by Mira Maxwell
“Attala is not like Earth, Margo. I’m sure it makes no sense to you.” He looks away from me for the first time, rubbing the back of his neck with his strong hand. Every time I look at his hands I fantasize about what it felt like when they were exploring my body. Apparently knowing that he would face a death sentence for having sex with me hasn’t managed to diminish the sex appeal I feel toward him. “They invest a lot of money into their warriors. The genetic enhancements, the armor, the training. From what I can guess they don’t want to waste money on one of their investments.”
I find that completely appalling. “So it’s about money.” I throw my hands up, having a much stronger reaction than I would have thought. “Actually, that makes complete sense to me. It’s always about the money, isn’t it?” According to his government, or whomever it is that makes the rules, he’s only worth the cost of what they’ve put into him.
My heart is pounding in my chest. I’m so taken aback by what Lodyn has confessed to me. It makes me question whether it was wise for us to come here in the first place. If something goes wrong with this business deal, will we face harsh punishment as well?
“Lodyn.” The sound of Kjallak’s deep booming voice makes me jump. “We’ve got company.”
Lodyn runs out of the room behind Kjallak and I’m close behind. Kjallak hands Lodyn something that I assume is their version of binoculars. He takes the binoculars and looks out the small window at the top of the hatch. I stand impatiently behind him, waiting to hear what’s going on.
“To the left of the valley at the base of the mountain,” Kjallak says.
“I see them,” Lodyn says. “A scouting party. How many did you see?”
“Ten on the ground, two of them riding Argali.”
“That’s what I see as well.” They both seem so calm. I’m standing here ready to start pounding on Lodyn’s back so he’ll give me a look. “Shit, the Argali will make things more complicated.”
“Aye.” Krjallak grunts his agreement.
“Branyx knows?” Lodyn asks.
“Yes. Just waiting for the word.”
Lodyn pulls back from the door and hands the binoculars back to Kjallak. “We’re at a disadvantage. There’s no cover once we leave the ship.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“We’ll need to wait them out. If they decide to venture in for a look we’ll be ready from here.”
I’ve been following their comments, my head whipping back and forth as they talk to each other. I’m tired of being ignored. “Who’s coming?” I finally blurt out. For the second time in five minutes I throw my hands up in frustration. “What the hell is going on?”
Lodyn turns and meets my gaze, a current of emotions traveling through his features. “The Salthu. They’ve come to see what has crash-landed on Attala.”
Obviously they aren’t good or their reaction wouldn’t have been so severe. “So I take it they aren’t friendly?”
“Not friendly,” Kjallak says, pulling on a sword belt that he had lying on a pile of his things. “In fact, there aren’t many friendly things out here, princess.”
I glare at Kjallak, putting my hands on my hips. “I’m not the frail little princess that you think I am, Kjallak.” Turning to Lodyn I say, “What’s the plan and how can I help?”
He stalks past me, leaving me to scurry after him. “The plan is for you to stay here and let us worry about defending the ship.”
He’s so much taller than me and he moves so fluidly that I’m practically out of breath when I say, “I’m sure there’s something that I can do to help.”
He stops suddenly, turning around so fast in front of me that his size overtakes me. I’ve spent so much time avoiding him that I forgot how he makes me lose all of my senses when he’s so close. “If you really want to help, listen to me for once and do what you’re told. I don’t have time to worry about your safety and the blood thirsty savages about to knock on the front door.”
His words sting and I know that I shouldn’t push things and just do what he says. But that’s never been in my nature. I let him see with the expression on my face how I feel about the tone he has taken with me. Without waiting for my response, he turns around and disappears down the corridor.
Kjallak follows but as he passes me he says, “Lodyn is not used to having his words challenged. Especially by a woman.” He winks and then keeps walking, as if he’s just filled me in on some big secret. There’s a sour taste in my mouth as I stand firm with my hands on my hips trying to decide what to do next. My chest is rising and falling rapidly with each breath that I take. My eyes start to cloud over with tears but I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand here and cry when everything is going to shit.
Instead I turn around and head back to where I came from…the weapons room. Five intelligent women on a science mission from Earth aren’t coming to an alien planet without some very serious firepower. Thankfully, with the backup power operating again, I’m able to input the code to unlock the secure weapons vault inside the room.
There are drawers holding the smaller handguns. Bullets are obsolete on Earth so weapons technology has evolved to thermal pulse technology. There are short-range guns, distance snipers, and thermal cannons that really pack a punch. As long as the power is functioning on the ship, all of the weapons, which are all fully charged, can be charged when clicked onto the charging plates, which line the drawers. They only lose a charge when they’ve been used excessively. So unless we have a conflict with the locals, we should be fine for the length of our visit.
I’m looking around the room trying to figure out what I can use to be helpful without having to leave the ship. I already know there’s no way in hell Lodyn’s letting me outside and he’s definitely not in the mood to have another conversation about it.
I holster a short-range gun onto my waist and I’m about to grab one of the sniper guns when I stop and literally smack myself in the head with the palm of my hand.
“Of course, the exterior guns,” I say out loud. I should have thought of that sooner but intergalactic space travel is so common now, almost like taking the interstate. The intergalactic police force has stations all over the galaxy and shuttles that monitor the skies. We’ve never needed the exterior guns.
Depending on which way the spaceship crashed, I might be able to position the exterior guns toward danger. That way I can stay on the ship and stay out of the way, but if there are signs that the warriors are in trouble, I’ll still be able to help. Knowing there’s something productive for me to do, helps to improve my mood.
Feeling much lighter on my feet now that I have a plan, I walk out of the weapons room and am about to follow the corridor to the bridge when movement from out of the hatch window catches my eye. Icy fear grips me as my hands grasp the metal frame for something to steady my trembling body.
I’m not sure what caught my eye first, the two huge rumbling beasts charging through the snowdrifts or the massive creatures carrying battle axes that look like something out of my worst nightmare. The skin that is visible from their armor is a sickly green color and their size dwarfs the Attalans. Their arms and legs are disproportionately large, their heads just as large but even more menacing. The fangs protruding from their mouths are deadly and grotesque.
I turn my head, gasping for each breath as I close my eyes and wish for it all to go away. Suddenly I feel very alone on this alien planet. As if sensing my fear, Lodyn appears in front of me when I open my eyes.
His eyes are soft, no longer carrying the anger I saw in them only moments ago. “You have nothing to fear, Margo. I told you, I will protect you.” He’s wearing his battle gear of the guard, standing before me looking regal and handsome. His presence puts me at ease. I don’t know if it’s his confidence or the tingling sensations that I experience when he’s near, but I can already feel the anxiety slipping away. When he tells me he’ll protect me, I know he means it. “They’ll be here soon. We’re going to wait until they are close, but no
t close enough to get anywhere near you.”
I want to be strong but the flutter of panic that overtakes me when he tells me they’re going to leave is unavoidable. Stepping forward, I grab onto his arms. Not the armor plating but his skin. I need to feel him under my fingertips. “Don’t leave me here alone. I want to stay with you.”
He looks down at his feet before pulling his gaze back up and looking me straight in the eyes. His hand cups my head again, just under my ear and along my jawbone. Pulling me close he doesn’t hesitate for a moment before touching his lips to mine. His lips are soft and giving, his mouth warm and comforting to my fluttering heart. His tongue slides through my lips and plays with my own as we taste each other. My kiss is fierce, relaying my apology for the position we find ourselves in.
When he steps back and pulls away, I feel the loss of him as if I’m losing a piece of myself.
“I won’t be long,” he says, before placing one more gentle kiss on my lips. He shakes his head and gives me a playful smile.
“We shouldn’t do that, you know.” I can still feel the heat on my face from our kiss. “If your alien friends catch us that would mean your head.”
He smiles and my heart flutters in my chest. “Ah, there she is. I was worried when you stopped trying to boss me around.” I give him a playful push in response to his teasing. Somehow he has managed to distract me from the dangers around us and the decision I had made to stay away from him. Avoidance is the only way I’ll ever be able to keep my hands off of him.
“And for you, my mate…I’d happily take one night with you. Then I would die satisfied.”
Eight
LODYN
It’s getting harder and harder for me to fight the urges I have when I’m around Margo. I shouldn’t have kissed her but then she looked at me with such fear in her eyes, all I could do was find a way to comfort her. I need to focus but all I can think about is having her tight cunt wrapped around my cock. I want to explore every inch of her body, kiss her, taste her, and then if I must, die with a smile on my face.
It never bothered me before, but death really seems a harsh punishment for wanting a woman. Margo’s not just any woman, though. She is my mate, delivered to me straight from the stars. I have no question that this is true. Our desire for each other will just continue to grow until it becomes unbearable. The need to become one an unseen force working within us.
I feel the tremble of the ship beneath my feet as the Argali lumber closer. They’re large enough to shake the ground for miles. Just one of the many things that are volatile and overly aggressive on this planet. From far away they look harmless enough but as soon as they scent a battle in the air they turn into feral beasts. How the Salthu ever tamed them enough to control them so they could ride them into battle is something that truly eludes me.
“We need to take the beasts down first,” I say to Branyx and Kjallak, who are standing with me at the hatch. “Kjallak, take your bow and find a secure location on top of the ship. Branyx, you and I will meet them head on.” With a nod, Kjallak heads to the rear hatch. There’s a blast of cold air and then he’s gone.
“Enough waiting,” Branyx says, “Time to erase this scourge from Attala.” His impatience shows as he adjusts the armor on his forearms. For a long time now we have asked for permission from the prime minister to seek out the Salthu, find where they live, and study how they work. What motivates them beyond the occasional desire for bloodlust and looting. We are always denied. So we find ourselves continually on the defensive when it comes to them. Fighting battle by battle instead of taking the offensive and getting the upper hand for once.
My heart beats strongly in my chest, not because of nerves but because of the excitement that comes before battle. Looking at Branyx, I nod once before turning the lock and pushing open the door. Within the next few seconds the Salthu will know that this is one ship that they won’t be claiming as their own.
I sense her before I see her.
I turn and instantly react when I see her here instead of tucked safely away in her quarters.
“I thought I told you to stay safe.”
She rolls her eyes at me and then crosses her arms over her chest. “I will stay safe. I’m going to secure the hatch once you leave.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near the hatch. An arrow could fly through and strike you down.”
“No, Lodyn, it won’t.” She stands in front of me, so fierce and defiant. She’s strong, my mate, and she wants me to realize it. She wants me to acknowledge that she could be a benefit to us, that she could help. But the thought of losing her before I have even had her is too much for me to bear. “And we don’t have time to argue about it.”
“She is right, Lodyn.” Branyx says, impatiently moving from foot to foot, starting to hop in place as a way to warm up his body for the fight.
“Fine,” I say, my words coming out in a growl. “Close the door behind us and then find a safe place to hide.”
She nods her agreement but it isn’t enough for me. “Say it, Margo.”
“Yes, I will find a safe place.”
Finally satisfied, I’m ready to make our move.
Branyx opens the door and we’re instantly moving at breakneck speed toward our lifelong enemy. I hear the soft buzz on the air, recognizing the sound of an arrow let loose of its bow. I’m moving toward the closest Argali when it stumbles, an arrow settling deep in its flesh on the side of its neck. I fly through the snow, ready to strike and bring it down before it has a chance to use its fangs or enormous muscular legs to its advantage.
Branyx shouts as his sword clashes with the first Salthu’s battle ax. He blocks the first blow with this sword and then quick as lightning swings again before his opponent can bring the ax up to deflect the next blow. Branyx severs his head in one fell swoop, moving on to the next before his grotesque head hits the ground.
He moves on to the next while I reach the Argali, the claws on my fingers extended enough that they’ll cut through its skin. I dart through its legs using my claws to slice at its legs, hoping to bring it down fast. They’re vulnerable in a small patch of flesh where their legs connect to the torso. Finding this sweet spot causes severe injury to their hearts, death inevitable.
Everything around me moves in slow motion and somehow through the noise of battle I can still hear the pounding of my heart. Or maybe it’s the Argali’s heart because in the next moment three more arrows land in its chest, adding to the dozens already impaled in its body, and it falls forward. A slimy black pool of blood slowly stains the snow around it.
The second Argali moves closer to the ship and the image of Margo flashes through my mind. Small, fragile beautiful Margo. Fierce for a human but vulnerable on this planet. A mere snack for the vile creature. The thought of any harm coming to her makes my blood boil and my pulse quicken throughout my body.
“Kjallak! Bring it down!” As if he needs me to tell him but it’s moving too close to the ship. It could easily damage it more with its body mass. I don’t know what their intent is with the ship. Most likely they’ll try to take it and claim it as their own so they can sell the parts on the black market. Which means they’ll also get my Margo.
The whizz of his arrows is constant now but the Salthu have spotted him. There isn’t much time before he’ll be forced to defend himself and then we’ll lose the height advantage. “Branyx!” I shout, searching for my brother amidst the chaos around us. Suddenly I’m hit from behind and go flying forward in the snow.
As soon as the weight of the Salthu’s body lifts, I’m able to flip onto my back, striking him through the chest with my knife just before he brings his ax down on me. They might be massive in size but they are slow and not as battle savvy. They telegraph their movements making it easy to dispose of them quickly.
Springing back to my feet, I see Kjallak as he launches himself off of the ship, effectively knocking down three Salthu that have Branyx surrounded. The final Argali is moving steadily toward the shi
p. Confident that Kjallak and Branyx can handle the rest of the Salthu, I take off after the Argali.
The bodies of the dead savages lie still and lifeless with Kjllak’s arrows piercing their skin. I barely spare a glance at them as I make my way to the last huge obstacle standing in the way of victory. Allowing my fear for Margo’s safety to distract me, not wanting them to take the ship, I don’t notice the arrow flying my way until it’s too late.
The arrow slams into my shoulder and the next thing I know I’m on my back in the snow. I scream up at the sky, cursing myself for forgetting about the fighter on top of the Argali. I was so focused on bringing it down that I should have paid attention to how many fighters were left.
Mere seconds have passed and I’m rolling onto my stomach so I can crawl out of the way of a second arrow. Branyx and Kjallak are occupied with their own fighters, these last two are up to me. I manage to crawl on my stomach so I’m close enough to the beast so the fighter on top can’t reach me with his arrow.
With my left hand I grab onto the arrow, the point closest to my skin, and pull hard straight away from my body. The arrow comes out clean which means the wound will heal completely within the next few minutes. My right arm won’t be of much use until it does, though. I’m as fierce as any of the warriors in the guard but I don’t know if I have the ability to take down an Argali with only one hand. Then there’s the fighter on top of the creature…that will be another thing for me to deal with when I bring the beast down.
Looking up at the creature that towers over me, I notice huge chains draped over its back. Instantly their intentions are clear to me. They plan on attaching the ship to the chains and pull it back with them.
There’s no fucking way that’s happening.
I chance a glance over my shoulder to see how Branyx and Kjallak are doing. They’re both still fighting but there are only three fighters left. The rest have been taken care of. The next thing I hear is the telltale whizz of another arrow.