by S. E. Smith
Jo whispered, “Yeah. I’m cool. Star, what about you?”
Star reached down feeling the sticky wetness on her side. She held back a sob as pain flashed through her. Biting her lip, she whispered faintly. “I think you two are going to have to do this one without me.”
River’s head came up as she heard the pain in Star’s voice. “Shit, where are you hit?”
“No, baby, no. Star, no.” Jo whispered desperately trying to hold back a sob. She moved over the narrow surface of the pillar trying to get to Star.
“Left side.” Star replied faintly. “I took a hit as we were running.” She gasped softly as Jo tried to move her. “Jo don’t, I…tell Jazin I love him.”
Jo gripped Star’s hand tightly, “You have to tell him that, Star. You have to hold on until we can get you down from here. Do you hear me? You have to hold on, baby.”
Star smiled softly looking up at the twins moons. “It’s so beautiful.”
Jo couldn’t contain the cry that broke from her as Star’s eyes closed. “No!”
River turned as she heard the sound of feet moving underneath them. “Stay with Star. Protect her and keep her alive until we can get her help.”
Jo nodded silently trying to stem the blood flowing from the wound to Star’s side. “I will. You kill that bastard for me, River. You kill him.”
River nodded. Moving out over the wire she had to focus all of her talents on keeping her balance. It was one thing to tight rope walk in broad daylight or under lights; it was another to do it with night vision lens. She moved silently stopping only once when she saw men moving down underneath her. She moved to the next pillar keeping an eye open for her target. She wanted to take out Tai Tek. Kill the leader and you cut off his troops, at least she hoped so. She moved over to the next pillar. Looking down, she saw Tai Tek near the steps of Torak’s House Javonna held tightly against him. So, the bastard was going to leave his men to rot while he snuck off.
River climbed down the vines moving silently until she was close enough to jump. Landing in a crouch, she waited to see if she could hear anyone close. She could vaguely hear men moving off to her left but they were far enough away she could make it to the House without being seen. Running swiftly, she leaped up onto the railing surrounding the front entrance. She had a feeling she knew where they were heading. During her early days of exploring she had discovered a passageway under the training room. The door had been locked but it had not been a problem for her to pick and she had discovered it lead to a cave inside the mountain before coming out onto a rocky ledge and a waterfall under the House of Kassis. It probably acted as a service tunnel for the water system. She had followed it and noticed a slippery path leading to the bottom. She had not ventured down it for fear of falling without some time of support to hold onto. Obliviously this was not going to be a deterrent for Tai Tek.
Reaching up, River climbed over the railing and ran to the open door. Pausing before entering, she waited a moment before doing a roll into the entranceway. All members of the House had been asked to remain in their living areas for the evening to protect them. Anyone out would be considered hostile. River came up beside a large plant near the door and took cover looking around carefully. She could see a faint trail of blood leading through the foyer towards the stairs leading down to the training room. She smiled grimly. Tai Tek was on her home turf now. Just as she was about to move she heard footsteps running up the steps outside and four of Tai Tek’s men ran in. Moving towards the stairs without looking, River could see the panic on their faces as they looked wildly around as they ran.
“This was a suicide mission. No female is worth this!” One of the men growled as he ran. “Tai Tek was a fool to think he could defeat the House of Kassis. We are all dead men.”
“Shut up. We have to get through the tunnel and down the mountain to the shuttle before he leaves us.” Another man growled.
River grinned. Yes, they were dead men if they got in her way. She would never have thought of herself as a blood-thirsty person but these men had meant to kill her family. She could never let that happen. River followed them quietly stopping as she watched them turn around trying to find their way in the maze of passages. They glanced at the floor trying to follow the specs of blood Tai Tek had left. She was about to just kill them when an older man stepped out holding a laser pistol.
“Gentlemen, you are under arrest for your unauthorized entrance into the House of Kassis. Please drop your weapons or I will be force eliminate you.” Je’zi, the elderly man who had greeted them the first day, was standing dressed in his uniform holding a laser pistol.
River almost groaned. He looked like he was a hundred years old and the pistol shook in his withered hand. The four large guards would have laughed if they hadn’t been so desperate to escape.
“Move aside old man.” One of the men growled pulling a large sword out.
“I’m afraid it is my duty…” Je’zi started to say.
The largest warrior growled and charged Je’zi. Je’zi fell as he moved backwards falling into the room and slamming the door. The laser hit the huge warrior in the shoulder knocking him back a step. The warrior shook for a minute before transferring the sword to his other hand.
“Stop!” River called out moving to stand behind the four men. She had four knives in her hand.
The men turned as one to look at River. “Please stand down. If you surrender and swear allegiance to the House of Kassis you have a chance to live. If not, you die now.”
The men stared at the beautiful warrior woman standing in front of them. They had never seen anything like her before. She seemed to glow as she stood before them. Her hair hung down around her in waves and her skirt and top clung to her showcasing her willowy figure. Their eyes widened when they saw the knives she held in her hands.
“I will kill you before you even know you are dead. It is your choice.” River said softly. “Tai Tek left you to die. You have no loyalty to him.”
The largest warrior snarled taking a step forward, “He promised us the females. I claim you!” He took two steps towards River before freezing, a surprised look on his face. Grabbing at his neck he felt the two knives embedded in it. River had already pulled two more knives to replace them.
“Does anyone else want to die?” River said coldly looking as the huge warrior collapsed on the floor in front of the others.
The three warriors looked at their dead companion and quickly dropped their weapons. Bending down on one knee, all three bowed their heads, “We pledge our allegiance to you, My Lady.”
“Je’zi, come out here.” River called to the old man.
Je’zi opened the door to his room cautiously peeking out, “Yes, Lady River.”
“Please see that these men are kept safe until my return. If they try to escape, kill them. I give my word they will not be harmed unless they try to renege on their promise of allegiance. Am I clear?” River said loudly to make sure the old man heard her.
“Yes, Lady River. Keep them safe unless you need to kill them.” Je’zi said.
River chuckled, “Close enough.”
River looked at the men one more time before she nodded to them. Only when she felt sure they would no longer be a threat did she move quickly down the passage under the training room. She had one more threat to eliminate. This one was for Star.
Chapter 22
Torak slashed at the man who came at him out of the dark. He was prepared to kill anyone who got in his way. He moved quickly through the garden followed by a handful of his best men. His father and Gril Tal Mod were searching the South House for any remaining traitors.
Torak paused when he came upon the dead bodies at the main fountain. He knelt down looking at the knives embedded in the two dead men. He looked up trying to focus on the map in the lens. He saw River’s identifying marker moving in their House while Jo and Star’s remained in the garden. It was the last he saw before the lens disintegrated.
“Manota, Jazin, find
Jo and Star. I will go after River. Kev, finish off anyone else in the garden.” The men nodded grimly before separating.
Torak ran towards his House. The last he saw River had been in the passageway near the Training room. He leaped up the steps into his House pausing only briefly as he noticed a trail of blood. Panic hit him as he wondered if it was River’s. A dark, cold determination swept through him as he realized if River did not survive he would kill every man who ever thought to support Tai Tek before ending his own life. He knew with certainty he could never survive without her. Following the trail he came to the passageway where a huge warrior laid dead. Torak turned him over to see two knives protruding from his throat.
A door to his left opened slightly and Je’zi peeked out. “Ah, My Lord, Lady River went down below the Training room to the passage containing the water system. She asked that I keep an eye on these gentlemen. She promised them safety if they pledged allegiance to your House which they have. I am to watch over them until her return.”
Torak looked grimly at the three men sitting on the floor with their heads bowed. “Where is Tai Tek?”
One of the men looked up, “He goes through the passageway to a clearing on the other side of the river. A shuttle waits to carry him to a Tearnat starship.”
“Who does he have with him?” Torak asked tersely.
“Just the female, Javonna. She is the one who told him about the passageway and modified the security system.” The man said. “I pledge my allegiance, My Lord, and my sword if you would allow it.”
Torak looked at the young man for a moment before nodding. “I accept your pledge but will decline your help this time.”
The man nodded in understanding. He had never wanted to fight for Tai Tek but the man had threatened to eliminate all of his family. He had no choice but to fight for him until he could secure their safety.
Torak turned and rushed down the passageway. He felt a sense of relief at the same time as burning anger ignited at River. She was carrying his son. How dare she pursue Tai Tek? He was going to tie her up and make sure she never put herself or their child in danger again. He turned the last corner and saw the door leading down into the cave wide open. Moving slower now despite his desire to rush he knew he could never protect his mate if he got himself killed.
River paused as she listened to Javonna’s heavy panting. She crouched down keeping as low as she could and still be able to move forward. She had caught up with Tai Tek and Javonna just as they were entering the passageway. The lock on the door had been blown apart by laser fire. The sound had given River the clue she needed to know how close Tai Tek had been. Now, she moved with caution. There was not a lot of room in the damp cave to move if he decided to fire his laser pistol. In addition, River knew Tai Tek’s vision in the dark was superior to her own. Barely moving her head she looked around the edge of a rock outcropping.
“Please, Tai Tek. Please, let me go.” Javonna whined.
“Move it, bitch. I’m tired of your whining.” Tai Tek said coldly pulling Javonna behind him.
“No, you are just going to let your men have me. I won’t survive that.” Javonna cried out hoarsely. “You promised I could have Torak. You promised.”
Tai Tek turned striking Javonna across the face knocking her down. “You want that bastard Torak you can have him.”
Javonna screamed just as Tai Tek shot her with the laser pistol. “He can have your whining corpse.”
River put her fist in her mouth as she stared at Javonna’s unseeing eyes. She watched as Tai Tek turned to move towards the mouth of the cave. River followed trying not to notice Javonna’s blood seeping into the dirt floor of the cave. There was nothing she could do for the woman. She almost felt sorry for her. River moved slowly behind Tai Tek knowing she would only have one chance to stop him.
River was just about to step out into the center of the cave to get a good throw when two huge shadows appeared on either side of the cave. Two Tearnats moved to stand before Tai Tek.
“Where are the others?” One of the creatures hissed.
“They are dead. It was a trap. Torak, his father, and brothers knew about our attack. Gril Tal Mod and his mate helped.” Tai Tek said coldly. “You were supposed to have taken care of them.”
“They had left before we could kill them.” The other creature hissed. “We must leave before we are discovered. We will have to regroup. The star ship is ready.”
Suddenly one of the creatures turned with a growl looking into the cave. “I smell a female.”
All three men turned to look down the cave where River stood pressed against the wall. River stood frozen for just a moment before she gasped in terror. One of the creatures moved with incredible speed towards her. She didn’t even think before throwing one knife after another. The creature growled before falling and sliding to a dead heap at her feet. River turned and took off running as fast as she could towards the door leading into the passageway. A low growl followed her and she could hear the thump of the other Tearnat behind her. Just as she felt the creature’s hot breath on the back of her neck she heard a yell for her to get down. Falling to the hard ground, River curled into a tight ball just as a blast from a laser pistol knocked the creature backwards into the rock wall of the cave.
Torak’s heart was in his throat as he heard the roar of the enraged Tearnat. He had broken into a run moving in a blur through the tunnel. He saw River running back towards him just as a huge Tearnat was about to impale her with one of its long claws. Yelling for River to get down he fired his laser pistol on full charge at the creature hitting it in the chest and knocking it back. The Tearnat’s hard chest plate would protect it to some degree from the blast but it at least got it away from River. Reaching down, Torak gripped River by the arm swinging her up and behind him as the Tearnat shook off the blast.
“You are dead, Kassisan scum.” The Tearnat growled as he pulled out his double-edge battle sword.
Torak threw the laser pistol to the side. The full charge combined with his previous use had drained it and it was useless. Pulling his own sword he gripped the handle charging the blade which glow a bright blue.
The Tearnat swung his sword at Torak’s head. Torak bent at the last second slicing up and across the Tearnat’s chest opening a deep line over the hard breast plate. The Tearnat roared out in pain and surprise moving a step back and touching his chest. A dark red stained its clawed hand.
“The blade on this can slice through anything, including your breast plate.” Torak growled back.
The Tearnat hissed in fury at Torak. “I will kill you and mount your mate. She will die under me, Kassisan. I will enjoy fucking her and watching her scream as I tear her apart from the inside out.”
Torak smiled cruelly, “Dead men don’t fuck.” With a turn he sliced a deep cut across both of the Tearnat’s thighs.
The Tearnat screamed out in rage as he swung his blade again. His blade cutting a thin line across Torak’s chest as Torak fell back. The blade had continued until it struck the wall. Little bits of rock rained down on River and Torak as the creature pulled back his blade to strike at Torak again. Torak struck hard and fast cutting deep wounds in the Tearnat’s arm rolling to the side. The Tearnat was now bleeding from numerous cuts, some of the deep but none of them fatal.
River worried about the cut on Torak’s chest watching as the front of his shirt turned red with blood. River bit down on her fist again as the Tearnat swung his sword at the same time as it kicked out one of its legs striking Torak in the stomach throwing him back against the rock wall. Torak grunted barely bringing his own sword up in time to deflect the Tearnats from ripping him in two. River let out a cry as the Tearnat pinned Torak against the wall pressing his blade closer to Torak’s neck. Unable to stand the thought of losing Torak, River let loose a series of the crystal stars lining the Tearnat’s back from neck to waist with the sharp stars.
The Tearnat reared back with a roar of pain turning towards River. River threw her two cry
stal hair pins just as Torak plunged his laser sword into the creature’s belly. The Tearnat let out a strangled cry as it collapse in a heap the sword going straight through it and River’s two hair pins protruding from its throat.
“Oh Torak.” River cried out rushing towards him. She frantically pulled at his shirt trying to see how bad the wound was.
Torak gripped River’s hands tightly in his own not wanting her to get his blood all over her. “Where is Tai Tek?”
“I saw him at the mouth of the cave.” River replied looking up into Torak’s face trying to determine if he was alright. “Your chest…”
“It is just a flesh wound nothing to worry about. Go back to our living quarters and lock yourself in.” Torak said harshly. “I have to go after Tai Tek.”
“No, you’re hurt. If you go so do I.” River started to argue.
Torak reached down and kissed River hard on the mouth before glaring down at her. “You promised to stay safe. You promised to protect yourself and our son.”
