Alien Sacrifice (Zerconian Warriors Book 9)

by Sadie Carter

  “Separate the men from the woman. Search out. I want her found. You, stay where you are.” He pointed at Macon who’d taken a step forward.

  Oh fuck. Things were about to escalate.

  She managed to pop into the front of the crowd where she froze, unable to believe what she was seeing. There stood Rich, his face covered in a mask but his voice unmistakable. And he was holding a blaster on Macon.

  Macon stood there, stoic as ever, just watching Rich for an opening.

  “I’ll ask you one more time.” Rich waved his blaster around. Idiot, didn’t he know to keep it aimed at your target? “Where is she?”

  What the hell? Why was he threatening Macon? She stepped forward, just as Rich steadied his hand and aimed. Fuck! She rushed forward, right as she saw Rich press the trigger.

  “No!” Two voices screamed the word as she dived on Macon, throwing him back. Something thumped into her back, then red hot fire engulfed her. Black filled the edges of her vision.

  ***

  Macon had never been so terrified in his life as when he saw his mate, his tiny, fragile mate, flying towards him. What had she been thinking? Why had she thrown herself in front of him like that? He paced the medical room as she lay on the bed, so pale she looked to be close to death, although Racar had assured him that was not the case.

  “What was she thinking? Was she so frightened that she did not see he had a blaster aimed at me?” It was the only explanation. Guilt stirred. She had been coming to him to protect her and instead she had been harmed. She’d taken the blaster fire meant for him. It was the first time she had ever turned to him for protection, for anything, and he had failed her.

  “Frightened? Annabel? We are talking about the same woman, right?” Zoey stared up at him incredulously.

  “Where is Racar? Why is she not in a regen chamber?” Macon thundered, ignoring Zoey. Of course, he was speaking of Annabel. Who else? After dressing Annabel’s wound and reassuring them she was stable, Racar had left, telling them he would be back shortly.

  “He must be getting one ready,” Dex said, his voice was composed, but there was a tick in his right cheek, indicating his fury.

  “They kept asking me where she was,” Macon answered. “Who did they mean? Zoey?”

  “Had to be,” Dex said grimly. “Thank the stars you had the presence of mind to hide, my own. I swear I will find them. They will pay for this.”

  “I didn’t hide,” Zoey told Dex. “As soon as those scary dudes turned up, Annabel shoved me behind the bar, grabbed a knife and told me to stab anyone who came for me that wasn’t one of us, then she took off.”

  “What?” Macon stared at her. “She was safe, and she left? Why did she not stay hidden with you?”

  “Because Annabel is a fighter, don’t you get that? She was protecting me.”

  “But why?” Macon was confused. “And why would she throw herself at me if she was not frightened?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe she was trying to save your ignorant ass. Although I don’t know why considering the way you’ve treated her. She’s no better than a prisoner, and she still protected me and risked her life to save yours. If that doesn’t tell you where her loyalties lie, I don’t know what does. Idiot. Jerk. Men suck.”

  “My own—” Dex started to say.

  She turned and pointed at him. “And this is your fault too.”

  “What did I do?”

  “I’m not sure. You’re a man, isn’t that enough?”

  Dex gave him a hard look as though telling him to fix this. Macon was still struggling to understand why Annabel would seek to protect him.

  “So why do you think they were looking for me and not Annabel?” Zoey questioned.

  Macon looked at her in surprise. “Who would be searching for Annabel? She has no one.”

  A low, pain-filled laugh came from Annabel. She cracked her eyes open. “Truer words were never spoken.” She glanced around. “Why are you all in my bedroom? This is a bit kinky, even for me.”

  Macon looked down at her in confusion. “What is kinky? Is that something to do with being shot?”

  “I was shot?” Her eyes widened. “This isn’t my bedroom. Wait. Armed men, right? Ballroom? Shit. He shot me? That asshole. What happened after he shot me? Did you catch them?”

  Dex ground his teeth together. “No. They escaped in the confusion that infused once you were shot. The women started screaming. Some fainted. It was chaos.”

  “Hey, I didn’t scream. Or faint.” Zoey placed her hands on her hips. “But Macon is right, you should have hidden with me instead of playing hero.”

  “Some hero.” Annabel grimaced, and Macon hated that she was in pain. Sweat gathered on her puckered brow. “I got shot and knocked out.”

  “You weren’t knocked out,” Macon told her. “You fainted.”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Yes, you did.” He guessed it was only to be expected that she did not remember. “You threw yourself at me, something we will discuss later, then you fainted soon after being shot.”

  Annabel glared up at her mate. He stared back at her fiercely. He could have lost her. Did she not understand how important she was to him? How he would have gone insane if he had lost her? How he would have torn this city to pieces to avenge her?

  Of course, she didn’t. Because he had not shown her. He had treated her with nothing but suspicion and contempt since they met. With roughness instead of gentleness. And still, if Zoey was to be believed, she had thrown herself at him to save him.

  “I did not faint. I don’t faint. Got it?”

  “But you—”

  Zoey stepped forward. “Let’s agree to disagree on this, okay. It’s not important. How are you feeling, Annabel?”

  It seemed that once again he had said the wrong thing. Why had he not already asked her how she felt?

  Because she always managed to catch him off guard.

  “It is important. I never faint. Anyone finds out I fainted and I’ll never live it down.”

  “Nobody will care that you fainted,” Macon told her. She moved then groaned. He rushed to her side. “Lie still. You are hurting yourself, and I will not have it.” She looked so pale, she appeared gray and blue-tinged her lips. Panic filled him. She would not die. He would not allow it.

  He wouldn’t have it? He wouldn’t have it? He wasn’t the one lying here in agony, bleeding to death. Well, okay, she was pretty certain someone would have patched her up, but still.

  Macon’s gaze glittered with something she couldn’t decipher as he stared down at her. Anger? Yeah, there was some of that. But there was something else there, too. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The pain was off the charts, and she didn’t want to admit it, but she still felt kind of light-headed.

  “Where is Racar?” She could really use a pain inhibitor right now, even though she hated the damn things.

  Macon’s gaze narrowed. “You’re in pain. Find a healer, any healer,” he barked out, obviously not caring that the only two people in the room were the Emperor and Empress. “How hard can it be to find a regen chamber?”

  “No regen chamber,” Annabel said weakly. She felt cold. Really cold.

  “Of course you are using a regen chamber, and I will hear no argument otherwise.”

  “Want a new mate so quickly, huh? Guess Hagartha might take you back.”

  “What? I want no mate but you.”

  She tried to laugh, but it turned into a groan. “Sure, and the Easter bunny really poops out chocolate eggs each year for kids to gorge on.”

  What? They had a rabbit who pooped chocolate eggs?

  “I wish,” Zoey said longingly. “I would totally steal that Easter bunny and keep him locked up in the dungeon.”

  “You don’t have a dungeon,” Annabel said. “I know. I’d be in there if you did.”

  No, she wouldn’t. Her place was with him.

  “You are using a regen chamber, Annabel. Perhaps you have a wish to die, bu
t I will not allow it. If I have to watch you every minute of every day I will. But you will not leave me.”

  He knew he was yelling each word by the end of it. But the thought of her dying sent chills through his blood. It was completely unacceptable.

  “I don’t have a death wish.”

  He stared down at her.

  “Then why throw yourself in front of me? Did you not see the blaster aimed at me?”

  “Ahh, pretty hard to miss it. I was trying to save you, you big dope.”

  “Save me? I am a warrior. You do not save me.”

  She rolled her eyes. “And yet, I did.”

  The door to the room slid open and in stepped Racar. She glanced over at him, taking in the near-panic on his face. “Couldn’t find a match, huh?”

  “A match? A match for what?” Macon asked, turning on Racar with a snarl. “Why is she not in a regen chamber?”

  Racar gave Macon a nervous glance. “Because it will kill her without the right blood type.”

  “What?” Zoey rubbed her head. “I thought regen chambers were able to create synthetic blood to match any blood type.”

  “Most blood types.”

  “Just not the type I have,” Annabel said. “It’s so wonderful being unique.”

  Macon scowled at Racar. “So find someone with her blood type.”

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to do, I spoke to the other healers here. No one has that blood type here in the palace. I’ll have to look further afield.”

  “There’s no time for that,” Annabel said. She could feel herself growing weaker.

  “Of course there is. Find someone. Find them now. I will not lose her.”

  “Chill, Macon or someone might be fooled into thinking you care.” She got that he was concerned she might die, there was a possibility she’d take him with her. But the fact that their bond wasn’t strong probably meant he’d be okay. “Just do the decent thing if I croak and leave it at least a month before you try to get into Hagartha’s pants.”

  “You will not die.” His voice thundered through the room, and Zoey rubbed at her ear.

  “Okay, I think everyone heard that.”

  “I do not want Hagartha. I want you. You think I do not care if you live or die? You are my mate.”

  Annabel blinked, staring up at him in amazement. His face was savage, filled with more emotion than she had ever seen from him. And all of it aimed at her.

  “But you don’t want a human mate.”

  “I want you. You will live, mate. Or I shall follow you into the afterlife and hunt you down.”

  “I think we should deal with the pressing situation of Annabel’s wound,” Dex said.

  Racar looked worried as he took her vitals. “Racar, it’s going to be okay.” She grabbed his arm with her good hand, ignoring Macon’s growl.

  “How? There are no donors. You have tissue that needs repairing. Using a regen chamber without blood…” he trailed off, obviously not wanting to say it out loud.

  “There is someone with my blood type. My brother.”

  “Rich?” Zoey asked.

  “Your brother?” Macon queried. “But is he not on Earth?”

  “Nope, he’s here.”

  “He is?” Zoey gave her a surprised look. “You didn’t say anything before.”

  “Because I didn’t know before. But he’s here, all right. He’s the one who damn well shot me.”

  “Find him,” Macon ordered.

  “You won’t need to find him, he’ll find us. He’s probably plotting his way in here now.” She glanced around. “Get the guards to leave and open the door. He’ll walk right in.”

  Dex stared down at her grimly.

  “We need him,” Racar said. “Without his blood…”

  He didn’t need to say it. She got it. He didn’t need to say it. She was a goner.

  “Fine.”

  ***

  It didn’t take long for her brother to turn up. One moment the doorway was clear, the next a dark-haired, slim built man stepped through.

  “I see you were expecting me.”

  Macon was certain he was heading for a stroke. His blood was boiling in his veins as he turned. He forgot in that moment that they needed this man. All he could see was his mate jumping towards him, falling to the ground, her back torn to shreds by blaster fire.

  He had shot his mate.

  With a roar, he thundered towards the male, who surprisingly just stood there. Grasping one hand around the male’s neck, he raised him into the air and shook him.

  “Macon, no!”

  “Stop!”

  The voices didn’t penetrate his rage. He knew his eyes were glowing red. This male had hurt his mate. Even worse, he was a male who should have protected her. Not harmed her.

  “Let him go or Annabel dies.” Dex grabbed Macon’s arm. “Let him go, Macon. Or I’ll have them make you.”

  Macon glanced over to find the room filled with warriors. Jaxan, Safan, and Boris stared at him cautiously, assessing.

  “We need him. To heal Annabel.”

  Macon dropped the male reluctantly. “He will help. Then I kill him.”

  “Great, he’s resorted to King Kong sentences, not good,” Zoey commented. Macon turned to where she stood in front of Annabel, tense and ready. Almost as though she thought to protect her. If Zoey thought for a minute that Macon would allow that male to harm his mate again, then she did not know him at all.

  Zoey gave him a wary look, despite her light tone. Did she think to protect Annabel from him? He would never harm his mate.

  “Did King Kong actually speak?” Annabel’s words were slow, almost slurred and her breathing was becoming labored.

  “Don’t know, but I’m kinda panicking here and not thinking straight so let me have that one, okay?”

  “Oh. Kay. Rich.”

  “I’m here, sweetheart,” the male said.

  “She’s getting weaker,” Racar said urgently. “We need his blood.”

  “That’s what I’m here for. And if this idiot hadn’t attacked me we could already be helping her.”

  Macon snarled but shook off Dex’s staying hand. He wasn’t going to attack him. At least not until he had aided his mate.

  Macon watched on carefully as Racar hooked a tube to the arm of this strange male. Blood filled the bag on the other end of the tube. What was her brother doing here?

  Annabel’s eyes were closed. He clasped hold of her free hand, her skin felt clammy, cold. But she smiled slightly.

  “There’s a regen chamber next door,” Racar told Macon. “We need to move her there now.”

  He nodded and gently picked her up.

  “You’ll need to come with us,” Racar told her brother.

  Racar grabbed the bag, holding it up high. They all moved into the connected room, and Macon placed her gently in the regen chamber. He gave her hand one last squeeze while Racar brought down the top.

  “Just like a tanning bed,” Zoey muttered.

  There was a tense silence while they waited for Racar to work the regen chamber. He grabbed the bag of blood and changed it to an empty one before placing the bag that was just a third full into the regen chamber.

  “It’s not enough,” her brother said.

  “I know, but she’s growing weak, I need to start a transfusion before the regen chamber works on the damage your blaster shot caused.” Racar glared at him accusingly.

  The male winced. “I didn’t mean to hit her. I meant to hit you.” He glared up at Macon who snarled.

  “Takes hating your in-laws to a whole other level,” Zoey piped up. “Boris, will you get out of the way.”

  Macon noticed that Zoey had been moved across the room into the corner and that Boris stood in front of her. She kept trying to peer around his shoulders, but he forced her back until she had no room to move. Macon ignored her complaints; he had more important things to concentrate on.

  “How is she?” Macon asked Racar urgently.

  “S
table,” Racar said, his relief clear. “I am going to set up the transfusion so you are connected directly to the machine.”

  The male nodded. “Whatever you need, just save her.”

  “You act as though you care about her,” Macon said.

  “Of course I care about her. I’m her brother. If she dies, I will destroy you.” He glared at Macon.

  “You shot her!” Macon said enraged.

  “I meant to get you. What I don’t understand is why she jumped in front of you like that.”

  “Because they’re mates,” Zoey told him. “She loves him.”

  Loved him? No, Annabel didn’t love him. But why did she jump in front of him?

  Rich snorted. “No way would Annabel mate him.”

  “Why are you here?” Dex asked. “Why were you in that ballroom? Why did you try to shoot Macon?”

  “You can all save your breath. I’m not saying anything else until she is awake.”

  ***

  Three hours later, Macon was once again pacing. Over an hour ago, Racar had pronounced that Annabel was fully healed and could be moved to their bedroom. Macon had carefully picked his mate up and moved her, followed by an entourage. Much as he wished to remove them all from his rooms, he knew Racar needed to remain to monitor Annabel. He also did not wish to let her brother out of his sight.

  And he could hardly order Dex and Zoey to leave. So Racar, Rich, and he sat or stood in their bedroom, while the others waited out in the living area.

  “Why has she not awakened?” he demanded.

  “She went through a trauma,” Racar replied mildly. “She needs time to rest.”

  “Patience isn’t your strong suit, huh, big guy?” Her brother stretched and rested back in his seat.

  Dex moved into the bedroom, obviously having heard the other male speak.

  “Why are you here?” Dex asked again. “Were you here for my mate?”

  “Why would I be here for your mate? Does she need rescuing from you?” The male turned to Zoey who had followed Dex in. Boris stood at her side.

  “I’m quite happy where I am, thank you very much.”

  “Really?” Rich raised his eyebrow.

  “Yes. Really.”

  “Huh, interesting.”