“How long have you been here?”
“I don’t know. Maybe three or four weeks?”
“What do they want with us?”
Karen snorted a humorless laugh that sent chills up Riley’s spine. “They want to impregnate us. Their experiments are…” Dread pooled in Riley’s stomach as she waited for her to finish. “Horrible. Humiliating. Painful.”
Riley’s breath hitched at the amount of devastation she heard in Karen’s voice. There was nothing to say. How could you comfort or reassure someone who had been through so much trauma?
“Riley?”
“I’m here.”
“Good.” Karen sniffed again. “There is this young boy who visits. I think he wants to help me, but I’m not sure. He’s not like the others here. He has… compassion. I see sadness in his eyes when he looks at me.”
Riley perked up. If they could get him to help, maybe she could get back home. “How often does he come by?”
“Sometimes once a day,” Karen snorted. “At least I think it’s a day. It’s been a while since I’ve seen sunshine.”
Riley’s mind raced with plans of escape. She needed desperately to get home. She glanced Karen’s way again. “Where are you from?”
“Charlotte, North Carolina.”
“Really? I’m from North Carolina, too.”
“What part?”
“The mountains.”
“Aw, near Ashville or Hickory?”
“In between.” Riley thought of Belle, Cassidy, and the twins. “Do you have family waiting for you at home?”
“No. They were all killed.” After a brief pause, Karen added, “I don’t have a home.”
“Where did you live?”
“Anywhere I could find to rest for a while. I hid in a cardboard box and thought I’d be safe for a few hours while I slept, but… here I am.”
The screech of a door startled Riley. A soft whimper made her heart thud violently; it threatened to burst from her chest. Her hands trembled as her vision blurred. Riley tried to slow her rapid breathing as the door opened fully, and two huge aliens stepped forward.
One stopped in front of her cell while the other continued on. He was big, muscular, and his amber eyes leered at her as he licked his lips. Riley’s mouth went dry with worry.
“No!”
Riley’s head shot toward Karen, who screamed and dragged her feet as the other alien pulled her from the cell. As they passed, Riley swallowed hard. She could see Karen’s emaciated form as the alien pulled her from the room. Her eyes shot back to the one who stood in front of her cell. With a vicious grin, he pointed one long finger at her and then quickly turned to follow the other one. Riley got the meaning loud and clear. She was next.
Riley blew out a scared breath when the door slammed shut. Tears rolled down her face when she realized what would soon happen. She didn’t know the details, but she could guess.
The silence blasted the room, making her feel all alone, abandoned. Her thoughts flew back to Aydan and the way he’d left her there. She would never see the twins’ smiling faces, watch Cassidy grow up, or teach Belle about boys. At least Riley had lived a little.
She lay on her side, her arm behind her head, and she cried like a baby wanting her mommy.
Chapter Thirteen
Aydan
Aydan wandered through the woods trying to find his way back to the cabin. He kept a wary eye out for more Tureis while hoping to find some of his males.
The trees all looked the same to him, and he feared he walked in circles, getting nowhere. The wound on his shoulder still seeped blood, making him weak. His mouth felt dry as he licked his lips. Water would be good right now. Too bad he dropped the backpack when the Tureis attacked.
He glanced around, trying to get his bearings. Riley had once told him something about water. What was it? He scrunched his nose and bit his lower lip. White tree bark! Look for white tree bark. He scanned the area again, this time looking for one thing. And there it is!
He took off down a slope, heading toward the sycamore tree. Riley said they only grew near water. As he neared, he heard the bubbling water from a fresh stream. It was a tiny stream, and he never would have found it without the tree. Thank you, Riley.
Just thinking of her made his chest ache. So far, nothing was going according to plan.
He knelt by the stream near some rocks where the water bubbled out. There must be a cave here. He drank his fill from his cupped hands and then continued. He needed to either find help or find the dwelling.
He glanced at the sky. Reds and oranges shot upward, but the sun had disappeared. Twilight surrounded him, but he refused to stop until he could no longer see.
About two standard hours later, darkness cloaked the forest, making it impossible to continue. Aydan sat against a large tree, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. Not that he could rest. He worried about Riley, the younglings, his mother. How had everything turned so wrong so fast?
He should have followed his heart and mated Riley properly. The past week, he’d smelled her hurt and knew it was his fault. She never said anything, but every time she went outside to have a strong drink, her eyes begged him to join her.
Everything now made perfect sense. The attraction he’d felt toward her, the way his body electrified when she grew near. The reason he constantly wanted to thrust into her. The mating came instinctively as he clamped down on her neck. He just didn’t remember its importance. If only… he sighed with regret.
He rubbed his forehead and thought of the younglings. What would they think when he and Riley never returned? Were the twins okay? He knew Belle would step up, take care of them, but she didn’t have the knowledge or experience that Riley had. He’d seen it firsthand, the way she looked to her older sister for… everything.
He closed his eyes and willed his body to sleep. Tomorrow would be a long standard day, and he needed his energy.
Belle
Belle tried to calm the twins down, but it didn’t work. Kaley shouted and cried the loudest. “Want Mama!” Her sobs broke Belle’s heart, and she wrapped her arms around the little girl. Kaley shook them off. “No! Want Mama!” Her voice pierced Belle’s ears as the high pitch bounced off the walls.
Haley just lay silently, not making a sound. Her eyes were fixed on the opposite wall as she sucked her thumb. That worried Belle more than Kaley’s temper tantrum.
Belle knew that everyone dealt with problems in their own way, even toddlers. She swallowed hard and willed herself not to cry in front of the kids.
Riley always came home. Always. She always tucked the twins in and told them a bedtime story. Something must have happened.
“Kaley, calm down.”
“No! Want Mama!” Her words came out in a mad, broken sob.
“Belle?”
Cassidy stood in the doorway, her worried eyes filled with tears.
Belle shook her head. “I need your help.” Cassidy nodded. “Lie down with Haley. I’m worried about her.”
“Okay.” Cassidy climbed in behind Haley on the small bed. With Haley’s back to her front, she pulled her close and wrapped a comforting arm around her.
“Kaley,” Belle softened her voice, “Let’s you and I have a sleepover. We’ll sleep in Riley’s room. What do you say?”
Kaley sobbed, extended her arms to Belle and said in a broken voice, “Me want Mama.”
“I know you do, baby. I want her here, too.”
Belle carried Kaley to Riley’s bed. She snuggled her little sister and rubbed her back until Kaley cried herself to sleep.
Only then did Belle let the tears silently flow down her haggard face. “Riley, where are you?” Her voice was barely a whisper as it floated on the wind.
Aydan
As soon as daylight peeked over the horizon, Aydan jumped to his feet. He’d been awake for standard hours, eager to start his journey. Sleep eluded him for the most part, except for a standard hour or two.
Today, he was more fo
cused as he headed back toward the dwelling. His shoulder didn’t hurt as bad, and the oozing had finally stopped.
He’d been walking for standard hours when he froze in his tracks. The sound of voices carried lightly to his ears. He lifted his chin and sniffed the air, but he smelled only the fragrance of wild flowers.
Slowly, stealthily, he headed toward the voices. He tiptoed around branches, hid behind trees. Still he listened. The voices were growing louder.
He stalked the voices like the predator he was. If the voices belonged to the Tureis, he’d take great pleasure gutting them like the animals they were.
Just as he made it to another tree, he peeked around and froze. Three Curazin males stood in a small clearing. He furrowed his brow. What are they doing here?
Aydan couldn’t believe what his eyes so clearly saw. Surely, he’d lost more blood than he realized. He shook his head and tried to clear his vision, but they were still there.
Aydan stared at the Curazins in stunned disbelief. So much so that he missed the other three walking from the forest into the clearing.
“I lost the trail.” Startled, Aydan’s head swiveled to the sound. Nikkul, Jappin, and Onne headed toward the Curazins.
One of them turned. “We also lost the trail. They seem scarcely used.”
Nikkul placed his hands on his hips and huffed out a frustrated breath. “He has to be here.”
Shaking off the surprise at seeing the Curizans, Aydan stepped out from behind the tree. Nikkul was the first to spot him. Without a word to the others, he trotted over to Aydan.
“Aydan, you live!” Aydan smiled at the censure even though Nikkul’s eyes softened with relief.
“I do.” Aydan grinned as he and Nikkul clasped forearms.
“Where the sish have you been?” Nikkul demanded, refusing to loosen the grip on his arm.
“It is a long story.”
“Give me the short version.”
Even though technically Aydan outranked Nikkul, he owed him an explanation. “I lost my memory.”
Nikkul blew out a breath and pursed his lips. “Well, I see you’ve found it. And what the sish are you wearing? It doesn’t even fit.” Aydan laughed but didn’t offer an explanation as Nikkul continued. “The commander will be… glad to see you.”
“Is this the male we’ve been looking for?” one of the Curazins asked as he joined them.
“It is. Toran, this is Aydan, second in command of the Victory.” “Aydan, Toran is the Curazin ship commander.” Aydan and Toran nodded to each other as Nikkul whispered from the corner of his mouth, “Don’t ask. It’s a long story.”
Aydan desperately needed to find the dwelling, find the younglings. He thought he needed help, but now he worried how the young would react to so many alien species.
“I need to go. Tell Kavvan that I’m fine.”
“Wait!” Aydan halted his steps and looked at his friend. “We need to take you to the Victory.”
“I can’t leave right now.” Aydan turned and headed away from the clearing.
Nikkul trotted up next to him, but Aydan didn’t slow his steps. Time pressed in on him and he needed to get back before nightfall.
“You have to see a healer.”
“Later.”
The two headed away from the rest, Nikkul keeping up with Aydan’s fast pace. “At least tell me where we are headed.”
Aydan quickly glanced at his friend as they headed through the woods. The rest of the group was now out of sight as they trekked over the uneven terrain. Leaves, vines, shrubs, even roots from the trees blocked their way, making them step over.
“Last night, the Tureis attacked me and my mate.” He glanced at Nikkul to gauge his reaction, but his face remained indifferent. “We were hunting for food when they kidnapped her.”
“The Tureis kidnapped your mate?”
“Yes.” Aydan swallowed hard just thinking about it. “I have to retrieve the younglings. They are all alone.”
“Wait.” Nikkul grabbed the sleeve of the awful shirt he wore. “Your mate has young?”
“Yes. No.” He shook his head to clear his thoughts. “Their parents died, and she is raising her four sisters.”
Nikkul nodded once. “A noble female.”
“Yes.”
They walked in silence until Aydan thought of the crashed shuttlecraft. “How are the others?”
“What others?”
“The ones on the shuttlecraft.”
Nikkul pursed his lips and wrinkled his forehead. “None survived but you.” Sadness filled his heart as he thought of the ones on the craft with him. “How did you survive?”
“I don’t know. I remember the screams as it spiraled out of control. The next thing I knew, I woke up in the dwelling with no memory.” A smile teased his lips when he remembered the first time he opened his eyes. One of the twins stared at him, almost nose to nose.
Chapter Fourteen
Aydan
When they rounded a familiar tree, Aydan could barely make out the outline of the dwelling. Relief flooded his soul; his heart beat faster and his breath quickened.
When Nikkul spotted the dwelling, his jaw clenched in frustration. “Do you know how many times we passed this dwelling? Never once did anyone spot it. And you were here the entire time?”
“Yes. Come on.” Aydan needed to see them as much as he needed to get Riley back.
He skipped the two front porch steps as he bounded upward and wrapped his hand around the doorknob. With a quick pull, he yanked the door open.
Cassidy and the twins sat in the living area by themselves. The grief-stricken look on their faces broke his heart. Cassidy’s eyes locked with his. “Where’s Riley?” Her voice was a broken whisper.
Oh, how he wanted to talk to them, explain what had happened. Cassidy’s eyes pleaded with him to explain, but he couldn’t. Not yet.
Kaley scooted off the chair, her little eyes full of tears, snot hanging from her nose. She threw her tiny arms around his leg, her grip tight, as though he might leave her again.
He reached down and scooped her up. She threw her tiny arms around his neck and sobbed. “Mama.” The sound of her tiny voice made fire burn in his gut. He would find Riley, find his mate.
Nikkul stepped up behind him and took in the desolate scene just as Belle came down the corridor.
“Aydan, you’re back.” She blew out a relieved breath. “Where’s Riley?”
Aydan thought hard. He knew some English now and searched for the words. Looking at Belle, he said the only thing he could. “Explain later. Go now. Us.” He waved his hand around the room indicating everyone.
“What about Riley?”
He shook his head in frustration. If he could only talk to them. “Explain later.” His eyes pleaded for her to understand.
“You want us to go with you?” He nodded. “You will tell me what happened?” Again, he nodded.
She pursed her lips together, her eyes darting from Cassidy to the twins. Haley worried him as she sat next to Cassidy. They both did. They were too quiet, their eyes blank.
“Cassidy? What do you think?” She just shrugged one shoulder and stared ahead.
“Okay.”
Belle was the only one who made an effort to move. The others looked too grief-stricken to care.
“Nikkul, you carry Cassidy. She’s the older one sitting next to Haley.” In English, he said, “Cassidy?” She looked at Aydan who nodded at Nikkul. “My friend,” he pointed at Nikkul and then mimicked carrying with his arms.
Nikkul scooped up Cassidy while Aydan scooped up Haley with his free arm. She never made a sound, just laid her head on his shoulder and sucked her thumb.
Nikkul led them to the awaiting shuttlecraft. It stood empty. “Don’t worry,” he glanced at Aydan. “I will send it back for the others.”
Aydan snorted a humorless laugh. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”
Belle stopped suddenly. “I’m not getting on that thing!”
“We go.”
“I don’t think so, buddy.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I helped drag you out of one like this. You didn’t see it, but it was a mangled mess. Not to mention all the blood and dead…” Her eyes darted back and forth between the two aliens. “…whatever. I’m not getting on this.”
“Belle?” Cassidy’s frightened eyes locked with hers. “Will it crash?” She glanced over her shoulder at Nikkul. “Put me down! Put me down!”
Kaley started to cry, her voice loud in his ear. “Me want Mama!” Haley whimpered slightly.
Aydan’s eyes begged Belle to help. If she didn’t, he’d have to force them to go, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.
She must have sensed his desperation. “Cassidy. It’s all right. Let’s go with Aydan and find out what happened to Riley.”
“We won’t crash?”
She forced a fake smile. “Of course not. I’m sorry I said those things.”
“Okay…” Her breath hitched. “Okay.”
“Kaley? Do you want me to carry you?”
The little female hushed except for a few sniffles and then wiped her nose on his awful shirt. “No.”
The ride to the ship was uneventful. Even little Haley looked out the window.
Nikkul expertly piloted the shuttle, turning it so they got a good look at Earth from space. He heard, “Wow,” and “Look over there.” Haley murmured, “Preddy.” Their mood seemed to be lightening, for which he was grateful.
When they landed, Nikkul gave him a pointed look. “You need to have the healer check you over.”
“I know.”
Aydan carried both Haley and Kaley off the shuttlecraft, leaving Belle and Cassidy to follow.
Kavvan, along with more security officers, stood at the bottom of the ramp with his arms crossed.
When Aydan stood in front of his friend, his commanding officer, he bowed his head slightly and waited.
Kaley lifted her head from his shoulder, stared at Kavvan and the others. “Wou all kiddies?”
Aydan (The Azziarin Series Book 6) Page 7
