Starlight [Warriors of Dareen] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Sara Anderson

  That was it. The line cut out.

  Profax, the communications specialist, estimated it would take the police at least an hour to respond. The home was isolated in the New Mexico wilderness.

  Joran was hopeful they would arrive, take the Shara into custody. Then they would finally be on their way home. Joran prayed to the universe that they arrived in time.

  The shuttle landed on the hard dirt of the desert. The twenty warriors filed out. Some took position around the home to make sure the aliens did not escape, while others were ready to enter the home.

  Joran drew his large curved knife. He preferred knives in small spaces to any other type of weapon. In the time it took his enemy to take aim, he could have slit its throat.

  He stepped out and glanced around. It was a sparse but beautiful landscape. The mountains were in the distance, close enough that the Shara could easily hide there, yet come down to where more humans lived, to steal and rape.

  Diviak and Nuvan kicked the broken front door out of the way, allowing Sunter and Varnis to enter with guns raised, ready to shoot any Shara should they be lying in wait to ambush. The house was quiet, too quiet. The silence was eerily familiar to a warrior. It was the silence that told him he was too late.

  “Medic, I need a medic,” Varnis yelled over their communication. Three gray-uniformed medics ran from the shuttle into the house. Joran followed them, his guts churning at the strong emotions. He did not know if he could tolerate any more dead, but he would soon find out. He smelled death as he approached the back of the house to the family’s great room. He smelled the blood before he caught sight of it sprayed on the walls. His rage already rose. The Shara had attacked more innocent humans. He looked around the corner and there, on the floor, was an adult human male. It looked like he put up a hell of a fight, but humans were no match for Shara, especially desperate ones.

  The medics looked up at Joran, and the head medic shook his head at him. They were too late to save him.

  “Fuck.” Joran seethed as rage boiled. He wanted to scream to the universe, but they needed to quickly sweep the home to make sure no humans remained, then track the Shara. If they lost their scent and lost them in the mountains, it could be months.

  Joran looked at the family portrait hanging on the beige wall of the family room. A mother, a small child two Earth years at the most, and a father stared back at him, happy. The happy scene on the wall was contrary to the scene in the house now. The father lay dead in front of him. He prayed their Great Mother would protect this mother and child. “Find these humans. A woman made the call for help.” Joran was tracking already, trying to single out scents. He could smell a human child scent. The scent was strong, and he followed it, hoping he found living humans.

  “ETA for human law enforcement is fifteen minutes,” Profax, the communication specialist, warned over their communication link.

  “Understood,” Joran sent while still tracking. It was stronger, like the child was still in the room.

  “The human family has two vehicles and both are here in the garage. It is doubtful any were out of the home during the attack,” Varnis hollered from another room.

  Joran opened a door and heard whimpering, human whimpering, fear and pain. “Shit, fuck, Great Mother! Medic,” he yelled into the communication link, picking up the child. He ran to the living room. The young human child was soaked in blood. The medic’s eyes widened in horror to see such a small child so horribly injured.

  “There is no one else here. The Shara have taken or killed the mother. I vote we get the hell out of here. Before humans arrive.” Sunter had a look of pure rage on his face as he gave his recommendation.

  “Agreed, we can track the Shara to the mountains. I am guessing they stole enough food to eat and they took the woman for something to fuck.”

  Joran handed the toddler to a medic, who ran back to the shuttle with the others following closely. The humans would know murder happened here, but there was no evidence of aliens. They would probably guess home invasion gone wrong. “Varnis, take the finest trackers and hunt these inktas down. Hopefully they will run enough to keep this child’s mother alive and unmolested.”

  Varnis nodded, then pointed at four of the warriors who were known for their outstanding tracking ability. “Let’s go. I am itching to spill some Shara blood.” Varnis growled.

  Joran watched them run toward the mountains while constantly watching the ground intently and breathing through their mouths, tasting the scent to follow it.

  Joran ran to the shuttle and took his seat. “Doctor, we are on our way with a small patient.”

  “I got the report and I am preparing now.”

  Joran sat and watched the medics work. The small child had a diaper and shirt on. If human children were anything like Dareen, he knew this child was in grave trouble. He was limp and listless. He would feel better if the child would scream and fight the medics cutting off his clothing and touching him. He simply whimpered.

  Their shuttle landed, and before the door was completely open, the medics were running out with the child. Joran debated going to the infirmary to check on the child or to Kara. The child was in good hands. It was Kara he longed to see.

  As Joran walked the corridor to his quarters he thought of the family that had been torn apart by the Shara. Whether the trackers found them or not they would be forever changed. Their father was dead and their mother murdered, if not raped. Bile rose in his throat. If Doctor Legav and the Dareen doctors’ latest theories proved to be true, then the semen from the Shara tormented their victims far beyond just the trauma of rape. Their very minds were attacked. “Track fast and well, Varnis,” Joran urged quietly as he entered the elevator that would take him to Kara.

  * * * *

  Kara paced their rooms anxiously while she waited for word from Joran. It had been what seemed like hours. What would happen to her if he died? Would they just erase her memory and send her home? She was surprised to realize she didn’t want to go home. She wanted to build her life with Joran on Dareen.

  The door opened. She turned and there he was, looking worn but alive and whole. She ran to him and threw her arms around him. “I was so scared.”

  Joran smiled. “What had you worried?”

  “Those aliens are nothing to fool around with.” Kara ran her cheek along his chest, loving the hard feel of it.

  Joran took her face in his hands. “My lenora,” he groaned, before his lips came down over hers. Kara held onto him like she was drowning and only he could save her. His tongue twined with hers while he cupped her ass to his groin. Kara moaned when he ground his cock into her. She ran her hands up his arms to his muscled shoulders before pulling his hair down so she could run her hands through it.

  Joran broke the kiss, leaving them both gasping for air. “Kara, my love. You drive me to the point I have no control, like a boy instead of a grown warrior.”

  Kara giggled. “So if I did this?” She pulled her shirt over her head, showing off her breasts.

  Joran’s eyes darkened in desire. “Just one taste,” he growled then bent his head to take her nipple in his mouth.

  Kara leaned back allowing him to plunder her breasts with his tongue and teeth. Joran pinched a nipple hard. Kara whimpered, but then moaned when he rubbed his cock against her clit. His mouth found her other nipple. He licked, sucked, and bit her nipple. Kara sobbed and writhed while Joran held her tight.

  Passion held Kara in its grip. She thought she could not take any more and tried to push Joran away from her, but he easily held her. For all of her thrashing, he did not notice.

  “Joran,” Kara panted. She was getting close, but she needed more. Joran’s hand moved down and stroked her clit hard. Kara bucked her hips at the sensation. “Oh, Joran, Oh. Oh. Ohhh,” Kara cried as bliss grew. Suddenly, the room went white as an orgasm crashed over her. Joran held her as the waves of pleasure crashed over her. Kara felt her legs give way, but Joran held her close to him, and she knew he would neve
r let her fall.

  Kara came back to herself to find herself safe in Joran’s arms. Safe, I am always safe with Joran.

  Joran was holding her in his lap. The look he gave her took her breath away. It was love, she knew that now. He loved her. “I love you.” She reached up and stroked his hair as she whispered her love to him.

  “And I love you, my lenora.” He kissed her gently. “We need to go by the infirmary. A small child was found at the house.”

  Kara sat up with a worried look on her face. “They hurt a child?”

  Joran nodded grimly. “They kill whatever they find no use for. The father is dead and the mother is missing.”

  Kara’s eyes widened in horror. “The mother. They are going to do to her what they did to us, aren’t they?”

  “Not if I can help it.” Joran growled, looking savage.

  “You are up here, how can you stop it?” Kara was breathless with fear for the woman.

  “Jarvis is tracking them, keeping them running. If they are running, they are not raping and beating. They may even leave the woman, hoping to distract Jarvis with a live woman to care for. They know how we protect women.”

  “Another woman’s life has ended,” Kara whispered.

  “Do you think your life ended?” Joran looked at her apprehensively.

  Kara thought for a moment. “No, but I do not have family at home in Kansas. I lost a job and a few friends. My best friend is here waiting to get well, though.”

  “I am glad you did not lose much. It was my intention all along to leave you be.”

  Kara nodded. “You got lucky with Laura and me. We have each other, but what if this other woman has other family? A mother, siblings, close friends? Joran, you can’t just take her.”

  His look was contrite. “Alliance laws are very clear, no non-space-faring race can know about us. There is no other way. If the Tahearans use their mind-altering serum on her she could lose years. The birth of her child could be erased.”

  “Years?” Kara whispered in horror.

  “Years. We tried it for therapeutic use before to erase the trauma. The victim lost ten years and was never the same. I find that drug disgusting and I am appalled that planets in the Alliance agree to use it. I would rather the woman mourn a mother and sibling rather than lose her child.”

  Kara stared in stunned horror that they would erase years of a person’s memories. “You are right, that is awful.”

  “I do have to confess, when I found out I could keep you, I was not sorry. I wanted you from the moment I saw you.”

  “I could tell.” Kara giggled a little. It seemed like such a long time ago that she watched him from her desk. “I wanted you, too, but Ryan had me so convinced I was trash.”

  Joran put his fingers to her lips. “Stop, do not make me break my own orders and go down there to beat the shit out of that worthless excuse for a man.”

  Kara’s eyes were wide. “You would do that, for me?”

  “You have no idea how many times I have come close to doing it. Every time I saw the pain return to your face, knowing he put those doubts there, I wanted to kill him slowly, then have our medics fix him so I could do it again.”

  Kara was amazed as he pulled her up and walked toward the door. “What will happen if the mother is killed?”

  “That will be up to the captain. He may take the child back for the authorities to find, or take the child. There are warriors whose bonded cannot produce children. The child will be welcomed on Dareen.”

  “What would make him decide which place to send it?” she asked curious.

  “It would depend on those able to care for the youngling. If there is no other family, the captain will—” His words cut off at walking into the infirmary. A toddler sat on the bed, his cries hiccupping.

  “What is wrong with him?” Kara asked, rushing forward.

  “I believe he misses his mother,” Medic Kutair told her while trying to soothe the crying boy.

  Joran’s communication link came alive. Varnis was yelling for assistance. There were explosions in the background and Kara heard a woman’s screams of terror. The fear she felt for the men down there were met with relief that the child’s mother was still alive.

  “I have to go,” Joran told Kara, kissing her. He looked at a warrior standing guard by Laura’s door, keeping watch over her in Varnis’s place. “Please, Nuvan, make sure Kara makes it back to our quarters safely.”

  “Of course, sir,” he told him formally, looking proud that a warrior of Joran’s rank would ask him to care for his bonded in his place.

  Joran gave Kara a stern look.

  “I know,” she cut in before he could say anything. “Do not go anywhere alone.”

  Chapter 17

  Kara spent the day between Laura and the little boy she called Aiden. She had found a faded name on the tag of his bloodstained shirt, and with the letters that were visible she pieced together his name.

  Every moment that passed with Joran gone and no word made her anxiety rise. She rocked Aiden to sleep while she worried. When he was firmly asleep, she laid him in the bed, then stood.

  “I am ready to go back to the apartment now.” She winced. They were called quarters here, not an apartment. She would never get used to these words.

  Nuvan smiled at her, not offended at all.

  Kara walked with Nuvan, noticing how so many of the men looked like they were ready for a fight. “Nuvan, can I ask you a question?”

  “Yes, what can I help you with?” Nuvan’s face had a pleasant smile, making his normally fierce face look friendly.

  “Are all of you Dareen men warriors?”

  Nuvan shook his head as he answered, “No.” He was quiet for a moment while he thought of the answer. “Some men are peaceful. The idea of fighting and killing is unnatural to them. Those men go into more peaceful occupations, such as medical.”

  “None of the medics are warriors?” Kara’s eyebrows raised in shock. They were all so big, she thought they were just warriors who knew how to fix up someone who was hurt.

  “No, they are not warriors. We warriors protect our medics when they are called down. It is against their nature to take a life.”

  “So if they are in a situation where their life is threatened, they will just lie down and die?” Kara’s eyes were wide with shock.

  “No, it is in every living creature’s life force to survive. Medics can and have killed to save themselves and those in their care, but they suffer for it.”

  Kara could understand that. She could not see herself ever killing anything, except Shara. She could see herself killing one of them.

  “Well, I—” Kara began, then was cut off by alarms going off just as they reached the elevator.

  Nuvan grabbed Kara and threw her into a corner, using his body as a shield. He pulled his little black device out and started talking in his own language. There was a moment of silence before someone responded in the same alien language. Nuvan’s body tensed as his face took on that savage look Kara came to recognize as their “ready to fight and kill” face.

  “The Shara have broken out of the prison level. They killed several medics that were making sure they were fit for interrogation.” Nuvan’s voice was tense as he scanned the corridor, looking for any sigh of danger.

  “They’re loose, on the ship?” Kara’s voice shook with fear. One man against several of those monstrous-looking aliens did not settle her fear. If anything, her anxiety was greater.

  “I need to get you back to your quarters. Move now, we must move quickly. They are looking for escape by any means. They will use you for their own ends.”

  Kara nodded. He was not going to get any argument from her. Suddenly, all Kara wanted to do was go home and hide until Joran returned to watch over her himself.

  Nuvan grabbed Kara’s arm and pulled her toward the elevator. “You will have to run once I get you to your level. Many of our warriors are on the planet right now tracking.”

  “Okay, I
can run.” Kara hated how her voice shook, but the memories of what those aliens had done to her and Laura…

  “Oh god, Laura. What about Laura? You are not there to watch her.” Kara got ready to run back to the infirmary to defend her closest friend.

  Nuvan shook his head and tightened his grip on her when he felt her ready to run the wrong direction. “Do not worry for your friend. The infirmary is on heavy lockdown. There is no way to open the door without a command code. I wish we were there. It is the safest place on this warship.”

  “I wish we were there, too.” Kara looked around Nuvan, expecting to see red-eyed monsters turn around the corner at any moment.

  “Let’s go,” Nuvan told her and pulled her with him, not giving her any other option but to follow him.

  They approached the elevator. Relief flooded Kara. Their quarters were right by the elevator, she was almost home. The doors opened as they approached and her worst nightmare stepped out. Shara. Kara screamed, and Nuvan threw her back toward the way they had come. “Run,” he howled in that same growl she heard in the basement. He sounded like a wild bear as he attacked the stunned Shara.

  Kara should have run, but Nuvan was by himself against five of them. She looked around for a weapon to help them.

  “Great Mother, Kara. Fucking run!” Nuvan screeched. Kara jerked a look at him. He was bleeding with a knife hilt sticking out of him.

  “Nuvan!” she screamed, and took a step toward him. He swayed, then fell to his knees, but fought on.

  “Run.” His roar was much weaker this time. Kara let out a panicked scream and finally obeyed. She ran screaming in fear for Nuvan. He could not die for her. She could not live with that kind of guilt. She screamed in terror for herself. If those things caught her, she could end up dead or like Laura. There were pounding footsteps behind her. She dared not look, that would slow her down. If it was Nuvan, then that meant he had gotten away and the Shara would be right on their heels. If it was not, she had all the more reason to run as fast as she could.

  “Help!” she screamed, running. Her legs came off of the ground, she still kicked wildly like she was running, but there was nothing but air under her. Kara screamed louder. A hand, an ice-cold hand, pressed over her face. She couldn’t breathe again. Kara frantically grabbed at the hand blocking off her air but it had molded itself to her face. She heard the hissing sound that was horrifyingly familiar. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. Her panicking thoughts raced as her vision blurred. She was losing consciousness and then she would be completely at their mercy. The Shara holding her turned around. She saw two others picking over Nuvan’s still form. They pulled his radio and several other things from him, one of which Kara knew was a way to get access to sealed doors and shuttles. Her final thoughts were she was dead. I am so sorry, Joran. Tears flooded her eyes as she thought of how he would mourn for her now, as well.