by Anna Hackett
She realized they were scientists of some kind.
Lara and Caze waited, her pulse a loud drum in her head. She willed the Kantos to not come in the direction of their hiding place. Move away. Move away.
Finally, they flowed out the door.
“We should follow them,” she whispered.
Caze nodded. Together, they ducked out from behind the egg and followed the scientists out of the room. In the corridor, they waited a beat. She heard clicking from down the hall.
Hugging the wall, they rounded a gentle curve in the corridor.
Suddenly, a soldier came through a doorway and spotted them. His four eyes widened.
Without speaking, Caze and Lara pounced.
Caze’s sword flashed, cutting through the Kantos’ gut. Lara leaped high, yanking her knife out. She jammed the blade into the soldier’s throat.
His arms flailed, and Caze drove his sword deeper. The Kantos sagged.
Lara straightened. “You think he got a message off?”
“No clue.”
Together, they dragged the dead Kantos’ body back into the room and behind an egg.
“Let’s get this done,” Caze said.
They moved back into the hall and toward the next room. At the doorway, they stood with their backs against the wall and peered in.
The lighting was brighter and it was filled with benches. Definitely a lab.
And thankfully, it was empty. They moved through it quickly. She lifted vats and containers of unidentifiable liquids.
No gem.
Caze jerked his head to move to the next lab.
It was almost identical to the first, except at the back were large, clear vats taller than Lara. They were filled with tiny, writhing larvae.
They looked like maggots and they were feeding on…some sort of animal carcass. “I think I vomited in my mouth a little.”
“Searching, Lara.”
Right. She moved down the lab benches. Nothing.
They moved to the next lab and there was also no gem.
Caze scowled, lost in thought.
“Any other place on the station where they might take the gem and build a weapon?” she asked.
His scowl deepened. “Their weapons area.”
She winced. “Let me guess. It’s not close by.”
“Another few levels up. Not too far away.”
But the longer they stayed on the station, the greater the risks.
She straightened her shoulders. “Let’s do this, warrior.”
Caze pulled himself over the ledge, air sawing in and out of his lungs.
“One. More. Level,” Lara gasped from beside him.
They’d climbed up several levels. It had been hard work, especially when they’d been forced to dodge any Kantos in range.
He watched Lara press her hands to her knees, sucking in air.
She’d kept up with him. She was as resilient and determined as any Eon warrior he’d fought beside.
“There’s a ramp over there,” he said. “The next level is the Kantos weapons area.”
Relief flashed in her eyes. “Good. I wasn’t looking forward to more climbing.”
Once they’d caught their breath, they jogged to the ramp. Here, the walls were striated and above, he saw pipes and conduits that looked like they were made from organic materials.
They reached the top of the ramp and he pointed to the arched doorway closest to them.
They crossed the corridor and paused, looking inside the room. It was long and narrow, and empty. Caze frowned. The far wall was shrouded in a mist that wafted around like a cloud.
“What the hell?” Lara murmured.
She moved closer, and muttering a curse, he followed. Maybe the gem was hidden behind the mist.
The fog shifted and that’s when he saw what it was covering. Cren. There was another part of the room and inside were rows of tables.
And on the tables were dead bodies.
He felt his muscles lock. There were lots of different species on the tables. He saw an Eon warrior and he ground his teeth together. He saw others, including an Oronis warrior.
Beside him, Lara gasped. “Oh my God. That man is human.”
Caze followed her gaze and saw the shorter human male, laid out and cut open.
She pressed a fist to her mouth. “God.”
“We can’t stay,” he said. “They’re dead. We can’t help them now.”
“We can’t leave them.” Fury vibrated in her voice.
“This isn’t our mission.” He hated the thought of leaving them. Of leaving a fellow warrior here, his body desecrated.
But right now, they had no choice. And keeping Lara alive and finding the gem were far more important than recovering dead bodies. These people had no need of rescue. They were at peace.
Finally, she gave a small nod, but her face was etched with sorrow.
He nudged her forward and together they moved to the next room. When he saw the interior, he knew they were definitely in the right place. Weapons were loaded on racks attached to the walls and vats of poison were stacked high. Large Kantos missiles rested on stands in the center of the room.
“Jesus.” Lara took a stumbling step forward.
“Lara.” He gripped her shoulder.
“Look at this weaponry.” Her voice was hollow. “They could wipe us out. Obliterate us.”
“I’m not going to let that happen.”
It was the truth. Less than a week ago, Caze hadn’t cared one bit about Terrans or Earth. All he knew about them was that they were chaotic and disordered. The old Eon king had banned the Eon Empire from having anything to do with Earth.
Now his only exposure was to Eve and Lara—and that was enough for him to make his own judgment. He’d met two interesting, fascinating women, who were both far more than he’d expected. One of those women he was getting to know better than he knew anybody else. Earth was clearly full of billions of unique, flawed, but fascinating humans. None of them deserved to die. And no one deserved to be the prey of the Kantos.
“Let’s see if we can find the gem of Eschar,” he said.
She nodded, and he watched as she pulled herself together. They quickly moved through the missile room, but there was no sign of the jewel.
Cren. Where was it?
He nodded to the next doorway. He saw yet another strange, empty room. He frowned, staring at the circular designs embedded in the floor. The large, amber-colored circles were the only thing notable about the space.
“Let’s keep moving.”
They started out across the room.
But Caze hadn’t gotten far when his boot landed on one of the circles. He heard a click.
He looked down and frowned.
“Caze?”
The circle beneath his boots dropped away and he fell.
The next second, he was submerged in an amber, gel-like fluid. He kicked his legs, trying not to breathe in the gunk. But it was thick, making his movements difficult.
He reached up, and that’s when his palms smacked into the cover over his head. The hole he’d fallen through was gone, covered over again. He banged his fist against the circular covering.
Splash.
He spun around, kicking to keep himself up. Lara landed in the fluid beside him. She kicked, moving close beside him.
Cren. He slammed his fist against the cover above his head. She joined him, and together, they pummeled the flooring panel.
But it wasn’t budging.
He looked at her and saw her eyes were wide. Thanks to his helian and lungs that were several times larger than hers, he could hold his breath for a long time. But Lara couldn’t.
He grabbed her hand and kicked, fighting his way through the thick, amber fluid.
They needed to find a way out.
Kicking hard, he searched for any sign of an exit. Soon, they reached the wall on the far side of the room. A blank wall.
Come on. His blood was pounding. He glanced at Lara.
She was still holding her breath.
Caze’s helian could form a helmet for him once his air ran out, but he couldn’t do the same for Lara. He wasn’t going to let her die.
She pointed.
Farther along the wall, he saw the outline of a door. They swam over and thumped against it. He kicked his boots against the metal, but it didn’t move.
He saw that Lara was getting sluggish, her movements uncoordinated.
Cren. He yanked her close, pressing his mouth to hers. He breathed through her lips and she sucked in air from him.
But he heard the countdown in his head. They were running out of time.
No. He was saving this woman. He wouldn’t let her die.
He held up his arm, aiming at the floor above their heads. He couldn’t form a blaster weapon because the laser fire would rebound in this gel and kill them.
What could he do? How could he get them out?
Suddenly, his helian took matters into hand. A large, solid battering ram formed on his arm.
He smiled grimly. It would do. He held it above his head and kicked. He aimed at one of the circular covers, moving as fast as he could.
Boom.
The battering ram hit the floor above. Nothing happened.
He pulled back, and kicked hard. Boom.
Just below him, he saw Lara struggling. She was fighting not to take a breath.
They were out of time.
Fueled by desperation, he kicked again.
Boom.
The floor panel above his head shattered.
Reaching down, his battering ram dissolving away, he grabbed Lara’s hand. He yanked her up, kicking his feet with everything he had.
Caze’s head burst above the surface of the fluid. He yanked Lara up beside him.
He heard her heave in a breath, then he pulled them both out of the liquid. They collapsed on the floor.
He fell back, sucking in air. Lara fell onto her hands and knees beside him.
“God. God.” She pushed her sodden hair off her face.
They were both covered in the sticky fluid.
She held up an arm, droplets plopping onto the floor. “Ugh, this is beyond gross. Have I told you how much I hate the Kantos?”
He reached for her, pulling her close, and pressed his forehead to hers.
He felt a pulse from his symbiont. The warm energy washed over them, drying the amber goo instantly. It fell away like dust.
Lara looked down, her mouth dropping open. Then she shook her hair, the crusty amber flakes falling to the floor.
“Thanks, warrior.” She smiled. “For saving me and for the de-gooing.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but he heard clicking echoing from the hall outside. They both tensed.
He hadn’t exactly been quiet when they’d broken out of the amber fluid. The Kantos were coming.
Lara bounded to her feet. “Time to go.”
Caze scanned around. They needed somewhere to hide. The walls were bumpy and rough. Up near the ceiling, he spotted a narrow ledge.
He moved, scooping Lara up into his arms.
She slid her arm across his shoulders. “What are you—?”
He bent his legs and jumped. They sailed up and Lara gasped, clinging to him. His boots hit the ledge and he crouched down.
“I just have to say this,” she whispered. “That was amazing. And a hell of a massive turn on.”
He fought a smile. By Alqin’s axe, she could cause a surge of desire at the most inappropriate times. He pressed a finger to her lips.
Below, Kantos soldiers surged into the room. They rushed over to the broken floor, circling around it. Their clicking increased in volume.
The soldiers stayed a long time, studying the floor and searching the room. He wasn’t sure what they’d deduced, but after endless minutes, they finally left.
Caze waited, Lara crouched beside him. No more soldiers arrived. He nodded at her and leaped off the ledge. He was careful to avoid the Cren-cursed amber circles. As he hit the floor, he bent his knees.
He spun and held up his arms.
Lara didn’t hesitate. She jumped and he caught her.
“How about we leave this room behind?” she suggested.
“I am in total agreement.”
He set her down and they weaved between the amber circles. At the next doorway, Caze heard more clicking ahead.
With Lara pressed up beside him, they both peered through the door. His pulse spiked.
In the center of the room, resting on a stand surrounded by Kantos scientists, was the gem of Eschar.
Chapter Fourteen
There it was.
Caze assessed the situation. They couldn’t take on all the scientists without one of them getting a warning off.
Lara held up a hand. She was holding a small device.
“Sedative grenade,” she murmured. “Designed for Kantos.”
“Where did you—?”
“Last resort device. All space marines have one in the heel of their boot.” With a wink, she tossed it into the lab.
It rolled across the floor, and one scientist raised his head, looking around for the noise. Then there was the hiss of gas and a cloud of smoke filled the air.
The clicking sounds went wild, and then Caze heard the thump of a large body hitting the floor. It was followed by several more.
He smiled at his woman. “You are magnificent.”
She gave a small bow. “Glad you noticed.”
Together, they moved into the room, stepping over the bodies of the unconscious Kantos.
They reached the gem and Caze lifted it off the stand.
“Thank the warriors.” He placed it securely in a small bag attached to his belt. “Let’s get out of here.”
They turned…just as a huge bug skittered through the doorway.
It had a long, flat body, serrated legs, and long antennae.
“Damn, it looks like a mutant cockroach,” Lara said.
The bug screeched and rushed at them.
Lara reached over her shoulder and pulled out her sword. She ducked a leg that came swinging her way.
Caze leaped, his sword held over his head. He slashed down, cutting off the creature’s antennae.
Lara slid along the floor, right beneath the creature. She sliced at the creature’s belly.
Cren, she was too fearless. He watched as she sliced off one pincer.
The creature reared up. His heart lodged in his throat. She was too close. The cren-cursed bug was going to crush her.
“Lara!” He jumped, landing on the bug’s side. He rammed his sword into the bug, working the blade through the hard shell.
The Kantos screeched—wild and high-pitched. He saw Lara roll away.
The creature spun and Caze flew off, smashing into a bench. The air rushed out of him.
Lara leaped onto a neighboring bench and jumped into the air. She threw something—a grenade—into the bug’s mouth.
It closed its mouth and made a coughing sound. Then there was a muffled thump, and the Kantos’ stomach burst open.
Lara landed and rolled. Bits of bug flew everywhere.
“Ugh.”
Caze brushed a lump off his armor and shook his head. “Back to the ship. Now. We’re getting out of here.”
She nodded, and together they ran for the door. They burst into the corridor.
A squad of Kantos soldiers was waiting for them. They skidded to a halt.
“Um, ideas, warrior?”
“I’m thinking.”
An elite stepped forward. You have trespassed.
“We’re just taking back what you stole, asshole,” Lara snapped.
The elite ignored her, his gaze on Caze.
We have treaties.
“Which you ignored when you attacked our war commander and stole our sacred gems.”
The Terrans—
“Are none of your business. The Eon Empire now has alliances with Earth.”
An angry clicking e
choed off the walls.
Kill them. Take all the gems.
Lara swung her sword, hitting it against a Kantos soldier’s arm. She heaved, knocking him back. Then she spun, ducked low, and cut at the legs of another.
Nearby, Caze fought like a tornado. He was spinning, ducking, and slashing. The ground was littered with Kantos body parts and with injured soldiers.
But there were so many. Too many.
And more were running up the ramp to get to them.
The Kantos always used their numbers to swarm in and win. With a growl, Lara threw herself into the fight. Energy stormed through her veins.
She’d keep fighting. It was what she did best. She didn’t have it in her to give up—not like her mother.
She shot another glance at Caze. Hell, she could spend hours watching the man fight.
A Kantos arm slammed against her gut. Her armor took the brunt of the blow, but the wind was knocked out of her. She gasped, fighting through the pain.
Another swing of a sharpened arm and Lara dropped and rolled. She felt the arm graze her back… And cut through the strap of her backpack.
“No!”
It spilled open, and the blue-green gem of Ston rolled out.
The next few seconds happened in slow motion. Going on instinct, she reached into the torn pack on her back, her hand closing on the gem of Alqin. Without looking at it, she shoved it into the small pouch attached to her belt. Her gaze never left the gem of Ston as it rolled across the floor. The clicking sounds around them went wild. On her hands and knees, she chased after the jewel.
“Lara!” Caze bellowed.
Her hand closed on the stone and she rose.
Right at the very edge of the walkway. There was no railing, and several bugs were flying in the central core, their translucent wings fluttering.
A soldier rushed at her and swung out his arm. Lara ducked.
Shit. One of her boots slid an inch over the edge. She had nowhere to go. Except down, and that wasn’t an option.
Another swing of that sharpened arm and she saw the beady eyes focused on the gem. Lara’s boot slipped completely off the edge.
She pitched backward into the central core.
Fucking hell.
She shoved the gem of Ston in her belt beside the other one, air rushing past her. She dropped past a flying bug, and she stared up at the hive above her.
