Defender (New World Book 7)

by C. L. Scholey

  Taz snorted. I am an alien, little human female. All human females apparently thought the same way she and Macey did. ‘Little human female’ was redundant. Taz heard a small noise and Haven screamed when Taz grabbed her into his arms and slung her onto his back. He snarled when the grown male and young boy crept around the bush.

  “I dropped my flowers. Taz, that was mean.”

  Taz ignored her outrage. “Go away.” The growl in his throaty words made Haven quiver with fear. She peeked around Taz’s broad shoulder and relaxed, realizing he was angry with someone else.

  “You better listen to Taz. He’s kinda like my dad and he can kick a huge man through walls.”

  Taz heard the admiration in Haven’s tone. She wrapped her little arms around his neck and settled her chin on his shoulder. Taz was tempted to pull her to his chest and shield her, but the grown male before him was no threat. His scent was worry. Taz didn’t want to scare Haven.

  “Please, we’ve come a long way. My son hasn’t eaten in two days. Gangs of men are forming. It’s like the women on this planet are disappearing. The gangs are brutal. They want other men to join them and what they do is reprehensible. I can’t expose my son to that. You have a daughter, you understand. A storm is coming.” He cast his glance behind him and Taz could see the grey ominous clouds roll in closer.

  The man put his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “This is Jimmy, he’s eight. I’m guessing about your little one’s age. If we travel together, I’ll help you watch over her.”

  “Not interested.”

  Taz swung Haven into his arms at his chest. She wailed she wanted her flowers. The little boy grabbed up a handful and ran in front of Taz holding them up. Taz stopped. The boy smiled, he was missing teeth. Haven reached for the flowers.

  “Can’t he come for a play date?” Haven asked.

  “Just until the storm passes,” the man rushed to say.

  Taz cupped the boy’s chin. “You don’t hurt females?”

  “Taz,” Haven wailed. She gripped his cheek with her palm and growled under her breath. “Do you have to be so embarrassing?”

  Taz sighed. “You don’t hurt little girls, do you?” he asked instead.

  The boy, Jimmy shook his head. “Naw. Only a coward hurts girls.”

  His father beamed with pride and Taz could scent the boy was serious. The clouds were almost on them. Lightning struck and Haven cringed against him. He scented her concern, but she wasn’t afraid, she cuddled closer to his chest.

  “Let’s move,” Taz said.

  “We can play games together,” Haven said to Jimmy.

  “It would be fun to play,” Jimmy said.

  “Macey and Aunt Greta make the best food,” Haven said and she climbed higher into Taz’s arms draping herself over his shoulder, her head hanging down to converse with the boy.

  “Where do you get food?” Jimmy asked as he trailed close to Taz’s side.

  “He finds everything,” her gaze flickered to Taz. “He’s awesome. And he beat up men who were bad. Three of them and never batted an eye. And he finds me candy.”

  “Wow, your dad’s cool,” Jimmy said. Haven didn’t correct him.

  Jimmy gazed up at Taz and smiled. Taz had mixed emotions. He could scent the child was in awe of him. Krish never garnered that feeling. Taz loathed the Tonan. Here was this small male child so trusting. Taz could crush him; he could be cruel, but he wouldn’t be. How could Krish have done what he did? Taz was younger than this boy when Krish found him, Taz felt no need to lock him away or be hurtful. More fuel was added to Taz’s anger towards Krish. Anger made a Tonan stronger.

  They reached the cellar as the rain began to fall. The torrential downpour was phenomenal. The generator died; they were out of gas. Haven struggled down and went to Macey, her flowers dropped to the floor as huge booms rent the air. Wood cracked and the far wall began to shatter, splintering inwards.

  “Oh God, a mud slide,” Macey cried out.

  The children screamed. The structure began to buckle with the weight of water and mud which began to pour into the cellar. Everything was black as pitch. Taz knew humans couldn’t see in the dark. Taz grabbed the girls and sent them spinning into the tunnel.

  “Move,” he yelled to the others.

  Macey and Greta raced forward with Taz’s direction, but the boy and his father were confused. They went to huddle at the back wall. The father had one hand out searching the area, blind in the dark. His other arm wrapped around his son. Taz didn’t have time to get them; he needed to get his females to a safer place. He would return after the females were away. The man and child should be fine.

  It was as dark in the hole and the girls were crying they could see nothing. Taz could scent confusion and terror from all directions. The fear on their faces enraged him. He had to save his family but he couldn’t save them all at once. Taz grabbed Macey and Haven to his chest and his shield went up. It was too dark for the child to see his transformation. Her eyes were closed and her face buried in his chest, trusting him.

  “No, Taz, Skylar, my aunt,” Macey cried out.

  “I’ll get them. I swear I’ll get them.”

  Taz jumped from the hole and bolted through the storm. Not far he saw a cave and he put them both inside.

  “I’ll be right back,” he promised.

  In seconds he was back in the tunnel. He yanked Skylar to his chest and Greta.

  “You can’t carry us both,” Greta yelled over the storm. “You’ll never be able to climb out the hole. Take the child. Leave me. Go.”

  Taz’s secretions went into overdrive with their fear. Greta meant what she said, she was willing to sacrifice her life for the girl and she feared for him. Taz was so proud of his aunt and wished he could tell her not to worry. Everything was fine now. He had them. But Greta was going to be a problem.

  “Sorry, Greta, you fainted.”

  “I don’t faint young man,” she protested.

  Taz sunk his fangs into her neck and she went limp. He drugged her and did the same to Skylar. He jumped from the hole and raced to the cave. Haven was sobbing for the boy child.

  “Please, Taz, if you can help them,” Macey asked.

  Taz nodded. He would try but the opening from the tunnel to the cellar was sealed off when he went back. He roared in frustration. He raced to the cellar door and smashed through. The entire cellar was full of falling mud and wood. He could hear the boy crying in a far corner. His father had been unable to get them out. Taz should have known the human male was too weak.

  The boy was half dead, Taz could scent his distress. He also smelled death. Taz moved fast to get to him. He could scent the child’s suffering. Taz smashed through the debris.

  Jimmy was bloodied and terrified, lightning blazed across the sky showing him Taz, when he saw Taz shielded, he screamed.

  “Daddy a monster is getting me.”

  “It’s fine little one. I’ll help you, Jimmy hang in there.”

  “Daddy,” the child wailed, his eyes wide.

  The boy’s father was crushed. He was dead. “Be still, I’ll help you.”

  Taz finally reached him. He pulled him from under the debris. The child screamed in agony, his leg was cut almost in two. It couldn’t be helped; there was no other way for Taz to get to him. He just needed to get Jimmy into his arms to heal him and he would be fine. The boy could travel with Macey and his family. Taz wouldn’t leave him out here alone. He liked the boy, his honesty. What was one more mouth to feed? The boy could play with Haven.

  The slight weight of the child was miniscule. Taz raced from the cellar as it collapsed. He dropped to his knees in the pounding rain, his arms wrapped around the boy. Taz dropped his shield and pulled him to his chest sensing the boy’s terror and agony. Nothing happened. Taz concentrated harder. Nothing. He lowered and dropped his shield again and again as the boy died in his arms.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Taz screamed aloud. “He’s a child. Fix him.”

  The
boy’s eyes were wide as Taz cuddled him to his bare chest and rocked him. It was no use, he was gone. Gone when he should have been whole and healthy. Why? Why? He sensed the shield’s confusion as it searched for memories to his tortured question. And then Taz knew why. The baby shield on a male child formed a new shield when he became of age. A female child needed the protection of a warrior when her shield dropped to prepare her to want to mate. Taz could only shield female children and family females. Taz’s father had only ever shielded his mother when they went to the treehouse. He carried Taz each time. Taz’s thoughts traveled back.

  “Why father? Why can’t I ride in your shield?”

  “Because son, you are a little warrior. You don’t need my shield. I already gave you the strongest piece. Made with love.”

  A male child had never in Taz’s history been shielded by a warrior, they were little warriors. It was the first time he didn’t find the term derogatory. His father was proud each and every time he called him the endearment.

  “I’m sorry, little warrior,” Taz whispered as he closed the child’s eyes. It was a hard lesson to remember.

  He rose to his feet shaking in fury. The male children of Earth couldn’t be protected. Taz would never want to have a male earthling child near him again. He would save the females. He could save the females. He took the boy to an indention in the cellar and walked away, allowing the pounding rain to soak him.

  * * * *

  “It’s not your fault,” Macey said.

  Taz returned to the cave soaked, and different. His expressive eyes made her heart hurt. Something awful had happened. When Taz took her aside and explained, Macey could feel his anguish. Her ‘cruel’ warrior was devastated.

  “He died so scared. He was in so much pain. I couldn’t help. I should have realized the second I touched him when we first met and my shield made no secretions, no connection, only scent, a male child was different. I couldn’t even ease his pain. It happened so fast I couldn’t bite him, he was gone.”

  “You couldn’t have known and the cave-in happened so fast. There was confusion. Humans can’t see in the dark. It was too dark for them to see where you went.”

  “A Tonan killed that child.”

  “Not my Tonan.”

  Taz dragged his hand down his face. Lightning lit up the sky past the opening of the cave. Thunder crashed. Haven was sobbing in Skylar’s arms. Greta was quiet. She was awake when Taz returned and Macy saw the strange gaze she sent his way.

  “You are only one person, Taz,” Greta said.

  “It wasn’t your fault, Taz,” Haven said. Her huge expressive eyes were overflowing with tears. “It was my fault. I wanted them to come home with us. I was so scared when you went back; I hoped so hard you would come back, even if you came back alone.”

  “No honey,” Macey said. “It wasn’t your fault. She pulled the girl into her lap. Taz stroked his finger down the girl’s cheek. Macey watched the tear slip under his skin.

  “I will always come back,” Taz promised.

  All of them pressed together with Taz’s powerful arms wrapping them in safety. Macey knew he meant what he said. His was no idle promise.

  “We have no home,” Skylar said.

  “We have each other,” Macey said.

  “I’ll find us a new home tomorrow,” Taz said.

  Haven crawled in his lap. “Jimmy and his father thought you were my dad.”

  Macey watched as Taz stroked the child’s hair. He kissed her forehead when she gazed up at him.

  “I guess I am,” Taz said. “You’re stuck with me.”

  “Good,” Haven said.

  In the morning, Taz left before first light. Everyone but Macey was asleep. She went outside with Taz. There was more destruction, trees were down everywhere. The skies were volatile. Macey wished the sun would shine.

  “How far will you go?” she asked.

  “I may need to travel some distance. Stay in the cave. I’m going to seal you in.”

  “Taz,” Macey said, uncertain when she saw him muscle a large boulder close.

  “You can tell them it came down in the night right after I left to search for a place to stay. Tell them I’ll figure out how to move it. For now, I can smell food. Wait here.”

  Taz took off and returned moments later. He was carrying a food basket. She opened her mouth to ask where it came from but he held up his hands.

  “Don’t ask. And don’t worry. I’ve taken care of all immediate threats.”

  Macey knew he’d killed again. He leaned down and kissed her with deep passion. She took the basket and went into the cave. Taz moved the boulder across the opening, sealing them in. When the others woke, tension was thick. Macey and Greta had them sing songs. Macey used sticks and rocks for tic-tac-toe. The food was soon gone and Haven complained, wanting to be outside when the hint of sunlight shone down through cracks.

  It was late day when Taz returned. He looked tired and frazzled. No one said a word when he pushed the rock away from the opening. Macey insisted numerous times Taz had phenomenal strength. No one questioned her.

  “I found us shelter. More caves but they’re connected. We’ll be safe warm, clean and protected,” Taz said.

  “How far?” Macey asked.

  “We can get there by dark tomorrow. It took me longer because I was filling the cave with essentials. It should last until the storms leave, and the others are gone.”

  Taz had a bag filled with items. Macey took blankets from him and settled them on the floor. Taz started a fire. The air was chilly. He pulled the rock three quarters closed. Nothing would get in unless it slithered and Taz told Macey his shield would warn him if there was danger to any of them. The next day would be grueling. It was time to eat and sleep and prepare.

  Chapter 11

  The cave was extraordinary. Macey didn’t know what to think when she first walked in to the well-hidden cave. The entrance was deceptive, small; Taz had to duck when he entered through parted vines. Once inside she was astounded. An array of multicolored lights lit up the massive cave. There were no stalactites or stalagmites. Taz took her hand and led her to a steaming pool of water. An underground spring.

  “We definitely need to get busy in there,” he whispered in her ear. She couldn’t agree more.

  “We can have our own rooms,” Skylar squealed as she raced from cavern to cavern.

  “I don’t want to be all alone,” Haven mumbled. The child was holding Taz’s hand.

  Since the cave-in, Haven had attached herself to Taz’s hip. Taz picked her up and tucked her into the crook of an arm. He tweaked her nose, but she batted his hand away. She was scowling.

  “It smells in here,” she grouched. “It will fall down too.”

  “It won’t fall down,” Taz was quick to say. “It’s been here for a long time and will be here long after we are gone.”

  “It’s too primitive to live in a cave,” Haven said and struggled from his grasp.

  “I thought you said PMS was for older girls,” Taz whispered in Macey’s ear. She would have chuckled, but Haven was having issues.

  “Haven. Honey?” Macey said and crouched before her.

  “You better get away. Anything I care about or like dies.”

  Ah I get it.

  “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. Neither is Taz or Aunt Greta or Skylar. You’re stuck with us. The cellar collapsing was an accident, there was too much rain too fast, the cellar was on a slope, and we’ve been pounded with some nasty weather. It all conspired into the mudslide, you did nothing wrong. Jimmy’s death was tragic but a horrible accident. You didn’t cause anything to happen. Your parents’ deaths weren’t your fault either.” Macey ran the backs of her fingers down the girl’s cheek.

  “You promise you won’t go away?” Haven asked.

  The relief on the child’s face made Macey want to cry. Taz picked Haven up under her arms and held her eye level while she clasped his forearms, her legs dangling.

  “Of cours
e we promise.” Taz grinned and winked at her. “You’re the first little girl I ever owned.”

  Haven rolled her eyes. “You don’t own children silly. But thanks for not saying human female!”

  Taz chuckled and set her down. She scampered off to explore with Skylar. Taz told Macey there was only one way in or out—for humans. The cave was massive but impossible to get lost in. Exploring would keep the girls entertained for a long time. There was a section that dropped off he sealed for safety.

  “There’s a kitchen in here,” Greta said.

  “I collected a few things before I brought you here,” Taz said.

  “You must run very fast,” Greta said.

  “I do,” Taz said.

  Greta smiled at him and gave Taz a hug before telling them she would start dinner. They could sleep after. Macey could hear her aunt’s exclamations.

  “A propane burner. A barbeque with coal. I can make tea,” Greta squealed. “You found me tea. Taz, have I mentioned how much I adore you.”

  “Yep, she’s in love with you,” Macey said and chuckled.

  “Girls?” Taz bellowed. They stopped dead in their tracks from their race around the huge cave. “Macey and I are going to bathe. Help Aunt Greta.”

  Skylar giggled as she wrapped an arm around a protesting Haven and they scooted away.

  “Subtle,” Macey said.

  “This will be our home for a long time,” Taz said. He sounded serious. “It’s safe, open, big. My shield is telling me a successful mating will give us a female child. I already feel as though Skylar and Haven are mine, but, I’m greedy. I want more.”

  He took her hand and led her to the hot swirling water. The area was sheltered on three sides away from prying eyes. Macey knew Greta would keep the girls busy. She stripped slowly with his gaze on her the entire time. When she lifted her hands over her head to remove her shirt Taz ran his palms down her sides. The water was hot and Macey gasped as she sank into the foamy depths.

  “Might be too hot for Haven,” she said.

  “There are three in here. This one’s the hottest. The last one will be perfect for little ones.”