“They’re together?” Jessie’s eyebrows shot up. “They’re romantically involved?”
Thunde smiled at her. “Vortens aren’t big on romance, but if you want to, you can describe it in that way. Is it so strange for a human to find a Vorten attractive?”
A blush spread across Jessie’s cheeks. “I didn’t mean that. How can people not find you attractive? But you’re telling me Eloise and Melody are alive?”
Thunde nodded. “That’s right.”
Jessie smacked his arm. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? I know them, we were in the same cell together. They’re my friends.”
“I didn’t think about it,” said Thunde. “The Fraken capture so many prey. How was I to know you shared a cell with them?”
“Eloise and Melody are both free!” Jessie flung her arms around Thunde’s neck and kissed him repeatedly all over his face. “That’s great news. There is hope for us, as well.”
Thunde hesitated, not wanting to reveal his lost memory and spoil Jessie’s happiness. “There is.”
Jessie’s smile faltered. “But something is wrong?”
“I didn’t want to say anything,” said Thunde. “I was hoping it was a short-term issue.”
Jessie dropped her arms from around Thunde’s neck. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Thunde ran a hand through his hair. “The last shock from the collar affected my memory.”
“Affected it how?”
He leaned down, his voice barely a whisper. “I have forgotten how to get us out of here.”
Chapter 16
Jessie took a step back from Thunde. “You’ve lost your memory?”
Thunde took hold of Jessie’s hand. “Not here. Let’s walk until we find somewhere safer.”
Jessie had dozens of questions floating around her head but followed Thunde without asking any more. She chewed on her bottom lip as she shot sideways glances at Thunde. Losing memories was bad, but why did it impact their escape from the game?
And, she couldn’t believe it; Eloise and Melody were safe, and Eloise was involved with a Vorten. As Jessie felt Thunde’s hand tighten around hers, she realized that wasn’t such an odd thing. If Eloise’s warrior was anything like hers, she could see why she’d fallen for him.
“We should be safe enough here,” said Thunde, as he led them along a tree line. “But keep your voice down. We don’t know where the Fraken are or what they have planned for us.”
“It won’t be anything good,” muttered Jessie.
“You can believe that,” said Thunde.
“Can you tell me now what you’ve forgotten?” whispered Jessie.
Thunde let out a sigh and tipped his head back. “Do you recall me mentioning a code I’d been given?”
Jessie nodded. “Your warrior friend gave it to you.”
“Axen supplied me with a code before I entered the game. I need to input it into an active comms link. It will let Axen know where we are and give him an opportunity to disrupt the barrier and get us out.”
“He’s going to create a virtual doorway for us?”
“Something like that,” said Thunde.
“And this code is vital?”
“It is,” said Thunde.
“Can’t Axen find a way to break through the game barrier without it?”
“I’m not sure,” said Thunde. “He needs it so he can lock onto our position. We’ll only get a few seconds to get out of the game once the barrier is down.”
“Maybe I can help,” said Jessie softly. “I’m good with technology.”
“Axen has been working on this method for cycles,” said Thunde. “It’s not straightforward.”
“Are you saying I’m not capable?” Jessie crossed her arms over her chest.
“You’re brilliant.” Thunde tugged one of her hands free and held it in his. “But it’s not as simple as tapping in a message and hitting send. It needs to be coded so the Fraken don’t intercept it. If the Fraken get the message before it gets to Axen, he won’t know how to reach us, but the Fraken will.”
“Axen must be watching the game, though,” said Jessie. “Can’t he pick us up from that?”
“You know what the Fraken games are like,” said Thunde. “They will edit things to their advantage. The audience could be watching old footage. That won’t be any help to Axen. But wherever he is, he’ll be watching.”
“I’d like to help,” said Jessie.
“How can you help with this?”
“I’ve hacked into systems before.”
Thunde raised his eyebrows. “You have? What did you get into?”
“My favorite Thai restaurant's records. I ordered free takeout food,” said Jessie.
Thunde tweaked her nose and continued walking. “A truly criminal activity.”
Jessie glared at him. “I’ve also hacked a Fraken database.”
Thunde stopped and turned towards her. “What were you looking for?”
“Footage from an Intergalactic Council meeting,” said Jessie. “I was watching a debate held by the Council. It got heated just as the Fraken council member stood up, and then the footage jumped. They’d edited the content, and I wanted to know what happened next.”
“And did you find it?”
“The Fraken fired their lightning stick in the council chamber and everyone scattered. The next thing I saw was the members voting in favor of the Fraken councillor’s bill.”
“That sounds very like them,” said Thunde.
“I’d like to see if I can break into the system in this game,” said Jessie. “They use wetware technology. I know my way around that.”
“My memory might return. The shock could have temporarily fried some short-term circuits, and we can still get out. I don’t want you to put yourself at unnecessary risk. If you tamper with a comms link, the Fraken will see you.”
“But if your memory doesn’t return, this is our only chance of getting out,” said Jessie.
“Ordering free takeout is not the same as this.” Thunde wrapped an arm around Jessie's shoulders and pulled her close. “The Fraken will hunt you down if they discover you can hack into their systems. They will consider you too dangerous to keep alive. They have a lot of secrets to hide.”
“I don’t mind doing it, so long as there’s something worth fighting for.” She liked the feel of Thunde’s arm around her. There was the possibility of something amazing ahead of her. What Thunde was offering her was dangerous, but also exciting.
“We can discuss this later,” said Thunde. “Look at the sky.”
Jessie’s gaze shot to the sky, expecting to see another dragon hybrid. “Is something coming?”
“No, but the Fraken are upping the stakes,” said Thunde.
Jessie peered at the thick grey clouds overhead. “A storm?”
“A snowstorm,” said Thunde. “We need to find shelter and fast.”
***
Thunde increased his stride, pulling Jessie along beside him. He hated when the Fraken changed the environment of a game. He was not equipped for the cold, and Jessie would freeze if the snow got bad and the temperature plummeted.
“This will do.” Thunde came to a small rock shelter and pushed Jessie in in front of him. “I’ll build a fire, and we can wait out the storm in here.”
“Won’t the Fraken see we’re here?” asked Jessie.
“They already know roughly where we are by the collars on our necks.” Thunde dug a hole in the hard ground and filled it with a handful of twigs and larger sticks.
“We should keep moving.”
“We’ll be easier to spot if we’re mobile,” said Thunde. “This way, they’ll have to send the attack to us.”
“I look forward to that,” muttered Jessie, as she grabbed some sticks of her own and added them to the fire.
Thunde glared out at the dark clouds. Knowing the Fraken as he did, they’d probably try to bury them alive in a giant snowstorm. They’d be furious over what was happening and growing incre
asingly desperate for the game to end successfully. Well, they could try, but they'd fail. He was determined to get Jessie out of this game alive.
Once the fire was lit, Thunde sat behind Jessie and pulled her between his legs. “This will help keep you warm.” He smiled as he felt Jessie relax against him and rest her hands on his thighs. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe. And, although she was always trying to convince him she was tougher than she looked, he could feel how small she was. She could have died at the hands of the Fraken who put the collar on her. He tightened his hold on Jessie until she let out a squeak of protest.
“Go easy with those guns,” said Jessie. “I need to get some air in my lungs.”
Thunde grunted and relaxed his grip on her a fraction.
“Tell me more about your warrior brothers.” Jessie nestled against him. “Whenever you speak about them, your face softens. You must have a good bond.”
“The best,” said Thunde. “They’re incredible warriors. We have fought together on many occasions. I trust them with my life.”
“Must be nice to have people you can rely on so completely.”
“Don’t you have that on Earth?”
“Not really,” said Jessie. “Not anymore.”
“No male waiting for you to return?” Despite himself, Thunde tightened his grip on Jessie again.
“There’s no one,” said Jessie.
“But there was?”
“No one who wanted to stick around for long,” said Jessie. “I mean, well, there was someone straight out of college, and I did date someone I used to work with. I thought we’d be a good match, since we shared a love of research. But the new blonde who worked in the admin department took his eye. After that, I didn’t stand a chance.”
“He sounds like an idiot,” grumbled Thunde.
“That’s what I thought.” A smiled traced through Jessie’s words. “What about you?”
Thunde stiffened. “What about me?”
“I suppose you’ve got dozens of gorgeous Vorten women waiting for you on your home planet.”
Thunde shook his head. “No one special. Relationships on my planet are brief. We do not form the same pair bonds as you appear to do.”
“There’s nobody worrying about your safe return?”
Thunde smiled. “Would you mind if there was?”
Jessie shifted in his arms and sat forward. “You’re a free alien. You can have as many women as you want.”
“I don’t want lots of women.” Thunde yanked her back against him and pressed his lips to Jessie’s neck. “I’ve recently found one who has impressed me. She’s a little small for my liking, but with a few good meals, I’ll be able to fill out her curves. I also have a few ideas about how to bring a glow to her cheeks.” He kissed the top of Jessie’s ear and felt her shiver.
“Do you think she likes you?”
Thunde raised his head. “She hasn’t said she doesn’t like me.”
Jessie chuckled. “How do you choose your mates on Vorten?”
“We don’t,” said Thunde. “The females always choose. They pick based on strength, age, and previous successful matings.”
“Hardly the romance of the century.”
“It’s about the practicalities of the pairing,” said Thunde. “Vorten women are strong and capable, and males are always grateful to receive attention. But the pair bonding is brief and done to fulfil a specific need.”
“To create stronger warriors,” said Jessie.
“That’s correct,” said Thunde.
Jessie cleared her throat. “Has there ever been a successful mating between a human and a Vorten?”
“Not to my knowledge,” said Thunde. “Would you be interested in being the first to try such a thing?”
Jessie leaned back against him. “As you said, I’m a little on the small side. Trying to carry and give birth to a Vorten warrior’s child would be difficult. But I'd like children one day.”
“Me too. And we are experimenting with other races,” said Thunde.
“Experimenting how?”
“Not in the way you think,” said Thunde. “All matings are consensual. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but we’re having a few problems on my planet when it comes to fertility.”
“I had heard something about that,” said Jessie. “Have you had any success with reproducing with other aliens?”
“A few successes,” said Thunde, “but our Elders are slow at making decisions regarding who we breed with next. It’s putting the population at risk.”
“Apart from the obvious size difference, I don’t think you’re much different to humans,” said Jessie. “Not your physiology anyway.”
“I agree.” Thunde slid his hand along Jessie’s side and down her leg. “Your body feels similar to a Vorten woman’s.”
Jessie let out a shaky breath as Thunde continued to stroke her. “Apart from the lack of muscle and height.”
“Yes, but those things can be altered.”
“I like being small,” said Jessie. “Never been interested in having things genetically altered because they don’t fit in with everybody else. It was only five years ago that I decided to have surgery on my eyes, so I no longer needed to wear glasses to correct my vision.”
“Genetic modification is not something to be feared,” said Thunde.
“I don’t fear it,” said Jessie. “But I don’t think it’s always necessary.”
“Then how do you improve yourself?”
“Through study and learning,” said Jessie. “You improve your mind, which makes you more skilled and talented. You can help more people that way.”
“Which isn’t ideal if you’re in physical combat,” said Thunde. “You cannot use one of your books to bash an opponent’s head in.”
Jessie chuckled again. “Some of those books are heavy. And it wouldn’t do you any harm to read some of the ancient Earth books on warfare. There were some in my archive. Do you like to read?”
“On a screen,” said Thunde.
“You’ve never touched an actual book?”
“There’s no need,” said Thunde. “The information I require is stored on databases. I simply ask for the information and it appears. Why waste time collecting your Earth books and reading them?”
Jessie turned and knelt in front of Thunde. “Because they’re amazing. I once held the only remaining physical copy of a book of love poems. They were some of the most beautiful words I’d ever read. A man had lost the love of his life and poured his emotions onto those pages.”
“If you told me the names of those poems, I could find them online.”
“But these had been handwritten. I was holding the original handwritten poems of this man. It was so magical, like I was touching his emotions, and could see the heartbreak and sadness flowing across each page. You don’t get that from looking at a screen.”
“Perhaps not,” said Thunde. He enjoyed seeing how Jessie’s passion for research made her dark eyes sparkle.
“I’d like to show you the archive one day,” said Jessie. “I’m sure I can find a book in there even you’d be prepared to read.”
“I’d like that too.” Thunde brushed a hand down Jessie’s cheek. “And perhaps we can explore the whole planet together?”
“It won’t be safe for a long time, though,” said Jessie. “Too much radiation.”
“Once we get the Fraken out of the way, we can speed up the repairs on Earth. We work with a number of alien races who are experts in terraforming and environmental reconstruction. They will know how to help your planet. Before you know it, you’ll be able to fly me over the biggest of your oceans.”
“I’ll have to learn to fly one of your space crafts, first,” said Jessie. “I expect the simulations my dad let me play around in are nothing compared to a real spaceship.”
“I’ll be happy to teach you to fly.” Thunde gently kissed Jessie's lips, and her mouth parted as he pushed his tongue inside. Abruptly, he pulled away and his
nostrils flared.
Jessie blinked up at him. “What’s the matter?”
Thunde inhaled deeply. “Something is coming.” He pressed his hand to the ground and felt a faint tremble under his fingers.
“More Fraken?”
Thunde shook his head. The air smelt of damp fur. He jumped to his feet and grabbed hold of Jessie’s hand, pulling her up beside him. “Get behind me.”
Jessie moved behind Thunde, keeping a tight grip on his arm as she did so. She peered around him. “What is it?”
Thunde pulled a blade from his weapons harness, just as the grumbling roar of a mutant beast filled the air. A few seconds later, an enormous white bear, with an elongated muzzle and yellow eyes, stalked in.
Chapter 17
Jessie bit her tongue to stop from screaming. She’d never seen anything like it before. It was twice the size of a normal bear, with long razor sharp claws. Its snout was elongated like a wolf, and its teeth long and serrated. The bear's eyes glowed yellow, and they narrowed as they focused on Jessie and Thunde.
“Keep back,” muttered Thunde to Jessie.
“Give me a weapon,” said Jessie, as her heart thudded in her chest.
“You won’t be able to help,” said Thunde. “And I can’t risk you getting hurt.”
“I can’t risk you getting hurt either,” said Jessie. “A weapon. Now.”
Thunde shot her a sharp sideways glance before handing her two throwing blades. “Remember your lessons. Keep your weight back and pivot into each throw. Aim for the eyes or the underbelly. But make no mistake; get too close, and this beast will kill you.”
“I have no intention of trying to pet it.” Jessie focused on the bear and felt her knees tremble. She could feel the heat radiating off it. It wasn’t a real creature, just another Fraken monstrosity sent in to terrify them. Still, the thought of killing it sent a shudder through her. She gripped the blades in her hands and sucked in air.
“I’ll distract the monster while you get out,” said Thunde.
Jessie glared at him. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“You will be killed if you remain here.”
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