“So, we are agreed,” said Death Wish. “One last fight, one last taste of this human woman, and it all ends.”
Axen nodded. “I agree. One last fight.”
Death Wish snarled as he activated Axen’s shock collar.
Axen could feel it was at its highest pain setting. Sweat broke out on his forehead, and he gritted his teeth. The collar couldn’t kill, but it was strong enough to make you blackout and disable you. He hung his head over the comms post and let Death Wish do his worst. This was almost over. Support was coming, and if Eloise would still accept him, he was going to get her out of here as well.
“One more thing,” said Death Wish as he released the pain button.
Axen took in a gulp of air as the stinging around his neck eased. “What’s that?”
“Just in case you’ve decided you are not warrior enough to kill this human woman, I have sent in some assistance.”
Chapter 17
Eloise couldn’t breathe. She was standing on the opposite side of a small clearing, staring at a giant cat. But not like any she’d seen on a holo-screen. This one stood over twelve feet tall, with enormous razor sharp teeth jutting from its top jaw. Saliva dripped from its mouth, as it thudded slowly towards her. Its gaze was locked onto her, and its sturdy steps made the ground shake, vibrating through her chest as it grew nearer.
This was a Fraken beast. Capable of shredding her in seconds with its lethal looking claws.
Eloise took a step backwards, and the cat crouched as if about to jump. She stopped moving and raised a hand. “Even if I do run, you’ll get me in seconds,” she whispered.
A shuffle of movement to one side gave Eloise a pang of hope. Had Axen arrived? Risking a glance to the side, dread settled in her stomach as two more cats appeared. One was now in front of her, and two on her right side, already circling around to trap her from behind. There was no way out.
The Fraken liked their game kills to be spectacular, and this would be exciting the audience. Eloise wanted to scream at the sky, tell them they were the real monsters. Would anyone bet on her getting out of this alive? If they did, they were fools. These monsters had fury and death in their wide yellow eyes, and she had a single blade and an injured arm.
A red hot spike of anger flared through Eloise. She hated the way the Fraken abused their power and hated the way her planet had been mistreated by them and its remnants torn apart. Earth’s cry for help had been abused, and now, she found herself literally staring into the jaws of death, all because the Fraken insisted on being entertained in such a bloodthirsty way.
Eloise sucked in a large gasp of air and eased the blade Axen had given her out of her waistband. Her movement made the cats growl as one, their low rumble running down her spine.
“If you all leave now, nothing bad is going to happen to you.” Eloise raised the blade. It shook in her hand. How the audience would love this, watching the feeble human woman waving a blade at these monsters. Eloise had not stabbed anyone before, and looking at the beast cats, she wouldn’t get close enough to one to hurt them.
The cat in front of her stepped closer and issued a warning snarl at the others. Looked like this one wanted to draw first blood.
The right eye of the cat twisted, and Eloise saw it had a false eye; a camera had been fitted in the eye socket, and it turned as it took in the surroundings. Could the cat be blind in that eye? That would give her an advantage if she could get on the right side of the beast.
Shifting to her left, Eloise took a small step forward, holding her breath, as she waited to see what the cat would do.
It swung its head in her direction, and its eyes narrowed.
Eloise took another step, attempting to skirt around the cat.
It took two rapid steps towards her, its teeth bared in an angry snarl, and a hot, fetid stench drifted over Eloise.
Her knees shook as she felt warm breath huffing on the back of her neck; one of the other beast cats was behind her. She’d been so busy trying to get around this one, she’d taken her attention off the other two.
With a desperate cry, Eloise turned, and slashed wildly with the blade, just as the cat launched itself over her head and attacked the one in front of her.
Eloise gasped and staggered backwards. They were fighting with each other. Not waiting to see where the other beast cat was, she dashed into the cover of the rainforest, adrenalin pumping through her legs as she leapt over fallen trees, cutting down vines that slowed her down.
She needed to get somewhere safe, somewhere small enough so the cats couldn’t get to her.
The ground thudded beneath her feet, and she knew it was the other cat chasing her. Perhaps all three of them were, and her fleeing from the clearing had triggered their hunting instinct. However many there were, Eloise didn’t risk looking. She kept running, her gaze shooting around the rainforest as she looked for somewhere to hide.
A sturdy, low hanging branch caught her eye. Grabbing it, she swung herself up, her injured arm protesting as she did so. She jumped and grabbed the branch above her head. Swinging her legs backwards and forwards, Eloise tried to flip herself over the branch but missed. Cursing, she started again, but before she completed her first swing, she was punched off the branch by a hot, heavy body, and fell to the ground.
***
Axen was running. His focus laser sharp as he sought Eloise. He didn’t know what the Fraken had planned for her, but it wouldn’t be good.
They hadn’t believed him when they’d talked through the comms link. They’d seen through his lie about playing the game. But at least his coded message would have reached its destination by now, provided it wasn’t intercepted enroute.
But he couldn’t think about that. Eloise was in trouble, and he needed to find her. Axen slowed as he heard an angry sounding scream tear through the rainforest. He adjusted his course and carried on, his muscles burning, as he raced through the trees. He had to get to her, make sure she was safe from whatever the Fraken had planted in the game.
His heart thudded in his chest, and his mouth was dry. A sensation he rarely experienced ran through his veins. Fear was punching at him like an angry warlord, the opposite of his usual calm and focused state when in battle. But this was different; this was about Eloise. He was fighting for something he desired more than anything and for someone he cared about.
He heard an animal snarl and knew he was close. Axen’s thoughts filled with a tangle of possibilities. If he’d been a true hero at the start of this game, he’d have put Eloise out of her misery the first time he’d seen her and not drawn out her fate like this, giving her a vague hope to cling to that freedom was a possibility. The Fraken were in charge here, and they were showing him just how powerful they could be by taking Eloise from him. He’d let his emotions get the better of him. Eloise had changed him, and at that moment, he couldn’t decide if it was a good thing or not.
Axen dashed past a tree and saw an enormous Fraken beast cat dead on the ground, blood flowing out of it and spreading out in a large pool. How did it die? Its four legs were sprawled wide and its head tilted awkwardly. Another equally huge cat was at its side, clawing at the dead beast’s body. Axen focused on the dead cat, and his blood ran cold. He could see a slim leg poking out. It was Eloise.
With a roar of anger, Axen pulled out a blade and rushed forward. The beast cat turned and growled at him.
Axen sliced its head from its shoulders with a single swipe. Blood and electronic sparks scattered around him as he yanked the mutant creature out of his way.
He took a breath, uncertain what he was going to find when he moved the body of the cat that pinned Eloise to the ground. He grabbed hold of its enormous front paws and pulled it off, seeing the blade he had given Eloise buried in the beast’s chest.
Horror made Axen’s bones ache as he looked down at Eloise. She was lying on the ground, covered in blood, and he had no idea how much of it was hers.
He knelt beside her. Was he too late?
&
nbsp; Chapter 18
Eloise felt like she was suffocating, as a hot, heavy pressure lay on her chest. The air just wouldn’t go into her lungs. When she’d been grabbed from the tree by the cat, she’d still had the blade in her hand, and the beast cat had landed on it as they’d hit the ground, snarling and spitting in her ear as life faded from it.
The pressure on top of her vanished, and Eloise sucked in a painful gasp of air before opening her eyes.
Axen was staring down at her. His own eyes widened as he saw her looking at him. “You’re alive.” He reached down and swiped some hair from her face.
“I think so,” said Eloise. “Unless this is someone’s horrible idea of an afterlife.”
Axen shook his head. “The Fraken told me they had something planned for you. Then I heard the fight. I discovered you underneath the body of this beast.”
Eloise glanced at the two dead beast cats. “I got lucky. The cat took me down as I was trying to climb a tree. All I did was hold the blade up, and it impaled itself upon it when we landed.”
Axen grabbed hold of Eloise’s shoulders, and his gaze ran over her. “Are you okay to stand?”
“I’ve got a few scratches.” Eloise tried to squirm out of Axen’s grip, but he held on. “I’m okay. None of the cats got me. Although the landing was a bitch.”
“You’re fortunate not to have hit any rocks when you went down.” Axen pointed to a pile of rocks only inches from Eloise’s head.
“I get all the luck in this game,” muttered Eloise.
“Take your time getting up.” Axen moved an arm around Eloise’s waist, and she let out a gasp of surprise as he lifted her off the ground before setting her upright. “You may have hit your head.”
Eloise gingerly felt around her scalp, but couldn’t feel any lumps. “No, nothing broken or dented.” The ground underneath her feet was soft moss and vines. She really had been lucky.
“You landed with one of the Fraken beasts on top of you,” said Axen. “Never anyone’s ideal landing.”
Eloise wiped her hand down the front of her vest, and it came away sticky with the beast’s blood. “It certainly wasn’t for the Fraken beast.”
“What were you doing out of the cave?” asked Axen.
Eloise glared up at him and stepped back. “You left me behind. What was I supposed to do? Wait for the Fraken to come get me?”
“I didn’t leave you behind.”
“You walked out on me.”
Axen ducked his head. “I needed to think about things.”
“You must have had a lot of things to think about,” said Eloise. “Was one of them about leaving me on my own in the hope that a Fraken beast would finish me off and save you a job?”
“You know I’d never do that.” Axen’s gaze went to the sky. “But it’s not safe out here. We need to get somewhere quiet, so we can talk.”
“About what?” Eloise glared at the sky. “I don’t care if they can see us.”
Axen’s gaze slid from side to side. “Not here.”
“I was looking for my own way out,” said Eloise. “I have to rely on myself if you keep changing your mind and vanishing on me.”
Axen pressed a finger to her lips. “It’s not safe.”
Eloise shoved his hand away. “Fine, you find somewhere safe then.”
Axen grabbed his blade from the beast cat’s chest, wiped it clean, and then strode swiftly through the rainforest. “I have much to tell you.”
Eloise ran behind him, determined to keep up with his fast pace. “So tell me.”
“I will,” said Axen.
They hurried along in silence, the frustration building in Eloise until she couldn’t keep it in any longer. “I’m waiting.”
Axen slowed. “I have only ever kept things from you for your own good. I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
“About what?” asked Eloise.
Axen shook his head and pointed at the sky as he continued walking.
Eloise let out a sigh, seeing she wasn’t going to get any more information out of him. “Should we go back to the cave?” Despite her anger at being abandoned by Axen, she was glad she was no longer alone.
“The Fraken will know about that location. We need to find somewhere else.”
Eloise stopped walking. “Axen, wait.”
“No time,” said Axen. “We need to get somewhere out of view.”
“We’re not alone.” Eloise’s voice shook. The third beast cat appeared through the rainforest, fury in its eyes as it stalked towards them.
Axen spun around, just as the beast cat jumped and engulfed him with its giant body. Its teeth snapped by his head, and its long claws snaked across his back, drawing blood and a roar of pain from him.
“Axen!” Eloise looked around for a weapon, but Axen had them all. She couldn’t help him.
***
Axen grabbed the serrated fangs of the Fraken beast to prevent it clamping its teeth into his flesh. If it did so, it would rip a limb off with one violent yank. He leaned his weight against the beast, feeling its hot breath inches from his face as they struggled.
The beast growled as Axen shoved it away. He whipped a blade out from his weapons belt, not noticing the free falling blood from the slashes on his back. If anything, he felt more alive than he’d ever been. And it was all because of Eloise. She was alive and unhurt, and he was going to make sure it stayed that way.
The beast cat lunged at him again, but Axen swiped it away with a well-aimed slash of his blade.
They circled each other, the beast’s head down low as it assessed Axen.
Then the monster cat charged. Axen stepped to one side, and as the beast lunged through the air past him, he grabbed hold of it around the middle and snapped its metallic spine.
The beast cat fell to the ground, sparks flying out of its mechanical parts.
The next thing he knew, Eloise was in his arms, and he staggered back several steps at the intensity of her grip.
“I thought it was going to kill you,” she said, her face buried in his chest.
“It’s only a Fraken beast,” said Axen. “I’ve handled them before.”
Eloise wrapped her arms around his neck and stared up at him. “So, we’re still doing this together?”
“Of course.” Axen brushed a strand of Eloise’s hair from her sweat covered face. Even covered in beast blood and sweat, she was gorgeous. “Why would you think otherwise?”
“Because you disappeared on me.”
“I had to leave,” said Axen. “I’d hurt you.”
“No, you weren’t yourself,” said Eloise. “You were defending yourself because you didn’t know who I was.”
“I should have known, though,” said Axen, “I’m not safe to be around.”
“You just demonstrated that by killing all those giant cats.”
Axen huffed out a laugh. “I meant that I didn’t want to risk causing you additional harm until I was myself again.”
“And are you back to your usual efficient warrior self?” Eloise smiled up at him.
Axen smiled back. Whenever he was with her, everything seemed better. “I believe so.”
“Glad to hear it.” Eloise stepped away from Axen, and her expression grew serious. “Don’t leave me again.”
“I... needed to ensure your safety.”
“So do that by standing next to me.”
Axen stared at Eloise. She was fearless. “I can do that.”
“Good. Make sure you do.” Eloise glanced around the rainforest. “So what now?”
“Now, I check your injuries.”
“I told you I’m fine.”
Axen shook his head, grabbed hold of Eloise’s arm, and pulled her under the shelter of some trees. “We won’t have long. The Fraken and their audience will have witnessed us killing their beasts. They will not be happy.”
“Will they send more of their monstrous creations to attack us?”
“They might,” said Axen. “Remove your vest;
let me check you for injuries.”
Eloise folded her arms over her chest. “I’m not hurt.”
Axen stared at her until she sighed and pulled off her vest. He kept his focus on her face, despite wanting to admire her curves.
“Turn around.” Axen’s fingers ran over Eloise’s back, and he thought he detected a shudder from her.
“You see, no damage.”
“Your back may be bruised from the fall.” He found himself growing aroused at seeing her half naked form. But this was not the time to be distracted. “You can put your vest back on.”
Eloise held the dirty, bloody material out in front of her. “If I have to.”
Axen grunted and turned his back on her, giving himself time to collect his thoughts and stop lusting after Eloise. He heard her gasp and spun around. “What’s wrong?”
“Your back! You’ve been slashed by that creature.”
Axen shrugged. “The wounds will heal.”
“You still need treatment. The wounds look deep. Let me do it.”
“Not here.” Axen grabbed both of their bags and slung them over his shoulder. “We need to move. It’s too dangerous out in the open.” He marched into the rainforest, heading to deep cover.
After a few seconds, he heard Eloise’s footsteps behind him; she was grumbling under her breath. He couldn’t help but smile. She’d almost been killed by a Fraken beast, but she was still going, still determined to fight him, help him.
Eloise deserved answers. It was time to reveal his full plan to her. He stopped walking and turned to face her. “Let me carry you.”
“I told you already I’m not injured. I can use my own feet.”
“It’s not that,” said Axen. “I don’t want us to be overheard. You need to be near me to be able to hear what I’m saying.”
Eloise blinked up at him. “Am I going to like this plan of yours?”
Axen grabbed hold of Eloise and scooped her into his arms. “If it works, you’re going to love it.”
Chapter 19
Eloise let herself relax in Axen’s strong grip as he continued to walk through the rainforest with her in his arms. He held her close to him, one arm tucked under her legs and the other around her waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder so her mouth was near to his ear. “So, what’s your secret?”
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