He placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her for a moment. “Lauren? Look at me,” he whispered.
He gently moved her so that she glanced over her shoulder at him, frowning. She was covered with a thin sheen of perspiration; her eyes were glazed and slightly unfocussed. He sucked in a sharp breath.
She blinked, and her eyes cleared a little. “Are you OK?”
He’d heard her say that often and now knew she asked him if he was healthy and in control. His heart lurched. She was slipping more and more under the mind control of the Reptiles, and her thoughts weren’t even of herself. She . Was worried about. Him .
“You are tired. I’ll carry you,” he said.
Her plump lips turned up in a half smile. “There’s barely enough room to walk, let alone carry me. I’ll be fine.”
She turned back and caught up to MalCom, who’d waited. MalCom’s gaze flicked to Jo;Aquin, and he didn’t miss the knowledge in the gaze between them. They only had a limited time left before Lauren’s mind would be lost, and with that, the hope of his planet.
“We’re nearly there. We’ll have to be quiet now. The end is just around the corner,” MalCom said.
Lauren straightened her shoulders, stood taller and lifted her head, then nodded. She had true grit. He had to give that to her. He didn’t know where it came from, but she’d lived through a lot of grief in her life. That sort of thing made people tough.
He’d fought in the war with the Reptiles all of his life. Was a Commander of his own Starship. Had led teams into battle. He was battle experienced, knew the ultimate sacrifice to be made and had come to terms with that years ago.
But Lauren? Not only was she a human who had no ideas about Reptiles and other planets that teemed with life until a week ago, but she was an innocent. Just like Emile had been.
She’d lived her life to serve her dying husband. In fact, had given up everything for the disease that had ultimately ended his life. She hadn’t had a chance to even recover, really. To begin living again, and she was ready to make another life and death sacrifice.
However, he would make the ultimate sacrifice. At least then, he wouldn’t have to live with more guilt. A quiet voice prodded him on a deeper level. He wouldn’t have to live without someone else he loved.
That. He. Loved .
Could that be even possible? That he’d fallen in love with Lauren?
He sorted through his rioting emotions. The knowledge that he’d end his own life to save hers. That he wanted her to live, of course, but a driving desire that wished they weren’t here, that she’d hadn’t been infected and that they’d met under normal circumstances. That they both would live. That he could share of himself with her.
That they had time. Time to get to know each other. The yearning for a lifetime to love. He hadn’t been able to name the emotion that had slowly grown and flourished inside him, but then again, he’d hadn’t been in love before.
Sure, he loved his family. Emile. But Lauren was different. This was carnal, this was emotional, this was fulfilment, this was everything .
That thought. That knowledge. Knowing they were on a march to Lauren’s intended death was now simply something that wasn’t going to happen. Resolve solidified until there was no way he’d settle for failure. There would be a way to save Lauren, and he was going to fight to find it until his dying breath. He just didn’t know how he was going to do that.
* * *
M alCom signalled for them to stop just short of a large, flat rectangle signifying the end of the tunnel. Filtered light slid around the edges. A door! Lauren’s breath hitched and stuttered. Her death waited behind that door.
“Based on my reports, the mastermind is close now.” MalCom glanced between Lauren and Jo’Aquin behind her. She didn’t want to look behind her. Didn’t want to see the look on Jo’Aquin’s face. Because that might be the only thing that could make her stop and go back, and she had to stay strong.
One life for many. That was the saying. Right?
Only it was one thing knowing the saying and standing in the pitch dark before going out into the indefinite, knowing she had probably less than an hour to live. Every nerve tingled, on edge, as she forced herself past the powerful instinct to live.
MalCom drew a deep, burdened breath. “This door leads into the basement of the tallest and oldest tree in our forest. The Forever Tree. It has governed the lives of many generations over the centuries and is the centre of our rules and our law. It is sacred. It is also the centre of the city.”
“And it’s logical to have a mind-control device right in the middle of the city,” Lauren agreed.
“I don’t know what we’ll come against on the other side of this door, but one thing I do know is that the mastermind will be well protected,” MalCom said.
“We do anything to keep Lauren safe until we find it,” Jo’Aquin said.
Safe until death, at least. Suck it up, Lauren. You’re doing this for the children on this planet and untold other planets. God only knows it’s the best thing you’ll ever do with your life. Not like there’s anything–any one–back on Earth waiting for you .
That was a steeling thought.
She touched the door, and her body and mind tingled. The closer they’d walked to this mastermind, the more she’d felt, just…not right. If there were a term that meant half in and half out of your body, that’d be what she was. She was lightheaded, as though she’d drunk far too much alcohol, yet was on the verge of falling asleep. If she did, though, she wasn’t sure she’d wake up again. She shook her head, trying to focus some more and stave off the feeling of slipping away into nothingness.
Jo’Aquin pressed his hands to her shoulders. Heat slid into her body as she remembered just how he could touch her. Too bad she wasn’t going to make love to him anymore. Once definitely wasn’t enough. It’d take a lifetime to start to get used to it.
A lifetime of making love to Jo’Aquin. Now there was a thought and a half. Loss slid like a shard of ice through her chest. That would have been something she definitely looked forward to experiencing every day.
“I’ll go through first and make sure it’s clear. I’ll knock when it’s safe to come out,” Jo’Aquin said.
His large body slid past hers. She reached out, tugged on his arm. “Be careful.”
He tucked a knuckle under her chin and bent to scrape his lips across hers. She half-closed her eyes as his mouth caught hers. “I’ve trained for this all my life, Lauren.”
He opened the door a crack. Light highlighted his face before he quickly slipped through. He moved so soundlessly despite being such a massive mountain of a man. How she wished things were so different.
MalCom faced her, and she felt something hard and cold pressed into her hand. She looked down to see a short, but very sharp dagger in her palm. “I’m giving this to you to use for...” MalCom’s voice drifted off. “I don’t think Jo’Aquin will be able to help you once we are there.”
Her throat clogged. She knew what he meant and bobbed her head once in acknowledgement. “I understand.”
“Lauren, I...”
She glanced up to see MalCom’s twisted face. She caught his hand between hers, clutching the dagger between their palms. “You don’t have to explain.”
“Please know that I am so sorry that this has to be done. If there were any other way...” There was real pain in his voice. “I will help you do this. Even if it means that I am forced to...deter...Jo’Aquin.”
“Ah.” Yes. She had the same feeling about Jo’Aquin. Honourable was his middle name. He had to be concocting some sort of wild plan. It was in his nature, but that would only mean failure. MalCom was looking at her like he was waiting for a response and she gathered her thoughts. A statement like that really did need acknowledgment, “I’m glad you’ll help me...that way.”
“Thank you, Lauren of Earth.”
She drew in a deep breath. “Promise me one thing. If this works...please, will you do the same for t
he people of my planet? Destroy the mastermind on their planet if they are invaded?”
His mouth firmed as he looked her directly in the eye. “I will do anything it takes so that your planet does not suffer as mine has.”
That was all she could ask for. That her sacrifice would go further and help save her own species. That being said, she still jumped when the door slid open, and Jo’Aquin leaned in. “I’ve cleared the corridor. Let’s go, but we have to hurry.” He held his hand out to Lauren.
Lauren slipped the dagger into the waistband of her leaf trousers. Taking a steadying breath, she clasped Jo’Aquin’s hand and let him lead her past the open door and into the light of the corridor, and her impending death, beyond.
22
L auren glanced beyond the massive curve of Jo’Aquin’s shoulder at the corridor behind him. “We’re still underground?”
MalCom pressed past her. “Of course. We developed a network of connections below the forest.”
That made sense. She did wonder how they managed to have a city around trees, but now she knew. What a great compromise. That way the people and the forest flourished. She peered at the still dirt walls, but unlike the secret tunnel they’d exited from, these walls were smooth and lacked the tips of roots that had reached for her in the tunnel. The corridor was well lit with some sort of lighting system running down the middle of the ceiling in a continual stripe, the walls smooth and dry, like mud bricks melded together. The air was clean and fresh, unlike the disused, musty scent of the tunnel.
“Usually, these passageways are filled with my people. Bustling. Busy. People going about their business. But now…” MalCom trailed off.
Now the mind-enslaved had no use for them. MalCom slid the door shut. The other side of the door shut almost seamlessly into the wall, the edges blending perfectly with the texture of the walls. If you weren’t looking for it, you’d miss it. “That’s ingenious.”
Before they were able to take another step, a shout behind them had Lauren startled. Horror froze Lauren’s limbs as several Reptiles rounded the bend in the corridor. Jo’Aquin launched himself at them, emitting a feral snarl unlike she’d ever heard from him.
He grabbed the gun of the one nearest him and slammed it into its face. Green goop splattered the walls. Before that Reptile slumped to the ground, Jo’Aquin twisted the neck of another, and head-butted the third.
MalCom slashed, his silver knife glinting in the light. Green blood splattered over her face. Searing heat burned her skin where the blood landed. A large part of it landed over her mouth. She slashed a sleeve over it, trying not to puke. Again, and again, she swiped, willing her roiling stomach to stay right where it was. Her vision dimmed, her body going numb.
She sank against the wall, legs becoming numb and losing the ability to hold her upright. Fighting the debilitating weakness, she spread her hands against the wall, using willpower alone to keep her upright. Whatever was happening to her was getting stronger, harder to push back from. Mother told her it would happen. They were running out of time, but please, please, all she needed was a little more.
She watched Jo’Aquin rip into another Reptile. There was red on his arm through a rip in his sleeve. Blood dripped from beneath the material, staining it around the edges. His blood. Bodies were strewn at his feet, but he’d been hurt. Just as she’d thought the fight was over, another group of Reptiles appeared from around the bend. This time, too many for him to fight alone. Beside Jo’Aquin, MalCom fought as best as he could, but he was smaller, leaner and lacked Jo’Aquin’s strength.
He needed help, but there was no way she had the strength to take any of them on like Jo’Aquin. She needed a weapon. Glancing at the inert form on one of the aliens, she saw their weapon held in green, limp hands. Exactly what she needed.
Lauren ignored her trembling limbs and forced her knees to buckle. She sank to the floor, something her muscles were more than grateful for. She shook her head, fighting the numbness of her body off, out of her head and slowly came up on her hands and knees.
A grunt and another scaled body thumped to the ground next to her. Its head turned, black beady eyes stared right at her. MalCom leaned in and, quick as a flash, drew his blade through its throat and then sprung back to the fight.
She screeched and crashed back against the wall, panting hard. She repressed a shudder and clumsily reached over the body, snagging its gun between her thumb and forefinger. She tugged it, but it stayed almost where it was, clutched in a cage of clawed fingers. Fingers that were currently entwined around the trigger.
She tugged again, but the gun was stuck fast in its claws. A grunt from Jo’Aquin had her blinking up at him. He slung a fist right into the jaws of a Reptile. It retaliated, and he staggered. There was more blood on his shirt, and he was clearly tiring.
He was fighting like a God, and all she had to do was get a gun from a lifeless lizard. She could do that. She could. She had to. She just needed to get a better grip, but to do that she had to get closer to the Reptile.
Steeling a breath, she clamered on unsteady knees. It was getting harder to fight against the mist that slowly crept up her body. She balanced a hand on its leg, the clothing slipping on the scales beneath, fighting the urge to throw up. She grabbed the end of the gun. A claw was curved right around the trigger. She gritted her teeth and, and cringing, slipped a finger underneath the claw and unhooked it.
She grabbed the gun and skittered backwards on her butt, hitting the wall, the gun clasped in her shaking hands. She held it across her chest, panting, fighting off icy internal chills. Hisses, clicks and pain-filled grunts filled her ears, and her focus was back on the raging fight around her. She had the gun, now she had to use it. She turned the weapon over in her hands. How the hell did she use it?
She didn’t have a clue. A figure towered over her. A Reptile had gotten through Jo’Aquin and MalCom. Its torn uniform was stained with a mix of red and green blood. Gasping, she pointed the end of the gun at it.
It stilled, eyeing her warily. She pressed the trigger, but nothing happened. Not even a click. The Reptile blinked slowly, the white-opaque lids shutting closed from the ends of its eyes, meeting in the middle.
She shuddered as another wave of grossness crashed over her. Its lips peeked back from long, sharp fangs, and it if could have an expression in such an exoskeletal face, she was sure it was sneering at her.
It reached for her. She poked the end of the gun at it. It jerked back and then she realised the sound it made was akin to laughter. It was laughing at her!
“Laugh at me, will you? You fucker!” she screamed. She pressed the trigger again. Nothing. The Reptile laughed louder. She pressed every little button on the gun she could see. A burst of blue shot out of the end of the gun, right into the creature’s chest.
It flew off its feet and crashed into the wall. Its face still held its sneering expression, except now half its torso was missing. Stunned, she nearly lost the gun in nerveless fingers, but managed to keep a hold of it before it tumbled to the floor.
She waved the gun at more Reptiles but couldn’t get a clear shot at this angle from the ground for fear of hitting Jo’Aquin or MalCom. Gritting her teeth, she slowly propped her back against the wall. Fighting against weak limbs, she struggled into a semi-standing position.
Her legs trembled beneath her, and she willed away the seductive pull of a sleep that promised the escape she craved. But that wasn’t going to happen. Not yet, anyway. Fighting to keep hold of the gun, her balance, and consciousness, she aimed at the increasingly blurry lizards.
She tilted the weapon, so heavy in her hands, pressing all of the buttons again. Laser blue streaked from the tip. The wall exploded, chunks flying in all directions, hitting the wall, the lizards, her.
Shouting. Hissing. She listed sideways, braced against the wall, struggling to keep her eyes open. “Joe! MalCom,” she only croaked.
Hands wrapped around her upper arms. She cried out, jerking backwards. Hands sho
ok her, her head rattling. Someone tried to take the gun from her hands, but she held on.
“Lauren. It’s me!” She sagged against his massive chest as she recognised Jo’Aquin’s voice.
“We have to get out of here!”
His voice was distant, as though coming from the other end of a tunnel. She wanted to answer, but her tongue was too big for her mouth. She managed a broken sound. Sleep tugged at her, and she inwardly turned to the seductive pull. So easy to slip into its beautiful warmth.
Her head rattled, jarring her teeth. A frown pulled her forehead. Anger spiked some of the lethargy away. She just wanted to sleep. Why couldn’t they let her be? Who was keeping her awake? She cracked open her eyes. Angry neon blue shone down at her.
Her breath hitched. Jo’Aquin! But he wasn’t angry. No, not angry. Concerned. For her. If their situations were switched, she’d be concerned for him. She was in love with him.
Using her remaining strength, she lifted her arm and traced his jaw with the tip of her finger. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, but that would take too much effort, and she was far too weary.
God, it would feel so good to let the flow of warm darkness take her away. But there was something she had to do. Something important.
Her sluggish brain kicked into gear and with it came the realisation that she couldn’t fall into those delicious depths of nothingness just yet. Gritting her teeth, she willed the lure of sleep away, even though weariness tugged every cell in her body. “Not. Going. Anywhere,” she managed.
Jo’Aquin’s lips thinned. How she wanted to feel that mouth on her lips. All over her body. She moaned as desire coursed through her. Dead tired as she was, she was surprised that such need still was very much alive.
‘Lauren.” His voice was a groan of emotional pain that rendered her heart raw. Jo’Aquin crushed her against him. There was little she could do to stop him, but there wasn’t a bone on her body that wanted anything more. He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple before sweeping her up in his arms.
JoAquin_An Alien Abduction Paranormal Romance Page 14