Soul of Eon (Eon Warriors Book 8)

by Anna Hackett

  Something was wrong with him. He was still asleep, but heat was pumping off his body and he was unsettled.

  Then she felt the hard erection against her thigh.

  Oh. God.

  He groaned again like he was in pain. His skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat.

  Was this the mating fever?

  Kaira shifted and his arms tightened on her. Desire pulsed in her belly. She bit her lip and stroked her hand down his chest. She wanted to touch, soothe…

  “Kaira.”

  She glanced up, but he wasn’t awake. His eyes were still closed. He moved against her, shifting their bodies until his cock rested against her belly.

  She bit back a moan. She didn’t let herself think, she just followed the instincts inside her.

  She reached down and stroked the bulge in his gray pants.

  Another masculine groan, and he pushed into her hand.

  Oh, boy. She squeezed him.

  Another harsh sound, and his hips pumped forward. Then his body tensed. “Kaira?”

  She looked up. He was awake now, his brow creased.

  “Cren, I’m sorry, I—”

  “Don’t be.” Her voice was husky. “Thane, can I touch you?”

  He inhaled harshly. “Yes. No. Wait.” His body shuddered. “Only if you want to… Cren.”

  “I want to.” She pushed his trousers down and his cock bounced free. She circled the thick length with her hand.

  He gave a long groan. “Kaira.”

  His erection was huge. Desire licked her insides and she stroked him harder, her fingers running over the veined head.

  Thane made a low, guttural sound. His face twisted. “Faster, Starlight.”

  Kaira pumped his cock faster.

  “I’ve never been this hard,” he growled.

  She pressed her lips to his neck and never slowed her strokes of that big, thick cock. She wanted it inside her. Filling up the emptiness gnawing at her. Joining them together.

  He let out a tortured groan.

  “Come, Thane.” She bit him hard, the tendon in his neck between her teeth.

  A strangled sound broke free of him, then wetness spurted over her hands and belly.

  She pressed into him, both of them panting.

  This was the sexiest thing she’d shared with anyone in a long time.

  “Kaira…”

  “Don’t say anything,” she said.

  His arms tightened on her. They were silent for a while as their breathing returned to normal.

  “We should clean up, and get our armor on.” There was reluctance in his voice. “We need to go soon.”

  She sighed. A part of her screamed at her to back away from him, to keep her distance. But she just couldn’t anymore.

  None of that mattered anyway. Their little respite was over.

  It was time to get back to reality.

  Kaira followed Thane and Lennar through the tunnels.

  She tried to focus on the mission ahead, but she was very aware of Thane walking just ahead of her.

  Touching him, stroking that generous cock… She fought back a shudder. She’d loved every minute of touching him.

  Can’t think of this now, Chand. She gritted her teeth. They were headed to the surface and she needed to focus on that.

  “Here.” Lennar stopped. The warrior touched the gold etchings on the wall.

  Rock retracted to show a small, circular chamber beyond. The faint whistle of air filled the space around them.

  “This will carry you to the surface.” Lennar inclined his head. “It has been an honor to meet you both.”

  “Thank you, Lennar,” Thane said. “The assistance of the Mollai has helped us greatly.”

  “We really appreciate your help.” Kaira smiled.

  “Good luck, Kaira and Thane. I hope you find your people, and can defeat the Kantos.”

  “I’ll go first,” Thane said.

  He reached the entrance to the chamber and leaned in.

  The rush of air sounded strong, even from where Kaira stood. Thane nodded to Lennar and his warriors, then looked at her.

  “See you at the top.” He stepped inside.

  He was whooshed upward fast and was gone.

  Kaira nodded at Lennar, then stepped into the shaft.

  She shot upward, the air rushing past her. Then she flew out of the shaft and into the morning sunlight. She landed in a crouch on the rocky surface.

  “Are you all right?” Thane was right beside her.

  “Ooh, that was a fun ride.” She straightened and looked around.

  The mountains were closer, looming up into the sky.

  She could see the cocoon base clearly now. Her belly tightened. There were also dozens of flying bugs moving in and out of it.

  How the hell were they going to get up there?

  “Look.” Thane tapped her shoulder. In the distance, a road wound its way up the side of the mountain. There was a steep drop on one side, rock walls on the other.

  “Let’s check it out,” she said.

  They broke into a jog. The rocky hill gave way to a flatter grassland.

  They reached a patch of flattened grass. A half-mauled animal lay on its side. Its side was torn up and bloody. Lots of clawed footprints covered the ground around it.

  Kaira frowned. Then a clicking buzz filled the air.

  “Soldiers,” Thane hissed.

  Shit. “Into the grass.”

  They dived into a long patch of grass. Tense, they waited.

  The buzzing got louder.

  A small group of juvenile soldiers appeared. They hurried toward the carcass and started tearing into it.

  Kaira pushed some blades of grass aside, watching the feeding frenzy. She grimaced.

  One of the soldiers lifted its head. And looked their way.

  Crap. She froze and felt Thane tense too.

  The soldier took a step toward them.

  No. Go away. She willed the damn alien to look the other way.

  Suddenly, another soldier butted into the one watching them. It buzzed angrily and the two soldiers slapped at each other.

  The group of juveniles kept eating until the dead animal was just a skeleton. Kaira’s muscles were aching from holding still so long.

  Finally, the group moved away.

  That’s it. One paused to look back, and Kaira couldn’t tell if it was the same one as before. Just as her pulse tripped, it dashed away after the others and was gone.

  Thane released a breath. “That was close.”

  “Let’s get out of here,” she said.

  They kept low in the grass as they jogged toward the road. There was no sign of the group of juveniles.

  Suddenly, the roar of a large animal sounded nearby.

  They ducked down into the grass again. Next, there was an odd rattling sound.

  A moment later, a huge beast—it looked like a mammoth, its large body covered in shaggy, gray fur—appeared, pulling a long, black cart behind it.

  A hunched Kantos soldier sat in front of the cart, directing the beast.

  The cart slowed, and then started up the winding road.

  “Come on,” she whispered.

  They kept low and stayed out of sight, following behind. The cart rounded a corner, and they ducked down behind some large, black boulders.

  Oh, crap.

  Ahead, the cart passed through a rock structure with an archway cut through the center of it. It was some sort of gatehouse. Kantos soldiers were everywhere. Her heart kicked in her chest.

  “You see any way past the guard house?” she asked.

  Grim faced, Thane shook his head.

  Dammit. There was no way through.

  A bug appeared farther down on the path. It was about the size of a dog, a mottled black-brown, with long antennae. It lifted its head, sniffing the air, and its gaze turned in their direction.

  Oh, shit.

  “We have to go.” Thane pulled her back.

  They ran back dow
n the path. At the base of the mountains, the ground was littered with huge, broken rocks.

  “Right.” She rested her hands on her hips. “We need to—”

  All of a sudden, Thane groaned and doubled over.

  “Thane,” she gasped.

  He pressed his hand to his flat stomach, and held his other one up.

  “What’s wrong?” she demanded. “Is it the mating fever?”

  Thane dragged in a breath, and fought back the cramps wracking through him.

  He scented Kaira, felt her warmth, heard her quick breaths. Desire was like a fist in his gut.

  He had to fight this back. For her.

  “Thane?” She touched a hand to his shoulder.

  He closed his eyes and pulled strength from her touch.

  He straightened. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine.” Concern lined her face.

  “No. Come on, we need to—” With a groan, he went down on one knee.

  “Thane.” She knelt. “Talk to me, damn you.”

  He met her gaze. By Eschar’s embrace, she was so beautiful. Desire roared higher inside him.

  “It is the mating fever.”

  She sat back. “Tell me more about it.” Her face hardened. “Don’t lie to me.”

  “It happens between mates to cement the bond.”

  She frowned. “This’ll get worse?”

  He nodded. “If I was on my warship, I might be able to suppress it.”

  “It makes you want to—” She licked her lips.

  He zeroed in on them. They were perfectly shaped. “Touch you. Kiss you.” He couldn’t help the desire leaking into his voice. “Strip you naked and make you mine.” His voice was gritty.

  The air rushed out of her. “I’m sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry about.” He released a shaky breath, breathing through the pain. It was a gnawing ache. He wanted to drag her under him, hear her cries of pleasure.

  “And this will just get worse and worse?”

  “Maybe.” He managed a strained smile. “It’s my first experience with it. Other mated couples I know…”

  “Sate it.” Her voice was quiet.

  “I’ll be fine.” His body started shaking and he gritted his teeth. He would control this.

  She rose on her knees and pressed against him. She cupped his cheek.

  “Kaira—”

  She kissed him again.

  He wanted to be noble and push her away, but he couldn’t. Like in the Mollai cavern, he couldn’t find the strength to give up her touch. Her tongue licked his lips, stroked his tongue. Groaning, he fought to keep his hands off her.

  She moaned and leaned closer. “Touch me, Thane.”

  He shuddered. “You don’t have to do this for me.”

  She met his gaze. “It’s for me, too.”

  Her mouth was back on his.

  Cren. He yanked her closer. Her head bent back under the force of his kiss.

  They kissed and kissed. Even as it fired his blood, it also eased some fractious thing inside him.

  Finally, she pulled back, and ran her nose along his.

  Thane pulled in the sensation, the connection, the warmth from his helian. They stayed like that, still, faces pressed together, hearts beating hard.

  Thankfully, the edgy sensation had eased a little.

  “Thank you,” he murmured.

  Her brown gaze met his. “You never have to thank me for that.”

  There was a noise, a skitter of small rocks.

  They shot to their feet. He saw movement and shoved Kaira back behind him.

  She made an annoyed noise and moved back to his side.

  They formed swords, both tense, scanning the boulders around them.

  He heard the noise again to the left.

  A Kantos soldier appeared.

  Cren. Thane sensed more life signs.

  All around them, more soldiers appeared on the rocks, all still and watchful.

  Waiting.

  “Hell,” Kaira muttered.

  Why weren’t they attacking?

  The first one shifted closer, and Thane noticed that one of its arms was deformed. A battle injury? No. He could see that it looked like it had never formed right. The Kantos also had slashes across its face. Old scars that hadn’t healed well.

  Thane glanced around the others.

  One only had three legs. Another’s eyes were wrong, mutated. It only had two glowing, while the other two were empty sockets.

  None of the Kantos moved.

  “Screw this.” Kaira charged forward, her sword in hand.

  A Kantos soldier met her sword with its sharp arm.

  She yelled and whirled.

  Another soldier rushed in and Thane swung his sword.

  Even disfigured, these soldiers were dangerous.

  Kaira leaped onto a rock. A Kantos charged her and she leaped. She sailed over its head, slashing with her sword. She reached Thane and they pressed their backs together, fighting off the soldiers.

  More rushed in.

  Stop.

  The mental voice made the Kantos freeze.

  Thane and Kaira did, too. He gripped his sword, ready for anything.

  We mean you no harm.

  The first Kantos, the one with only one arm, moved forward.

  “You’re an elite,” Thane said.

  I am Nisid.

  It had a name? The only Kantos Thane knew that had a name was a defector. And while he might not be a part of the Kantos, he’d still been untrustworthy.

  The elite stepped closer and Kaira whipped her sword up. “Don’t come any closer.”

  I’ve never seen a Terran before. You’re smaller than I imagined. The Kantos elite met Thane’s gaze. Like I said, we are no danger to you. In fact, I believe we can help you.

  Kaira made a choked sound.

  We are rogues. We are not part of the Kantos horde.

  Thane glanced at the others. A small soldier scuttled forward. It was smaller and thinner than the others. Another one had a twisted back.

  We were not…created well. The Kantos council dumps us here on Crolla, hoping this planet will kill us off. We are discarded.

  Thane pulled in a breath. Kaira’s sword lowered.

  We hate the Kantos council as much as you. We just want a chance to live. In peace.

  “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Kaira murmured.

  A buzzing filled the air and a soldier moved closer to Nisid.

  The elite met their gazes. Kantos patrols are close. We must get to a safer place.

  Thane tensed. Cren. Should they trust this Kantos or not?

  He glanced at Kaira and saw her face was serious. She gave him a tiny nod.

  Thane inclined his head. “We’ll come with you. But if you betray us, I will kill you.”

  Chapter Ten

  They followed the Kantos soldiers.

  Unease thrummed through Kaira. She didn’t trust them. This could be a trick.

  Thane took her hand and squeezed.

  “I don’t like this,” she said.

  “Slyness isn’t in the Kantos vocabulary. They usually just charge in and overwhelm with their numbers.” He scanned the group. “They’re all disfigured in some way. I believe Nisid.”

  The rocky ground grew worse. Ahead, a huge cliff wall loomed over them. Veins of glimmering, blue-green metal crisscrossed through the rock.

  Nisid walked right to the wall… And disappeared.

  Frowning, Kaira moved closer, and spotted an overlapping gap of rock.

  Here goes nothing.

  She slipped sideways through the gap.

  Inside was a large, hollowed-out cavern. Stalactites and stalagmites in the same blue-green as the veins in the rock outside glowed throughout the space.

  Hell, it was incredible.

  Thane pressed right in behind her. Nisid settled in the center of the space. Several other Kantos soldiers moved out of the shadows. She saw one with melted skin, and hor
rible scarring from burns.

  Swallowing, Kaira sat on a flat rock. Thane sat beside her.

  “How long have you been on Crolla?” Thane asked.

  Seven annual cycles. Nisid shifted. There are some who are older. We find those who are injured or imperfect. The discarded. The Kantos council wants the best soldiers for its armies. They want them whole. Any of us who are not born perfect are tossed here to die.

  Just when Kaira thought the Kantos couldn’t get any worse.

  “Kaira and I need to get a message to my people,” Thane said. “We want to get into the base to send it.”

  Nisid’s pinprick eyes glowed. Getting into the base is a death sentence.

  “We have to try,” Kaira said.

  There might be a way. The rogue Kantos paused. We can help you.

  Thane eyed the elite. “In return for what?”

  In return, myself and my people want to leave this planet. We want a safe home where we aren’t hunted.

  She looked at Thane. Jesus. This was crazy.

  But it might be their only chance.

  You’ve seen the one path to the base. It’s very difficult to get in. We’ve watched them for years.

  “You can get us in?” Thane asked.

  Nisid nodded.

  Thane rose and held out his hand for a warrior’s clasp. “Then we have a deal.”

  Nisid looked uncertain, then touched his good arm to Thane’s.

  Kantos and Eon working together.

  There is more. Please. Sit.

  Thane sat again. Another Kantos appeared, bringing them water, and a plate of dark berries.

  Thane tried the berries first and then the water. He nodded at her. “It’s safe.”

  Kaira gingerly nibbled the berries. They weren’t overly sweet, but she realized she was hungry.

  What do you know of the Kantos Council?

  “Very little,” Thane said. “Tell me about them. We’ve never been able to discover much about the Kantos leadership.”

  A group of nine elite. The strongest and most vicious. They control the entire Kantos horde.

  A berry lodged in Kaira’s throat. Oh, God.

  “The council is here?” Thane asked. “On Crolla?”

  Nisid nodded. For the test.

  Thane stilled. “What test?”

  Buzzing filled the space, the soldiers around him agitated.