by Stone, Piper
All of this was conjecture, but if any of what he’d told me was the truth, the sound of it led me to believe the entire incident had been shoved under a very large rug. What in God’s name would they have stolen from the aliens? Their power systems? For what? How could a single broken-down ship from another galaxy help?
My head ached from the lack of oxygen as well as the nightmare I’d found myself in. Or had it found me? The way Draziak had alluded that only I could help him indicated the alien had developed a plan in order to get me to Bellenia. With what? Mental control?
Jesus. Nothing made any sense.
I dragged my feet, exhaustion as well as chills setting in. That didn’t bode well. I’d been lucky none of the venomous snakes had attacked, although it had been a close call. What I remembered of the experience in nasty tunnel while I was holding my breath wasn’t something I could easily comprehend.
It would seem that Draziak was more of a superhero than a flesh-eating alien. An inappropriate laugh filtered into my system even as my pulse continued to be erratic, my heart racing. I was on the verge of collapse. Please don’t. Hold on. Just hold on.
One.
Two.
Three.
I wasn’t certain any amount of nagging or counting to one million would keep my body from failing. I could see him up ahead, his skin shimmering in the flecks of remaining sun peeking through the tops of the trees. He was far too damn attractive, muscular in every manner.
And he’d been my savior.
I couldn’t stop the laughter from slipping past my lips. My legs seemed rubbery as I pushed my way through a thick patch of vines, the damn things catching my hair, wrapping around me like a noose.
His upper lip curling, Draziak dropped the bag he was carrying as well as the carcass, taking long strides in my direction. As he ripped away the vines, he shook his head. “You will never learn.”
“And we will never find a safe place.”
He pulled me into his arms, half dragging me several feet. “It would appear we have found what we need, for now. Come and do not fight me on this.”
Fight. He had no idea what kind of a fighter I could be.
As he pushed away several branches, the sight of the waterfall took my breath away, the heavy stream of water tumbling into the lagoon below. The surrounding pool was turquoise in color, the combination absolutely stunning. There was even a small sandy beach on one side, lush tropical foliage framing the gorgeous picture. “Oh, my God. This is... amazing.”
When he pointed to the right, I couldn’t have been more shocked at what I was seeing. A rustic cabin nestled in the trees had been built near the sparkling lagoon, light flickering off the metal roof. There was even a dock leading directly to the water, a secondary outbuilding located just off to the side. While the buildings and surroundings were crude, the place seemed like paradise, respite from the horrors of the day. There was supposed to be nothing other than the actual colony on this forsaken outpost. How was this possible?
At this point, I was forced to realize that anything was possible.
The building hadn’t been originally designed as a cabin, merely refitted for the purpose of a getaway. At least the setting was incredible.
While there was no immediate evidence of anyone remaining on the property, human or otherwise, the chance we were taking was significant.
“What if there are people living there? What the hell do we tell them, or do you plan on killing them outright?” I asked quietly.
He exhaled raggedly before answering. “There are no people inside. It has been abandoned for some time.”
“We can’t just break in.” My statement was ridiculous, as if it mattered to him whether or not we took what didn’t belong to us.
“You will follow me, Annabella, or you will be punished.” Obviously certain of his prediction, he said nothing else as he retrieved the items, heading down the small knoll and directly for the house.
And I followed him without question.
As we drew close to the cabin, I could tell the windows had been boarded up. Maybe the owners had... been killed. I shuddered at the thought, thinking about the madman living and breathing on the other side of the mountain.
“Stay here,” he stated, his usual dominance firmly in place, dropping the carcass at my feet. He tilted his head as he glared at me then took long strides toward the cabin.
I watched as he moved around to the side, taking cautious steps around the perimeter. I didn’t like this at all. I was drawn to the other building, including the massive padlock on the exterior door. There was a single window, although the vines growing over the roof and hanging down seemed intentional, an attempt at hiding the structure. Even the coloring of the siding and roof allowed for it to become relatively camouflaged. Whatever was inside held something of importance to the owners of the cabin, or perhaps the previous owners. As I moved closer, yanking at the vines, I studied the surrounding area. The entire setting appeared like an outpost of some kind that had been transferred into living quarters.
However, the small building was much older than the cabin, the wood brittle and dilapidated, rotten pieces falling from several locations. Why have a building made out of wood in this kind of weather and humidity?
Because the previous owners didn’t think they’d be here very long.
Hmmm... My assumption had to be correct.
The window was a few inches too high to see inside, but I was determined to take a peek. I managed to position my foot on a partially loose board, hoisting myself up until I was able to view the interior. As I clung to the windowsill, I did my best to drag the thick foliage away from the glass. The damn vines were tangled, almost immediately attempting to cling to my hair and arms.
Hissing, I yanked at what I could, forced to use all the arm muscles I had to tip my head up enough to glance inside.
The dim lighting only provided a series of shadows, except I was able to make out what appeared to be an ATV. Here? I’d heard supplies and vehicles had been transported to the outpost colonies, but this seemed surreal. Whether the ancient ATV was in working condition could prove to be interesting. There were also other items, the majority covered by tarps. Breaking the lock might be in order.
I heard the sharp crack of the brittle wood seconds before I was tossed to the ground. The yelp was unavoidable, my arms and legs scratched from the vicious foliage that refused to let me go.
“Damn it.” The more I struggled, the more the vines seemed to attach, winding through my hair and snagging my shorts.
As I’d expected, I felt his presence, the glare on his face highlighting his disapproval. As he reached down, snatching the vines away, an ungodly stench filled my nostrils. The evasive creeping plant seemed so alive, curling back immediately in an effort to protect itself from the massive alien.
“What the hell did you do?” I asked, struggling to crawl away.
He yanked me up by my arm, towering over me, his cold gaze falling to the scratches on my legs. “Protecting you. Do not disobey me again.”
With that, he moved away, once again tossing the carcass over his shoulder before storming off.
The first drops of rain began to fall and by the time we made it to the front porch, we were soaked from the torrential downfall. I watched as he dumped the animal onto the deck, a strange hollowness erupting deep within my psyche. I was suddenly so damn cold, shivering from head to toe.
There was no hesitation as the brawny man ripped away at the simple plywood screwed to the sides of the front door, obtaining entrance within seconds. He did the same with two of the windows, allowing light to filter inside. He pointed to the door, a command to enter, his massive shoulders heaving. He stepped to the side, folding his arms and waiting for me to obey. As I walked through the doorway, everything seemed to hit me at once.
The bogus trip.
The lies that had been told.
The earthquake.
And the beast...
I shuddered,
rubbing the scratches on my arms as I studied the interior. While great pains had been taken to redesign the space, I knew in my gut this had once been an entirely different kind of outpost.
Military.
The word filtered into my mind.
I felt his presence behind me, heard the hard thudding as the door was closed. When he crowded my space with his massive body, I wanted nothing more than to run away.
But I couldn’t.
I was frozen to the spot, unable to process any additional information. Nothing in all my years of training had prepared me for anything of this nature. I wanted to scream, pitching a violent temper tantrum, even though I’d never done that in my entire life.
My very lonely life.
I’d learned to keep my emotions bottled, foster care an excellent teacher of holding everything deep inside.
I was lost, more so than I’d ever been before. I couldn’t get over the notion that I’d been used in some giant ploy. What troubled me the most was that if that was true, then the secret had been held for years. The same nagging gnawed at my mind, as if I was supposed to remember details from an event that had happened before.
When I was much younger. The fog was thick around my mind, a strangling hold that I knew in my gut had a specific reason.
Why couldn’t I make sense of this?
Because you don’t have all the information.
“What are you remembering?” he asked in an unusually quiet manner.
“Nothing. One big blank. What’s there to remember? I’ve never been here before.”
“Why do I not believe you?”
Jesus Christ. A rush of anger flowed into me, more so than I’d felt before. I jerked away from him, turning sharply, realizing I’d moved into a fighter’s stance. All the years of intense self-defense training hadn’t been forgotten. Another ridiculous laugh was ready to bubble to the surface. As the rain pelted against the metal roof, adding to the ache in my head, I glared at him.
“Who are you to challenge me, Draziak? You are keeping your own secrets. What is the identity of the person responsible for what you endured?”
He looked away, a sneer forming on his face.
“What are you afraid of? I’m your captive. I have no way of talking to anyone, let alone getting away from you or off this wretched planet. You call me your enemy, yet you’ve saved my life twice. You call me your prisoner, yet I felt your gentle touches, as if whatever freaking connection we have between us is normal in any way, even special to you. Why?”
“I. Don’t. Know.” His words were stark, also devoid of any emotion.
They were also a lie. He knew exactly why we were so connected.
“What makes me your enemy, because I’m human?”
I watched as the expression of consternation crossed his face, his hands fisting. “I was told you volunteered for an experiment.”
“What are you talking about?”
“One that altered our connection. You were working with the Scorpion.”
Swallowing, almost immediately I became even more frustrated, unable to remember anything like what he was talking about. Although myriad images floated in the front of my mind, ones far too similar to the nightmares that had plagued me for years. “No. I have no knowledge of the Scorpion or what kind of incident could have conjured up whatever this is between us.”
The alien was just as stoic as usual, only his mouth twisted in anger and frustration.
“Jesus. Whatever we share certainly isn’t special, at least not as far as I’m concerned. You don’t know me, and I certainly don’t want to know you.” The words rushed from my mouth, biting and hurtful, merely done out of frustration.
I loathed the confusion, the pain of not knowing.
I hated the electricity.
The desire.
The longing to have him touch me.
Fuck me.
I couldn’t stand the images floating in my mind.
One. After. The. Other.
I needed space and some time to deal with this. I walked toward the front window, staring out at the near monsoon consuming the terrain. The pelting rain was formidable, creating instant waves in the lagoon.
I wanted my life back, not this constellation of images that had no end, an unraveling of pieces of my mind making me think I was mad. I longed for a reality where humans were the top of the food chain, everyone pretending that there was no one else in any vast galaxy but us.
And I didn’t want to give a shit about some creature whose connection with me didn’t make any sense.
But I did.
I actually cared about Draziak in some sick and twisted manner.
“Talk to me, Draziak. Tell me every detail, the truth. Please.”
“Don’t ask for what you don’t want to hear,” he said in a scattered tone. “The truth isn’t always pleasant or what it seems.”
“You don’t know me at all. What I’ve dealt with in my life should be the real reason I have nightmares, not from fantasies about muscular aliens.” I laughed at the thought.
“We all have burdens to bear, human.”
I studied him, feeling some odd sense of camaraderie. With an alien. “Yes, I guess you’re right.”
“You must remember what occurred years ago in order for us to hunt the Scorpion, making certain he never does this kind of thing again,” he commented offhandedly.
“Remember? My God, you’re firmly convinced I have something to do with this.” As he tilted his head, the frustration increased. “Fine. If I don’t know the true identity of the Scorpion, there is no way I can help you.”
“You must be the one to open your mind.”
“Yeah? Well, that’s not going to happen. Hear me. I can’t help you. I’m not some savior of your world. I’m a lowly bartender attempting to find a job doing what I love in what still appears to be an all boys’ club.” I shook my head, laughing softly. Or maybe I was just in a coma, my imagination working overtime. “And don’t think I don’t realize that once you find him, you’re going to kill him. How do I know you aren’t the real predator?” Even as the words tumbled from my mouth, I knew better. He and his soldiers had been the victims.
He studied me intently, as he’d done several times before. I could see the expression of hurt on his face. “You are much stronger than you believe yourself to be, little human.”
“Yeah? I doubt that. As I’ve told you before, you have zero clue what I’m about or the dreams I’ve had night after night.”
“Dreams?” He tilted his head, his eyes boring straight into me.
Sighing, I nodded and dropped my head into my hands, the exhaustion forcing me to lean against the window. I hadn’t intended on blurting out anything to this... alien. At this point, what did it matter? “Yes. I’ve had vivid images disturbing my dreams. At first, they were one a month starting a few years ago. Then they increased to once a week about four months before I came on this freaking expedition. Since I’ve been here, they’ve occurred every night. Every single night.” Jerking up my head, I glared at him. “It was you. I was dreaming about you. Wasn’t I? Did you somehow cause them? Did you manage with your special skills to latch onto me, trying to drive me here or simply living out some sick fantasies?”
“I did not create your nightmares, human. I suspect that during the experiments that at least a few of us endured, either drugs or an internal form of digital implants were used for control.”
“Wait a minute. You’re actually suggesting that I have some implant that was placed inside my brain years ago?” I huffed, folding my arms and shivering only partially from the fact I was drenched. “You have to be kidding. That’s outrageous. I’ve never been here or any of the other outposts for that matter.”
“That is the truth and I believe somewhere inside, you are becoming aware of what happened years ago. Aren’t you?” he asked forcefully. When I didn’t answer immediately, he continued. “What I am certain of, little human, is that you were injected with my blood,
forcing a chemical and kinetic reaction between us. More truth.”
“What?” I think I heard myself say. He was serious. “What in the hell would that do, turn me into one of you?”
He took a step closer, lifting his head. “That action would develop, sustain, and strengthen the very connection shared between us that we are unable to deny.”
“You mean the ungodly desire.” Hunger so unbridled that I can’t gather my breath. A need that keeps my pussy clenching and my nipples hard as pebbles. I couldn’t believe I was buying into any of this. Breeding. The word lingered, festering deep in my mind.
“Yes,” he hissed, “but there’s more. If that did happen, you are now my mate for life. There is no turning back, no way to avoid what has occurred. You truly do belong to me.”
“No,” I whispered, taking a deep breath as he inched closer with every word until he was towering over me, the scent of his desire raw and biting.
Unbridled.
Just like the desire I felt racing through my bloodstream.
“I will hunt you down if you run,” he growled. “I will capture and keep you in a cage if necessary. I will train and feast on you. I will fight for you, kill for you.”
His presence was suddenly overwhelming, his larger than life persona stealing my breath.
“And I will die for you.”
Chapter Ten
Annabella
Death. Mate.
Breeding.
The alien was serious and even worse, I believed him, my gut churning. I could also grasp onto a memory, the ugly details clawing at my mind.
Draziak inhaled as he lowered his head, lifting his hand. The carnal sound erupting from his throat was savage, yet as he flexed his fingers open, hovering the tips over my face, the gentle side of him was mesmerizing. I was so drawn to him, to his prowess and intensity.