been in several times to deliver her nutrition pill.
“On your feet,” said the Fraken, clicking his sharp teeth together and pointing his weapon towards Grace.
“More arena fun?” She slid slowly up the wall, using it to support herself as she got up.
“Come with me. The games have use of you.”
Although the Fraken’s appearance meant certain death for Grace, she welcomed his arrival. It was time this came to an end. She’d been a prisoner for too long and wanted things to change.
Even if that change meant her death.
***
Bladen paced backwards and forwards in the warrior room, his shoulder muscles bunching as he swung his arms. He’d tried to get out of the door repeatedly, but it remained shut. This should never happen. The warrior room was for the exclusive use of Vorten warriors, and they had full control over who got in and out. But something had changed, and the thread of worry that ran through Bladen’s body wouldn’t quiet down.
He swiped a hand through his short, dark hair, the streak of white at the front setting him apart from his warrior brothers. He’d had the streak since he was a child, and although the other Vortens teased him about it and said he was getting old, he liked it.
Standing at over six feet tall, he wasn’t the tallest of the warriors in the elite squad, but he had experience on his side, maybe too much experience.
Bladen returned to the door again and tried to open it by swiping his hand across the access panel. But the light remained red; the Fraken were keeping him prisoner.
The thought made a growl slip from his lips. Bladen prided himself on his calmness when under pressure. He was the one to see the opportunities and solutions to any problem. It was in direct contrast to his warrior brother, Lazet, who acted first and thought later, or Thunde, who often led with his fists. But they all had their own strengths and abilities; it was why the squad had survived in the games for so long.
Bladen took a deep breath and returned to the bench that ran along the length of the warrior room. He sat and rested his elbows on his knees. He had to remember why he was doing this. Axen, the Vorten who led the warrior squad, was changing things in these games, changing things for his squad, and much more.
Bladen knew enough about Axen’s plans to know he wanted his warriors out of the games and to bring down the Fraken.
But this carried a big risk for Bladen. He was the last warrior in Axen’s squad to go into the games. The other three warriors had already escaped and taken their prey with them. And Bladen knew the Fraken would be studying him closely and, as they were now demonstrating, keeping him under strict guard. Whatever was going to be in his game, it would be dangerous, and the Fraken would want to see a victory, or they’d kill him and the prey without hesitation.
Bladen ran his hand over the weapons harness strapped to his broad tanned chest. He had a mixture of weapons, short blades good for stabbing and throwing and a longer blade suitable for close quarters fighting. He’d done battle with many aliens and was skilled with all weaponry, but that would be meaningless if the Fraken threw him and the game prey into an unwinnable situation. But he’d survive this game and bring the prey out alive. Those were Axen’s orders, and he’d follow them to the end.
He stood as the door to the warrior room finally opened. Two armor-clad Fraken appeared, lightning sticks in their hands, and their sharp yellow gazes targeted on him.
Bladen stepped forward and saw them tense. He was glad to see they were nervous. It meant Axen's plans were harming the Fraken. “There’s a problem with the door.”
The taller Fraken gave a shake of his head. “Everything is operating as it should.”
Bladen narrowed his navy-blue eyes and took a step closer. “You’re mistaken. The door will not open. This is the Vorten room; we need access at all times.”
“You won’t be needing this room any longer,” said the shorter Fraken. His talon tipped fingers clenched around the shaft of his lightning stick. “It’s time you enter the game.”
Bladen shoved against the anger sliding through him. “What prey will I be hunting?”
“Nothing that should concern you,” said the taller Fraken. “But you will be wise to keep your wits about you. We want good things from this game. Our audience has been disappointed, and it is not to happen again.”
Bladen raised an eyebrow. “What disappointment are you referring to?”
“As if you don’t know,” hissed the shorter Fraken. “We will be watching you.”
“I expect you will, since I’ll be in one of your games.” Bladen pasted a bland smile on his full lips.
“Make a single mistake and it will be over for you.”
“Are you going to carry out that threat personally?” Bladen rested a hand on the hilt of his blade.
“It would be my pleasure to do so.”
“Not now,” spat the taller Fraken. “We need him game ready.”
“I’m always game ready,” growled Bladen. “And I do not appreciate you keeping me trapped here like one of your game prey.”
“Then show you can be trusted,” said the shorter Fraken. “Win this game, and our trust in you might return. Then you will be free to travel where you wish, perhaps to see some of your warrior brothers.”
Bladen gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to strike down the Fraken. “Get me in the game. Let’s get this over with.”
Both Fraken hissed at the same time. They turned and walked away.
Bladen did a final check of his weapons, collected his game kit bag, and then followed them. He wanted out of this room, but more than that, he wanted to fulfil his orders from Axen and make sure he could get to the rest of the warrior squad and take part in their next mission.
What Axen wanted to do was audacious and dangerous, but Bladen had faith in him. He trusted him and knew he was doing the right thing. The Vorten had been under the control of the Fraken for too long. And if destroying that meant him going into this game and fighting against whatever they threw at him, Bladen was willing to take it on and win.
Chapter 2
Grace slunk along behind the Fraken. She slowed her pace as her lungs burned, but the Fraken turned, snapped his teeth at her, and nudged her with his lightning stick. “Keep moving.”
Grace wrapped an arm around her waist in an attempt to make her breathing less painful and continued to walk.
The Fraken stopped by an open door and gestured her through. “Clean yourself. There will be clothes on the bench when you are finished.”
Grace’s eyes widened, and a shiver of pleasure ran through her. A shower! She hadn’t been able to get clean since she’d been captured, and the clothes she wore were filthy and speckled with blood. This felt like a treat.
She hurried into the room and discovered a dozen individual shower units. Grace didn’t hesitate in removing her clothes and stepping into a cubicle. She gasped as the icy water hit her skin, but it was refreshing and helped cool her fever. She stood beneath the jet and then massaged her fingers through her filthy dark hair. The grease wasn’t easy to shift, but Grace spotted a bar of soap on the side of the cubicle and used it to get rid of the worst of the dirt.
The soap had an oily feel to it, but it was better than nothing, and Grace rubbed it between her hands and
washed down her entire body.
As she turned, she saw the Fraken who’d escorted her into the shower was watching. For a second, she covered herself but then let out an exhausted sigh and dropped her hands. She was past caring who saw her. The Fraken had taken everything from her, and she figured they couldn’t do anything worse. If the one who was taking her to the game wanted to watch her wash, then he could.
Grace stepped out of the shower and wrung water from her hair.
The Fraken continued to stare, and his pointed tongue poked out from between his teeth. “Get dressed.” He pointed to the clothes on the bench.
Grace nodded and walked over to him. She was surprised by how easy this was. She tied her dark hair in a knot on top of her head and grabbed the clothes, wiping off as much water as she could before putting them on. She’d been given a black vest, trousers, and a short-sleeved shirt. They were all too big for her, but she was grateful to have something clean. A ripple of anger hit her. She shouldn't be grateful for anything the Fraken did. They were the reason she was in here.
The Fraken pointed at a pair of boots. “And these.”
Grace looked at the boots; what kind of environment would she be going into that required such sturdy boots? It might be a mountain terrain. She’d never seen a Fraken game but knew they terraformed different environments, so she could be going into anything.
She should feel terrified at the thought of entering a game, but all Grace felt was empty. Whatever the game was, she knew it would be the last environment she’d encounter, and it would be the place she died. Terror would be the right emotion to feel, but all she felt was relief. This nightmare was coming to an end.
“Are you excited for your game?” asked the Fraken.
Grace had almost forgotten he was there, waiting for her to finish dressing. “I wouldn’t say excited.”
“You should be honored to be a part of this. Many prey consider it a privilege to be involved in something so spectacular.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that just before I die,” said Grace.
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