by J. C. Diem
Rho had agreed for his shamans to fit the captives with his silver collars, which would render them malleable. The necklaces would make it far easier to keep a large number of humans in the cells in the belly of his ship. They wouldn’t be able to form a rebellion and attempt to escape when they were turned into mindless puppets.
Trusting his minions to perform the task he’d issued them with, Uldar motioned for his kin to spread out. Nighttime was their domain and they went with eager grins. Bloodlust would overwhelm most of them and they would no doubt give in to the urge to slaughter. There were so many slaves waiting to be captured that it wouldn’t matter if a few thousand of them died.
Thanks to their advanced technology, they could find humans anywhere on the surface of this planet. Their scanners had trouble picking up on lifeforms that were hidden beneath the ground, but that wouldn’t be a problem on this island city. There were no natural caves here. Loki had informed him of the subways the civilians used to travel to different areas. It would be easy enough to flush out anyone who might be hiding down there.
With his entourage at his heels, Uldar loped away from the park and the disgusting hunchbacked Grimgorg. He intended to capture as many humans as he could before daylight forced him back to the ship that hovered over the city. King Rho and his magicians had already made hundreds of thousands of the silver collars. Now that they had access to so much more metal, they could quickly manufacture hundreds of millions more. No human would be left un-cloned, or without a collar once they were done.
~~~
Chapter Three
~~~ Lexi’s World ~~~
Opening the door that led to the kitchen, Lexi stepped directly into Reece’s arms. He hugged her so tightly that he almost squeezed the air out of her lungs. He’d already gleaned everything that had happened on Natalie’s world from her mind, but he stepped back to examine her anyway. A head to toe scan reassured him that she hadn’t sustained any lasting injuries.
Watching Lexi and her mate embrace, Violet couldn’t help but stare at Reece. Lexi’s boyfriend was just under six feet tall and it was obvious he worked out hard. His shoulders were wide and his white t-shirt barely contained his muscles. He wore his brown hair cut close to his head with a short Mohawk spiked on top. His cheekbones were chiseled and his brown eyes were assessing as he examined them.
When Lexi stepped back, Reece offered his hand to the vampire. “Hi, Natalie.” She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Lexi sent him a wry look when she heard that thought. She knew he wasn’t attracted to Nat, but it irked her that her ally was far more gorgeous than she would ever be.
“Hey, Reece,” Nat said casually and shook his hand. She was far stronger than a human, but his grip was almost too tight. It was probably an alpha thing and he was subconsciously trying to dominate her. It was a reminder that most of the people in this compound were shapeshifters. “It’s good to see you again,” she added. She hadn’t officially met any of the others, but she recognized a few faces. The rest were new to her.
Reece switched his attention to the blond girl and offered her his hand. She shook it warily and he made sure not to squeeze her too hard. “I’m Reece Garrett,” he said. She was a bit younger than Lexi and just as gorgeous as the other two girls. He picked up on a hint of vulnerability that made him want to be gentle with her. He sensed she’d been through a lot and that she was still getting used to being a warrior of Fate.
“I’m Violet Harper.” Violet didn’t lie and say it was nice to meet him. She wasn’t comfortable being the center of attention. Having so many strangers watching her was making her feel flustered.
Glancing around, she saw a state-of-the-art kitchen, with a black marble island and several stools lined up in front of it. A dining table that could seat ten people sat between the kitchen and the living area. Several black leather couches were crammed full of people. A gym was to the back of the room, complete with a boxing ring. A set of spiral stairs in the center of the gigantic set of rooms led to the upper floor. She could see fancy, expensive electronic equipment and monitors through the wall of windows.
“How about some coffee?” one of the strangers said. She had a stocky build and was ridiculously pretty. Her hair was short, tawny gold and slightly messy.
“I prefer tea,” Violet said automatically.
“Tea?” the woman said and wrinkled her nose as if she smelled something putrid. “How can a badass champion of Fate drink something as girly as tea?”
“Kala,” a man in his mid-forties or so admonished her. “Not everyone is addicted to coffee.” He wore a black suit, white business shirt, dark blue tie and shiny black shoes. His thinning brown hair was kept short and neat. He might as well have had ‘FBI Agent’ stamped on his forehead. Then again, it wasn’t the FBI they worked for, but a much more clandestine agency.
“Sorry, Dad,” Kala said with obviously false contriteness and leaped gracefully over the back of the couch. Walking over, she took Violet’s hand and shook it. They were the same height at five foot five. “I’m Agent Kala Walker. Nice to meet you, even if you’re not normal and you don’t drink coffee.”
Unsure what to make of the older girl, Violet just nodded. “Is he really your Dad?” she asked and glanced at the man wearing the somber dark suit and starched shirt. They didn’t look anything alike.
“Mark’s not my biological father,” Kala replied as she offered her hand to Natalie. “He adopted Reece, Flynn and me when we were kids.” Shaking the vamp’s hand, she eyed her tight black leather outfit. “Cool suit. How come it’s full of holes?”
“Loki stabbed me a bunch of times while we were fighting,” Nat said nonchalantly.
Everyone went still in surprise at that. Thanks to his bond with Lexi, Reece was the only one who wasn’t startled. He hadn’t told the team anything yet. Lexi and her two new friends could have that pleasure.
Mark took charge, as always. “Kala, why don’t you make the beverages, while the rest of us introduce ourselves to our guests?”
“I’m on it, boss,” she said and saluted him smartly.
Another man in his forties who had to be six foot four approached them. His hair was short and blond and his physique was impressive. He wore the same type of cargo pants and simple white t-shirt that most of the squad were wearing. It was probably their unofficial uniform. He hugged Lexi and planted a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m glad you’re back in one piece, kiddo.”
“Me, too,” Lexi replied and slipped a hand around his waist before turning to her allies. “Nat, Violet, this is my Dad, Major Philip Levine.”
Violet elbowed Nat in the side at her all too obvious ogling of the handsome soldier.
“Don’t even think about it,” Kala said in warning. “Philip is my mate and I’ll rip your face off if you even look at him sideways.” Her tone and glower implied she would kill anyone who made the mistake of encroaching on her turf.
“Relax, I’m happily married,” Nat said dryly. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a pretty face and a smoking hot body every now and then.”
Philip’s eyes crinkled at the corners at the compliment. “Thank you, I think.” He offered his hand and both girls took turns shaking with him.
“Do we call you Major, or Mr. Levine?” Violet asked. She hadn’t spent much time around military folk and had no idea of the correct protocol.
“I’ve left the Army, so I’m not a Major anymore. Call me Philip.”
Violet mustered up a smile that he was trying to put her at ease. It was clear from the energy and strength that came from him that he was a shifter of some sort. “Are you a werewolf, too?”
Kala snorted out a laugh. “He wouldn’t be my mate if he was a wolf. He’s a cougar just like me.”
Philip sauntered into the kitchen to help her make tea and coffee. She grinned up at him and rubbed against him like the cat she was. Her affection for Lexi’s dad was plain to see. From the look of devotion in his blue eyes, he cared about her
just as much.
“You don’t look anything like your Dad,” Nat said to Lexi. She was tall and slender, but her hair was black and her eyes were brown.
“I’ll fill you in about my family history later,” Lexi replied. “For now, come and meet the rest of the squad.”
Everyone stood and she led them to a tall young man with mocha colored skin and striking green eyes. “This is Agent Flynn Bailey,” Lexi said. “He’s a wereconstrictor.”
“Does that mean you turn into a snake?” Violet asked in surprise. She’d read a lot of fantasy and paranormal books and couldn’t remember reading about a snake shifter before.
Flynn nodded. “I sure do.”
Nat was suitably impressed. “Cool. I hope we get to see you shift.”
Lexi’s reply was wry. “I’m almost certain you will.”
“It’s not even close to a full moon,” Violet pointed out.
“These shifters do not need to wait for a full moon to unleash their inner beasts,” the woman standing beside Flynn said. Barely five feet tall, she had a lush, curvy body, long dark brown hair and skin that spoke of a mixed heritage. Her eyes were vivid green and her pupils were slit vertically. “I am Sabine and I am a lamia,” she said before they could ask. “Flynn and I are mated.” That much had been obvious from the way she was glued to his side.
Next in line was Mark. He offered his hand for a brisk handshake. “I’m Agent Mark Steel. I’m in charge of the Shifter Squad.”
“What sort of shifter are you?” Violet asked.
“I’m just a human,” Mark replied with a rueful smile.
“You are far more than that,” the woman at his side admonished him. “You are the heart and soul of this team.” Lexi’s height of five foot seven, she was slender and had long black hair and slightly tilted eyes that meant she came from an Asian heritage.
“You’re not just a human,” Violet said to Mark with utter certainty. “I can feel some sort of magic coming from you.”
“That would be a fairy spell,” Mark replied. “You must be sensitive to their magic.”
Violet shrugged. “As far as I know, we don’t have fairies on my world.”
“Who are you?” Nat asked the woman who was obviously Mark’s partner. Unlike the others, her mind was almost impenetrable. She hadn’t been able to glean much from her other than that she wasn’t human.
“I am Ava Nasuri.”
“What are you?” Violet asked. Her skin was almost crawling from the amount of magic that was coming off her.
“I am a Nagi.” At their blank expressions, she explained. “I look something like a dragon in my natural form. I am a guardian of the lands and waters and I can wield elemental magic.” Neither she, nor Sabine, wore camouflage pants and white t-shirts. Instead, the lamia wore jeans and a frilly red blouse. Ava wore tailored navy pants and a matching jacket. She looked more like a personal assistant for a corporate boss than an agent.
Kala and Philip carried in trays of tea and coffee and set them down on the large coffee table. Nat stared at the mugs longingly, but she didn’t attempt to take one. Blood was the only substance she could consume. It had been several days since she’d last fed, but she wasn’t hungry yet. Something told her it would be very dangerous to drink from any of these creatures.
Forgoing sugar, Violet added a small dash of cream to her tea before taking a seat on the end of a couch. Nat plonked down next to her. Uncomfortable with the swords strapped to her back, she tried to use her telekinesis to remove them, but nothing happened. Forcing out a sigh, she sat forward and removed them manually, then placed them on the seat beside her. Just as Fate had warned them, her powers weren’t up to their full strength in this dimension.
Waiting for everyone to be seated, Mark looked at Lexi. “Tell us everything that happened when you were on Natalie’s world.” He needed to know as much as possible in order to formulate a strategy to deal with the coming threat.
~~~
Chapter Four
~~~ Alpha World ~~~
Bianca was alone when she woke up the next morning. She’d awakened a couple of times through the night to find herself pressed up against Loki’s chest. His arm had been around her back, holding her close. It was strange, but she felt almost safe when she was nestled against him. She’d only been his captive for a short time, but she was beginning to get used to the contradictory feelings that he raised within her.
She pulled the oversized borrowed clothes on again and shuffled to the kitchen in search of breakfast. Loki sat on the couch with his booted feet up on the coffee table, watching TV. He spared her a glance and did a double take. “I hope you’re not planning on wearing that all day.” He pointed at the large t-shirt and gray sweatpants with a hint of distaste.
“It’s not like I have a choice about it,” she said sarcastically. “Do you see any female clothing in here?”
Frowning at her sharp tone, he stood abruptly. He strode over to the door, snatching up his beloved sword on the way. He left and presumably used his magic to lock the door behind him. She still had no idea why he was keeping her close to him and he wasn’t about to explain his reasons to her. “Finally, my lack of charm and diplomacy is paying off,” Bianca muttered. Growing up, she’d had few friends due to her standoffish ways. That thought brought a pang of pain to her head. Flinching, she shied away from the memories that swirled inside her mind. They were cloudy and hard to grasp. She couldn’t actually picture any of the kids she’d grown up with, which seemed strange.
Pushing her disturbing thoughts aside, she poured cereal and milk into a bowl, then switched the coffee machine on. Unused to being around so much luxury, she carried her bowl over to the dining table that could seat ten people. A thick cream rug covered the cold marble floor. Her feet sank into it when she pulled out a seat and sat down.
She took her time to eat breakfast, then placed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and poured herself some coffee. New York still had power for now, but it wouldn’t last forever. The apartment was up too high to hear the screams of the panicked civilians. The door to the balcony was open to let in the fresh air. She occasionally heard small pops that might have been distant gunfire. Not everyone had given up. Some were fighting back, even if it was a hopeless endeavor.
Finishing off her coffee, she stepped into the kitchen to refill her mug. Turning around, she gasped and stumbled back a step when she found Loki standing directly in front of her. The coffee almost sloshed over the rim of the mug, but she managed not to spill it.
“Very theatrical,” he said with an eye roll and held out a bundle of clothing. “I am sure these will be far more suitable than your current attire.”
Bianca took the bundle when he pressed it into her arms. He plucked the mug of coffee she’d made for herself out of her hand. Tasting it, he made a noise of approval before heading over to the couch.
Frowning at his back, she didn’t protest the theft of her beverage. It wasn’t worth fighting over. Curious about what Loki’s idea of suitable clothing was, she retreated to the bedroom and dumped the pile on the bed. He’d brought her a collection of underwear and dresses. It was disturbing that they were the correct size. Apparently, seeing her naked had made him an expert on her figure.
Picking up a matching set of lingerie, a blush worked its way up to her hairline. The black material was lacy, see-through and not even close to being practical. She’d never worn anything this downright sexy before.
An image of worn brown leather clothing and threadbare underthings flitted through her mind before it was gone. These strange pictures were becoming less frequent, but they still surprised her from time to time. She told herself they were a product of stress, staunchly ignoring that she’d begun to experience them even before the alien invasion had begun.
After examining the collection of beautiful dresses, she decided on a form fitting one made of a stretchy light blue material. He’d even brought her several pairs of far more sensible shoes. She chose a bla
ck pair with a low heel and slipped them on.
Loki eyed Bianca’s new outfit with approval when she eventually emerged from the bedroom. “Now, that is a far more attractive sight.” If he had to be burdened with a human, at least she wouldn’t be an embarrassment to be seen with.
He held his empty cup out and she took it from him on her way past. She filled his mug and poured one of her own, then placed his mug on the coffee table in front of him and settled on the far end of the couch.
“I won’t bite,” he said with an arched brow and patted the seat next to him. He seemed to be in a strange, almost jolly mood and she had no idea why.
Torn between sliding closer to him and running from the room, Bianca held her mug tightly in one hand and edged closer. He stared at her levelly until she moved close enough to suit him. His arm came around her shoulders and she clenched her teeth to hold in a hysterical laugh. Sitting on the couch watching TV with the handsome, yet unpredictable god was nothing like sitting beside an ordinary human. The main difference was the aura of power that emanated from him. Then there was the program that was playing on the gigantic screen on the wall.
As always, news was the only program playing. It was a wonder there was anyone left to film the alien invasion. The captives who hadn’t been transformed into monsters were being taken away in the small black spaceships. Bianca began to shake and Loki’s grip tightened on her shoulder. The glance he sent her was understanding, yet it was also devoid of remorse. He considered his purpose to be worth divesting the Earth of billions of its inhabitants. “Where are the captives being taken?” she asked in a subdued tone.
Loki leaned forward to pick up his coffee. He took a sip as he debated whether to answer her question or not. He decided on telling her the partial truth. “They will remain on the mothership for now. They will eventually be taken to another planet where some of them will be turned into clones.” Once this planet had been conquered, he would then live up to his end of the bargain that he’d made with Uldar. He would imbue the gigantic vessel with his magic, which would enable it to travel anywhere without running out of fuel.
