by Liz Paffel
It was darting in and out of a room, several of them tumbling over one another with hesitant little growls and screeches. All the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He’d never seen a degarzee save for what surveillance had captured from the city. The creatures were long ago reported extinct, until the Nozing had managed to drum them up. Probably repopulated them with a little of their genetic mutating technology. Keeping his weapon raised, Quixx thought about how to approach.
The animals were small, about the size of a small dog, with hard shells on their backs. Their noses were long, their legs short. Whip like tails shot out from the backs of their shells. They seemed to be regrouping, considering, thinking about how to get after whatever was in the room to the left of him.
Quixx heard a soft noise above him. Going still, he looked up and detected a heat signature in the ceiling panel. Drawing his secondary weapon, he pointed it above. The panel moved to the side. Quixx backed up so he would be behind whatever dropped down. He tracked his weapon to sound of something, or someone, lowering out of the ceiling. Legs. Human, Axxeon or Nozing?
Quixx put his finger on the trigger, silently waiting.
Someone jumped down, followed by a bag he caught in his arms. Quixx shone his light with a quick flash. A groan. Quixx’s heart jumped.
“Brandon!”
“You almost gave me a stroke.” Brandon whispered. “Oh, wow, those things are close.”
Quixx put a finger to his lips to indicate silence and waved Brandon back fifty feet before they stopped to regroup.
“Have you seen Priya?”
“No. But the Nozing have Hahn and the others trapped inside Command.”
“And the beast?”
Brandon shrugged. “I don’t know where he went.”
Quixx’s throat tightened with fury. “I am going to rip him apart with my bare hands if he betrays us.”
“This is all I could find to try and hold off those creatures.” Brandon produced two tanks filled with foam for fighting fires. They were Axxeon issue. “I thought it might hold them off until you got back with the weapons.”
“I do not have them.”
Brandon grabbed his gaze in the eerie red light. “You’re not serious? You’re kidding, right?”
The sickening feeling of failure welled up inside him. “I am serious. I do not kid.”
“Fuck!” Brandon ran a hand through his hair. “It’s okay. We’ll think of something.”
Just then, a female scream ripped through the air. Quixx straightened, all of his senses coming to life. Priya! She screamed again, the sound coming from just ahead. His heart sank. She must be inside the room where the degarzee were circling. He gestured to Brandon to activate one of the containers of foam. They could shoot it and hopefully stave off any fire the beasts might throw at them long enough to get Priya out.
Brandon slung the container pack on his back and activated the line. He nodded and they edged forward, crouching low. Quixx edged to the door, staying low beneath the window. Peeking, he spied Priya’s heat signature pressed against the far wall inside the room. Frowning, he swept her image again. Her signature was weak, pale, showing lower than normal temperatures. He counted five degarzee heat stamps, and all were now inside the room. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a flare and cracked the top. He tapped it against the floor to make noise, then activated the spark and threw it down the hall opposite him. A degarzee shot out to follow the sound, spotted the flickering light and bounded to it. All but one followed, sniffing and pawing at the strange object.
Quixx lit another, one that exploded and produced a blinding ball of light. He tapped it again, cracked the top, activated and tossed.
The fifth degarzee peeked out of the door. Instead of turning to his brethren, he turned the other way. Looking Quixx right in the eye. The creature screamed right as the flare exploded and filled the other end of the hall with eye numbing light. The degarzee turned toward the light, giving Quixx enough time to rise and kick the animal hard. It rolled to the side. Quixx burst into the room, thrusting out his hand.
“Priya!”
He hurried to her side, filled with concern as she shivered so hard, she nearly toppled over. She barely looked at him as she trembled and shook, her small hands absently rubbing her arms for warmth. They didn’t have time for him to comfort her properly, so he pushed his growing concern to the side and scooped her up in his arms.
He jerked at the ice cold feel of her against his body.
“N-n-need… you,” she chattered.
Oh, no. What had he done, leaving her as he had? He kissed her cool temple and hurried them toward the door. He almost made it to the threshold when the degarzee emerged from the effects of the dying flare and faced him in a fierce line.
“Brandon, now.”
Brandon depressed the trigger and a thick line of foam shot out, covering the creatures in a billow, white cloud. Quixx moved to run past them, but the foam did nothing to divert them. One jumped on top of another’s back and shot a ball of flame. It hit the floor behind Quixx, immediately igniting the metal.
“Jesus Christ!” Brandon swore and shot another round of foam.
The creatures became angrier, forming a snarling, hissing ball that Quixx was determined to pound his way through.
“Enough!” A cry came from behind the degarzee. “Move back. Move back!”
Quixx pushed Brandon back as they all moved. A beam of green light sliced through the pile of degarzee, popping them apart before they puffed into pieces and vaporized.
Brandon gripped Quixx’s shoulder as they stood there, wary, on edge. “Quixx? What was that?”
Hahn appeared with a giant smile, grasping a long, thick silver weapon between his hands. It looked like a human shotgun, only much, much bigger.
“It’s a degarzee blaster.” Hahn patted the gun. “And I like it.”
Quixx recognized Hanh’s grin, but he had a hard time losing his fighting edge. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was about to happen. Looking down at Priya, the urgent concern returned. He moved her hair back from her face and pulled her closer to his body. Closing his eyes, he relaxed and activated his solarderm, drumming up the heat stored deep inside his tissues and shunting it to the surface.
A light illuminated the hall, a dark figure coming up behind Hahn. Quixx tensed, his solarderm fading some as he prepared for a fight. The Nozing prince appeared, huge wings spread out, so they touched the sides of the corridor as he approached.
“Quixx?”
Priya’s soft voice drew him. He smoothed her hair again and held her more tightly. He did not know which words to say that might ease the pain between them. Humans had a way of using many words to say one thing. And there was only one thing he wanted her to know.
“Priya,” he said softly. “I am sorry.”
Her eyelids fluttered and he thought he saw her smile. Shakily, she touched his cheek. “I-I am sorry. I didn’t mean for-for this to happen.”
With great effort, she pulled up the hem of her shirt. He tracked her movement, not at all sure of what she was doing. Faintly glowing lines over her abdomen grabbed his attention. Quixx’s knees buckled and he stumbled to the floor.
It couldn’t be.
No… he was not worthy of this.
All his fears had come to fruition.
“Quixx, I don’t want it to die.”
His gaze shot to hers. He wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly.
“I don’t want the baby to die. I’m so cold. I’m sorry. I know you didn’t… want this.”
His lips parted, closed, parted again. Unfamiliar wetness dampened his eyes, making it difficult to see. She thought he would not accept his child. That is what he had led her to believe. But… it was time to stop lacerating himself. Just as King Tryllin had said.
He pulled her in tighter and activated his solarderm to its highest level. The heat pulled out of him with a tug he felt from head to toe.
“Priya, I wa
nt nothing more. I do not wish to bring shame to you for having a child with a failure such as me.”
“You are not a failure,” she whispered. “The only one who thinks so, is you.”
She swallowed, and it took great effort. She was fading, fast. Brandon shrugged out of his shirt and placed it over Priya. Quixx willed his solarderm to heat more, but without proper covering, she would lose too much of his heat.
“Commander, may I help?”
The Nozing prince stepped forward cautiously, as if to keep the peace between them. Quixx gave a sharp jerk of his head to keep him from coming any closer. “You will not touch her.”
Yawnlit appeared from behind the Nozing’s wing.
“Yawnlit, there is an injured female in my terranx. Please go attend to her.”
“Of course. Commander, Prince E’Lothin intercepted the Nozing after they infiltrated the compound and sent them away before a drop of blood could be shed. He also retrieved the weapons which, as you saw, killed the beasts his brethren brought with them.”
Quixx lifted his chin.
“There is more. He… incubated your mate in your absence in attempt to keep your child alive.”
Lies. He couldn’t believe it. Quixx felt like a cornered animal, completely prepared for this winged beast to make a lunge at him.
“Why would you do that?” He spat. “Why would you do any of this to help us?”
E’Lothin spread his hands. “I want the bloodshed between the Axxeon and Nozing to end. There is no other explanation than that. I carry true Nozing DNA. I can make my people healthy again, peaceful again. That is my only goal. I cannot undue the underhanded pacts my father made with the humans before his death, or the terror he unleashed on the Axxeon. I can only do better, and I promise that I will.”
Quixx blinked rapidly. There wasn’t a trace of deception in E’Lothin’s words. The energy flowing off him was quiet, calm. If it was true that his enemy had cared for Priya and their child, then… he owed the Nozing all his gratitude.
He owed him respect for taking care of his family when he had turned away from them. Eyeing Yawnlit, Quixx searched the elder physician’s face for a sign of sincerity. The elder nodded resolutely.
The Nozing motioned to the weapon in Hahn’s grasp. “I will ensure the appropriate humans receive the, ‘degarzee blasters’ so they may continue their fight.”
Carefully rising to his feet, Quixx dipped his head. “I thank you for all that you have done. King Tryllin will be informed of your bravery and kindness.”
E’Lothin gestured that Quixx should come closer. “Please. Before she weakens too much.”
Quixx hesitated. He couldn’t quite make himself move forward. This creature was the enemy… he was…
“Quixx, please.” Priya watched him with hopeful eyes. He could not deny her.
Keeping his eyes on his mate, he stepped forward. Closer. Closer until he was face-to-face with E’Lothin. Quixx’s breath came tight, his pulse raced. All the fight went out of him, his body flooding with gratitude as he realized with the Nozing was about to do.
He held Priya gently, kissing the top of her head as giant wings wrapped around them like a soothing embrace, holding in the beautiful heat.
And the tenderness that overtook all of the anger and all of the hate that had lived so long in his heart.
Epilogue
“The best thing you could possibly do when I’m having a bad day is pet my hair and call me pretty.”
Quixx held Priya’s hand and helped her down three steps as they made their way to the cruex for the nightly meal. She wore a gauzy white dress over her growing belly, her hair twisted into a glossy pile on the top of her head. He wondered if she’d object to him taking it down and running his hands through it right now.
“You do like it when I pet you,” he quipped while giving her a sneaky glance.
“See, you’re flirting with me now. You learn so quickly.”
They’d been on Axxeon 9 for three weeks. He’d spent the first ten days as her flesh and blood incubator, keeping her consistently warm with his body, leaving her side only to use the facilities and make sure they both ate. It was a privilege he’d never thought to have. The intimacy of helping his one true mate flourish through the early days of carrying his child rendered him speechless when he thought about it. It was such a gift.
Only those who were worthy should have such an honor. Each day, she reminded him that he was more than worthy, and finally, he was beginning to believe it. He only hoped he could return the favor of supporting her as she worked through the knowledge that Earth was in complete and utter breakdown. They’d left at the perfect time, leaving the implosion of civil unrest behind them. Now that she was stronger, and the kinder was properly incubated, Quixx had so much to show Priya. All of the Summoned human women were aboard Axxeon 9. As were hybrid children that had been born secretly many years ago when the Axxeon and humans first experimented on interbreeding.
Plus, the medical bay on board was extensive. Tryllin was working on details that would allow Priya to act as a physician for the humans on board, after the kinder was born and when she was ready to return to practice.
King Tryllin waved them over from where he, Hahn and Alora sat at a long table in the front of the room. The Queen looked radiant and healthy. The doctors were able to adjust her heart, fixing a wiring issue that Yawnlit had not had the capability to correct in the compound.
Quixx led Priya that way, knowing she was eager to share the meal with her friend. He only hoped Tryllin would not bring up B-2 Delta. Priya did not know that he had declined to accompany the exploration team preparing to leave in a week’s time.
His duty, and his opportunity to change the future were here with Priya and their child. He would be a good, caring father. He would teach his kinder about the Axxeon and what it meant to be kind, thoughtful and fair. The future started, for him, right here with the woman next to him. Now that he’d made peace with E’Lothin, he felt he had the capacity to practice forgiveness, starting by forgiving himself. He hoped to see the Nozing prince again one day.
Quixx pulled her close to his side and whispered playfully in her ear.
“Now that you are feeling strong and healthy, my mate, perhaps tonight we can finally play doctor?”
“I didn’t need to hear that.” Brandon walked by with a drink in his hand. He winked, grinned, and made his way to a table with a group of Axxeon men.
Priya chuckled and patted Quixx on the cheek. “As long as I get one of those whole-body orgasm things, you can examine me all you want.”
Quixx cupped her face in his hands and caught her eyes. “I want nothing else than to please you.”
Her eyebrows arched. “You know, it sounds kind of like you want to be my pet.”
Quixx pulled out a seat for her and whispered low in her ear. “Would you like to hear me purr?”
- THE END -
The Mates for Axxeon 9 series continues:
Axxeon Prince’s Prize
She’s a midwife to monsters.
Human midwife Sasha Black was abducted from Earth and sent to an alien breeding farm to deliver hybrid babies. Suddenly, the monsters who put her on the desolate planet abandon them, and if she doesn’t get help soon, they’ll all die.
They’ve run out of food and water, and her expectant mothers are delivering something unexpected. Something else.
Hahn, Prince of Axxeon 9, receives a covert message from his father, the exiled King. He’s in trouble, and time is running out. Hahn must reach him soon, but a frantic transmission from a ghost planet forces him to jump far off course.
He’s sworn to protect his father and keep their secret pact, but duty is challenged by the human female who needs him and tempts him with her curvy body to forget his true purpose.
When his heart overrides loyalty, Hahn must make an impossible choice. Will he sacrifice everything for his fated mate, or do the unthinkable?
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