by Anna Carven
Smoke, bitterness, blood. The memory made her want to retch.
Alexis touched her bare skin, searching for the scar…
But it was gone. Her skin was perfectly smooth, as if the wound had never existed.
She shuddered.
Am I going insane?
What had these Kordolians done to her? The last thing she remembered was the dreadful sound of the Malachi’’s hull tearing apart. Then she was thrown up into zero-gravity, sucked out into a cold vacuum as pieces of debris and droplets of liquid swirled all around her.
This is it. This is how I die.
Then everything went black…
And she had woken up inside a stasis tank, hooked up to tubes and wires and an oxygen mask, surrounded by freezing liquid.
Someone had rescued her and put her in that dreadful stasis tank.
Blue light filled her vision. She couldn’t see anything but blinding blue light.
An overwhelming sense of dread invaded her chest, and she flailed around wildly, desperately wanting to be free of this cold, dark chamber.
The glass shattered. An invisible force slammed into her, pushing her forward, throwing her onto the floor. Gasping, racked with pain, she flailed around amongst the cold viscous liquid and shards of glass. Taking deep breaths, she managed to roll onto her side.
Someone was on the floor beside her. A male. Big, muscular, silver-skinned.
Kordolian!
He turned his head and stared at her, and she caught a glimpse of madness in his wild golden eyes.
A terrible pressure built up inside her head, as if something—or someone—were trying to break free.
The male cried out, his voice cracking with fury and pain. That terrible sound ignited her fear, shattering the last fragments of her awareness.
She screamed, her voice combining with the alien’s cries in a demented chorus.
Suddenly, impossibly strong hands were all over her, grabbing her arms and legs, holding her down as something sharp pierced her arm.
They’re sedating me!
As her consciousness faded, a final terrifying thought entered her mind.
The Kordolians had her now, and they were going to make sure she suffered.
Not safe. Not on Earth. Not anywhere.
Alexis doubled over and clutched the sides of her head as the memories blended into one long, hideous nightmare. There was that pressure again, pushing against the walls of her skull. A cold sweat broke out over her face and neck as she pulled the sheets around her body, trying to ward off the chill. She rolled onto her side and curled into the fetal position, staring up at the dark walls that enclosed her bed—this claustrophobic alien pod.
The entire room was black, the walls made of a strange material that felt like a composite of metal and wood; it was neither hot nor cold. A small egg-shaped lamp sat in one corner, radiating golden light and a little bit of warmth, as if someone had stolen a fragment of Earth’s sun and placed it inside.
And of course, the seamless doors that led to the outside world were sealed shut.
She was trapped, a prisoner on an enemy ship.
Fear and anger and desperation welled up inside her. She just wanted out. This shit inside her head… she wanted it out.
The memories returned, flashing through her mind as vividly as a holo-film.
She lay there, dying, her hands pressed against the wound in her belly, her warm blood gushing over her fingers. It hurt so fucking badly. And beside her in the darkness lay Thomas and Del, their existence snuffed out by a cruel, vicious murderer.
This was the memory that always returned to her. Sometimes, she would wake in the middle of the night filled with terror, her heart racing, her body drenched in sweat.
I can help you make it right. Yield to me, human, and I will make you strong.
Shut up, shut up, shut up!
Unable to take it any more, Alexis screamed. Lying on her side, she made a fist and punched the wall. There was a crack. Excruciating pain shot through her right hand, but she didn’t care. The pain was like cleansing fire, overpowering those hideous memories.
The voice withdrew…
And then something warm and hard pressed against her back.
“What the hell are you doing, human?” A deep, gruff, male voice came out of nowhere, and powerful fingers curled around her wrist, locking her arm into position. He cursed softly in his alien language—Kordolian. “Why in Kaiin’s hells would you want to do this to yourself?”
Alexis froze in terror. It was him! The big red-eyed guard who sat outside her room. It was the first time she’d heard him say more than a couple of words.
How had he snuck up on her so quickly and silently, materializing like a ghost from the shadows?
She hadn’t even heard the doors open.
He moved in behind her, his body engulfing hers.
His body was warm, hard, encased in armor that felt like a second skin…
Alien.
Fear turned her into a wild thing, and she fought back with all her strength, kicking, twisting, grunting in pain as she flexed her damaged hand.
In human terms, Alexis was in good physical shape—at least she had been until she’d nearly died on the Malachi—but against this Kordolian, her struggles were futile.
He was immovable.
“Stop fighting,” he growled, holding both of her wrists in an iron grip. He swore softly as he wrapped his legs around hers, locking her body in place.
She was completely immobilized.
Helpless.
Locked in a dark, confined space with an inhumanly strong monster.
Adrenaline pumped through her veins, making her heart pound like a war drum. Dark walls closed in on her.
Panic invaded every fiber of her being. She started to hyperventilate.
Suddenly, she was back in the forest again, with the Kordolian’s hands closing around her neck as his foul tongue invaded her mouth.
Get away from me!
She was going to die here.
The realization gave her an unnatural burst of strength, and she strained against her captor’s grip with all her might…
He didn’t move an inch.
He growled in frustration. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you all of a sudden, but I’m not letting you go until I’m convinced you’re not going to hurt yourself.”
She took several deep breaths as his words sank in.
“Kaiin’s hells, woman. Just calm down. Why do you want to go about damaging yourself like that?” An exasperated puff escaped his lips. “I didn’t pick you for the violent type.”
His strength terrified her, and yet the way he spoke to her…
It was nothing like what she’d expected.
He didn’t sound cold and cruel and sadistic like the Kordolian who’d nearly killed her. Instead, he sounded almost… kind, in a gruff sort of way.
“If you’re so intent on breaking all the little bones in your hands, we’ll just have to stay like this until the urge has passed.”
“Like this?” Alexis’s voice was barely a whisper. Her terror went down a notch, just enough to allow her to think.
“I can be very patient, human.”
“Wh-why?” Why would you want to protect me?
“What do you mean, why? I’ve been assigned to watch over you. That means no hurting yourself or anybody else.”
“You think I’m a threat?”
“Until proven otherwise, yeah. If you want to convince me otherwise, you’re going to have to start behaving yourself.”
Her hand was throbbing like crazy. Something was probably broken in there, but she couldn’t take a look at it, because the Kordolian’s hand was clamped around her wrist. How could someone’s grip be so hideously strong yet at the same time so controlled, so gentle?
No, he definitely didn’t want to hurt her, and she wasn’t going to die here.
Alexis took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
The guard sigh
ed. “Do you always have the urge to punch something when you’re upset?”
“No,” she said softly, suddenly feeling foolish. The chaos retreated from her mind, chased away by the warrior’s unwavering presence. Despite his irritable tone, there was something strangely reassuring about him. “Wh-when I need to blow off some steam, I usually go to the range and squeeze off a few rounds… or I go for a run, but obviously I can’t do that here.”
“Squeeze off a few rounds?”
“Target practice,” she said dryly. “It’s a human expression.”
“You shoot?”
“Used to.”
“Ah.”
For a moment, they were both silent. Alexis could hardly believe she’d just revealed such a highly personal snippet of information to this intimidating alien, who’d barely said two words to her up until now.
She hadn’t really paid much attention to him before. He was just another Kordolian, a big, silver-skinned alien who wore dark armor and a stern expression, who moved so silently and quickly despite his size.
Who was as powerful and terrifying as any alien she’d ever seen.
Actually, this particular Kordolian was one of the most intimidating creatures she’d ever seen in her life. He was bigger than her other guard, his body cut and honed, rippling with pure muscle.
A weapon in living form. There wasn’t a single doubt in her mind that he could crush her like an insect if he wanted.
Not too long ago, his people had reigned terror across the Nine Galaxies. To them, humans were just another inferior species to be subjugated.
She could never allow herself to forget it.
“Whatever was disturbing you… it’s gone now, isn’t it?” He sounded so sure of himself, as if he were reading her thoughts.
“It’s…” She found the strength to push the terrible memories out of her mind. “Yeah. Sorry. I don’t normally get like this. It’s just that the past few days have been absolute hell. I still don’t know what you people intend to do with me.” A soft, bitter laugh escaped her lips. She didn’t care what she said anymore. What did it matter? “Well, at least I’m not dead anymore… not right now, anyway.”
“We’re not going to kill you,” he growled, a hint of anger entering his voice for the very first time. “Zharek didn’t revive you just so we could send you back into the arms of the Goddess. Whatever happened to you in the past… it’s not going to happen again on my watch. We’re not them, human.”
His warmth radiated into her freezing limbs as he held her, not moving an inch. He didn’t tremble or shift position or alter his grip. His stillness was a reminder that he was definitely not human, because a human would have moved by now.
Who the hell are you then, Kordolian?
Despite her best efforts to remain calm, her body started to tremble again, as if all her adrenaline was being dumped into her system at once.
“Hey, hey, relax. It’s okay.” His breath was warm against the back of her neck. She was cold, he was warm. Go figure. “I’ll let you go if you promise not to punch anything.”
With great effort, Alexis forced herself to relax. She focused on the sensation of his armor-encased hands around her wrists, on his solid, undeniable presence. He was the very definition of raw physical power, but he was keeping himself on a tight leash… for her sake.
No, this definitely wasn’t how she expected a Kordolian to behave.
“I’m fine,” she murmured. “Please let me go now.”
“Don’t try anything stupid. It’s pointless.” He removed his hands and unlocked his legs. Slowly, gently, he extricated himself from her.
Gingerly keeping her damaged hand out of the way, Alexis sat herself up and turned.
Now her guard stood halfway across the room, giving her space. How had he gotten all the way over there so fucking fast?
He folded his massive arms across his chest and cocked his head, watching as she self-consciously used her good hand to pull the sheets around herself. Although she wore a thermosuit under her baggy t-shirt and pants, she still felt cold.
A disapproving frown curved his dark grey lips. His red eyes bored into her, making her feel terribly exposed.
“What?” She glared right back at him, trying to salvage some of her dignity.
“Your hand is broken.”
“You can tell just by looking at it, huh?” He was probably right. She was in agony right now.
“Well, it looks pretty deformed. That swelling’s only going to get worse… and I heard the crack.”
“You… huh.” She shook her head, unable to get her head around the idea that anyone’s hearing could be that sharp.
“Come on, I’ll take you to Zharek. The bastard doesn’t sleep anyway. He’ll be able to fix you up in no time.”
“Zharek… right.” He was the strange one with horns and wild hair and golden eyes, apparently the Kordolian equivalent of a doctor. Memories of freezing cold stasis and forced sedation flashed through her mind. Her heart began to race.
“Relax, human. He’s not going to put you in stasis again.”
How did he always seem to know what she was thinking? “I don’t think I could handle another dip in the tank right now.”
He snorted. “You don’t need stasis for a broken hand. Let’s go.”
As Alexis swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, a faint shiver coursed through her. With the warrior at her back, she’d felt properly warm for the first time in longer than she could remember, but now the cold was starting to seep back in. Even the seamless black floor felt warm compared to her cold bare feet.
The Kordolian loomed over her.
She stared back at him, cradling her throbbing hand.
For the first time, she wasn’t afraid to meet his gaze. Before, she’d been too scared and confused to pay him much attention. He’d been just another silent, hard-faced guard, complicit in her imprisonment.
But just now, something had changed.
And the voice in her head, that dark, seductive entity that she feared was just a figment of her screwed up imagination...
It was blissfully quiet.
She was in control again.
Wordlessly, Alexis followed as he turned on his heel. The strange metal-fiber doors unravelled, and they walked out into a narrow corridor that led into impenetrable darkness.
She stared at his impossibly broad back as his body shifted and flexed beneath his sculpted armor. She stared until the shadows grew so deep she couldn’t see anything but the pale halo of his tousled snow-white hair.
Oh, he was a specimen, all right.
Her heart was racing again, and she didn’t know if it was from fear or something else.
“You okay, human?”
“Alexis,” she corrected. He must have a sixth sense or something. A chilling thought struck her. What if he’s a mind reader? “I’m fine.”
Even though she was anything but.
“I’m Nythian,” he said curtly, staring straight ahead. “You don’t have anything to fear from me. I’m here to protect you.”
“Protect me? From what, exactly?” Nythian’s words sounded too good to be true. She couldn’t let her guard down just yet. How could she just trust a man—no, alien—who could so easily snap her in two with his little finger if he wanted?
“The thing inside your head, apparently.”
He didn’t say anything else after that.
The man who’d held her so gently in her moment of desperation, who’d prevented her from doing any further harm to herself, who’d spoken to her with such familiarity, as if he were an old colleague from the HPA…
That man was gone. In his place was a cold, hard, inscrutable alien warrior who walked as quietly as a ghost.
Who’d just casually mentioned the voice in her mind as if it were no big deal.
He was confusing her.
He was nothing like the Kordolian she’d expected.
Who the hell were these people?
; FIVE
SHE WASN’T what he’d expected.
Oh, she was still terrified—he could tell by the rapid patter of her heartbeat—but there was a certain toughness to her that surprised him.
She hadn’t complained one bit; not even a whimper of pain escaped her lips when she’d cracked her hand. Nythian knew all too well what it felt like to break something. Fucking agony. It happened to him all the time, only he had cursed black nanites that could repair the damage in an instant.
And a long, nightmarish history of pain tolerance training.
This human didn’t have those things.
But even though it was stupidly self-inflicted, she handled the pain like a seasoned warrior.
He couldn’t help but like that about her.
Nythian stopped as he reached the entrance to Zharek’s lab. Behind him, the human came to an abrupt halt, reflexively putting out her good hand as she nearly crashed into him. Her hand touched his arm for the briefest moment before she jerked it away… as if he were poisonous.
“A little warning?” she grumbled, and he sensed that her prickly demeanor hid something—vulnerability, fear.
He turned and looked down. Ah. He’d forgotten that humans didn’t see too well in low-light conditions.
She stared back at him, her startling golden-brown eyes narrowed and unfocused, her expression annoyed, fierce, and fragile, all at the same time.
He got the feeling her hard outer shell could shatter at any moment.
Shit.
The last thing Nythian wanted was to be minding a traumatized human female who had just been resurrected from the dead… who carried a second-stage Tharian around in her head. The alien parasite hadn’t fully revealed itself yet, and he didn’t want to be the one to have to deal with her when it did.
Why in Kaiin’s hells had the boss picked him for this job? Surely there was something better that he could use his destructive talents for? Even killing Xargek would be preferable to this.
“We’re here,” he said gruffly as the Qualum doors unraveled in response to his bio-sig. “Zharek!” he called, switching to his native Kordolian. “I know you’re in there. Get your nobleborn ass out here right now.”
