Clawing at the walls does nothing, and my vision begins to narrow. I sway, resting against the energized wall, suddenly exhausted, when a clawed hand reaches in and drags me out.
A wall of smoky air hits me, and I gasp as I’m thrown to the sand. The world tilts, and I jerk up, trying to get my bearings and find Saxon. Pavil’s lying beside me panting, green blood dripping from a cut on his head. I rush over and slap my hand over the wound. Bullets hit just a few feet away, so I abandon pressing on the cut, grab his ankles, and pull him back toward the water.
“What’s happening? Where’s Saxon?” I ask, still coughing and panting. My tongue feels swollen and keeps sticking to the top of my mouth, making it hard to get the words out.
Pavil holds up a single claw and points to my right. Saxon. Less than twenty feet away fighting off the soldiers trying to rush us. “I wouldn’t go that way if I were you. Every time I attempt to move that direction, they fire off another one of those damn bombs.”
“Bombs?” I rise up to see what he’s talking about. Elgin stands next to two guys with big weapons balanced on their shoulders. “Where the hell did they get rocket launchers?”
“This is your planet, female. You tell me,” Pavil says dryly, then rolls onto to his knees with a dramatic groan. He stands and dusts off his pants, glaring at Elgin. “No offense, but I really hate humans.”
“None taken. So, do I.”
Ripping off the bottom corner of my shirt, I try to give it to Pavil, but his wound’s already stopped bleeding. “Benefit of being a twin. I heal faster in your presence—as does my brother.”
Saxon’s still fighting anyone who tries to come near us, but as the smoke continues to clear, I can see others approaching from the opposite direction.
“Leigh? Come out, come out wherever you are,” Elgin taunts over some sort of loudspeaker. “Are you ready to stop hiding, or do I need to shoot at you some more?”
“I really want to kill that guy,” Pavil says, shoving me behind him. The light on his communicator brightens under its protective flap of skin.
“Join the club.”
The loudspeaker squawks again in the distance. “Still not feeling chatty, are we? All right, then. Maybe this will change your mind.” The guys next to Elgin start loading the rocket launchers and Pavil pushes me back several steps in response.
Eyeing the growing group of black camo-clad guys getting in position to our left, he whispers, “Can you run?”
“I can try.”
“When I say, run for the water. Understand me? Don’t go for Saxon. Don’t turn back to look for me. Just do it.”
“But what about—”
Pavil groans. “For once in your life, listen. I’ll take care of it. Just do as I say.”
“I don’t know if I can do that.”
The soldiers to our left start to move, and Pavil turns back to look at me. “You can, or there’s a good chance we will miss our opportunity to leave. Did you notice the other humans closing in on us to our left? This is taking too long. Every moment we spend out here, we risk more exposure. We only have a small window. Don’t fuck it up. Go to the water when I ask.”
“This is your last chance, Leigh,” Elgin calls out. Saxon lets out a roar as he drops another guy, but he’s tiring. Moving slower with each soldier he bests. So is Pavil. Something has to give.
“Fine,” I manage, nearly choking on my instinct to refuse.
Pavil growls and scrapes his claws down his suit. The neon green lights flicker in and out. “Damn it,” he curses. “Sorry about this. Instincts need a little motivation.”
“Ow!” Without warning, Pavil pokes my hand hard enough to draw blood and shoves it in his face. He inhales, then shakes his head and scrapes his claws down his arms again. The light flares, and he manipulates it into a shield in front of us.
A voice streams through his communicator saying a bunch of stuff I don’t understand and Elgin calls out to us once more.
“Get ready,” Pavil hisses.
The guys to our left are getting closer, some even near the water, and my gut clenches. They could easily reach me that far away from him.
“You’re sure?” I ask again, just to make sure. Fuck, this whole trusting someone with your life thing is hard.
Blood continues to well on my hand. The wind changes direction, and Saxon roars. “Mu Xitall!”
“So predictable,” Pavil murmurs. “Go.”
“What? Now? What about Saxon?”
“Of course, now. He’ll follow. Go!” he yells, just as the first rocket whizzes through the air. I don’t make it three feet before it explodes against Pavil’s shield in a deafening blast. I push harder and faster toward the water.
One foot after the other. Simple stuff, right?
The sound of footsteps to my right has my heart jackhammering in my chest. “Stop right there!”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This was a terrible idea.
My side burns, and I still can’t breathe from the smoke and damn, if I survive this I swear I’ll do some cardio.
Like a ray of intergalactic sunshine, three silver egg-like shapes pop up out of the water and hover just over the surface. The hope they inspire spurs me on. Pods. They must have found Saxon’s. We’re finally going to get out of here. Faster!
I can see the soldiers in my periphery, closing in, but I don’t stop. I’m nearly there, toes just inches from the water, when two hulking gray shadows rise from the sea and lunge for the soldiers at my back.
Holy shit. One of them is even bigger than Saxon.
Red stains the surf, and when the two Revari males flank me, I get the distinct feeling everything’s going to be okay. “I am Cyfer. You are Saxon’s female?” the first asks. His long black hair is woven around his neck in an intricate pattern, and half of his ear is missing.
“I am. Can you help him?”
His laugh is loud and gritty. “Your kind…they have bones that break, yes?”
“Yeah, why?” I ask, heart still in my throat. Saxon’s managed to push back the group of six pressing down on him and the pile of bodies at his feet is so large he’s having to step over them to fight.
The second Revari male throws Cyfer a metallic tube. He taps it to the communicator at his wrist and it expands, forming a giant energy scythe. “A whole lot of shit is about to die.” He laughs again, and I swear the water vibrates around him with its strength. “Ajax, spike me!”
Ajax and Cyfer do the same weird forearm grab Saxon and Pavil did, and his scythe glows brighter.
“Don’t worry, female. This won’t take long.” Cyfer lets out a roar loud enough to vibrate my ear drums, and then he’s gone. Hopping person to person, he destroys everything in his path.
“It’s about time you assholes showed up,” Pavil yells, voice strained with exertion. Another rocket explodes against his shield, and the energy flickers in and out. “It won’t last much longer. Saxon, get your ass to your mate.”
“Leigh! Your beasts can’t keep this up forever! Give up and bring them to me or I’ll make sure they die!” Elgin shouts.
Tired of his shit, I cup my hands around my mouth. “In case you haven’t noticed, asshole, you’re losing.”
Several more rockets slam into Pavil’s shield, and he curses at us over his shoulder. “Can you not do that? I’m getting really fucking tired. Saxon,” he yells. “Let Cyfer finish them.”
Not needing to be told twice, Cyfer zooms over, toppling the crowd of five huddled around Saxon like bowling pins.
Wait, did he just giggle?
“Mu Xitall,” Saxon whispers as he wraps me in his arms. “Are you whole?” He looks me over, feeling me for wounds. “Forgive me for not being there when you were removed from the shield. I had little choice.”
“Shut up,” I murmur, kissing him hard.
“I will do whatever you wish as long as you do that every day for the rest of my existence,” he whispers against my lips. Damn, I love him.
“Well, fuck. If I wou
ld have known that was what it took to get you to give, I would have swapped spit with you a long time ago,” Ajax says, his long black mohawk blowing in the wind.
Almost as if he’s noticing him for the first time, Saxon smiles at his friend and they press the sides of their heads together. “I fear it would not have the same effect. It is good to see you, Ajax.”
“Likewise, friend.”
“I hope you’re having a really beautiful reunion back there while I’m struggling to stay on my feet. Can someone go kill that asshole already so we can leave?” Pavil yells as his heels slide back after yet another blast.
“On it,” Cyfer calls out, still knee deep in the other wave of Elgin’s guys. They’ve got to run out soon. This is a tiny island. I mean, where the hell are they even coming from?
Ajax jerks his head toward the pods. “Get her strapped in. We can take it from here.”
I shake my head. “No, we can’t. Not yet, not without Binky.”
“Saxon, I can’t hold this much longer. It’s at less than ten percent,” Pavil grinds out between clenched teeth, his voice barely carrying over the gunfire. Just then another hard blast hits his shield, and Pavil flies back, landing hard on the packed, wet sand. Ajax rushes to pull him up. “Okay, maybe less than ten percent.”
Even near death he jokes.
As soon as he’s on his feet, I’m at his side. “Where is she? Where’s Bink?”
“Who?”
“My cat. You said she was in the trees. I can’t leave without her.”
Pavil glares at Saxon, who’s holding me protectively. “She’s serious, isn’t she?”
There’s no way I’m leaving her. I know she’s a cat, but she’s the only family I have and I’m not abandoning her wondering where I’ve gone or why I left her. It’s not fair and she deserves more.
The brothers lock gazes, and when the whirl of bullets start again, Saxon throws me over his shoulder and heads for the pods.
“No! Put me down. Please, please don’t make me leave her,” I beg, beating my fists against his back. “Please, I swear I’ll go get her myself.”
“Pavil will retrieve her.”
The spray stings my eyes, and no matter how hard I try to wiggle out of his hold, his arms are like granite. Completely unmovable.
“Swear to me. Swear to me right now, he’s going to get her. If you’re lying, I’ll never forgive you.”
Flipping me around so I face him, he cups my face. “ I will never lie to you, Mu Xitall. Nor will I allow you to die. You are my mate. My universe. I am taking you home. Pavil will bring the furry overlord. He gave me his word he would deliver her before we seal the door.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Pavil
Ignoring my aching muscles, I push toward the line of trees where I left the furry creature Leigh calls Bink. I think the fact she asked me to run through a battlefield to find it is absurd, but if there is one thing I have learned in my short existence, it’s that all females are.
And I would do anything to have one of my own.
Using the bodies that Cyfer has piled up as a shield, I sprint past him and the humans he still battles into the trees far enough away from where Elgin’s men are still trying to blow a hole in my brother to avoid detection.
At this point I’m so tired and hungry, I don’t really give a shit. If one more fucking human tries to shoot me, I’m going to rip out its throat.
Tracking the creature by its scent, I’m led into an area laden with traps. I don’t step on them because I’m not a fucking idiot, but I have to wonder why they have all been left there. The furry creature’s scent isn’t the only one that lingers here. Several males. And Elgin.
“Looking for this?”
Whirling around, I extend my claws, ready to tear out the tube that gives him that awful voice, when I notice the furry creature dangling from his hands. Not to mention the tiny silver wire strung around its neck.
Well, fuck. This complicates things.
“Release the creature to me.”
Elgin laughs and pulls out a small black weapon. More projectiles? Don’t these humans have any other types? They’re slow and clunky and, quite frankly, hurt like hell to dig out.
“No chance. I don’t know why you left that bitch, especially after you fought so hard to hide from me, but I’m not letting you go twice.”
Twice? Ah, the human mistakes me for my brother. This could work in my favor. If I want it to. Do I even care? Should I just slit his throat and hope he doesn’t injure the creature before he drops dead or is it worth the risk? Saxon’s female seemed particularly attached to the hideous thing.
I shake my head, tilting it to the side for effect. I’ve seen other alien species do it to appear intimidating. Normally, I would not have to, but this human clearly doesn’t recognize a predator when he sees one.
“Fine, then. I’ll kill the little bitch and take you with me anyway.” He grabs a black box off a clip on his pants and begins to speak into it. “All available units report to my location. I got the bastard.”
My claws lengthen, and the scent of Elgin’s fear surrounds us. He’s terrified of me, yet he won’t release the stupid thing. “Give me the creature and you will not be harmed. Much.”
The sound of more projectiles flying toward Saxon and the other males on the beach stifles the tiny bit of amusement I feel knowing he’s afraid, and annoyance takes its place.
“Perhaps, my understanding of your language is skewed. Give me the fucking creature, or I’ll slit your throat. How about that?”
“I’d rather die than go to jail. The only way to redeem myself in Sterling’s eyes is to bring him something worth more than what I’ve taken. Facing my colleagues without you and your ship isn’t an option. I’ve got nothing to lose.”
“Very well.”
The human swallows hard, his finger squeezing the trigger. I don’t move. I don’t need to. The pitiful projectiles cannot pierce my suit. So I use the split second to slice through the metal wire around the creature’s neck. Out of nowhere, a tiny being smashes into me and knocks me to the ground.
Her scent hits me, wrapping around more than just my nose, and as she stands and cocks a weapon of her own, my dick nearly jumps out of my pants.
Holy Harcraftian tit rings. She’s hot.
A long silver braid hangs down her back like some kind of tail, and she holds the gun steady.
Elgin sneers. “Ah, I was wondering when I’d see you. What is it you’re calling yourself now? Anya? You might consider making another choice. You have no idea what I can do to you—”
Without word, she fires her weapon right between his eyes. “Asshole,” she mutters, then plucks the furry creature from the ground as he collapses in a lifeless heap.
Need like I’ve never known thickens my blood, forcing it all the way to my cock and I can’t think. Who is this majestic creature in front of me?
“You must be the twin,” she says. But again, I can’t speak. For the first time in my existence, I have no clue what to say, and it’s fucking wonderful. “Right. Okay, then. Get the cat to Leigh. She’ll be heartbroken without her. And when she asks how you found her, tell her… Ah, hell. That’ll be too hard. Just leave me out of the story, okay? She’s had enough to deal with.”
I stand there dumbfounded, taking this cat creature without question and watch as she turns away, then tosses a quick glance over her shoulder at me. “Seriously, I see all your people out there. She won’t leave without Binky. Go. That prick might be dead, but he’s got a hell of a lot of people on this island on his payroll. Not to mention, by now, the entire government knows what he says he has, so either get the fuck out or start killing people.”
“Female, why did you save me?” The single question is all I can manage. I mean, technically she didn’t, but she thought she did and that’s all that matters.
She pulls down her face shield and smiles. “I really have no clue. Take care and make sure he treats her right.”
The urge to follow after her consumes me, setting every part of me on fire. My instincts demand I answer them.
Mate. I have found you.
Grabbing the furry creature, I take off for the beach, completely rejuvenated with the news. I should have known her scent. Tiny wisps of it clung to the creature and to Saxon’s mate, but I dismissed them.
Fire licks across my shoulder as I catch not one, but two projectiles. I cannot slow down. I need to get back to this…Anya. To find her. To follow her around and convince her that she belongs with me every day until she cannot stand to be away from me.
Or hopefully, something simpler. I’ll take what I can get.
Leigh begins to weep when she sees me bounding toward her. “I don’t get it. I thought you’d be pleased,” I say, handing the cat over.
Saxon glares at me. “She is. It is a chemical reaction in humans when they are overwhelmed with joy. And upset. And quite possibly other things…”
“Oh.”
Saxon slices his wrist, spreading the required life blood on the pod’s exterior to open its door, and it responds as I hoped. He immediately frowns. “Brother, this is…not my pod.”
“Of course, it is,” I say, not meeting his gaze.
“Perhaps it has been too long since I last saw it.” He narrows his eyes, searching the interior while setting his mate inside. “Relax, Mu Xitall. Lean back against the life foam. It will feel strange at first. We do not have time for it to conform as it normally would.”
“Thank you, Pavil,” Leigh says, sniffling with whatever strange emotion human females exhibit.
“Of course. And do not worry about the human leech. He’s dead.”
Her eyes brighten. “Really? He’s gone?”
“He is. There is nothing left for you to fear. Go and be with my brother. Revaris will treat you well.”
Cyfer sprints toward us from the beach, covered in human blood. “Well, this was fun. Let’s not do it again.”
The humans have stopped shooting and are now staring at us from the shore. My female…she has gone back to hide in the trees. I need find her.
Saxon steps into his pod and shakes his head. “This does not look right, Pavil. What have you done?”
Saxon (Shared Survival Book 1) Page 17
