Aran moved closer, several of the crew coming to stand between him and Yaksim.
“I too have thought of your death. Unlike you, I haven’t felt the need to spend years, months or even days contemplating it. As sure as the sun rises and sets before this day is over you and your crew will no longer breathe.”
“Get them out of here.” Yaksim pointed to Alexei and Amber.
Jayquer and Sanqee walked up behind them pointing a weapon to their backs. “You heard Yaksim, move,” Jayquer said to Alexei, pushing him towards the lift with Amber and Sanqee behind them.
Yaksim’s crew took out several weapons and pointed them at Aran and Dante. Aran shook his head slightly as Alexei looked back before being shoved onto the lift. When the doors on the lift closed, Yaksim laughed.
*~*~*~*
“Well those two are dead, now for the final two.” He walked up to Aran and back handed him.”
Aran stood tall never wavering.
“I spent years in that cell.” Yaksim turned to glare at Dante. “Don’t worry, I will kill you next.”
“What did you miss most Yaksim?” Aran taunted. “Was it the female you weren’t able to keep or was it watching me with my female? Seeing how much she loves me or was it knowing she was willing to mate with me and provide me a son while you have no child to carry on your legacy when you are no longer here?”
Yaksim hit him again splitting his lip with the force of the blow. Aran spit blood and continued to stare at him.
“Is this what you dreamed of, hitting me while a weapon is pointed at my head? Does this make you feel powerful? How does your crew view your actions as those of a mighty scientist? Not any mighty scientist, but one who combined his DNA with that of the Created and still is unable to fight one unarmed Created, male to male, or should I say beast to beast?”
Yaksim’s eyes flicked to Dante. “Two against one hardly seems fair.”
“I will not interfere with your fight; it is between you and Aran.” Dante spoke quietly moving back to make more room.
“Now what, Yaksim? We both know he will not break an oath once given. You’ve gone through so much trouble to get me here. Are you willing to prove to all that you are more than capable of killing me, the Created you hate?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Let him go,” Yaksim snarled to his crew holding guns at Aran’s head.
Yaksim swiveled his head on his shoulders before he snarled again. His form began to change; he grew taller in height, lean muscle ripped over his body. Massive fangs descended from his mouth. His yellow eyes took on a sickly glow. He was a monster from nightmares. His crew backed up not wanting to get to close to him.
“Now you will die, Aran.”
With one last look he memorized the room. The lift was at the back to the right of him where several stations lined against the wall. There were two free standing consoles to the left. One large console in the middle of the room wide enough for three people to work at. Last was the captain’s chair that sat high on a dais behind the console in the middle of the room.
Aran stepped back and allowed his body to change. His true form took over. He grew until he was eight feet tall with thick muscles bulging over his body. His fangs grew longer but he was still able to shut his mouth.
Yaksim circled around Aran looking for an opening. Seeing none, he flew at Aran, deadly claws opened to catch and tear at him. Aran hit the floor and rolled staying out of Yaksim’s path. He hit the console in the middle of the room.
Aran stood shaking off the blow, the ship tilted sideways the gravity going out causing him to stumble and roll in Yaksim’s direction. Yaksim reached out and caught Aran in his side digging his claws in deeply. The ship rolled again lurching them all into the opposite direction giving Aran the momentum to get away from the claws trying to imbed themselves into him.
“I drew first blood.”
Aran grunted and climbed back to his feet.
“Nothing to say for yourself?”
“Are we talking or fighting?” Aran’s eyes were focused on Yaksim as he watched the male turn his head slightly to one of his crew giving him orders.
The crew member threw Yaksim a chopra, a thin wire rope that would chop off any body part it was wrapped around. Yaksim threw it at Aran.
Dante gathered the crew moving them backwards while he held them immobile keeping them from interfering with the fight happening in the room. The lift tried to open with reinforcements. He locked it with a look. With a deadly smile, he broke the neck of the crew member who threw Yaksim the chropa.
“Anyone else want to throw Yaksim something?” No one moved.
Aran moved back grabbing a crew member and placing him in front. The chopra entwined itself around the member and slowly began to constrict. It rendered the member immobile as it began to saw through his body.
Yaksim roared his displeasure as he vaulted across the room going for Aran. Aran turned and caught Yaksim in his back as he flew towards him. He left bloody claw marks. Yaksim hit the floor before springing up. He threw himself at Aran knocking them both off balance. They hit the floor together and rolled against the captain’s chair as they fought.
Yaksim was on top, trying to choke Aran’s thick throat. Aran flipped them; he brought back his arm and began hitting Yaksim in his face. The blows rained hard and intense. Yaksim wrapped his legs around Aran and managed to throw him backwards just enough for him to escape Aran’s blow and to roll to the side.
“Get up,” Aran snarled. “You wanted a fight now here’s your chance. Show the whole world how you’re going to put me in my place.”
Aran drew back giving him a fighting chance.
“You always thought you were so smart, Aran. You’re nothing but a laboratory created killer and it’s time for you to die.” Yaksim’s eyes were slits as his form changed again. “You didn’t think I would just take one form did you? I took them all.”
His skin split as he replicated, two, three, four of him stood all looking at Aran with hatred on their faces. “Now who’s superior?”
Yaksim and his clones rushed for Aran, converging on him. They took Aran down to the floor and he disappeared under their bodies. They pummeled him over and over.
Aran stopped fighting, he lie under them as they hit him. Yaksim and his clones were no longer thinking they were acting like a pack of wild animals who were assured of the victory. Aran struggled Raising one bloody arm, he popped his claws and used them to take the head off of the Yaksim closest to his hand. The body fell to the ground.
Using his abs, Aran propelled himself up, knocking the others off him. He staggered to his feet smiling.
“Now we are finally evenly matched four, well make that three of you against me. The numbers seem fair.”
“Kill. Him.” Yaksim roared before the three of them converged on Aran once again. Aran defended himself moving and kicking not allowing any blows to fall.
One version of Yaksim went low and aimed for Aran’s legs. Aran reared back and kicked the male sending him flying into the wall of the bridge. He lay slumped on the floor. Aran jumped onto the captain’s chair and threw himself at another version of Yaksim that was closing in on him. They fell to the floor. Aran reached down taking the pain of the claws that ripped into his arms. He grabbed his head and twisted, breaking his neck. Pushing himself up, he looked for the last one.
The last one stood with a knife in his hand. “You never did like to fight your own battles. Are you the original or another clone?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” The male came at him with his knife. He used it as an extension of himself, backing Aran up until there was a wall behind him. “The mighty Aran caught between me and a knife. What will you do now?”
He ran at Aran knife held high. Aran caught his arm on the downward swing, they struggled, the knife hovering over Aran’s throat. With slow precision Aran forced the male’s arm to turn until he plunged the knife into his chest. Pulling it out, Aran plunged it in agai
n. The male dropped to the floor.
“Then there was one.” Aran turned around and looked for Yaksim, the one he kicked against the wall.
Yaksim held a deadly weapon in front of him. “This will tear you in half. I tire of playing with you, Aran. You didn’t really think I would ever allow you to win? I simply toyed with you for my own enjoyment.”
“I never dreamed I would win, Yaksim. We both know you’re not a man of your word. There was no doubt that you would not fight fair.”
Yaksim raised his weapon and pointed it at Aran. A blinding light came from it surrounding Aran. Yaksim’s laugh could be heard through the bridge. When the light stopped, Aran was standing in front of him.
Aran jerked the weapon away from Yaksim and picked him up by curling a hand around his throat. “I learned a few tricks while you were locked away, Yaksim. One of them is what Ash likes to call a personal body shield. Rena got upset every time someone managed to get in a lucky shot with a gun. Ash, as head of security, decided it was time for me to learn to shield, if he could do it I could also. Seems he was right.”
Aran tightened his hand around Yaksim’s throat watching as his eyes began to bug and his legs twitched. His breaths came out in faint pants until his heart stopped beating. He dropped the body and turned to growl. The crew dropped to their knees in surrender.
Dante sighed, “Aran, next time leave someone for me to fight.”
Aran chuckled as his body receded. “There’s a whole ship of possibilities. We need to get this ship under control and find Alexei and Amber.”
Aran frowned Dante was giving him that smile that meant he wasn’t going to like what he heard.
*~*~*~*
“Hands up where we can see them.” Jayquer said prodding Alexei in the back.
“Where are you taking us?” Amber said softly.
Sanqee laughed. “We heard you like dropping our friends out of the hangar doors. We thought you would love to learn how to fly on the spot.” They both laughed and continued to prod them towards a hanger.
The hangar looked like the one they landed in with one large exception. Their hover car was nowhere to be seen. There would be no unforeseen escape in it.
“You can’t tell me you really want to follow Yaksim into war?” Amber craned her head back to look at Sanqee. “He has brought you across the galaxy taking you from your friends, family, your home to make war on a planet you never even knew existed. Why? Why are you following a male who is mentally unstable?”
“The galaxy isn’t always the nicest of places. Not that it matters. When we are done here, we will walk away with riches and glory.”
“What riches? There is not enough gold or silver on Earth for all of you.”
“Who wants metal. We trade in flesh. There are so many of you. We can sell you and keep enough to breed so we have a steady stock of trade to keep us in the finest Siktin money can buy.”
“Siktin?” Amber asked.
“The finest material in the galaxy to own, even one piece of it lets every person around know you are wealthy beyond compare.”
“Greed. A human motivator also.”
“Open the hangar doors.” Jayquer spoke into something that reminded Amber of a c-phone.
The hangar door slid silently open.
“That is your ultimate destination. Not that you will be leaving through it alive.”
Sanqee reached out and kicked Amber in the back of her knee causing it to buckle and making her fall.
“Was a fair fight too much to ask?” Alexei ground out trying to keep himself still after watching his mate fall. A small lift of her head signaled to him she was fine.
“Like you gave our friend Rasha a fair fight or like you gave her mate a fair fight?”
“They were each given a chance to fight back. We didn’t invite you to our world. You came to invade us. We’re not going to sit back and throw the doors open for you. Come in, please take all that belongs to us. Not happening.”
Sanqee walked over to Amber and kicked her in the stomach. Alexei growled low in his throat.
“I believe this male cares for her. Kick her again,” Jayquer said with a smile on his face.
Sanqee raised her booted foot once again aiming at Amber’s middle. Amber caught her foot and pulled, causing Sanqee to go backwards ending up on her rear. Amber went to her knees and pulled the weapon from Sanqee.
“Let him go,” Amber said, keeping the weapon aimed firmly at Sanqee.
“Or what?” Jayquer asked.
“Or I kill her.”
“Go ahead, I was tiring of her anyway.”
“Now you have become collateral damage. He can find another you. It also means more slaves for him as he claims your share. That’s what greed leads to, meaningless deaths.” Amber shook her head frowning, wondering what to do next.
“Are you going to kill me human or talk me to death?”
The ship lurched to the side making Amber slide while the others slid also. Alexei managed to get to his feet and over power Jayqee taking away his weapon. The weapon Amber had in her hands slipped out sliding across the floor to the open hangar door.
The ship lurched again. “Amber,” Alexei called, “find something to hang onto.”
The hangar had very few shuttle crafts in it and they were all still sliding towards the open hanger door.
“I don’t think so,” Sanqee hollered and pounced on Amber. “You die today. You held a gun to my head, you’re a sick chick.”
“Me?” Amber puffed, fighting Sanqee and the pull of the ship to slide downwards. “You want to kill me? I just wanted to free my mate.”
“Mates? I thought so.” Sanqee brought her hand up and punched Amber in the chest knocking the wind out of her. “Well, the two of you can meet up in the afterlife.”
Amber’s body crumpled the pain blinding her for a minute before she pushed against it. Her chest ached and her head throbbed, ready to explode. Focus she whispered to herself. Where was Alexei? Sweat and a little river of blood ticked down the side of her face as she forced herself to forget about her pain and concentrate.
She used the blowing wind to give her a push changing the positions and putting her on top of Sanqee. She balled her fist tight and punched her in the face feeling her nose move as bone cracked.
“Not to…” The words were ripped from Ambers throat as the ship tilted and the wind whipped. She was pulled backwards off of Sanqee towards the open hangar doors.
“Alexei…” the wind stole her voice as she flew out of the ship.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The water was beautiful from way up here. Who knew she would die from drowning. That was if she hit the water, she might go splat on the concrete or hit the actual fountain. Her back would be broken even if she survived it. She was going to die; no more chances to tell Alexei how much she loved him or to look at her dad one more time as he gave her that all knowing grin. She didn’t even get a chance to see her real parents for the holiday.
The water came up fast; she took a deep breath wondering if the impact of the water alone wouldn’t kill her. Her body hit the water like she would have hit a wall at the speed she was going. She was immobilized, as pain screamed through her.
She sank unable to move her arms. She held her breath wondering how long before she would need to take a breath. Little fun facts ran through her head. The river was roughly twenty-four feet where she was. Didn’t seem that deep until your body continued to sink.
Her chest began to hurt, black spots swirled in front of her head. She was going to die. Unable to do anything else she took a deep breath of water as movement came back to her body. The water streamed into her mouth and poured out through her nose. Sweet oxygen infiltrated her lungs.
She was breathing, but how?
“Amber!”
The noise that she had heard in the back of her head finally made sense now that she could concentrate on it.
“Alexei, where are you?”
“Breathe, Am
ber.”
“I am. How can I breathe under water?”
“I think your body changed when bit. Look for Sanqee, she followed you down.”
“She’s not here. Where are you?”
“In the water fighting Jayquer.”
“I’m coming your way.”
*~*~*~*
Alexei stood on the bottom of the river wondering which of the three he was in. The bottom was different than he expected. The light from the sun managed to pierce the depths to reach where he was standing. There was plant life reaching out with long fingers of green waving in the water. There were even fish or had been until his arrival scared them away.
Across from him Jayquer stood having dropped his weapon once realizing it was useless in the water. Jayquer’s form wavered as he developed extra rows of teeth in his mouth as well as claws on his fingers.
“I am called a land shark, but I have the ability to survive both on land and in the water. It will be a joy to kill you in one of the habitats I love the most.”
“Why do I seem to attract the chatty aliens?” Alexei murmured to himself.
Jayquer swam towards Alexei, his mouth open to show the extra teeth gleaming in the sunlight. He reached for Alexei, claws trying to grab his arms. Alexei shot up in the water swimming away making Jayuer follow him.
“I’m not that easy to kill, Jayquer.”
“If you stay still I will make your death painless.”
“Thanks, that’s an incentive.” Alexei flipped in the water swimming casually loving the fact that the coldness of the river didn’t touch him.
Jayquer swam up to Alexei who stopped moving.
“I just had a thought. According to Dante I get the first kill of the war. In fact my kill starts the war. This could all be avoided. All you need to do it turn around and go home.”
Alexei Page 18
