Warrior's Pain (Cadi Warriors Book 4)

by Stephanie West

  The general clenched his fist and moved his fingers, pleased he still retained use of his arm. With his sword in hand, he silently inched toward the enraged beast, his eyes on the prize around its neck. The green metcor was in a particularly foul mood since its meal refused to die.

  “What are you waiting for? Kill it while it’s using me as a chew toy,” Aculus bellowed as he was rattled about.

  Cyprian arched his brow at the male. He found himself both amused and perturbed at the unsolicited advice.

  Ever so slowly Cyprian crouched on the ground, getting into position. When the beast swung its head away, Cyprian struck out, stabbing his sword through the fleshy part of the creature’s neck. He jerked downward, flaying open its jugular and throat. The beast burbled as it dropped Aculus, and started to stagger. Cyprian swiftly tore the pendant from its neck, before Aculus recovered and noticed the key card.

  “It was about time,” Aculus stood flexing his arms and legs.

  Cyprian didn’t feel sorry for the male, considering he had hole in his shoulder.

  “You’re welcome.”

  The general didn’t waste another second on pleasantries. He hustled toward the door on the column. Cyprian shoved the card into the slot, but was met with a buzzer instead of an open door. The blinking light on the panel was still red.

  Son of a metcor, Cyprian growled. It’s a countdown timer. Cyprian wanted to howl in rage. That awful worm, with its stabbing tongue, is down there alone with Riley.

  The general heard Aculus rushing his back and quickly grabbed the access card, before spinning around. The warrior’s blade deflected off the sealed door, when Cyprian dodged left.

  “I see that you weren’t just being kind,” Aculus snarled his red eyes flashing.

  “I’m not looking for new friends,” Cyprian retorted.

  Cyprian fought the bony warrior, keeping a keen eye on the blinking sensor the entire time.

  Chapter 6. Surrender

  Riley

  Riley studied the room where she acquired her weapon. There were doorways, one on all four walls. She couldn’t go back the way she came. The guards had barred the metal door. Riley peered down the short hallway to the right, and saw another room. It was the same to her left. She peered down the final hall, but couldn’t see where it led. Riley headed into the room on her right, since it seemed safer than the unknown.

  Riley stopped when she almost stepped on the remains of another body. This one had a violent looking, curved knife jammed between its ribs.

  God only knows what will be waiting in the next room.

  “Add a pack of cigarettes to the list of things I wish I fucking had on this sleigh ride of bullshit. You shouldn’t smoke. It’s not good for you,” Riley mocked all the people that convinced her to quit. “Neither is being trapped in a wicked crazy dungeon with a bunch of aliens hunting me,” Riley yelled.

  She gripped her weapon tight, as she wandered from one room to the next. Half of the chambers held at least one body that had been reduced to bones.

  “You need to clean up down here. It’s disgusting,” Riley hollered. She knew Cuttles was listening. “If anyone watching this thinks they’re staying in some fancy resort, think again. Do you have any idea of the vermin that swarmed my cell? Flesh eating cor. Don’t think they aren’t getting all their nasty little hairs and germs all over the slop they’re serving in those overpriced restaurants,” she ranted.

  It felt good to yell. Riley didn’t truly believe Speck was vermin, but everyone else did. Riley hoped she pissed off the Overseer with her impromptu Yelp review.

  Riley stopped as she entered the dozenth room. It had four entryways, and laying on the floor was the recognizable skeleton with the nasty cleaver wound to its oblong skull.

  “Are you kidding me. This is a giant fucking circle.”

  Riley huffed in agitation, as she threw her hands up. She hadn’t come across a suitable place to hide or stand her ground on her little tour. She looked at the hall leading to the center of the giant circle. It was the only place she hadn’t explored yet.

  You need to check it out, Riley told herself as she nervously eyed the passage. Or you can make your stalker chase you in a circle. That’ll work. That’s an intelligent plan, Riley sarcastically berated herself for being a coward.

  Riley summoned her courage, then headed down the hall. She didn’t know if she had company yet, or what else lay ahead. As Riley walked, she imagined poisoned arrows shooting from the walls, like a scene from Indiana Jones. It made each step difficult.

  She was playing a freakish game of Russian roulette. Besides the bodies, she hadn’t found and nasty surprises in the ring of rooms. She was certain her luck would be changing any minute now. Her rapid breath echoed off the narrow hall’s stone walls, sounding incredibly loud. When the passage turned to the left she paused. Riley listened but didn’t hear anything around the bend. She continued, but was confused to find the passage dodged back to the right again.

  “What the hell?”

  The only thing she could figure was that it slowed down the hunter and prey, or created a good spot to ambush someone. It was the best hiding spot she’d come across so far, which was pathetic.

  Riley walked another dozen yards and came to a vast room. Her eyes were instantly riveted to the yellow door in the center of the room.

  “An elevator. That’s where they’ll enter,” she murmured.

  Riley circled the elevator shaft as she studied the room. On one side, a pile of bones lay beneath a pair of shackles on the wall. On the other side, the remains of some poor creature lay atop a stone platform. Besides the bodies, she was still blissfully alone.

  “Why Cuttles you are fond of me. There’s not a single trap or nasty little surprise waiting for me,” Riley yelled acerbically. “Remind me to give you a gift when I see you again.” Riley shook her ax at the ceiling.

  It’s time to come up with a plan.

  Riley paced a safe distance from the elevator, debating what she could do to keep someone from exiting the shaft.

  Absolutely nothing. You have an ax, which means you have to get close to whoever comes through that door, to do any damage. Besides that, you’ve got a pile of bones. You are sooo not MacGyver.

  Riley stomped over to the stone platform and stared at the remains of the pathetic soul.

  God, I wish June were here. She’d probably come up with something brilliant. Riley paused. June, I hope you’re doing better than I am.

  Riley slammed her ax on the altar, then closed her eyes and clenched her fists as the futility of her situation began to flood her. She was no match for the things coming after her.

  You might as well climb up on this altar and offer yourself up as a sacrifice.

  Riley opened her eyes. It wasn’t such a bad idea. It was doubtful she was going to fight her way out of this, but maybe she could talk her way out of being brutalized, or turned into a trophy.

  And if that doesn’t work, I’ll have some impromptu weapons handy. Riley grimaced as she grabbed the leg bone of the skeleton. Sorry, she apologized as she picked up her ax and smashed the bone.

  Riley hacked several bones in half. Their jagged ends would do some damage. She hopped up on the stone platform and scattered her weapons around her. Considering her accommodations, they didn’t look suspicious. She tucked the ax behind her back then waited.

  “Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall.”

  Riley was somewhere in the teens when a sound coming from the shaft captured her attention. She took in a deep breath then let it out as she pasted a smile on her face. When the door opened, Riley did her best not to reveal the shock she felt. The wormy Ubi, slithered out of the elevator then stopped when its hooded eyes landed on Riley.

  “I’m so glad it’s you,” Riley declared as she scooted forward. “I didn’t know if you’d come.” She attempted to convince the worm she was hap
py to see it.

  The Ubi straightened its slimy body, making itself appear taller. It was such a weird creature. Its mouth was a circular sphincter, with a stunted nub of a nose above it. The Ubi’s eyes were frighteningly human. Except they were eerily expressionless and blank.

  Riley wasn’t sure if her load of bullshit was having an effect, but she continued anyway. She had to talk, and get it talking, if it could. Anything to keep the worm from doing something vile.

  “You’re hurt. Those bastards hurt you.” Riley wanted to roll her eyes and herself.

  “I will heal, Host,” the worm said with a garbled voice.

  Riley didn’t like the way the slimy bastard called her Host.

  “Oh good. Can we please get out of here? It’s dark, and dirty, and I’m cold,” Riley whined, like a scared little princess.

  “I have to mate you before we can leave.”

  “What do you mean? I’m scared. I’ve never mated with a male like you.”

  “No, you have not, Host.”

  The creature quickly slid forward.

  “Please just explain it to me. Is it going to hurt?”

  Riley held up one hand, while the hand he couldn’t see gripped the ax behind her. Surprisingly the worm stopped.

  “No, Host, I will make sure the host of my swarm never feels pain.”

  “Oh, thank you. How?”

  “Let me show you.”

  Riley watched in horror as a long tongue snaked out of the creatures round mouth. The end of it had a nasty series of hooks that angled backward.

  “Just a slight pinch is all you’ll feel when I latch onto your abdomen. Our combined genetics are going to make an exceptional swarm.”

  Oh god, it’s going to ram that tongue into my stomach and pump me full of some freaky alien seed.

  “I admired your colorful markings from the moment I saw you,” the worm added.

  It thinks my tattoos are something I inherited. Riley would’ve snorted at the absurd notion, if things weren’t so dire.

  “Thank you.” Riley tried to look flattered by the worm’s compliment. “Can I touch it before you mate me?” Riley demurred.

  “Yes.”

  Riley had never met a man who turned down the opportunity to have his reproductive organ touched. She reached out toward the slimy appendage, avoiding the dangerous end. When she touched it, the worm closed its eyes. The cilia on its body vibrated.

  I think it’s enjoying this, Riley gagged.

  “I will honor you long after our swarm erupts from your body,” the vile creature warbled.

  The iconic disturbing scene from the movie Alien entered Riley’s mind.

  That is so not happening.

  Her fingers circled the worm’s tongue. She gripped it tight as she pulled her ax. The slug’s hooded eyes flew open. Before he could tug the slimy appendage out of her grasp, or snare her with the vile tip, Riley swung the ax, severing the fleshy appendage.

  Riley scrambled back, and so did the worm, as its blue blood sprayed across the stone altar. The vile slug wailed as it fled. Riley threw her ax but missed. Her eyes widened in horror as the creature scaled the wall, then huddled on the ceiling.

  “Now, I will not honor you. I will make sure you feel every second, as our swarm consumes their way out of your body,” the worm hissed.

  As he spoke, Riley could see the end of its wriggling tongue begin to heal. She looked at its tiny arms. One of them was injured when he arrived, but now it wasn’t.

  Shit, Riley cursed. At the rate the slug was healing, he’d be coming after her again soon.

  “Don’t be angry, sweetheart. I had to show you how strong I am. You wouldn’t want our swarm to be weak. I thought you’d be proud of me,” Riley pouted.

  “You severed my proboscis,” he hissed.

  “And it’s growing back. Don’t pretend to be a weakling.”

  Riley picked up a jagged bone and launched it like a javelin toward the beast. Unfortunately, it didn’t stab into him. She needed something heavier.

  “Come down here. I’m starting to get offended. Don’t you like me? Your manners are hurting my feelings.” Riley did her best impersonation of a jilted girlfriend.

  Riley knew her performance was stupid, but she didn’t know what else to do to keep the worm off balance. She grabbed her ax and let it fly. This time it struck the slug, embedding in his segmented tail. It was hardly a killing blow.

  Crap. Its stuck. Riley stared up at her only decent weapon.

  “It looks like you could use some help,” a deep rumbling voice said from over her shoulder.

  A knife flew, striking the disgusting worm between its eyes. A second later, the creature dropped to the ground with a sickening splat.

  Riley spun around and came face to face with a massive red chest. She’d been so intent on eliminating the Ubi, she forgot about the other competitors. She looked up, up, up to see Spawn smirking down at her. Riley stumbled backward then paused. If Spawn wanted her head for a trophy, he could’ve snapped her like a twig while she was distracted. Instead he killed the slug.

  But that means…

  Riley’s heart sped up, as the implication dawned on her. She warily looked the man over. Spawn’s sheer size was always shocking. Even if he had purely honorable intentions, she would’ve been intimidated. He’d clearly been through a warzone. Spawn’s bare torso and legs were covered with cuts and scrapes. There was a particularly nasty gash on his shoulder. Blood ran down his chest, mixing with sweat. Spawn acted like it was nothing as he stood disturbingly still. He probably didn’t even notice the injuries, considering all his scars. When Riley reached his face, the stern set of his jaw, and intense black eyes that pinned her, had Riley second guessing the demonic man’s intent. Maybe he did want her head.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked.

  The considerate inquiry coming from the savage giant was unexpected. It distracted her from the notions of escape that had been forming.

  “No.” Riley shook her head.

  Spawn looked her up and down for confirmation. His eyes lingered on her hips and Riley suddenly recalled she was practically nude.

  “Good,” he rumbled.

  Spawn must have seen her growing apprehension because he swiftly lunged, wrapping her in his massive arms. They were like bands of iron imprisoning her.

  “Let go of me,” Riley screamed.

  She struggled, using the evasive maneuvers she learned on YouTube, but he held her tight. Riley lunged forward and latched onto Spawn’s chest, sinking her teeth into his flesh, as her nails dug into his biceps. The demon didn’t even look mad, as Riley glanced up into his obsidian eyes. Instead, he dipped his lips to her ear.

  “Bite me all you want, Little Manx. I understand you are afraid,” he whispered, “but you know what must happen to get out of here. So, show me how to ease you.”

  Riley shivered as Spawn’s breath teased her neck. He was so incredibly warm where her body melded against his torso. Then she recalled how fucked up this situation was. Spawn’s mask of civility angered her. He was competing for her at a slave auction. And god only knew what the bastard had done with June and Ion on the demon planet. Riley bit harder, tasting blood. Her hand found Spawn’s shoulder wound and squeezed.

  “Enough. I don’t know who’s coming through that door next, but I doubt their intentions will be as kind,” Spawn growled in her ear, as he pried her hand off his shoulder. “I am sorry Little Manx,” he whispered.

  Spawn gripped her tighter against him. His palm slid down her back and delved between her thighs. He pushed one thick finger past her scant panties and prodded at her labia. When he found what he was looking for, he pressed deeper. Riley squirmed as he fingered her.

  “Stop. I’m not a damn finger puppet. I’m too dry for you go jabbing around.”

  “You don’t feel dry. Tight, but not dry.” Spawn husked in her ear.

  “Well I am,” Riley bit out in discomfort.

  “Then stop fighting me, a
nd show me how to please you.”

  His rumbled voice was soft and coaxing. Spawn was right. Someone else would be coming through that door soon. She’d gotten lucky avoiding the worm and his stabbing tongue. Of all the people she could possibly end up with, Spawn was her best option. He offered a chance to see her friends again. And as fake as it was, he was at least pretending to be kind.

  Riley attempted to relax in his large arms. He was attractive, if she could ignore his vile motives. Her hands ran along Spawn’s biceps, feeling how the muscles flexed beneath her palms. It was too bad he was who he was. These were the kind of arms that could hold the nightmares at bay. She wouldn’t have to worry, and could finally let go for once in her pathetic life.

  Spawn stroked her back soothingly, but it didn’t help.

  “I can’t relax.” Riley shook her head in frustration. “You’re just going to have to do it, and get this over with.”

  There were dead bodies all around. She’d been abducted, then hunted. Riley had watched a friend get murdered, and had given up her new home to save her people. It was no wonder her body refused to get with the program.

  Spawn pressed Riley’s back against the nearby wall. She closed her eyes as he tugged aside his kilt. She couldn’t watch. He palmed her ass with both hands and lifted her off the ground.

  “Wrap your legs around me,” he husked into her ear.

  Riley clasped his neck as she complied. Her eyes flew open, when she felt the head of his cock nudge past her scant panties and prod at her vagina.

  Oh Jesus!

  Riley repressed the distressed sound that wanted to break free, as Spawn pressed his thick crown past her resistant entrance. She panted at the intense fullness.

  “Easy, Little Manx.” Spawn paused. “Open up for me.”

  With his clenched jaw and furrowed brow, Spawn looked nearly as pained as she felt. His fingers dug into her ass, holding her in place, while he tried to work another inch into her constricted pussy.