Her Alien Protector

by Siren Allen

  He stared up at the ceiling, watching the dome. Lark stared up, trying to see her home through his eyes. Above them the sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick clouds that covered Venus.

  The light that did get in bounced off the flowing lava, reflecting, giving their world a reddish hue. This must be so new to him, having spent his life out of the sun’s reach. And he’d came all this way, endured so much, for her. She wasn’t worthy.

  “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” She asked.

  “It is.”

  She really hadn’t expected him to agree with her.

  “I never thought I would see the sun.” Raynor stared forward once more. “It has been a dream of mine for many years. Because of you, that dream has come true.”

  A blush crept into her cheeks. After pushing her hair behind her ear in an attempt to pull herself together, she then pointed to the building they were headed toward. “My office is in that building.”

  “Your office is in the harem?”

  “That building doesn’t only house the harem. It holds the concubines’ residences, one of my sister’s labs and one of my offices. There’s also a gym, pool, bathing chamber, and a clinic. Before Luna went on her trip, I worked out of my office at Aphrodite Terra. When Luna left, I came to the capital to watch over things and left my cousin in charge of Aphrodite. After I check the server I need to contact her to make sure our people in that city are fine.”

  Raynor nodded but remained silent. Lark continued to limp to their destination. She stumbled once but felt his arms tighten around her, keeping her upright. When she glanced up at him, she saw that his jaw had tensed and that angry glint was back in his eyes.

  Was he tired of holding her up? She wasn’t that heavy, or at least she didn’t think she was. Perhaps he was regretting being mated to a weak being like her? Of course he was. He was a warrior, from a planet of warriors.

  And what was she? A female who’d almost lost her innocence to a group of males who she thought cared for her, respected her. She was a second born daughter of a ruler who was killed by his own people. Shame filled her.

  Pulling away from Raynor she told him, “We’re almost there. I can walk on my own the rest of the way.” Instead of letting her go as she’d expected, he pulled her in closer. She didn’t need his pity. “Seriously Raynor, I can make it the rest of the way. I don’t need your support.”

  “You may not need my support,” he said through clenched teeth. “But I need yours.”

  Lark froze, feet rooted in place. He stopped too, but didn’t look her way. “What do you mean you need my support?” She turned to him, searching for wounds. “Damn it, I didn’t even check to see if you were hurt.” She paid no heed to the expression on his face, too busy trying to see where he was injured. “Where is the wound?”

  Why was he being so stubborn? It would be easier if he would just tell her where he was hurt. Pride was going to cost him his life. Lark unzipped the front of his uniform and was greeted by his bare chest.

  There was no time to be shy or admire how ripped he was. She rubbed her hand over his abdomen. If he had a stomach wound he would need snitches. She had no idea how to use Lola’s equipment.

  “We have to find Lola. She can patch you up. The only thing I can do is apply pressure to the wound. Where the hell is the wound?” She could feel a panic attack coming on. “Turn around. Is it your back? Did one of them shoot you, stab you? Was it a blaster?”

  She raised her gaze to his, only to find his eye-lids half closed. “Damn it, Raynor, stay with me.”

  Grabbing his face with both hands, she squeezed, forcing him to open his eyes and focus on her. His lids drifted open revealing his swirling gaze to her. She didn’t know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

  “Are you about to pass out? Do you need to sit down?”

  He wrapped his hands around her wrists, holding her palms against his face. His growl was low, but she was so close to him she could feel it vibrating through her. His lids slid shut once more.

  “Raynor,” her voice shook. What was going on? Stars, she hoped he didn’t pass out. He was too huge for her to drag to her office.

  He opened his eyes. “I know, we have to go. I just needed a moment to savor this.”

  “Savor what?” Pain? Did his kind savor pain?

  “This scent, your concern. I thought your arousal was the sweetest scent I’ve ever smelled. It’s a close second. But this,” Raynor sniffed then shivered. “This is my new favorite aroma.”

  Oh my. Lark swallowed. “Uh okay. So are you hurt or not?”

  “No sweet Lark, I am not hurt. But thank you for caring.” He released her wrists, zipped his uniform up and then wrapped his arm around her again. “I must get you to your office. Are you ready?”

  Was she? No. She was still trying to comprehend what just happened. “Uh yeah, I’m ready. So you’re not hurt?” She looked to him.

  He shook his head.

  “Why do you need my support then?”

  “Because I am angry. No, I am pissed off. I want to destroy those who are responsible for this. But right now, we have other matters to attend to. I need you to keep me grounded, focused. So I don’t go off the deep end, so I don’t let the beast free.”

  “Oh, okay.” She could do that, she hoped.

  As they slowly made their way to her office she replayed the scenario that just took place in her head. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t figure out why he would want her or why he found her so fascinating.

  A loud boom rang out and the whole dome shook. Shocked, Lark stared up. Dust and debris blocked her view of the outside world. It clinked against the dome, raining down on the only thing that protected them from the sun’s rage.

  “Damn it, what is going on outside?”

  “Someone is bombing your dome.” She yelped as he scooped her up in his arms. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you walk the rest of the way.”

  She held on to him as he ran, moving faster than anything she’d ever seen. Everything flashed past her in a blur.

  “Which way?” he asked once they arrived in the inner hallway.

  Her head was spinning. It took her a minute to realize where they were. Her body ached still, and probably would for days, but she kept that to herself, trying to stay alert.

  “The right, last door at the end of the hall.”

  She’d barely gotten the words out when another boom shook the building. They were no longer outside so she couldn’t see what damage was being done to her dome. If it cracked and collapsed, all aliens who wandered from inside the main buildings would be at risk.

  That included all of the harem members. It also included the foreigners who relocated here after mating with Venusians. Their lives would be in danger if the dome cracked. Lark tapped Raynor’s arm just as he stopped outside of her office door.

  “My central server isn’t important now,” she told him. “We have to check on the aliens.”

  “The aliens?”

  “Yes, the foreigners who live here. The dome was built to keep them safe.”

  “Do they not have thermal suits like ours?”

  “Most of them do. But if the dome cracks and chaos ensues they may forget them or be unable to find any. We have to help them. We also need to find you a helmet.” When he frowned, she elaborated. ‘To protect your face from the flares if the dome cracks.”

  “Where do you keep these helmets?”

  “There should be some in my office. I’ll run in and get one,” before she could finish the sentence he’d already kicked open her office door. “Did you have to do that. I could’ve unlocked it.”

  “It would’ve taken too long. Where is this helmet?”

  “In my storage cabinet. Put me down so I can open it. I don’t want you breaking the lock on it.”

  Once she was on her feet, she strode over to the storage cabinet. Palm on the lock, she waited for the infrared beam to recognize her. The lock popped open. She retrieved a helmet for
Raynor.

  “You can access your server while we’re here.”

  “We don’t have time,” Lark reminded him. “We need to make sure the aliens are safe.”

  “You need to know who is worth being saved and who is not.”

  “Right now, let’s pretend they’re all worth it.” She grabbed a duffle bag from the bottom of the storage and began filling it with helmets and suits.

  She would dress as many beings in the protective gear as she could. The rest would have to stay in the main buildings until she could get them to a safe location. She stared up at Raynor when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Access the server. I will load your duffle bags with gear.”

  “Raynor, we don’t have time…”

  “I will not let you leave this room not knowing who you can trust. If I have to, I will keep you here and protect only you.”

  “You will let my people die?”

  “Don’t make me choose between them or you. Because sweet Lark, I will always choose you. We can waste time arguing about it or we can both do our jobs and get out of here quicker. Which will it be?”

  She was used to being the one in charge and giving orders. Having him tell her what to do was irritating. Yet, right now she didn’t have time to let pride cause her to make a bad decision.

  “Okay.” She stood up.

  “Wait,” he told her. He bit into his wrist and held it out to her. “You have to. I see the way you wince each time you move. You can’t fight in this condition. My blood will help you heal.”

  Once again he was right. “I’ll only take a little.”

  Raynor pressed his wrist to her mouth. She sipped then pulled away, gagging. “Oh stars, it tastes like blood.”

  “It is blood.” Raynor shoved his wrist at her again. Already she could feel the swelling in her eyes going down. Leaning forward, she latched on to his wrist, ignoring the taste of the thick liquid entering her mouth.

  “That’s enough,” he pulled his wrist away and she stared in awe as the gash on his arm closed. Touching her hands to her face, she was shocked to find her swelling had gone down. The pain in her stomach had subsided.

  “Thanks Raynor.”

  “You’re welcome mate. Now what do you need me to do?”

  He’d called her mate, again. She told herself not to blush. She needed to concentrate. “Fill up as many duffle bags as you can. I’ll access the server.”

  With a nod, he got to work. Lark did the same. After pricking her finger and unlocking her safe, she retrieved the tiny hard drive. She sat it on her desk then pressed the small button on top of the drive. A light flashed then a projected image of the disk’s contents appeared in front of her.

  “Is that magic?” Raynor asked. Within seconds he stood next to her.

  “No, it’s a projection of what’s on the disk. I can maneuver it with my hand.” Lark raised her hand and tapped the folder that said recordings. A new set of folders opened before them.

  “The name on each folder represents the location it was recorded in.” She tapped the folder that said B block. Another set of folders appeared. “These folders are organized by dates.” She tapped today’s date. A new set of images appeared.

  “These are all the recordings that took place on B block today.”

  “It’s amazing how these folders are in the air. I can clearly see them, but I can clearly see through them also. Can I touch one?”

  Lark smiled at how excited he looked. This technology was old to her, but new to him. If he thought this was cool, wait until she showed him the room service menu installed in all the dwellings.

  “Sure, touch the one labeled F10.”

  “What does F1 mean?”

  “It’s the first hour after the solar flare. It’s how we monitor time. The flare rages at the same time each day. The time when it flares is F0. F1 is the first hour after the flare. F12 is when the flare begins to die down. F18 is when the flare is completely dead. The hour after that is W0, that is when the waning starts. The waning only goes to W6. The hour after W6 is when the flare picks up again and we start with F0. Makes sense?”

  “Yes, so you want me to touch F10. Is that when you believe the first attacks began?”

  “Yes, it was around that time when the guards cornered me on A block.” She heard a growl emit from him. “Was that you making that noise?”

  “Yes.” He touched his hand to F10. Lark wanted to ask more questions about the sound he’d just made but her eyes were drawn to the projection when she heard her sister’s voice.

  Lola.

  Tear’s filled Lark’s eyes as she stared at her sister.

  “Why is Lola in a cell?”

  “I’m not sure. I think her and my brother was having an argument.”

  “He’s your brother?”

  “Not by blood. By bond. We were raised together when his mother and father died. From a young age we thought of each other as family.”

  “I understand. I have a few non blood sisters of my own.”

  “What are their names?”

  “Farah, Isabella and Gabrielle. I pray they’re still alive.” She continued to watch her sister. She saw Raynor enter the picture. “This is how you knew she was alive, you was there.”

  “You can see my image?” He sounded surprised.

  “Yes, you’re right there. How can I not see you?”

  “Your sister could not see me. I was cloaked.”

  Lark listened as Lola asked the new vampire who he was talking to. “She really can’t see you. Why can I see you?”

  “Apparently our bond has grown stronger.”

  She glanced over her shoulder to find Raynor grinning. Stars, he looked so damn sexy when he did that. She turned back to the screen, sure that he could smell what his grin was doing to her body. Thankfully he didn’t comment on it.

  “What were you doing on B block?” she tried to keep the suspicion out of her voice. But he was the one who told her to trust no one.

  “I was searching for you when I caught a whiff of my brethren, Joston. I followed his scent there.”

  Continuing to stare at the image, she watched as Raynor talked with his brother. After Raynor exited the picture things got chaotic. Moments after he left, the cell was locked down. Moments after that the prison doors all opened at once.

  Damn, Raynor’s brother was strong. When he heard the prisoners escaping, he bent the bars of the cell Lola was locked in and freed her. Her sister didn’t seem to mind. She clung to the male as prisoners rushed in their direction.

  “Please get out Lola,” Lark found herself talking to the projection. Raynor placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She leaned closer to him, thankful for his presence. Lola’s vampire shoved her behind him as the prisoners surrounded them.

  Before the prisoners could attack there was a loud boom. The prisoners turned to stare behind them. Joston took action. He grabbed Lola and they sped past the prisoners in a blur. Thank the stars for vampire speed.

  “I need to know where she went.” Lark swiped the image backwards, rewinding to the moment her sister was broken out of the cell. She paused it, and then tapped on Lola’s face. A small screen popped up asking if she wanted to track the actions of this being. Lark clicked yes.

  The screen changed, showing only images Lola was in. Lark watched as the vampire took Lola to the hallway. In the hall she saw men in Venusian uniforms gunning down their own kind.

  She could hear Lola crying, yelling to the guards to stop, asking them why they were doing that. When one guard took aim at Lola, her vampire sped off with her, the emission from the blaster barely missing them.

  The recordings followed Lola to her next location. She was standing outside, under the dome. She was trembling and the vampire was telling her to pull herself together. His exact words were, Rule number eleven, you will not fall apart under pressure. Lola nodded.

  Then the vampire asked her if they had an escape pl
an if they were attacked. Lola nodded and told him that each being on Venus had an escape pod in their room. If ever under attack, they were to go to their pod and flee.

  The vampire asked where the pod would take them. Lark told him it would take them to Area 51 on Earth, their safe haven.

  “Your sister may have escaped and made it to this safe haven of yours.”

  “I sure as hell hope so.”

  Lark fast forwarded the recordings. She stopped when she recognized Lola’s room. The vampire told her to grab anything she couldn’t live without and be quick about it. Lola told him she needed her sister and her friends, Farah and Gabrielle.

  The vampire told her if her friends were smart they were already escaping. Lola tried to protest, but the vampire didn’t let her. He grabbed her and led her to her dresser. He opened the drawer and told her to take what she needed.

  Crying, Lola grabbed things out of her drawer and took them over to her closet where she retrieved a suitcase. After filling up one suitcase the vampire told her that was enough. Lark watched as her sister entered her escape pod with her vampire following her inside.

  Tears trailed down Lark’s cheeks as she watched her sister’s escape wall open and her pod detach from its anchor and fly away. She kept watching until the wall closed, the pressure from the opening leaving Lola’s room in disarray.

  “Your sister escaped. She is safe. The beings who were gunning down your guards, did you recognize them?”

  Wiping her eyes, Lark nodded. “They were Aron’s squad. They worked the shift that he oversaw.”

  “So Aron was the ring leader. But he was dead when the bombings took place. There are more out there, more of his squad. Is there any way we can access footage of the areas outside the dome?”

  “Yes.” Lark swiped back and found the footage of the area outside the dome. She and Raynor watched as a non Venusian ship approached her planet.

  “Do you recognize this ship?” Raynor asked.

  Lark shook her head. As the ship moved closer, the weapon launcher at the bottom of the ship opened. The bombs zeroed in on their planet.