Claim of Eon: Eon Warriors #6

by Hackett, Anna

  Fuck.

  They crested the top and then dropped, tipping over the other side of the giant wall of water. Water crashed down over them, flipping them over.

  Donovan tried to yell Airen’s name, but his mouth filled with water.

  Then everything was just bubbles, water, and tumbling over and over.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Cren. Cren.

  Airen tumbled over and over, with no idea which way was up. Without thought, her helian formed a helmet over her head and she could breathe again.

  Donovan. She reached out and felt hard flesh. But he didn’t have the ability to morph a helmet. Please be okay. They were both still lashed to the raft, and spinning out of control.

  Then suddenly, they slammed downward with a huge splash of water. The crazy tumbling stopped, and they bobbed up and down.

  Airen quickly retracted her helmet and the ropes.

  “Donovan.” He lay limply beside her on the raft. “Donovan!”

  He lifted his head and spat out some water. “Ugh.”

  Relief flooded her. She grabbed his face and kissed him. They were both saturated, her hair was plastered to her head.

  She looked over her shoulder and saw that the rogue wave was gone, absorbed back into the ocean like it had never been there.

  “You’re sure you’re okay?” She patted his arms.

  “I am now. Hell of a ride.”

  They both sat up and looked ahead. The prison command tower was clearer now.

  The island was ringed by a wide, sandy beach, and in the center were metal walls, spearing up into the sky, protecting the warden base. Several smaller scout towers dotted the wall. She could see now that the central tower had a landing pad on top. A ship was parked on it.

  “Look, Donovan.”

  He eyed the ship and nodded. “Our ticket out of here.”

  But they still had a long way to go to get there.

  “Shit,” he muttered. “Look at the beach.”

  Several large, metal boxes, about the size of a land transport, were spaced out around the beach. She frowned.

  “They’re turrets,” he said. “Some sort of cannons, I’m guessing.”

  She sucked in a breath. They’d have to run the gauntlet to get through them and reach the main building.

  Donovan bumped his shoulder against hers. “You like a challenge, right?”

  She huffed out a breath. “Right.”

  The oars were long gone, so they both lay flat, with their legs over the edge, and started kicking.

  They were making slow but steady progress, when light glinted off something in the water ahead of them.

  “Did you see that?” she asked.

  Donovan’s dark gaze narrowed. “Yeah, I see it.”

  “Can you tell what it is?”

  “No, but the way our day’s going, it’s not going to be good.”

  Even with her enhanced vision, Airen couldn’t quite make out what was floating on the water. She could tell there were several small objects. “Maybe it’s just fish?”

  He snorted skeptically.

  They got closer, and she saw that the objects were metallic, disc-shaped, and about the size of her hand. Then they started spinning through the water, splashing at the surface.

  Uh-oh. Her muscles tensed.

  She saw the objects start toward them. They were covered in sharp spikes that speared out of the water. They formed a deadly line.

  “Look out!” she yelled.

  They both leaped off the raft. The spikes ran through the center of it, slicing it in two.

  Donovan came up, treading water and Airen did the same. They spun, watching as the bots circled around them like a pack of deadly animals.

  Airen commanded her helian to form a weapon.

  “Fuck, they’re coming at us,” Donovan yelled.

  The spikes closed in. Airen’s helian let out a pulse of energy that made a dull boom.

  The spikes stopped, bobbing in the water like their batteries had run dry.

  “Electromagnetic pulse,” she said. “They’re disabled.”

  He released a long breath. “Have I told you that you are amazing?”

  She smiled. He made her feel amazing.

  They righted part of the raft, and she frowned. “Our ride is a little less spacious now.”

  “I don’t mind. I like being close to you.” He winked.

  Airen couldn’t help but smile again. They climbed on and started kicking. They hadn’t gone far when he tensed.

  “What now?” she demanded.

  “There’s something swimming under us. Keep kicking.”

  All of a sudden, a long, thin tentacle rose up out of the water nearby.

  By Ston’s sword. A shiver skated down Airen’s spine.

  The tentacle whipped out and slapped into Donovan. It knocked him into the water, and he spluttered.

  Airen peered into the dark water, trying to see what this creature was.

  Suddenly, Donovan was yanked under the surface.

  “No!” She dived under the water and saw the creature now. It had a large, bullet-shaped body, huge eyes, and lots of wildly waving tentacles.

  It was covered in deep, dark-green scales. She couldn’t see any metal, so it wasn’t a bot. Maybe it wasn’t as dangerous?

  Great, she was grading monsters now. She grabbed Donovan’s hand and yanked. Strangely, the creature released him, and they both broke the surface.

  A moment later, the creature did too, its pointed head bobbing above the water.

  “I’m cancelling that beach holiday I had booked,” Donovan muttered.

  The creature looked at them with its giant eyes. Then it used a tentacle to splash them with water. The movement was almost…playful.

  “Ah, hi,” Airen said.

  Donovan’s head swiveled. “You’re going to talk to it?”

  “I think it’s trying to be friendly.” A tentacle moved tentatively toward her. She stayed still, and it reached up and touched her hair. “It’s curious.”

  The tentacle moved over her face. Something poked out the end of it and ran down her cheek. It felt slimy.

  Donovan raised a brow. “I think it’s licking you.”

  She gently pushed the tentacle away. “We don’t have time to play. We need to go there.” She pointed to the island.

  The creature sank back into the water with a ripple.

  Oh. “Bye.”

  Donovan looked at the island. “Airen, they’ll have lookouts, security surveillance. By the time we swim up to them, they’ll have seen us coming. They’ll no doubt turn the gun turrets on us.”

  She dragged in a breath, trying to think of a better plan. “I guess—”

  Two tentacles broke out of the water and wrapped around their waists.

  Airen gasped and gripped the scaly appendage.

  “Damn, I think your friend got hungry,” Donovan said.

  She tried to pry the tentacle off her.

  Then they both jerked as the tentacles moved. Their friend appeared out of the water, then took off toward the island, moving fast.

  Airen cried out. She and Donovan were being towed behind the creature at lightning speed.

  * * *

  The prison command island drew nearer at a breakneck pace. Water splashed Donovan’s face and he turned his head to the side, struggling not to swallow too much of it.

  A second later, he and Airen were tossed up on the sand.

  “Oof.” Airen spun on her hands and knees.

  Donovan coughed up some water. A tentacle flicked out of the water and gave Airen’s cheek another lick. Then the creature disappeared back beneath the surface.

  “I’m dizzy.” She moved into a crouch, wringing water out of her braid.

  Donovan shook his head in disbelief, then focused on the gun emplacement nearby. “Come on, we’re too exposed here.”

  The creature’s actions were a stroke of luck, and he wasn’t going to waste it. They ran together, ducking
down beside the metallic box of the turret to avoid detection.

  “Do you think they have thermal scanners?” she asked.

  “Not sure.” He would have them, if he were in charge of this place, but maybe the wardens believed that the ocean and the creatures in it were enough of a deterrent to the planet’s residents.

  He studied the main walls of the base ahead. Heavy-duty metal and very high. Large doors were set into the wall, but with no obvious way to open them. It looked like a futuristic castle.

  “You think we can get those doors open?” he asked.

  She considered. “I might be able to hack into the control system. We need to get there first.”

  They both looked at the row of turret emplacements.

  Then she smiled. “Ready for a little run, Sub-Captain?”

  “I’ll fight by your side any day, Second Commander.”

  There was a flash in her eyes, a warmth that softened his warrior’s face. Donovan grabbed her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

  Then they both rose and started jogging toward the wardens’ base.

  There was a snick of sound. Donovan turned. Another snick and he saw metal panels moving on the turret box. His blood ran cold.

  A turret rose up out of the center and swiveled in their direction.

  “Run!”

  They sprinted across the sand. Laser fire broke out and they both dived, rolling across the ground.

  The laser cut into the sand. It was so powerful, it changed the sand, leaving hunks of glass behind.

  They both leaped up, and another turret emplacement ahead opened.

  Donovan grabbed Airen and threw her into the air. She dived over the top of the turret.

  Laser fire tore up the sand near him and he dodged. He ran as fast as he could, but the laser arced closer.

  He pumped his arms and legs. Air sawed in and out of his lungs.

  Suddenly, Airen leaped onto the top of the turret and lifted her arm. She rammed a black-scaled spear down into the turret, and the blast cut off.

  Donovan slid in beside the turret box and she leaped down.

  “Are you all right?” she asked.

  He nodded and they swiveled to look at the building. Several wardens were visible now—all wearing dark uniforms and helmets—standing on top of the walls of the base.

  “Okay, what’s our next move?” he asked.

  There was a rush of sound and they both looked up. Donovan expected to see some sort of ship belonging to the wardens.

  Instead, several Kantos swarm ships filled the sky.

  “Oh, fuck.”

  Bugs swarmed out of the side of the ships, dropping down toward the beach. He spotted several Kantos soldiers arrowing down as well.

  One swarm landed to the north side of the beach, and the other to the south.

  Airen and Donovan were trapped in the middle of them.

  “Cren.” Her face looked grim.

  All around them, bugs hit the sand. There were so many different types. Some were smaller, about the size of a dog. Many were larger, towering over Donovan. A number of the creatures had huge horns on the front of them, and brown, hard-shelled bodies.

  “We need to get to the wardens,” Airen said. “Maybe they’ll let us in.”

  He snorted. “Yeah, right.”

  “Then we’ll let ourselves in,” she said.

  They broke into a run.

  All around them, the turrets opened across the beach. The weapons swiveled, firing on the Kantos bugs. But there were so many of them, wave after wave. Donovan saw one large bug with a huge, bulging body stop and open its huge mouth. It proceeded to vomit out smaller bugs.

  Laser fire cut close to Donovan and Airen. They both dived and rolled. They came up, facing a large bug. Donovan pulled out his sword and, with a vicious swing, sliced the bug’s head off. Green blood splattered his chest.

  Airen had morphed her weapon into a sword and was cutting through several others.

  “Keep moving!” she yelled.

  Ahead, he saw the doors of the warden base opening.

  Rows of armed wardens marched out, rifles clutched in their hands.

  Suddenly, a large bug landed in front of Donovan and Airen, making the ground shake.

  It had two sturdy legs and four arms, a bulky body covered in a light layer of fur, and pincers on its mouth. It pounded its muscular chest, reminding Donovan of a gorilla. It was almost as though a gorilla and a bug had mated. He grimaced at the idea.

  Airen didn’t pause. She rushed at the alien, attacking hard. She ducked a swing of one of its arms, but before her sword made contact, one of its other three arms grabbed her. It lifted her off her feet and threw her through the air.

  No. Donovan charged. The gorilla-bug spun, hammering its fists into the ground. Donovan jumped up, but midair, the creature hit him like a speeding starship.

  Pain crashed into him. Damn, the thing was strong.

  Donovan hit the ground hard, sliding through the sand. He shook his head. Shit.

  He blinked his eyes and saw Airen leap up. She kicked the creature in the head and it roared. As she dropped, she swung her sword fast, and sliced open the gorilla-bug’s gut.

  That’s my girl.

  Screams filled the air, and Donovan whipped his head around. The bugs were swarming the wardens.

  As he watched, one bug rammed its horn into a warden’s head, right through the soldier’s helmet. It lifted the warden’s body off the ground, and the warden jerked wildly.

  What the fuck?

  “We need to get inside,” Airen said urgently.

  He turned, and saw more bugs stabbing the wardens’ heads.

  Airen grimaced. “Donovan. Now.”

  “What are they doing?”

  “Sucking out their brain matter.”

  Donovan winced. Great.

  He ran with Airen, and they tried to circle the attacking bugs. But every way they moved, more bugs rushed at them.

  They were still too far away from the building. A second later, they were surrounded.

  He took a step forward, but several bugs darted closer, lots of them with those deadly, brain-sucking horns.

  “Donovan.” Airen looked around warily.

  Yeah, there was no way out.

  All of a sudden, an injured, blood-covered warden ran at them wildly. The bugs scattered, swiveling to face the incoming man.

  Donovan seized the opportunity and grabbed Airen’s hand. “Let’s go.”

  Then he felt her body jerk.

  He looked back, and saw her face was pale, her mouth open. His gaze dropped and his mind went blank.

  There was a horn protruding through her stomach.

  Her mouth moved, blood dripping from her lips.

  Pain stormed through him. “Airen!”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Agony had a flavor. It was harsh, bitter, and overpowering.

  Airen stared at the horn protruding from her body, tasted the blood in her mouth. Black ooze dripped from the horn, crawling up her chest.

  How had it pierced her armor? Then she realized her helian was writhing. This black ooze was destabilizing her helian’s abilities.

  Her gaze locked with Donovan’s. His face was twisted in horror, pain.

  He touched his own stomach, like he felt her wound.

  Oh no. She felt her helian pulsing, and knew that he was sharing what she felt.

  He ran at her.

  Airen summoned the last of her strength. She pulled herself off the bug’s horn and turned, swinging her sword.

  The alien bug dropped, buzzing as it died. The black ooze was crawling all over her now, multiplying.

  “Airen?”

  Donovan reached her just as she dropped to her knees.

  “Donovan.” A scratchy whisper.

  “It’s okay. You’ll be okay.” His hands were touching her.

  It was a lie. They both knew it.

  “Get off this planet.” She clutched his hand. “Pro
mise me…you’ll make the Kantos pay.”

  He muttered a curse. “We’ll do it together, Airen.”

  She cupped his face. She’d gotten so used to these strong lines. The thought of never seeing them again… The pain made her gasp.

  “What the hell?” He was staring at the black ooze running over her. It was moving down her arm.

  Her helian started to scream inside her, and she gasped.

  “Airen?” He shook her a little.

  “It’s…targeting my helian.”

  The ooze was trying to separate her helian from her. It was ripping at the bonds between them.

  Blindly, she stared at the fighting wardens and bugs. She could also see Kantos soldiers running in their direction.

  “Donovan, go.”

  “Hell the fuck no.” He plunged a hand into the ooze, tearing it off her. It was sticky and clung to his fingers. He threw it on the ground, but on her body, it kept multiplying and moving upward, covering her chest and neck.

  One of the Kantos soldiers broke through the fighting. Donovan leaped up, swinging his sword. She watched him fight hard, so brutal and brave.

  Her man. Her mate.

  Agony hit her in another wave and she tried to scream. Her mouth was covered with the black ooze, and she coughed and choked.

  She saw him slice at the Kantos soldier, then he raced back to her side. He dropped down and scooped her up in his arms.

  He charged through the fighting, carrying her, using a booted foot to kick a bug out of his way. She fought to open her mouth, but the ooze covered it. She couldn’t talk. Panic rose inside of her.

  “Airen, what’s happening?” He scraped the ooze away from her mouth, and she took a deep, shuddering breath.

  “It’s…trying to break the bond with my helian.” The words came out garbled.

  Searing, burning pain gripped her, her helian screaming in her head. She thought she heard splashing sounds.

  Then suddenly, Donovan was dunking her in the water. “Fuck. Fuck.” He was trying to wash the ooze off her.

  Several bugs ran at them, and Donovan tensed.

  Then there was a froth of bubbles near them. Tentacles flew out of the waves, stabbing at the incoming aliens.

  “Your friend’s back, Airen.” He pulled her close, still scrubbing the black ooze away.