Promise

by Yolanda Sfetsos

  “They did, but I sneaked out. Besides, they’ve been dead for years.” He paused, licked his lips, and trembled. “I just wanted to surprise her.” He closed his eyes. “It burns so much. Why did you shoot me?”

  “Because I knew you would never accept this fate willingly.”

  “Accept what fate?”

  “Your life is worthless. You have to forfeit it for others,” Aleena answered. “There might not be a prophecy, but the ritual that’ll permanently seal us off from the dangers of the planet is very real.”

  “I won’t help you,” Ulric whispered.

  “You’re going to stand up, now.” Aleena continued, as if he’d never spoken.

  Ulric didn’t resist when his mother dragged him up with her. “I don’t want to die. I can return to Anteris with Alex and forget any of this happened—”

  “No, you can’t. I warned them about this.”

  “Who did you warn?”

  “I told your adoptive parents that if you ever returned, your fate would be sealed. It’s where I got the inspiration of the dark-haired traveler who would lead us to salvation.” A dry chuckle escaped her. “I never imagined it would come to be.”

  “I don’t understand,” Alex whispered.

  “It’s simple, really. The sorcerers used some of Ulric’s blood to forge the energy to fuel the barriers, then they used their own to close it.” She dragged Ulric by his arm, forcing him to move on unsteady feet. “I knew we would never be completely safe until I used the blood of my own son, and that of the sorcerers’ son to seal it. It’s the only way.” She lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re not taking Damon with you,” Levi said.

  Alex looked at Damon. She couldn’t believe this insane woman was willing to kill both men in order to succeed in this insanity. Damon met her eyes with a determined look and offered her a small smile. When she looked away, she found Ulric staring at her. Even in human form, his eyes glowed like an animal trapped in the dark.

  He looked so sad, but she couldn’t bring herself to show any empathy toward him. None of the crazy stuff had been his doing. Still, she couldn’t help but blame him.

  Ulric broke eye contact and turned to peer into the hole in the ground. “Okay, I’ll go willingly.” His toes skimmed the edge of the light. He turned to look at Alex again, and mouthed, “I really do love you, Alex. I’m sorry you couldn’t love me back.”

  She took a step, ready to tell him things weren’t that simple. There may never have been love between them, but the desire which brought them together in the first place had been real.

  “That’s a good boy, “Aleena said proudly. “You’ve finally given me something to be proud about.”

  Ulric didn’t turn to face her when he said, “Alex, find the bracelet I gave you. It’s out in the jungle, somewhere near your ship. Plug it into your computer and you’ll see just how much you mean to me.”

  Alex didn’t know what he meant, but she didn’t get a chance to dwell on it.

  Ulric wrapped an arm tightly around Aleena’s waist. “I’m ready.”

  “What are you doing?” The Priestess squirmed in his grip, her broken hand caught between them.

  “You want to save your people so badly, then you can do it with me.”

  “No, let me go. Damon, stop him!”

  Damon didn’t do or say anything.

  Ulric took a step forward and fell into the abyss, with Aleena still in his arms.

  The light engulfed and sucked them down, leaving a mist of blood in its wake.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Even when Ulric felt the flesh being torn from his body one layer at a time, he kept a tight hold of the woman who claimed to be his mother. Everything she’d said to him was true—his parents had told him he wasn’t their biological son, and they warned him about the bad things that would happen to him if he ever left Anteris.

  He’d listened to them for most of his life, until falling in love had caused his life to unwind and brought him to the place where it all began.

  Everything he’d achieved had been for nothing.

  So, taking the person responsible for giving birth to him seemed just. This woman—Aleena—had evil plans, and he refused to let her follow through with them. He wouldn’t let her kill Alex, which she obviously had every intention of doing. By taking Aleena into the abyss, he’d also managed to help others. At least he could move onto the next phase knowing he’d done some good in a fucked up situation.

  I hope you don’t forget me, Alex. I’m sure I’ll never forget you.

  He also hoped his shapeshifting condition would never affect her.

  Even without a physical shape, the light of the moon still managed to caress him. For the first time since feeling the satellite’s call, he opened up his awareness to it, allowing it to grab a complete hold of his very essence.

  I don’t care what I become, now. Take me.

  Instead of continuing down into the mouth of the abyss with Aleena, he felt his spirit rise as if it were being pulled by the moon.

  Now, he would finally become one with someone. The moon loved him the way Alex couldn’t.

  Before he ceased to exist completely, Ulric couldn’t help but mentally smile, trying to imagine what Alex would do when she saw what he’d left for her. Of course, the credits he’d uploaded onto the bracelet would be nothing compared to the inheritance coming her way.

  Goodbye, Alex. It was good while it lasted.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The sun beat against Alex’s back. In spite of the many trees, the sun still managed to find them as they trudged through the uneven terrain of the jungle. Is this what the moon did to Ulric? Had it chased him around until it caressed the fur out of him, and he had no choice but to surrender? The thought roused a shiver, because in a sense, that’s what he’d tried to do to her.

  Ulric—the man she thought she knew—had turned out to be a complete stranger. Not even entirely a man, either. She found it amazing that even after spending so much time in bed with him, she still hadn’t known a damn thing about him. She’d only skimmed the surface of Ulric Cale and hadn’t thought to dig deeper. Even after all of their exclusive intimacy, she’d never cared enough about him to bother. Why hadn’t she realized this before?

  I just hope his being half-animal doesn’t affect me. She’d have to check with her physician and ensure her microchip covered her against every transmittable disease.

  “Are you all right?” Damon casually rubbed small circles on the back of her hand.

  As good as it felt, she pulled it away. “I thought we spoke about this.”

  “We’re alone,” he whispered.

  He might be technically correct, but Levi and Milo were just up ahead. They’d left the fortress as soon as day broke, lugging a huge cart with parts and tools to fix her ship. They’d looked so professional and efficient. She couldn’t remember seeing either of the boys so relaxed before.

  Less than twenty minutes ago, Levi contacted them to let them know they were almost finished. Code for: your ship is almost ready to leave this horrible planet.

  She turned to glance at Damon. His dark hair glowed in the sun, the dreadlocks hardly swaying as they continued forward between the trees and vines in their way. Although he smiled back when he caught her eye, she could feel the tension inside him. The blaster wound might have completely healed, but his world had been turned upside down. How much would knowing the truth about his parents and about Aleena change him?

  “How are you?” The weight of her blaster felt heavy against her thigh. After reclaiming it, the weapon felt tainted. It had wounded Damon and helped kill Ulric. Still, if she remembered why she carried it in the first place, everything else would soon fade.

  “Now that I’m leaving Eden with you, I’m fine,”
Damon said.

  She sighed. He’d told her of his decision as soon as they’d left the cave the night before. “Are you sure? With Aleena gone, everyone’s going to be lost. They’ll need someone to help them get back on track.”

  “That’s what Levi and Milo will do. They’ll lead them into a fair society with a chance at democracy. They don’t need me. I don’t really belong with them.”

  “Where do you belong?” Her heart skipped a beat while she waited for his answer. What did she want to hear, anyway? After what happened with Ulric, she wasn’t sure.

  He shrugged. “Wherever life leads me, I suppose. As long as I follow the magic, I’ll be okay.”

  She smiled. “Just promise me something, okay?”

  “What’s that?” His gaze met hers, and it was a little darker than usual. As if the weight of what had gone on around them had taken a toll on his spirit.

  “From now on, we’ll be honest with each other.” Of course, she meant it more for her sake than his. After all, she was the one who’d kept things from him, not the other way around. Though, he did tell her one big fib. “Since you’ve already lied to me, I thought we should agree to honesty from now on. Forget about everything that’s happened and move on.”

  Damon nodded, but said, “When did I lie to you about anything?”

  “Well, you told me you didn’t have any mechanics on your planet. Yet, there are two. One of them also happens to be an electrician!”

  “I didn’t know about Levi and Milo. It was as much a surprise to me as it was to you,” he said with a smile.

  “So, you’re really going to be part of my crew, huh?” A worm of anxiety wove its way tightly inside her stomach. After taking charge of the ship, she’d never had anyone on Promise with her. She stuck her hand in her pocket and touched the bronze key for comfort. Did she have to keep from wearing it now, since Damon would be nearby most of the time?

  “Of course, unless you’ve changed your mind,” he said. His thumb ran crazy circles around the back of her hand.

  She clenched her thighs together, trying to walk as casually as she could but bit down on her bottom lip when the ecstasy raced through her. Her cheeks heated.

  She opened her mouth to answer but didn’t get the chance.

  “We’re done!” Levi called from the height of the tree where her ship was still lodged.

  She hadn’t even realized they’d reached the spot. “Excellent.” I really can’t wait to get out of here.

  Alex pulled her hand from Damon’s grip. With the surge of the orgasm slowly fading, she started to scratch her hand. During all the commotion, she’d forgotten to replace or even remove the bandage, and it had been bugging her since they’d stepped out of the relative safety of the fortress. She didn’t want to alarm Damon, so she’d kept quiet.

  Now, it was too unbearable to stop. She scratched it, wanting to tug the bandage off.

  “What’s wrong? You’ve been doing that a lot.”

  “It’s just getting a bit itchy. That’s all,” she said between gritted teeth.

  The concerned look on Damon’s face made her feel self-conscious.

  Levi and Milo landed simultaneously on the ground beside them. They each dumped their tool bags into the waiting cart, which appeared to be a little less full than when they’d taken off. Their long hair was matted with sweat and grease, and their faces were covered in it.

  “Is it all fixed?” she asked. Excitement bubbled up inside her. Until she’d caught a glimpse of Promise, she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed her ship. It might be a rust bucket and not so great to look at, but it was her home. The only real home she’d ever known.

  Levi nodded. “We fixed all the mechanical and electrical problems, but you do have some cosmetic issues. We’re not equipped to fix them.”

  “That’s okay. I’ve got a bodywork guy who can help.” She wondered how Damon would be affected while travelling with her, as she randomly ran into the string of ex-lovers she’d left scattered along the way. Still, she hadn’t committed to anything but offering him a place on the ship.

  Besides, she’d probably have to build new contacts so Sackor wouldn’t find her.

  “Damn!” She scratched her hand.

  “You two better get going,” Damon said. “It’s already getting dark.”

  Milo looked overhead.

  “Are you guys sure you don’t want me to seal the fortress completely?”

  “No, Damon. We don’t need to.” Levi shook his head. “We can’t get out without you, anyway.”

  Alex watched him hand over the dreadlock he’d cut off, as well as the small canister of his blood. She’d watched him cut his forearm and hair before they left Eden.

  Damon shrugged. “Either way, this should be enough for you to get in and out of the barrier whenever you need to. I’ve put some of my magic into both. If you change your mind about not sealing the village off, you still have time to pour the blood into the hole.”

  “Thank you.” Levi took the offerings and shoved both things into his pocket.

  The sun’s rays seemed to draw down faster. A definite trace of twilight already surrounded them.

  “Come on, Milo.” Levi held out his hand, and the other man took it. They made a cute couple. It was good to see them being liberal with their mutual affection.

  “We need to go, too.” Damon wrapped his hand around her wrist and yanked her forward.

  “Don’t move!”

  The slimy voice poured over her body and left behind the trails of disgust it always roused inside her. She looked at her hand and yanked off the bandage, wishing he hadn’t had a way of tracking her down.

  She gasped when a tiny eye stared back at her from inside the crook of her hand. The yellow eye had a green slit in the middle, and blinked continuously.

  Damon followed her gaze. His frown deepened.

  “Is this the first time you noticed my surveillance on you, dear Alex Wales?” Sackor stalked out from the thick foliage with a blaster in his dark right hand, and a smile on his hard face. Two of his goons followed close behind, with their own blasters pointed. One stood on each side of their leader.

  “What the hell do you want?” Alex tried to ignore the eye staring back at her. There wasn’t enough soap in the galaxy capable of making her feel clean after this.

  Sackor sniffed the air between them. “You didn’t deliver the goods I entrusted you with.”

  “Cut the bullshit. You did this to me back on Anteris.” Alex took a step forward. The horror of what was beneath her skin pushed her bravado to the surface. This piece of crap wasn’t going to get away with implanting her with some disgusting thing so he could keep tabs on her.

  He laughed. It was more noise than anything else, an echo deep within his throat. She wanted to cut off his circulation.

  “I knew about your boyfriend’s origins, if that’s what you mean.” Sackor shook his head in obvious disgust. Those goggle-shaped eyes were shiny. “The poor sucker had no idea. All these years, and he didn’t know his home planet was where I’d been collecting my greatest weapon of mass destruction. With those little worms under my belt, I can overrun anywhere. Your boyfriend’s space station is next.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend.”

  Sackor sniffed the air. “Yes, I can smell this other guy on you. Why must you taunt me this way? You’ll lie in everyone’s bed but mine. Why?”

  “Yes, I would,” she spat the words out. “I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last creature in the galaxy…or even the universe.”

  Sackor lifted a hand and slapped her cheek. The ends of his spiked claws pierced her skin, tearing it.

  He’s going to pay for this.

  Damon stepped forward, but she held him back.

  “Too bad the option is no longer you
rs.” Sackor eyed Damon with suspicion.

  “There’s no way I’ll let you touch me!”

  Damon attempted to take another step, but one of Sackor’s goons cut in front of him, pressing the blaster into his midsection. Levi and Milo held their positions to the side.

  “Like I said, the choice is mine.” Sackor reached for her arm, but she dodged him.

  The light of the sun was almost completely gone, and the screeching from above began, sounding like a terrifying symphony.

  Sackor lifted his head to scan the trees, but he seemed satisfied enough to turn his attention back to her. “I’ll forgive that you didn’t deliver the last cargo if you agree to stand beside me.” The offer hung between them as his beady, dark eyes peered into hers. “It doesn’t have to be forever. Just long enough for you to claim what’s on this.” He held up the bracelet Ulric had told her to find.

  “Hey, give that to me, you bastard. It’s mine!”

  Sackor held it out of reach. “You can have it…after we go back to Anteris and you legally sign the contents of the microchip over to me.”

  “What?” What the hell was he talking about? She was about to ask when one of the bird monsters swooped down from between the trees.

  One of the goons lost his face when the bird’s claws swiped it off. A second bird grabbed the other one and took him into the trees. Their screams echoed around them, only to stop as soon as a shower of blood dribbled over them like rain.

  Sackor stepped forward, but his bony shoulders were already seized. He struggled to break free. Both the blaster and bracelet slid from his hands as the bird dug its claws deeper into his harsh flesh. Sackor met her eyes one last time—the fear so evident, she couldn’t help but smile. The creature’s large beak dug a gaping hole into the top of Sackor’s insect-like head, as easily as if it were a giant egg.

  The bird-creature spread its tendon-laced wings out wide, screeched, and took off into the night, with Sackor in tow.

  “We need to move, now!” Levi yelled.