by Ella Maven
“Fenix?” Jennie’s voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to her with a smile, but her expression was concerned. I tended to forget she knew what I was thinking now. No hiding anything.
“I’m here.”
“What’s on your mind?”
I ran my fingers through her hair. It’d been about five rotations since we left Viprix 2, and I’d cherished every moment with her. “Nothing important.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, it was.”
I stood up and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Stay here with Heera. Don’t let anyone on the ship but me.”
“What a bummer, we wanted to send out party invites,” she deadpanned.
“What?”
“Never mind.” Gazing out the front window at the station, she bit her lip. “Are you sure this is safe?”
It was absolutely not safe, but then I was a Drixonian with the ability to call fire. “As soon as I step foot off this ship, I’m the most dangerous thing here.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “That’s some confidence.”
“It’s the truth.”
After giving her neck a squeeze, I opened the ramp and disembarked, hiding my distinctive hair with a hooded cloak, and covering my hands with my gloves. After making sure it shut behind me, I continued to the guard booth where a green waljura lounged with her slimy foot propped up on the window ledge. “Papers,” she toned in a low voice as she kept her one eye focused on the tablet in front of her.
I placed a few czens on the table at her side. She went still, and her eyeball shifted in its socket to take in the czens before lifting it to me. “Papers,” she said again.
“I don’t have them.”
“Then you need to leave before I call security.”
I placed down another few czens.
She remained nonplussed. “Papers.”
“Look, I don’t—”
“Papers.”
I blew out a breath and placed my hands on my hips. “Does it make a difference if I tell you that I can light this entire booth on fire with a flick of my fingers?” Her gaze darted to my hands before she reached for a button on the tablet.
“Wait—”
“A little short, Drix?” A deep voice boomed next to me. A blue-eyed bronze warrior with a spiked bat strapped to his back slapped down a bag on the table that landed with a heavy thunk. Abandoning her button, her face shifted to a bright yellow as she let out a squeal and ripped open the bag. Digging a curved claw inside, she stabbed a sticky cake and shoved it into her mouth. Chewing happily, she ignored us.
He beckoned me into the station with a jerk of his chin. “She doesn’t care about czens. She just wants velvups from Rinian I.”
I stared at him. “Thank you, but… do I know you?”
His blue eyes glowed as he grinned. His long white hair was pulled back into a braid and the sides of his head were shaved. White swirling tattoos covered his chest and neck. “I mean, I only saved you all from the Uldani. Kind of offended here, Drix.”
“Saved… what?”
His gaze drifted from my face down to my gloved hands before returning to my face. He cocked his head. “When’s the last time you were on Corin?”
“Corin? Not since I was born.”
He took a step closer to me. “You’re one of those aren’t you?”
“What?”
“You’re one of those stolen warriors they’re always talking about. Have you ever seen a warrior like me? Bronze skin, blue eyes, less good-looking. Goes by the name Kazel?”
“No, I’m sorry.”
He sighed. “It was worth a shot. Anyway, where are you heading?”
I didn’t know how much to trust this warrior, but he had helped me out. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, let me give you some information. Free of charge because I’m in a good mood, which is rare. The Drixonians resettled on Corin. Heard there’s a winged one, and a spiky one with a big mouth.” He turned and I grabbed for him. He glared at my hand on his arm, but I didn’t let go. “Who are you? How do I know you’re not lying to me?”
“You don’t know. All I can say is I’m not. And as for who I am—I’m Bosa, a Kaluma warrior.” He tossed me a bag and when I caught it, the contents clinked. “Get home quick. I heard they’re looking for a warrior with a terrible orange haircut.”
I reached up to feel that a lock of my hair had slipped out from under my hood. And then he… disappeared. One minute he was in front of me and the next minute he was gone. I heard retreating footsteps, but he was nowhere to be seen. Had I imagined him? When I opened the bag in my hand, a handful of czens spilled out in my palm. “That flecker,” I muttered.
Laughing to myself, I hurried to buy supplies. Jennie, Heera, and I were going to eat good. And then… well then, we were going home.
Nineteen
Jennie
“I love your hair!”
“Where did you get that dress?”
“Are you hungry?”
“She probably needs a drink. Doesn’t she look like she needs a drink? Where’s Xavy?”
“Ladies, get in your places! We have a greeting system now, remember?”
Heera, who had been hiding in the cargo ship until we knew the area was safe, emerged from her hiding spot and marched down the ramp, her little stomps admittedly kind of cute. The human women fell silent and the one in front, a petite brunette named Frankie, gasped.
Heera stopped in front of me with her arms crossed over her chest. “You’re overwhelming her, and she has trouble speaking because she got a virus on Vixlicin. She needs to get clean, eat, and sleep. In that order.” She ended her diatribe on a short nod.
The small group of human women were so silent that all I could hear was heavy breathing and a slight breeze ruffling the trees of Corin. We’d arrived on this planet to a small group of Drixonian warriors, none of whom Fenix recognized, and taken to this small village. Frankie, the mate of the leader of the village, said the rest of the warriors were on their way after getting word Fenix had arrived.
He stood at my back, shifting his weight from foot to foot and scanning the area, most likely eager to see Rexor and Mikko. We’d been greeted at the village by a group of women who were very friendly. Maybe even too much.
Right now, I was being ignored in favor of Heera. The women stared so long at the female hilbob that I began to grow nervous. I placed my hand protectively on Heera’s shoulder and drew her closer to me.
“What’s wrong?” Fenix asked, his arm coming around my shoulders until we stood like a little family.
“She’s…” Frankie’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.
“…a hilbob,” said a dark-skinned woman with long braids.
A woman with a short black bob and tattoos let out a long, low whistle. “They’re going to shit themselves.”
A green-eyed redhead stood frozen, her lower lip quivering as she stared at Heera like she held the meaning of life. “This is the best day ever,” she whispered.
“What—?” I asked just as a low hum filled the air.
“They’re coming!” Frankie screeched, clapping her hands together. “Oh man, this is going to be the best one yet.”
“I don’t—” Fenix began just as a group of Drixonians on motorcycle-like vehicles that hovered above the ground sped into the village. A large Drixonian with long white hair leaped off his bike before it came to a stop. He raced toward Fenix who turned to face his friend. The white-haired Drixonian, who I knew as Rexor based on Fenix’s description, came to a stop a foot away from Fenix. His fingers twitched toward Fenix, but he kept his hands to himself. “Brother,” he whispered. “You’re home.”
A large smile split Fenix’s face. “I’m home.” He clasped Rexor around the back of his neck and brought their foreheads together.
Rexor jerked in his hold, seemingly uncertain. “You don’t have to—”
“I don’t hurt anymore.” Fenix spoke in a low whisper.
Rexor blinked rapidly. �
��You don’t?”
Fenix pulled back a fraction and held up the wrist of his free hand to show off his loks. He then let Rexor go just as another Drixonian, this one with machets lining his forearms and back, skidding to a halt at Rexor’s side. “Fenix,” he let out on a happy gasp. “Fleck, brother. You made it.”
“Hey there, Mikko. Miss me?”
“Not a bit.”
Fenix grinned and tugged me to his side. “This is Jennie. My cora-eternal.”
Rexor turned a kind smile to me. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” I said.
“How do you put up with him all the time?” Mikko grinned. “This planet had been peaceful but I guess that’s changing now.”
Rexor shoved him. “Look who’s talking.”
“Who’s here?” A scratchy voice called out from behind a pack of Drixonian warriors.
“Wait your turn, York.”
“There are no turns. Come on, I want to see how orange his hair is.”
“Quit being rude.”
“How is that rude?”
“It just is.”
Two figures emerged from between a pair of Drixonian warriors. My knees wobbled. My head felt faint, and in front of me, Heera let out a whimper that cut me to the core.
Two male hilbobs, one bald and the other with long gray hair came to an abrupt stop as they spotted Heera. From somewhere behind me, I heard a muffled sob. Tears pricked my eyes as Heera took one tentative step forward. “C-Crife?” she managed in a shaky voice. “York?”
York stumbled and fell to one knee as his large eyes filled. Crife stared dumbfounded before lurching to Heera and wrapping her in his short arms. She clung to him with her digging claws while York managed to get to his feet. He fell against them, so they were now a murmuring, sobbing bundle of three hilbobs. It was a homecoming that touched me to my core. We might not have been able to save everyone on that damn planet, but we made a difference in these three lives, and that was more than I could have hoped for. Fenix’s hand slipped into mine, and I smiled up at him. “You did good, Jennie,” he said.
“Yeah, I guess we did,” I whispered. “I guess we did.”
Fenix
We learned later that York, Crife, and Heera had been childhood friends. For the next few rotations, they were inseparable. Rian, Mikko’s mate, couldn’t stop crying whenever she looked at them. Her and Mikko had met York and Crife in the Pit on Vixlicin, and the hilbobs were responsible for saving their lives. Heera had been there for Jennie when she’d had no one—not even me. There was a lot of bravery packed in the small hilbobs’ bodies.
With the absence of pain, I’d been able to dream again. I’d missed the hover bikes, and Daz, Rexor’s brother and leader of the village, immediately put me on the mechanical crew. By day, I worked on the bikes and did any other odd jobs that needed completed to restore the city of Granit. By night, I spent my night in Jennie’s arms and her body.
Her voice was getting stronger, and she made friends with the women, especially Daisy, Rexor’s mate, and Rian.
“Rian and Daisy both said they approve of me,” she said one night as we lay in the soft furs.
“Did you need their approval?” I pressed a kiss to her stomach.
She gave a soft laugh. “No, but they both were very fond of you. Rian said you helped her understand Mikko.”
“No one really understands Mikko,” I mutterd.
“Aw, I like him.”
“He’s an annoying flecker.”
She laughed again. I loved the sound now that it was less scratchy. “All right, whatever you say.” She sighed and ran her fingers through my hair. “Were you born with black hair?”
“Yes. It changed when the Uldani experimented on me.”
“Rexor’s too?”
“Yes.”
She continued fussing with the orange strands. “I’m happy, Fenix.”
I smiled against her skin. “I’m happy too.”
“D-do you think about Zecri?”
My stomach flipped. “Every rotation.”
“Do you think he’s okay?”
“I hope so.”
“He deserves to be happy too.”
“He does.” I lifted onto my elbow to look into her brown eyes. “But he has to realize he deserves to be happy. I didn’t until I met you. Until you showed me I could dare to dream again.”
“Real life is better than the dream now, don’t you think?”
“I do.” I pressed a kiss to her lips. “Stay in this real life with me, Jennie.”
“Always.”
Thank you so much for reading FENIX! If you aren’t caught up on the series, please check out REXOR and MIKKO.
Want a free book in the Stolen Warriors series? TRAWN can be downloaded HERE. It can be read before, during, or after any books in this series!
Curious about Daz, Frankie, and the rest of the Drixonian Crew on Corin? Check out my complete Drixonian Warrior series!
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about Zecri. His book, the last in the Stolen Warriors series, is next! Preorder here: ZECRI
I’d been prepared to die on this planet… but now I have something to live for.
Zecri: I’ve waited many cycles to carry out my rescue mission for a fellow warrior. But when I re-enter the misery I escaped to free him, I get more than I bargained for. Much more. A human female who’s as scarred as I am, and who’s willing to risk her life for the most precious thing on this desert planet.
Sybil: This place absolutely sucks, and I’ve been in some pretty terrible places. I would have run myself through with one of my captor’s blades long ago if it wasn’t for this innocent creature who’s dependent on me. I won’t let her down. I can’t. But I’m only a human on a planet full of monsters.
Until I meet the most deadly monster of them all. He’s scarred and wears an emotionless mask, but I can see the simmering rage and revenge underneath it all. I also see a soul needs me as much as I need him. But first, we have to get free. Maybe together… we can be heroes.
PREORDER ZECRI
Acknowledgments
I can’t believe how readers are responding to this series. I’m so grateful you all are loving my Stolen Warriors!
Thank you to Natasha Snow who really brought Fenix to life with this cover. You create amazing art and I don’t know what I’d do without you!
Thank you to my editor, Del, who always comes through for me.
And thank you to my readers, especially those in my Haven, who make this job the best job in the world. I hope my books give you a real world escape for a while. <3
About the Author
Ella Maven is the pen name for a multi-published USA Today Bestselling author who decided to finally unleash the alien world that had been living in her head for years. (Is that weird? Probably). Her books feature dominant, possessive aliens who are absolutely devoted to their humans.
She lives on the East Coast with her completely normal husband and two spawn who sure seem alien some days.
Also by Ella Maven
Drixonian Warrior Series
Daz and Frankie: The Alien’s Ransom
Sax and Valerie: The Alien’s Escape.
Ward and Reba: The Alien’s Undoing
Miranda and Drak: The Alien’s Revenge
Gar and Naomi: The Alien’s Savior
Xavy and Tabitha: The Alien’s Challenge
Nero and Justine: The Alien’s Equal
Stolen Warrior Series
Rexor
Mikko
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