“You’re not leaving me behind.” Joan followed us.
“I hate to say this, but I think I know where to look.”
The other women nodded in agreement, their expressions grim.
We only made it a few feet, when a group of Zakiu emerged from the thick undergrowth. My stomach clenched and my head swam, seeing Bular carrying a limp Sarah in his arms.
In the bright sunlight, I could see her pretty blond hair matted and streaked bright red with fresh blood. Her arms dangled and her wrists hung at an awkward angle.
Abby choked out a sob, running forward to meet the four men. Frozen to the spot, I watched Abby’s trembling fingers reached for Sarah’s throat, obviously feeling for a pulse.
“Oh God, no.” I turned my head to see all color draining from Joan’s face.
Forcing myself to move, I quickly wrapped my arm around her, propping her up before she fell backwards listlessly. I pushed down the bile rising in my throat, facing the clear fact that Sarah was dead.
* * * *
A somber mood fell over the village. The men buried Sarah, placing large boulders over her grave, while saying prayers to the three gods of the moons. Poor Bular stood over her grave. His face a mixture of shock and bewilderment. He couldn’t comprehend why Sarah would want to take her own life. It was clear he blamed himself for not taking proper care of her.
I had no idea either. Had she really loved Barooki that much? As I released my own grief in Morrdrook’s arms that night, I wondered if I would ever have the strength move on with my life if anything happened to him.
It seemed he felt the same concern. “Make me promise if I pass in battle, you will go on. Be strong for us, and our bud.”
Wiping my blurry, tear-filled eyes, I gazed up at Morrdrook. “I don’t ever want to lose you. I can only guess the deep despair Sarah must have felt to want to throw herself off that cliff. I fear losing you more than losing my own life.”
He gripped my shoulders, almost painfully. The intense desperation in his eyes gripped me.
“But you will live, not take your own life.”
Drawing in a shuddering breath, “No, I won’t I promise, no matter how painful. But please, I don’t want to talk about losing you. Please Morrdrook, just hold me. No one makes me feel more alive than you.”
He pulled me on top of his large frame, his arms wrapped around my back. I lay my head on his chest, soothed by the strong, steady rhythm of his heart.
Chapter Five
After Sarah’s death, Morrdrook organized around-the-clock guards. I told Morrdrook he was being over precautious, as none of the other women were suicidal, but still he insisted. Each of the Zakiu men would take a shift standing at the four major points of sight over the village. While the others worked on finishing the weapons.
Their craftsmanship was more skilled than I’d given them credit for. At the forge mound, they’d created sophisticated crossbow weapons and many steel tipped arrows to put in each one. The spears looked just as deadly with sharpened jagged edges. They also had made beautifully crafted blades and many daggers.
It was hard to believe three weeks had passed since the Druel had left us, and our time was rapidly running out. My lower belly had begun to swell slightly, while some of the other women’s stomachs were more noticeable. The anxiety around the village was high, many of us wondering if we’d ever be able to break free of the Druel’s grasp.
Each man was fitted with armor to shield them against the energy weapons of the guard drones and “We strike tonight, when our vision is at its best.” Morrdrook declared, his tone brimming with confidence. He called a breakfast meeting in the food hall. “Tonight we break free of the Druel machines and bring down the walls.”
“It will be best to head north into the mountains where there are deep caves, in which to hide from them. It may seem cowardly to hide, but remember how they have devastated and murdered our people. We have more to protect than just our own lives,” Killiu spoke up.
No one refuted Killiu’s plan, knowing the devastation the Druel machines had already reaped on their planet. It was a matter of survival not cowardice.
Intently, I listened as Morrdrook outlined the plan of attack. The women were to be barricaded inside the meal hall together until it was safe to leave. Not a plan I was fond of. I wanted to fight alongside Morrdrook, but also knew I had to protect the child growing inside me.
The fear that he would get wounded or killed still hung with me. I gave him a smile to show my loyal support as the others left the hall.
“It will be alright, my Aunna. I see the worry in your eyes. You trust me no?”
I snorted, inelegantly. “Yes, and you shouldn’t have to ask, but I can’t stop from worrying.”
“It would be a concern if you did not. Come, we have some time before tonight. Let us leave all this behind.”
I felt my lips widen into a smile, knowing exactly what he had in mind. I wrapped my arms around him and jumped into his eager arms.
“I love our special place, but I love you more.” With his arms holding me, I captured his face between my palms and pressed my lips to his. The kiss quickly deepened, turning hot and carnal, always the same. It only took a simple spark to ignite into a raging flame of desire.
I broke away, panting, hot and needy. “I suggest we hurry.”
* * * *
Cool water lapped around my feet as I basked in the warmth of the Zakiu sun. I lay on a warm bolder, my head tilted back, trying to dry my hair and unwilling to find the strength to move. Morrdrook had made love to me several times, making sure I would never forget our time in the lagoon.
“A goddess of the sun.” I heard the amusement in Morrdrook’s voice.
Cracking open one eye, I watched his powerful body sliding through the water, before he stood from the lagoon’s water. I licked my lips and opened both eyes, my gaze tracking the water droplets as they sluiced down his body. Oh what a tempting sight. He caught me staring and winked, his smile making me melt all over again. I boldly turned and raised an eyebrow.
“You know, on my planet, I’d be fighting every woman off with a stick.”
“Is stick fighting a common practice?”
I burst out laughing. “No, what I’m saying is you’re a very attractive man.”
He chuckled. “Our women were attracted to the position of a male, and what he could give her, not his features.”
“Sadly, humans are mostly visual creatures, and are attracted to the outward appeared of someone. If you were on my planet, all the human women would want you.”
“They could not have me, even if I had come to your world.” In a few steps he reached me. Leaning down, he placed his hands either side of my head. Heat poured off him as he pressed his lower body against mine, trapping me against the rock.
“I would have found you. In all the worlds and all the galaxies, you are mine.”
How he did it, I didn’t know nor did I care, but I fell deeper and deeper in love with him.
I reached out caressing the lines of his face. “I don’t just love your appearance, but everything within, your honesty, integrity.” I placed my hand over his beating heart. “I love your inner and outer strength. You’re mine just as much as I am yours.”
“Agreed.” He dropped his mouth to mine in a lazy kiss, before his tongue plunged in and tangled with mine.
A loud chirping in my ear made us break the kiss. We both turned to see Lucky bouncing up and down by my head on the rock.
“Somehow I get the feeling he’s jealous.” I muttered, a tad disappointed, when Morrdrook pulled away. My body mourned the loss of his body heat as he turned and reclaimed his clothes.
“He is male, for only the males bond with females. Come, we best return to village.” Morrdrook secured his newly made dagger to his waist.
As much as I wanted to, I knew we couldn’t lounge around and make love all day. We had to get back and prepare for tonight.
Climbing off the bolder, I
stretched and gathered my clothes, slipping into my skirt, before sliding on my gypsy top.
“C’mon then Lucky, time to go.” I reached for my little pet. Luck seemed to have other ideas scrambled down the rock and along a path leading away from the water.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“You come?” I glanced back at Morrdrook.
“I will in a minute. I’m just going to get Lucky, he’s run off.”
Morrdrook nodded. “Want me to wait?”
“Oh no, you go ahead, I won’t be too long.” I beamed a smile at him and hurried after Lucky. I spotted him bouncing and chirping, before he vanished into some bushes.
“Lucky come back here! I don’t want to be traipsing through this whole area to find you.” I turned direction following the still loud chirping sound. I spotted my now green fur ball racing through the undergrowth of the lower bushes; he was heading towards an outcropping of large rocks. Looking more like oval shaped pillars than rocks.
Lucky stopped for a moment, almost as if waiting for me to catch up. “I swear I’m gonna make you sleep in the kitchen, you little runaway.”
Lucky bounced up and down, chirping madly, but darted out of reach. Well at least he couldn’t go beyond the big boulders. Annoyance rankled. “I thought we were meant to be bonded?”
But as I again reached for him, he darted through the mass of vines growing down over the middle bolder. I blinked, could Wuzzle’s move through stone?
After walking several feet to my left, trying to get around the outcrop of boulders, I ran into an invisible barrier. I yelped as I lost my balance on the uneven ground falling backwards and landing heavily on my ass. Crap, I’d almost forgotten the Druel’s walls hemmed us in. Climbing to my feet, I rubbed my now sore ass, cursing under my breath I headed back to where Lucky had vanished. I could still hear her faint chirping.
I knelt down and pushed aside the vines, only to find a rabbit-sized hole. As I ripped away more growth, I found other large rocks placed over the hole, I shifted one out of the way and the hole got bigger. I sat back staring at the hole, glancing to my left to were the barrier was, and knew it ran directly through the middle of this outcrop. Humm, I wonder if it goes all the way through the rocks as well?
Without giving it a second thought, I started heaving several larger sized rocks out of the way until it was big enough for me to crawl into.
“Lucky?” I called and again heard him chirping out. “C’mon Anna, be brave,” speaking aloud gave me some courage. “You’ve faced scarier things than a dark hole.” On my hands and knees I crawled forward into the darkness.
Chapter Six
“Of all the stupid things to do,” I muttered, rather than having to hear my own harsh breathing in the dark, confined space. My knee scraped over something sharp. I bit down on my lower lip to stop from crying out at the sharp pain. “I’m going to give you to someone else, Lucky!”
Go back. It was the smart thing to do, but there was no room to turn, so I would have to back out, slowly. No doubt, Morrdrook would have come back looking for me. Humiliation burned my cheeks, knowing he’d have to pull my sorry ass out of this hole.
Forget the stupid Wuzzle. Ignoring the pain in my knee, I tried to shuffle backwards, only my ass bumped the side of the stone walls. I felt it wobble; there was a loud creaking and slow grinding coming from above my head. Oh, shit. The cave was unstable. I had to get the hell out of here and fast.
I tried to move, but the creaking grew louder, and knew I couldn’t go back the way I came. Damn it. My back low, I crawled forward, until I saw a dim light at the other end.
Behind me the creaking quickly turned into a rumble, and I scuttled forward in a mad panic that the whole thing would collapse and crush me. I cleared the exit of the hole only to come out at a sharp decline, I cried out as I tumbled down the slope. Until some thick vegetation broke my fall.
“Aunna!” Morrdrook’s loud voice bellowed. I heard a touch of panic in his tone.
Still breathless from the fall, I lay still for several moments until I was able to draw in enough breath to call back. “Morrdrook, I’m here!”
“Aunna? Where are you?”
I sat up, wincing at the few bruises on my hips and arms. I glanced down to see my scraped knee bleeding, but it wasn’t too bad. I climbed to my feet, scrambling along the side of the incline and headed back around the large outcrop of boulders which I’d crawled through.
“Aunna?” Morrdrook’s voice was closer.
“I’m here.” I glanced up at Morrdrook who stood by the boulder, but he was not coming any closer, his eyes wide as he stared at me with a look of utter disbelief. I glanced down at my scrapes and bruises, wondering what he was staring at.
“What? I fell but I’m okay. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“How?” Morrdrook raised his hand and the invisible barrier shimmered as it did when anyone touched it.
It took a moment for it to sink in. “Holy shit!” I was on the other side of the barrier.
“The rocks, there was a hole through the rocks. I was chasing after Lucky.” I reached the barrier. He glanced up at the mountain of boulders stacked on each other.
“There is a way through?” Excitement glimmered in his pale gaze.
“I…I don’t know. I think it caved in just as I got out.”
A frown chased away the hope. “Stay here, I will see.”
I sighed and sat down on a knee-high boulder to wait as he vanished from sight. I could hear him moving rocks about. I rubbed my sore hip, thinking about my new predicament. If I was stuck on this side with no way back…what the hell was I going to do?
The expression on Morrdrook’s face didn’t look promising. “I cannot get through. You are right, it has collapsed. I will go call others to help. Perhaps we can clear a new path. You will stay here till I return.” He turned to hurry away.
“Morrdrook,” I rose to my feet, the need to touch him, find some comfort overwhelming, but knowing I couldn’t tore me up inside. Calm, I had to stay calm and collected. He paused and glanced back. “You need to prepare for tonight, if the attack succeeds, then you can take down the wall.”
“No, we will try this first. I will not leave you out there if there is a way through.”
I saw the firm set of his jaw, and sat back down on the rock. “I won’t go anywhere.”
“I shall hurry.”
Lucky chose that moment to come chittering up. I bent down and scooped up the Wuzzle, nuzzling it against my cheek.
“Well, Lucky, you got me into this mess, how are you going to get me out?”
Of all the ironic things in life, I was free, but it meant nothing without Morrdrook.
* * * *
“There are too many rocks in the way. Morrdrook, we cannot waste any more time.” Nular dusted off his hands. “There is no way through.”
A handful of Zakiu had been trying for the last few hours to pull away the rocks and make a new tunnel, all to no avail. Dusk was fast approaching.
“No, I will not leave her out there alone.”
“I’m not alone, I have Lucky. I’ll camp out here and wait till you’ve kicked Druel robot ass.” I tried for an upbeat tone, masking the worry behind a smile.
Morrdrook swung his fist against the barrier, his face twisted in anger as the wall shimmered under his pounding.
“Don’t start that now—it’s not going to do either of us any good.” I stood up, tilting my head up. “Look at me.” Morrdrook’s gaze met mine.
“I know you won’t abandon me. Everyone here including me is counting on you to go through with the plan. Go destroy the machines, and come and get me. I love you and I know you won’t let me down.”
Ah, yes, there it was. The same determined gleam in his eyes I had seen a few times before. “You are right. I will fight, and then I will come back for you. My brave, beautiful Aunna… Go hide for the coming battle, you will be safe and I will find you after.”
I grinned
. “You’d better.”
He turned. “Come, let us prepare for battle. I want to retrieve my mate.”
I watched them retreat, leaving me alone in the fading light. “Well, Lucky, let’s go find our hiding spot before it gets too dark.”
Lucky chirped on my shoulder, as I carefully picked my way over rocks and through bushes. Trying to take note of where I was going at the same time. I glanced around. The hill to my right led up towards the mountains. I could follow the force field around down into the jungle, but didn’t want to go into that place at night. There were a few native animals roaming about I’d been told were not dangerous, but still, I didn’t want to take any chances. Climbing up was the better choice.
There was a slight chill in the air as I started climbing towards a cliff face. I rubbed my arms, hoping there would be somewhere for me to shelter. Lucky scrambled off my shoulder and up the hill.
“Oh, don’t go running off again!” I followed after the little critter, really not wanting to lose the one little comfort I had. “Lucky, please.” I puffed from the exertion of climbing.
My body was drained and weary from the stress of the last few hours, my pregnancy only adding to my fatigue.
Stumbling into a little clearing, I shoved aside a leafy pink bush and found a small cave; not very deep, but enough to shelter me from the weather. I walked in further, seeing soft purple moss covering the back of the cave floor.
Lucky was rolling around in the moss, changing his color to match. “Lucky, I think you’re living up to your name.”
I settled in, my back to the wall, and drew my feet up under me. The weariness settled in. I yawned, knowing there wasn’t’ much I could do now but wait.
* * * *
A sharp shrilling sound made me bolt upright, blinking rapidly in the darkness. Darn, I must have fallen asleep.
Lucky chirped unhappily as I scrambled forward. I couldn’t see a damn; the three moons were not yet up. It was dangerous to go scurrying around in the dark. Better and safer to stay put until Morrdrook came for me.
Beast Planet 2: Captive Salvation Page 4
