Listening to Kane talking was easy to dismiss. She didn't feel as if anything that he was saying pertained to her or was real. She had never experienced any of the things that he was talking about, and she found it difficult to believe and understand them. But now that she was looking into the faces of these ugly, terrifying beings known as the Codans, she believed everything that Kane was saying, and felt an urgent desire to see his handsome face, and get off of this terrifying ship where she was no longer safe.
***
Meanwhile, on the Legacy, Kane was barking orders to everybody. As soon as he realized that Kylie was missing, he had set out to do what only the most crazy and foolhardy people had ever tried to do. Find the Codans.
They were the most powerful race in the universe, between their ability to enslave the masses with their virus and being the only hope of cure for the pain associated with it, and the powerful army that was at the leader's beck and call. They had completely destroyed his planet decades ago, leaving him bound to the ship where he tried to avoid all detection. His race was known for their strength and intelligence, so it was no wonder why they had been pursued and obliterated. He had managed to save the crewmembers, but everybody else had been destroyed. It was why he was so well protected. Everybody was loyal to him because of his strength and bravery. He had kept them together as their worlds fell apart.
And now, they were being put to the test as he demanded them to put their lives on the line to save a woman they had accidentally abducted just a week ago. Many of them thought he was crazy, but they knew that he had his reasons. Although they were concerned with his personal feelings getting in the way, they followed him blindly and prepared the ship to take on the terrifying Codan army.
He knew that he was testing their resolve and he was proud of them for stepping up to the challenge even though it seemed impossible. It made him glad to be their captain, and soon they were on their way. He was happy to know that they were probably not prepared for an ambush, and that they wouldn't have had a chance to get very far since Kylie and Gina had just recently been abducted. He rushed around the ship demanding that they keep their sights targeted on the Codans and maintain as much of a cloak as possible to keep them out of the Codan's radar.
Kane was terrified that they might have already killed Kylie in cold blood just to keep the possibility of an antivirus as limited as possible. That would mean that he would no longer be able to liberate the races from their evil clutches and provide them all with a cure to the problem rather than a temporary and unhealthy solution that made them into zombies perfect for the Codans to control. He was filled with fury as soon as they were able to lock onto the target, and he told everybody to stay put as he leapt alone into the beam, where he was immediately transported into the cargo hold of the Codan's ship.
Chapter 9
Kylie tried to squirm away as she was taken to a room that had no windows or furniture. It was completely dark, and she looked around with a squint as they closed the door on her and left her in complete silence. She tried to plead for help, but it didn't work. Whatever Gina had injected her with had left her unable to do much. All she could do was hope that Kane might be somewhere out there and willing to rescue her from the Codans.
In the meantime, Kane was moving cautiously through the cargo room, avoiding detection by dodging behind boxes. Nobody had noticed that he had been transported, which was all the better for him. He pulled his weapon out of the holster at his side and walked slowly toward the doorway. He had to try it a few times before he was able to crack the code and release himself from the hold.
Kane walked cautiously down the hallway, ducking behind corners whenever he saw a threat. E had a team following him wherever he went on the ship so that if he were in a bad position, they could just beam him back to the ship and make their escape. They didn't know where Kylie was, and he knew he had to find her quickly before they found him. Korda was on a small communication device in his ear, giving him coordinates. He had a ray fixed onto the ship so that he could sense the heat of everybody on board. The Codans had very low body temperatures, while Kylie was hot.
“It looks as if they have more than one human on board,” Korda said into the microphone. I am picking up at least two. They're on opposite ends of the ship. I really hope that you can make the right choice in time.”
Kane growled to himself in frustration. He felt obligated to save them both, but only one of them was Kylie. Only one of them he cared about. And not just because she could save the universe. There had been a sense of intimacy between them that he couldn't shake off. He wasn't stupid and knew that there were rumors around the ship about the two of them falling for each other, but he had not thought much about it until now. He would never have risked his life for any other person like this. They would have thought of something else to do. But this girl was different. Somehow, she had his heart.
In a moment of intense deliberation, Kane chose to go left. Korda gave him directions to follow through the ship and he did his best to avoid detection. Finally, he reached the end of the bay and peeked inside a dark room. He had to try for a while at the code to the door, and he knew that after three wrong tries the alarm would be sounded and he would be caught. Fortunately, he got the door open on the second try and pushed his way inside, his eyes wide and searching for Kylie.
He was crestfallen when he saw a man staring at him. It was an earthling, and his eyes were wide with fear.
“What are you going to do to me this time?" He asked, backing away as quickly as he could from Kane. “Please just leave me alone."
Kane's heart lurched in sympathy for this terrified man, and he lowered his weapon.
“I'll rescue you if you like, but if you make so much as a noise we're both dead, do you understand that?"
The man nodded dumbly, and Kane ordered Korda to set the coordinates to beam him away. He hoped that it wouldn't set off any alarm bells, and hurried away from the room before he was sucked into the beam as well.
It hadn't been Kylie, but he did manage to save somebody. The thought should've been comforting, but all it did was bring him a sense of dread and panic. If the Codans noticed the beam from his ship, they would all be doomed. He had to hurry.
He waited for Korda to give him the instructions and warn him of any codons coming his way. For some reason, they were all gathered in the top area of the ship. He wasn't sure what to make of this and did his best to run as quickly as he could to find Kylie.
Suddenly, the alarm bells began to blare. His heart lurched and he sped as quickly as he could down the hallway, where Korda promised that Kylie was laying. He fumbled with the lock, not caring if he set off any more alarms. Although it would alert everybody to his location, at least he would be able to escape by the skin of his teeth.
The door finally opened, just as Marxus appeared in front of Kane. Kane's stomach dropped, and he fired his weapon blindly, screaming for Korda to beam them into the ship.
“Just the man I've been wanting to see," Marxus said, unphased by Kane's weapon. Kane shot again and Marxus dodged out of the way, swooping into the room toward Kylie. Kane knew that if he didn't get there first, she would be dead.
Kane rushed forward, using his body to separate Marxus from the woman he loved, throwing himself fully in front of Marxus and colliding with his sickly body. A light began to flood the room and Kane clung to Kylie's limp form. He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not, and soon he was clinging to her on the floor of the Legacy. But there was a problem. Marxus had been beamed alongside them.
Kane paled as Marxus struck out at one of his crew members, knocking her dead where she stood. A cry of rage escaped his lips and he lunged forward toward Marxus. They both fell to the floor, tumbling together until Marxus pulled Kane up by the collar of his shirt. Suddenly, everybody on the ship rushed forward, separating Marxus from Kane and beating the ever-loving hell out of him. They formed a strong crowd, pushing Marxus toward a chute. He growled in anger as he stu
mbled into it, and Kane struggled to stand up and catch his breath, watching as his people got rid of Marxus once and for all. He was quickly sucked into the chute as one of his crew members, he recognized her as the sister of the woman Marxus had killed, pushed the button.
A furious cry echoed in the cabin as Marxus was sucked out into space, and they all looked away as he killed by the impact. They all watch this happen in a daze, until Kane came to his senses and commanded that the ship speed away quickly before anybody else came after them. He then ordered Korda to give Kylie something that would combat the effect of Gina's needle. He rested her side and picked her up carefully, carrying her to his own private chambers. Korda met him in the hallway before he walked in and gave him a small cup to allow Kylie to drink.
When she opened her eyes, tears of relief flowed from Kane's eyes, dampening his cheeks.
“I thought I had lost you forever," Kane said, his voice choking up. Everything happened so fast. Marxus was gone and now Kylie was back safe and sound. They were truly going to save the universe.
“I knew that you would come back for me," she said weakly.
Chapter 10
They stared at each other quietly, and Kane finally raised the small cup to her full lips. She drank it deeply and Kane could almost feel the life being restored into her body. He held her closely to his body, the two of them shockingly intimate inside of his personal cabin. Kylie had been terrified, but she knew that he would come for her. It wasn't a question in her mind. The smell of his cabin filled her senses and made her hungry for more. She looked up into his eyes as the strength began to fill her body. A longing she had never before began to fill her, and Kane, returning her intense gaze, pursed his lips and gazed down at her, his body full of adrenaline and ready to move.
She sat up, relishing the feeling of his strong arms around her, and met his lips with hers. She moaned softly as the slick feeling of his tongue against hers sent a thrill throughout her. He lifted her on top of himself and she could feel the hard bulge between his thighs pushing intimately between her legs. She wondered briefly if he would look the same as human men down there and then had to laugh to herself again. The musical sound of her laughter roused Kane's attention and he quirked his eyebrow at her as if he could read her mind, which made her laugh harder.
The sound of her enjoying herself aroused him more, and he slowly unbuttoned her blouse, taking in the soft pale skin beneath. A soft sigh escaped her lips and he smiled sweetly at her before he took her breast in his mouth, sucking gently and eliciting a moan that drove him wild. Finally he slipped himself out of his clothes and stood naked in front of her, pulling her clothes off slowly, allowing her to take the time she needed to adjust to his touch.
Finally, she grabbed him by the waist, her legs parted and welcoming him between them. She was pleased to find that he was bigger than the men on earth, and the differences and similarities were both arousing. She gasped sharply as he made his way inside of her, and closed her eyes as he made love to her, taking the time no man on Earth had ever taken to appreciate her body and kiss everything about her that made her a unique creation in the universe.
The heat between them was undeniable, and soon she was enraptured in bliss. Her climax was immense and he gripped her hips as he buried himself deeper inside, allowing himself to be squeezed by her contractions until he couldn't take any more. His powerful orgasm erupted in an explosion that surprised them both with its sheer force, bringing her to another full climax as he held her firmly in place. Finally, they collapsed together, spent but craving one another's comfort.
Kane kissed her then, a sweet, tender kiss that she would remember for the rest of her life.
“Please don't leave me,” he whispered.
It was such a sweet, intimate thing to say. Something she would expect a woman to utter after sex, not this strong, unbelievably attractive man. The gentleness of his eyes melted her heart and she thought back to her life on earth. The only person she would miss was her brother.
“I don't know how I could,” she said. “We have a universe to save.”
And with that, they fell asleep together, drifting through space in the Legacy, each of them lost in dreams of another world.
THE END
Love and Survival in the Time After
Leela Ash
Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 1
Layne's heart was in her throat as the footsteps behind her receded. It had been a long time since she'd had a confrontation with one of the tribes. This time she'd gone to the wrong watering source. She thought that the public pool would be safe, for some reason. Although most of them were dried up, you could usually find at least a supply of sunscreen to protect you from the harsh sunlight, or if you were really lucky, there would be enough clean water left to quench your thirst and fill your bottle.
She'd been due for a refill for a while now and although it was reckless, she had been desperate enough to get herself into danger. She had a bottle of beer left from the last batch she'd brewed, but that was strong enough to dull her senses and get her into trouble. Besides, it would just dehydrate her more. She would have to remember that this area was ruled by the Jackals – the name for the small gang of people who had claimed this turf. After the virus hit and wiped out most of the population, leaving only a few lucky survivors in every city, the tribes had been a way to find peace and security amongst other people who were dealing with the same crisis. There had been safety in numbers, or so they told themselves. While many had been afraid to wander the deserted world alone, moving forward with others didn't seem that bad.
She herself had been part of a group in those first few chaotic years. Being a talented chemist, she'd aligned herself with a team of doctors claiming to seek a cure to the problem, but as it turned out most of them were frauds and civilians, delusional with a self-important mission they weren't educated enough to accomplish. Everybody was hoping for a miracle and she'd been lured in by their pretense. Ultimately, the group split due to bruising of egos and no real direction and she'd been on her own ever since then, trying to make sense of how things had gotten so far out of hand.
As a scientist, she had to trace the line of cause and effect. A pharmaceutical company had ordered vaccinations against what they claimed was an alien virus from space – which was absurd, but everybody was so desperate for answers that they accepted the explanation. Now everybody knew that the first guess had been way off, but back then that was the government's grounds for getting as many people as possible under the needle for a miraculous vaccine that they had commissioned the company, Grow Inc, to develop. In a sad, ironic twist of fate, the virus they thought came from a meteorite that had landed in St. Petersburg, had actually been the result of lax safety precautions, as a team of scientists experimented with a cure for the common cold. They'd flown the team to Russia to try and evade SFT (Safety in Future Technology) safety standards, and the end result had been disastrous.
The antivirus had been promising, and they had been convinced that by pushing the envelope, it would be successful. In initial experiments it had a 100% success ratio, though it hadn't been tested over the long term. After the meteorite crashed into the yard outside the Russian facility where the American scientists had been mentoring a group of people who were working together to rid the world of disease, that was when the results of the virus began to be seen, and how the SFT had gotten involved, claiming that the virus, because it wa
s so difficult to contain and treat, had extraterrestrial origins.
If they had checked more closely, they would have seen that the people that they had injected with the initial strain of vaccination had become carriers of the malicious virus, infecting everybody they came into contact with without even knowing it. A few cases had been reported in America shortly after the scientists returned, and before long half of St. Petersburg was in chaos. People were coughing up blood and begging for release from a pain that nobody could pinpoint, but everybody could agree was the worst they had ever felt. It seemed to move throughout the body, inflaming certain parts for a small amount of time before retreating and coming back with double the force.
Because of the rapid spread in St. Petersburg, everybody assumed that was the origin of the virus, and the city was put under strict quarantine. Unfortunately, it was no use. It spread all over the world with startling speed. Nobody thought that the virus might be in the vaccination. Ironically, the claim was that because the first vaccination had been successful enough during the preliminary trials, it should be utilized now, in this time of crisis. The SFT felt they had no choice and allowed the vaccinations to reach the mainstream market. Every day, for weeks, hundreds of people lined up to receive their vaccine, thinking it would be the only thing that might save them.
[Runes of Argyl 01.0] The Runes of Argyl Trilogy Page 83
