“Like hell you are,” he growls, leaning in close enough for me to smell the whiskey on his breath. “I told everyone I was going to make history and I still fucking will. Bring it to me. That thing you found down there. I’ve got way to much riding on this. If you knew the people I owe—”
No. Saxon. No. No. No.
“I’m not sure what you think you saw, but maybe you’ve had a little too much to drink,” I say, fighting to hide the tremble in my voice. “I’ll own up to crashing the Nautilus, and you can try to blame all the missing money on me, but I’m not going to stand here and let you—”
My body goes numb, adrenaline kicking in and taking over as he reaches out and palms my breast. “You’ll do whatever the fuck I say. I own you. Especially after everything I sent to the island police. Bring him to me, or I’ll take him myself. You’re fucked no matter what, Leigh. How bad is up to you.”
Elgin flinches at the sound of glass breaking and the blare of an alarm, and I slam my coffee cup into the side of his face. “You bitch!” he screams, and I take off toward the door.
I can’t breathe—can’t think. I need to get out. I have to get away and get back to Saxon. I can’t let Elgin take him away from me. They’ll lock him up and turn him into an experiment. I scream as I turn the corner and run into a hard solid chest. I beat against it, unable to see in the dark, until a familiar pair of arms wraps around me.
“Saxon? How’d you—"
“I am here, Mu Xitall. I felt your fear.”
“You bitch! You broke my jaw,” Elgin screams, and I cringe at the sound.
Saxon roars, shoving me behind him, and starts off toward where Elgin is rolling on the ground, clutching his bloody face. “ Za tra icurasic!” he growls, then yells something that sounds a whole lot like “die.”
Oh, shit.
“No, Saxon. You can’t!” I yell over the sirens, yanking him back. He stiffens, but lets me pull him back toward the door.
“He touched you. His abuse will not go unanswered!” he roars again, and for the first time I notice the green glow surrounding the black armor coating his skin.
“Please, Elgin contracted with the human government to protect this place. They can’t find out about you. We have to go,” I beg and yank on him again.
His gaze connects with mine, and his wide pupils narrow, no doubt seeing the tears in my eyes. “You will not leave me again,” he growls. Anger and fear twist their way through his words and I hate that it’s because of me. “I cannot lose you. Not when you’ve only just been found.”
“Okay.” The weight of that word holds me in place. After this, after what I’ve just done, after what Elgin has seen, I can’t ever leave him again.
Chest heaving, he throws me over his shoulder and takes off at inhuman speed. The rain has yet to relent, but within seconds we’re at my car, and anxiety takes hold.
I wiggle out of Saxon’s arms, hop in the driver’s side and floor it all the way to my house. I run to throw together a bag of mine and Binky’s things. Shirts, underwear, my flash drive, an old picture of my sister and niece, and what cash I have on hand. I don’t even bother with any of my cards or checks. Elgin will freeze my accounts in a second; there’s no point.
My heart sinks.
This is it—my life in just a few items.
Saxon stands unmoving, but I don’t look at him. Not yet. Not when there’s so much to say, and so little time to do it in.
“Mu Xitall, you still tremble. You are safe with me,” Saxon whispers, and I nearly crumble under the weight of his hands on my shoulders.
“I know you’re angry and I shouldn’t have just left like that. We can’t stay here, but I know a place. Then…then we’ll talk.”
After gathering the basics, including my passport and all the records of Elgin I kept, I snag Binky off her bed and finally face my alien. “I’m ready.”
Chapter Seven
Leigh
We run toward the beach—the only place I can think of that might be out of Elgin’s reach. One of the local fisherman, Ayuyu, has a hut that he rents under the table to people looking to stay off the grid. It’s inside an isolated portion of the island that’s long since been overgrown and abandoned. He offered it to me early on when he assumed I was in Saipan running from an abusive ex.
After the great earthquake of 2045 sent a tsunami to wipe out half the island, travel was restricted, both in and out, and citizenship was denied for any outsiders seeking to move here.
Most of the land remaining above sea level was rebuilt, but there’s still an entire section that was too decimated to recover.
From what I remember, that’s where we’re going. Somewhere in the unsafe zone. Hopefully, somewhere Elgin won’t think to look for me.
When I slip the cash under the box at his stand, I pray everything’s still where he told me it would be. So many things could go wrong…
It’s been years since I’ve seen him, and Ayuyu’s old. He could have died, he could have been arrested, who knows?
A tiny metal box peeks out from the sand near the edge of a cluster of old fishing nets Please, please…
“Oh, thank God. They’re here.” The map is withered but readable, and the keys sit heavy in my hand. “How in the hell are we supposed to get there?” I mutter under my breath. A scooter won’t work, and we certainly can’t take anything bigger. It won’t handle the terrain. No wonder this is a good hiding place, it’s virtually impossible to reach.
“You are distressed. Share your concerns, Mu Xitall, so that I may relieve you of them.”
I rub my eyes and huddle close to the tiny bit of protection the rusted overhang of Ayuyu’s stand offers from the rain. “We can’t reach it. Not in this weather. It’s unsafe, and the journey would take more than a day on foot. I’m just trying to figure out what we can do.”
Saxon breaks his silence and wraps his free hand around mine, then brings it to his lips. “As always, I will carry you. I can travel at much higher speeds than your human body allows. Grant me the honor of assisting you.”
“After everything I’ve put you through, you’d do that for me?”
Releasing my hand, he cups my face and gently tips up my chin. “I have searched the universe for you with nothing but the promise of your existence to guide me. My body—my soul—are yours whenever and for whatever purpose you require for as long as my life blood sustains me.”
“How are you real?” I blurt out, caught up in emotion. “I feel like I’m going to wake up and all of this will be just a dream.”
“I am real, Mu Xitall, and in time, I will earn your confidence.” He scans the map, then without warning lifts me up and takes off toward the dense forest that hides Ayuyu’s refuge.
Saxon
My female stares at the sky above, and though the sharp edges of Earthen plants tear at my feet, shredding the flesh, I do not make a sound. My second-in-command, Warxal had pushed to extend the hardened fibers of our travel suits to encompass our entire form before we set off, and because of this place, I see he was right.
I need to rouse the other males. They too, deserve to live. Deserve the feel of their fated mate in their arms, but with my internal beacon malfunctioning, I cannot not wake them from a distance. I will have to return to the wet ooze and separate from my female—two things I am not sure I can do. I allowed her to leave my side once, and she nearly died.
Her terror lingers. I cannot read her mind, but the imprint of her emotions floats on the surface of her skin and I absorb the sensations and take them on as my own.
She may not register their negative stain on her consciousness, but it is fresh in mine.
Fear. Disgust. Betrayal. Whatever that human did to her has caused her great pain. He will pay for her suffering a thousand-fold.
Honor calls me to destroy him. Cleave the pale skin from his flesh while he screams, but my female demanded I stop and follow, and I did without question.
If I am to prove my worth as her mate and ear
n passage into the recesses of her soul, I cannot ask for trust if I do not first give it. She will share her thoughts when ready, and for now, I will wait dutifully by her side.
Her heart beats in sync with mine as she clings to the furry overlord she insists on cradling in her arms. Land-dwelling creatures stalk us, matching each of my carefully slowed steps, but none dare to make themselves known. The scents of fear and curiosity swirl in the air. They have seen humans and have grown accustomed to their presence, but they have not encountered a being like me.
As natural predators, they recognize me as the beast I am—the beast that to everyone but my female—I will be. She is mine to protect, and I will not relent when it comes to her safety.
Gleaming in the pale light of the Earthen moon, a small dwelling hides beneath a massive growth of plant life. Nostrils flared, I inhale deeply. No human signatures are present, not for at least another five thousand strides. A deep howl silences the tiny creature noises around me, and the little overlord awakes, stirring in my female’s arms.
“Are we there?” she asks, then looks around. “It’s so dark, how can you even see?”
“Revari males are made to hunt at night, Mu Xitall.”
Her heart rate jumps, and she tightens her hold around my neck. “It’s so quiet. Why? Is there something out there? Damn, I bet it’s big.”
“No bigger than me. The beasts here will not be bothering us. Your tiny overlord on the other hand, will not fare so well on its own.”
“You’re telling me whatever’s out there is afraid of you?”
“Yes, Mu Xitall. As they should be.”
A chill passes over her skin, and without letting her go, I grab the key from around her neck to unlock the refuge. The air is stale and smells of dirt and animal things, but there is a small bed, and it is remote enough to sustain us. At least, for now. The human male who sought to hurt my female will come, and when he does, I will slaughter him and hang his bones as a warning for the others.
Threaten what is mine, and death will find you.
“I don’t guess you happen to have a flashlight, huh?” my female asks, redirecting my murderous thoughts to those of her safety.
Running a claw down my wrist, I reactivate my battle suit, allowing the illuminated fibers that spread across my skin to light the small dwelling.
My female sighs. “Oil lamps. Right. Why would there be electricity?” She wiggles, trying to escape the hold I have on her, and when I don’t relent, she meets my gaze. The scent of her arousal rises, teasing my nose. My cock hardens, and my instincts to claim rear to life.
“I should…” she starts, then swallows hard. “I need to…”
“What, Mu Xitall? What do you need?”
Close enough to taste, her breath comes out heavy—the sweet scent tightening my balls, driving my cock to swell.
A loud wail rings out, and she screams, “Binky!”
Fucking furry overlord, I swear if whatever has taken it does not kill it…
“Do not move,” I grind out, then leap from the dwelling to track the infuriating furball through the brush. The loud sound of my female’s clumsy footsteps thrash behind me, and I don’t know who to throttle first, the damn overlord or my mate.
It screeches again, whining in terror, this time farther away, and when I spot it, the useless creature is cornered by a black fanged beast.
Darkening my battle suit, I dim the lights and prowl toward the predator as it remains distracted by the overlord’s cries. It licks its lips in preparation to dine on the tiny overlord’s flesh. Stale and sour, the beast reeks of disease. It is dying.
Scaling the tree takes seconds, but the air shifts and reveals my scent. The beast roars loud enough to shake the limbs beneath my feet and lunges at the tiny overlord. I do not hesitate. Catching its jaws in my hands a second before it closes on my mate’s beloved creature, I pry them open, ignoring my shredded flesh.
Fear shines in the beast’s eyes, and the truth of its intentions are clear. It meant only to feed on the tiny overlord and does not deserve to be sentenced to death. I release it, emulating its growl, giving it one final warning.
If it chooses to advance on me or mine, its fate will be sealed.
Rather than engage, it slinks back into the darkness, hiding beneath the brush. I scoop the tiny overlord in my arms and meet my panic-stricken mate. “What the fuck was that? A panther? There aren’t supposed to be panthers here! They’re not even native to the islands! Fucking private collectors and animal smugglers and their dick-all regard for wildlife! Where’s my girl? Binky, you rotten twat, get over here now.”
I now see where the tiny overlord gets its filthy mouth, and to hear such dirty words dance on her tongue…
The furry creature purrs in my arms and offers empty promises inappropriate for a female to offer a mated male—not to mention they are physically impossible. I care not for the creature, but when my female wraps her arms around the damned thing, a fondness stirs.
Useless and taxing as it may be, my mate feels a deep connection to the furball, and so it shall be protected.
“I told you to stay,” I say in a low voice, careful to tamp down my frustration. She is here, and her scent consumes my every thought, yet she will not listen and has no concern for her own safety.
She struggles to find footing on the broken ground—her uncovered feet suffering just as mine have. She kicked off the thin floppy shoes she wore when we first arrived at the shelter. “Yeah, well I’ve never been good at doing what I’m told.”
I snag a claw on the edge of her shirt and pull her close, preparing to lift her, but she resists. “I can walk on my own.”
“You are in pain.”
“I’m fine.”
“Let me help you, Mu Xitall. I can feel your discomfort.”
“No.” Crossing her arms, she stomps through the dark, stumbling and cursing under her breath until I can no longer tolerate her suffering.
“Hey! Put me down!” she yells, stirring the flying things above. I throw her over my shoulder and charge back to the hut. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she jerks the door open and glares at me. “What the hell was that?”
“I could not stand by and watch you hurt yourself any longer.” Taking a moment to secure the door, I light the oil lamps and ensure all openings in the tiny hut are sealed.
“You don’t get to just do that. I understand you wanted to help, but I needed some space. Today has sucked, and I just wanted a moment to breathe.”
A dull ache splinters my rib cage. Space. My mate wanted space from me.
With the small room lit enough for my female to see, I take stock of what supplies are available. She will need to eat and sleep, and I will need something to forge weapons. I still have my energy pulse available but without the ability to charge it in my travel pod, I have limited reserves. Despite all attempts at distracting myself, I find Leigh’s gaze and stiffen. She is angry with me.
“Well, aren’t you going to say anything?”
“I did not want you to suffer as I did, Mu Xitall.”
“What do you mean as you did?” she asks, face stiff and unyielding. The harsh edges of her mouth turn down when she searches for wounds. “Oh, my God. Saxon, your feet…”
Rushing to a small hole in the corner, she pumps the wet ooze she calls water into a basin and sets it down in front of me. “I’m such an idiot. I didn’t even think… Sit, right now! Why didn’t you say anything? You carried us all that way, suffering the entire time…”
A fiery pain climbs up my calves as she begins to clean the debris from my ravaged skin. Her lip trembles, and a wetness gathers in the corners of her eyes.
“I’ve really screwed everything up, haven’t I?” she asks between dabs. Drawn to her, I swipe a thumb under her eye and brush away the wetness. “See, and there you go, being all sweet to me again when I’ve been a such a brat.”
“I cannot help it. I was created to ease your suffering.”
S
he stills, and the flicker of the oil lamps dances across her face. “They’re going to find us. They’re going to try to take you from me.”
“Let them come. I do not fear them, Mu Xitall.”
“You don’t understand. Elgin’s desperate to make a name for himself and he’s planning on using you to do it. He’s ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what he wants no matter how many people he has to kill in the process. He’s going to try to parade you around like some kind of sideshow and I just can’t…. I can’t watch them do that to you.”
“No one will take you from me or force us apart. Human, Revari, or otherwise. You are mine, Mu Xitall and I have waited my entire life for you.” The softness of her skin calls to me, and when I reach out to stroke her face, she does not turn away. “To feel you.” I drag the rough pad of my thumb across her bottom lip, and lean in, unable to resist. Her lips part, and her breaths shorten. “To taste you.”
She wets her lips, and when the pink of her tongue slides across them I can no longer bear it. Gathering her face in my hands, I press my mouth to hers.
She tastes like forever.
A tiny mewl escapes, driving me forward, and I slide my hands up her curves. She is everything I could ever want, ever dream to have. I see now why the ancient sky spirits sent me to her. No other female could ever make me feel this way.
My hands tangle in her hair, holding her in place while I ravage her mouth, savoring every taste. Her hands wrap around my shoulders, and when she climbs onto my lap, she knocks the basin over, spilling it onto the floor.
“Should I—”
“No, just shut up and kiss me,” she commands. Scoring my lip with her teeth, she draws me back in. Pressed flush against me, her hips roll, grinding against my cock with every pulse of her heart.
“Fuck,” she mutters against my mouth, spreading her legs wider and increasing her speed. Her arousal seeps through the fabric of her pants, spilling onto my own, and something inside me shifts.
Desire. Need. The dark craving to slide into her naked flesh and have her scream my name—the emotions overtake me and I can see nothing but her.
Saxon (Shared Survival Book 1) Page 6
