by Anna Hackett
He took her hand and squeezed it. “And we’ll face it.”
He wondered how it was possible to be stuck in the heart of enemy territory, but feel so good. “My ship will come. We just have to hold on.”
She nodded and squeezed back. “When we get out of here, I want a big, soft bed, and a tub of my favorite chocolate chip ice cream.”
“Am I invited to this celebration?”
Kaira grinned. “Oh, yes. I’m going to show you some creative ways to eat ice cream.”
“I look forward to it.”
She stared through the wall. “Look at them. Scheming.” She arched a brow. “I hate just standing here, doing nothing.”
The doors to the lab opened.
Soldiers brought in Nisid and several rogues.
They were battered, but alive.
“Oh, no,” Kaira said.
Chapter Eighteen
Kaira stared in horror as Kantos soldiers dragged Nisid and his rogues in.
They were lined up, just outside the glass wall. The soldiers held their sharp arms up to the rogues’ necks.
Beside her, she sensed a terrible tension from Thane. His hands were balled into tight fists.
Nisid lifted his head. The side of his face was bloody.
We will execute the traitors, one by one, until you exit the containment box and give us the pathogen.
Shit. “Thane?”
“I’m thinking.”
“Nisid risked everything to help us. We can’t let the council kill him and his people.”
“I have no idea when my warship will arrive. If we fight…”
If they exited the containment box, they would be signing their own death warrants.
“If we don’t fight, if we don’t try to save Nisid and the others, then we compromise our beliefs, who we are.”
He touched her jaw. “Have I mentioned how much I admire you?”
She smiled.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, Thane.” She was filled with a warmth that washed out her fear.
She couldn’t live her life based on fear. She’d already missed out on a lot by doing that. Thane had given so much to her in the time they’d been together. If they died today, at least she’d die living, fighting for what was right, and with Thane by her side.
And loved by an amazing Eon warrior.
“Plan?” she whispered.
“Crouch behind me. I’m going to blow our cage apart.”
“You said it was indestructible?”
“Yes, to a strong alien battering against it. Not to a bomb blast.”
Her heart knocked against her ribs. “You’re going to generate an explosion?”
“Yes.”
“How will we survive?”
“Our armor will help protect us, and I need you to generate a shield. I’ll leap behind it with you, as soon as I activate the explosion.”
She studied his face. “Promise?”
A faint smile, gone in a second. “I promise, my fierce Terran.” He met her gaze dead on. “I won’t lie. There won’t be much time.”
“Make it behind the shield, warrior, otherwise I’ll be very upset.”
He kissed her.
Make your decision, Eon.
She ignored the elite. “And after we blow the cage out?”
“It should generate some confusion. We have to take down the seven elites. Cut off the head, and the rest will lose their leaders.”
She set her shoulders back. “Let’s do this.” She crouched down.
She sensed the Kantos watching her. Thane stepped forward, his feet spread.
God, he was so strong, radiating power.
He lifted his hands.
Kaira watched green energy start to spark between his fingers.
“The Eon will never bow to the Kantos.” Thane’s voice was loud and strong. “We will stop your wanton destruction.”
He was distracting the Kantos from what he was doing.
Kaira lifted her arm, ready to form the shield, but she didn’t want to do it too early and give them away.
“And Earth,” she yelled. “We stand with the Eon. You look at us as prey, food—” she shot a hot look at the elites “—well, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
This is pointless. You’re trapped, alone. Your allies are beaten, your own people are too far away to help. Give up.
“Never. You’re wrong.” Kaira shook her head. “Our people stick together. We don’t throw our people away like you do. Your soldiers are interchangeable to you, faceless fodder. You throw them at your enemies, uncaring what happens to them.”
She saw the soldiers shift uneasily. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Thane’s ball of energy was growing.
“You have no concept of love.” She looked at her warrior and her heart swelled. “And how hard we fight for those we care about.”
“Ready?” Thane murmured.
“Always.”
Everything happened in a blinding rush.
Thane threw the energy ball.
Kaira tossed up her shield and it shimmered green in front of her.
Elites screamed in her head.
Thane leaped high, over the top of her shield.
The world exploded.
Kaira went blind. The light was so bright, washing out the room. She felt a wave of heat wash over her skin.
Thane. She heard the glass walls blow outward.
Suddenly, he dropped beside her, the back of his armor smoking.
“Thane!”
“I’m okay,” he said through gritted teeth.
She reached out to touch him, patting his back. She saw raw, red patches through the holes in his armor.
Then the room came back into view.
Soldiers were crashing into others, and some lay on the ground, shuddering.
Their allies jerked free and fought.
“Let’s go.” Thane rose, his sword morphing, his face set.
He looked like an avenging angel.
Kaira stepped up beside him, her sword a match to his.
They charged into the fight.
Kaira cut down a soldier. Nearby, Thane was a wild storm as he fought.
She spun. Another two soldiers had Nisid pinned down. She leaped onto the back of one, and sliced across its neck.
As the alien dropped, she leaped free. The other soldier spun to confront her, and Nisid attacked from behind.
Thank you, Kaira.
“Let’s get out of here, Nisid.”
Thane was fighting hard, cutting through the soldiers, trying to get to the elites. She saw that he’d already taken down two of them.
Stop them. The elites screamed in fear.
Kaira lifted her sword. That was her mate. Unstoppable.
Then suddenly, pain ripped through her leg.
She looked down.
A dying soldier had stabbed his arm through her thigh.
Shit. Blood gushed and she collapsed. It hurt worse than any pain she’d suffered before. The blow had hit something vital.
Kaira. Nisid stood over her, and fought back a soldier.
Thane’s head turned. “Kaira!”
No.
Pain tore through Thane—both Kaira’s and his own. She was hurt.
Protect Thane and Kaira. Nisid’s order echoed in his head. The rogues moved in around them.
Thane sliced the gut of another soldier and leaped the distance to Kaira. She lay sprawled on the floor, blood pumping from the terrible wound on her thigh.
He dropped down beside her, fighting to find the doctor inside him.
“Fancy meeting you here,” she said.
He heard the effort it took her to talk. She was in pain, and losing too much blood.
“Quiet.” He probed the wound.
She groaned.
He used his helian to morph a thin black tie, then wrapped it around her upper thigh. It slowed the blood loss, but didn’t stop it.
He put his han
d over the wound and applied pressure.
If only he had more havv.
She met his gaze. Her brown skin was already taking on a pale tint.
“Promise me you’ll make it out,” she said. “And make these assholes pay.”
Thane ground his teeth together and shook his head. “We’ll get out. Together.”
Around them, Nisid and their allies fought to protect them.
“You need to help Nisid,” she said. “You need to kill the final elites and get the pathogen out of here.”
There were four elites left, milling near the door.
No. He wouldn’t leave her.
She gripped the back of his neck and pulled his forehead to hers.
“Whatever happens, my handsome mate, I’ll always be with you.” Her chest hitched. “Life goes on. It grows and morphs and changes, and we’re all a part of it, even…even if we aren’t around. I probably should’ve realized this earlier.”
Anger swelled in Thane’s chest. He couldn’t change this, couldn’t help his mate. Here she was being brave again.
He kissed her. “Live.” He pressed her hands to her wound. “Keep the pressure on.”
She nodded. “I will. I love you.”
He rose, letting his anger flare and turn into a solid flame inside him. “I love you too. We’ll have years to show each other how much.” He wanted to believe that.
She gave him a trembling smile. They both knew he was lying.
His sword morphed. His hands were covered in his mate’s blood and he wanted vengeance.
Knowing she lay dying, because of the Kantos, made a red haze close over him.
With a roar, Thane charged. He shoved past Nisid and his rogues. With a lunge, he swung his sword.
As he battled toward the remaining elite, the room became a bloodbath of Kantos green. He would spill their blood, as they’d spilled Kaira’s.
He saw the elite tense, one of them shifting toward the doorway.
Not happening.
Thane leaped high, his sword overhead. He brought it down in a wild slash, and decapitated an elite.
The other three backed up.
We have more soldiers coming. You’re outnumbered. You cannot win.
“I can kill you three, and then your other soldiers and bugs will be leaderless.”
More will rise. There will always be more. It is the might of the Kantos.
“You three will still be dead.”
He lunged.
With powerful diagonal slashes, he carved into the closest elite.
Protect the council. The mental screams of the elite echoed loudly.
Kantos soldiers and bugs rushed through the door.
Thane kept fighting, pulling on his pain and sorrow to fuel him. “Nisid. Protect Kaira.”
Yes, Thane.
Thane spun and sliced. He shoved through a wall of soldiers. An elite cowered, and he struck it down.
A blast of energy hit the soldier beside him.
Thane spun and saw Kaira, her face creased with pain, firing a blaster.
Pride cut through him.
Two elite to go.
But more soldiers crammed into the lab and he was forced back.
He fell into line with the rogues. Hit. Slash. Kick. Stab. All he could do was focus on the fight.
Inside his chest, he felt a coldness growing.
Felt his link to Kaira weakening.
No.
He should never have been given a mate. Maybe it was true that his family was doomed.
He’d failed her.
Boom.
The base rocked. He was almost knocked off his feet.
Boom.
The side wall of the lab…ripped away.
Debris rained down. Bugs screeched and soldiers buzzed.
Thane rushed to Kaira. She was flat on her back now, and he leaned over her, shielded her.
She had a faint smile on her face, her eyes unfocused. It was clear he was losing her.
“I’ve got you, Kaira.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I wish we could have had longer.”
He clamped down on the storm of emotions clawing at his soul.
Another boom.
Something hit his back and glanced off. Light poured inside the lab.
He looked up and his chest locked.
There was a huge gaping hole in the base. The entire side had been torn open.
And an Eon shuttle hovered in the air outside.
The side of the ship opened. It wasn’t warriors from the Rengard who appeared. Instead, he saw War Commander Davion Thann-Eon, and his Security Commander Caze Vann-Jad, leap into the base, swords in hand.
More warriors followed, including Lara Traynor.
“Warriors, take down the Kantos!” Davion roared.
Chapter Nineteen
Kaira only saw Thane. Her focus narrowed to her mate.
Strangely, the sound around them dimmed, and even her pain had gone away. Well, not away, just sort of a fog that she didn’t care about anymore.
“Kaira.”
Thane’s strong hand rested on her cheek.
“The Eon are here. The Desteron’s warriors have arrived. Hold on!”
She felt him touch her wound. Pain and sound rushed back in. With a groan, she turned her head. “Nisid…and the others.”
“Davion,” Thane yelled. “The ones with the green stripes are our allies.”
The war commander’s eyes widened, but he nodded. “Warriors, the Kantos with the green stripes are allies.”
Kaira’s gaze snagged on Lara Traynor, and as she watched, the space marine decapitated a Kantos soldier.
Davion attacked the final elite with barely contained fury. Caze was at his back.
All around, Eon warriors attacked the Kantos. A tall, black-haired Terran woman tore into a soldier with a cold look on her face.
Someone knelt beside Thane.
“I’m Medical Commander Aydin Kann-Ath.” The handsome warrior smiled. He had black-and-green eyes, similar to Thane. “Looks like you’ve gotten a little beaten up.” The man glanced at Thane. “Good to see you, Thane. Let’s get your mate healed.”
Kaira blinked, then saw a vial of red havv in Aydin’s hands. She heard the men murmuring medical terms to each other. Then, a burning sensation ripped through her leg.
“Shh.” Thane’s arms closed around her. “Let it heal you.”
She pressed her face against his chest. Around them, the fight wound down. Several warriors barred the doors to the lab to keep any other bugs out.
The war commander strode over. He glanced warily at where Nisid and his rogues stood together in a group. “I suggest we get out of here before any more ugly Kantos bugs bash down the door.”
“With the elite dead, the remaining soldiers and bugs will be in disarray,” Thane said.
“Is Commander Chand healed enough to move?” Davion asked.
“I’m feeling better.” She tried to sit up.
Thane growled and lifted her into his arms. “Stay still.” He looked at Davion. “War Commander, without Nisid and his rogues, we wouldn’t have made it.”
Davion looked at Nisid. The Kantos rogue leader inclined his head.
“We made a deal,” Thane continued. “In return for his help, we said we’d take them off this planet and find a home for them.”
Davion straightened. “Medical Commander—”
“They helped us,” Kaira said. “They fought for us.”
“There’s more.” Thane turned so the pathogen vial was visible at his waist. “Nisid told us about this pathogen.”
Davion’s brows drew together. “What does it do?”
“It disrupts the bond between a helian and an Eon warrior,” Thane said.
Startled murmurs came from the warriors around them.
“It severs the connection completely,” Thane added.
“We need to analyze it,” Davion said. “Find a way to counteract it.”
Thane n
odded. “I gave Nisid my word we would help his people.”
“And we’ll do that.” Davion waved an arm. “Everyone on the shuttle. I’ll task another shuttle to collect Nisid’s people.”
Thank you, War Commander. Nisid bowed his head again.
Kaira leaned into Thane as he leaped the gap into the hovering Eon shuttle.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” she said.
Thane sat in a chair, Kaira draped in his lap. “You’re safe now.”
“I can probably sit on my own.”
His arms tightened. “No. After almost losing you—” his voice turned choked. “I’m not letting go of you. Not for a long while.”
“You going to get all overprotective on me, warrior?”
“Yes. You’d better get used to it.”
Warriors milled around the shuttle, sitting or standing, others helping settle Nisid and his people.
“So, we’re doing this mating thing?” Kaira said.
Thane’s hands flexed on her. “Is that what you want?”
She cupped both his cheeks. “More than anything, Thane. A part of me is still afraid to open up, to lose you.”
“I get that, believe me.” He stroked her injured thigh.
“But I love you more than my fear,” she said. “And I think we make a pretty awesome team.”
“I love you, Kaira.” He lowered his mouth to hers.
“You appear to be feeling better.”
The female voice made them jerk apart. Lara and Caze stood beside them, the Terran woman grinning.
“Looks like you kicked some Kantos ass, Commander,” Lara said.
Kaira smiled back. “We sure did. But I’ll admit, I’m more than happy to hand the task over.”
“You did excellent work,” Caze said. “Thane, we have a containment box for the pathogen.”
Thane handed the vial over and watched as it was locked away.
Kaira, are you well?
She turned her head to see Nisid near her seat.
“Yes. And a big thanks to you. Thank you for all your help, Nisid.”
It’s been an honor to fight at your side. He nodded to her and Thane.
“I’ll go with Nisid and a second shuttle to collect his people,” Caze said.
“Nisid, if you need anything,” Thane told the rogue Kantos, “you let us know.”
They shared a warrior clasp. It was much smoother than the first one they’d shared.
