by Stone, Piper
Taking over.
That’s what they were doing, at least in my mind. Now, I had no idea what to believe. There could be more lies coming from the politicians than actual truths of what was occurring.
I sat on the front porch, staring up at the stars, my thoughts drifting to what had been a happy time just two years before. I could still see my mother’s face laughing when she baked bread, or my father after coming in from a tough day. My little sister and brother, so much younger than me, were always so happy, unaware of the world around them. They’d died because of fear and anger.
I’d spent almost every second since the horrific event riddled with guilt and utter despair that I had nothing else left inside. What I’d shared with a man called Killer of all things had awakened so many feelings and sensations inside, allowing me to enjoy just a few brief moments. I’d let myself go. I’d been a woman instead of a combat leader. And where had that gotten me?
The glass of wine tasted bitter, the bottle one I’d actually saved for a celebration. There had been a few in the village, marriages and births, birthdays that had allowed us to seem normal. Maybe there was nothing like that any longer. We were all being punished.
Killer. He was quite the man and lover, his brutal actions exactly what I’d needed. We were like lost souls, human on the outside, machine on the inside. Maybe some level of karma had allowed us to share intimacy or lose what was left of our humanity. Maybe the wine was doing the talking.
I heard a rustle and bristled, prepared for another verbal attack from one of the group who hadn’t gone to the Cenzan camp. Seeing Ginger, I hissed, “What do you want?”
“I didn’t mean for this to happen. You’re a wonderful leader. Damen is aggressive.”
“Yeah. Well, it’s too late now. He set a disaster in motion.” I poured another glass, swirling the goblet in my hands. While they’d set off on foot after dark in order to keep their approach from being known, it was almost midnight. By all calculations, they should be very near any time.
“Maybe the rest of our people will change their minds.” She eased next to the railing, shoving her hands into her pockets.
Our people. I resisted spitting out my wine as a reaction. “And you know better. You were right. They’re thirsty for blood.”
“Do you mind if I wait with you?”
“Help yourself.”
She sat down, keeping her distance from me.
I shoved the bottle in her direction. Nothing mattered any longer.
“What was he like? Sexy? Aggressive?” she finally asked.
“The human male?” She said nothing, which made me laugh. “Powerful. Dynamic. Ruthless. He was all things I needed at the moment.” I envisioned his face, his cold but beautiful eyes and incredible body. His touch just like his scent lingered, covering my skin.
I craved him.
I dreamt of him.
I longed to be devoured by him.
God. I was losing my shit from a single round of sex with a stranger.
“You deserve to find happiness after everything you’ve been through.”
“I deserve nothing, Ginger. I created this mess. That doesn’t make me anyone’s hero or friend. I just signed their death warrant.”
She exhaled and grabbed the bottle, taking a swig. “I don’t believe that and neither do many of our people. Maybe this will be a good thing.”
Before I had a chance to respond, we were able to hear an actual bomb going off. We stood, unprepared for the sound. Damen had been keeping secrets. “Oh, my God.”
“That wasn’t supposed to happen.” Ginger’s voice was all but inaudible.
“None of this was supposed to happen.”
A second boom was followed by a brightness in the sky. All I could do was shiver. What had Damen done?
Chapter Four
Killer
“I missed you. I worry about your safety when you’re gone.”
Dumping my bag, I swept her into my arms, turning her in a full circle. The seven-month stint had been difficult for both of us. “I’m back now, baby, and I don’t plan on leaving you again.” Capturing her mouth, I eased her down, allowing the kiss to be a gentle reminder of the man she’d promised eternal love. Nothing could taste any sweeter than her lips.
Her tiny body shivered in my hold, her breasts brushing against my chest. All I wanted to do was devour her. She finally pressed her palms against my arms, wiggling in my hold. “Careful there, big fella.” Giggling, she broke free, almost getting away.
Almost.
Snagging her arm. I smacked her on the bottom several times before dragging her back against me. “I think someone needs a reminder who’s boss around here. One very long and painful spanking coming up.”
“Oh, you!”
Boom!
“What the...” The sound reverberated into my ears. I managed to open my eyes, hissing as the images continued to flow in the back of my mind. The dream hadn’t occurred in almost two months. Fuck. Why now?
I rubbed my finger across my lips, smiling given their sensitivity. Kristina had evoked a series of emotions, dragging the pits of hell along with them. A cold chill wafted across every inch of my body, a sixth sense creeping in. What the—
Whoosh! Boom!
There was no mistaking the wretched sound. Bombs. Some motherfucker was bombing the adjacent colony. I rolled out of bed, yanking on my pants and boots, and grabbing my weapon. As I raced to the front of the house, I could still hear the damaging rumble. My gut was on overdrive, telling me exactly what had occurred.
Colony 22 housed almost one thousand Cenzan families, including humans, mates that had already bonded with dozens of the Cenzan males. My training told me exactly what had occurred. Bombs. No one should have had easy access to any type of explosive weapon. They’d been banished from use almost ten years before. This was no homemade variety, which meant there was a stockpile somewhere.
While the Marines were still active, the treaty that existed would prevent them from attacking any Cenzan settlement until given direct orders. Hissing, I loathed the fact I was doubting my own government.
My thoughts drifted to the Goddess of War. I had no doubt she and her elusive group were responsible. Was her group actually capable of such destruction? There had to be another cause. All the signs were a reminder of my intense training, the attack far too well planned for a group of basic humans.
A series of fireballs erupted into the air, the orange hue cascading over the tops of the trees.
Maybe she had very powerful friends. I couldn’t simply shove aside the notion. If she was responsible in any manner...
She would pay.
This was a freaking nightmare. Did the woman actually think she could get away with this?
As I raced outside, even from where I stood, the night sky was alive with fiery embers, shooting like stars into the horizon. The entire camp was alive, every Cenzan warrior awakened by the horrible realization.
The attack seemed to be coming from all directions.
There was no second guessing, no time for hesitation. I headed to my Harley, jumping on and firing up the engine. I roared out of the village, bypassing several Cenzans who attempted to stop me. I had to see what we were facing for myself.
The ride took less than fifteen minutes. The horrors I witnessed would never leave my mind.
Or my heart.
As I rolled into the area, I could see fires racing from one building to another, carnage everywhere. Men, women, and even children were running from the blaze, trying to get to some kind of safety. I rode through the streets, finally dropping my bike in front of a three-story complex. Screams permeated the air, filtering into my ears.
Without hesitation, I ran into the building, shoving my way past closed doors. Flames licked up the walls, the smoke so thick I could barely see. I reacted without thinking, yanking people from one area then another, shouting at them to leave the burning shelter.
“Go! Go!”
; “Help me!”
“Please, my baby!”
There was no way I could comprehend the bloodbath, the wretched sight in front of me. I powered on, taking the stairs two at a time in my effort to save lives.
“Come on. Get out of here.” I yanked one then another from the flames, almost shoving them down the stairs. There was no rational thinking on my part, no sense of the dangers I was facing. I simply had to get them out of here.
I combed the hallways, kicking open doors and shouting until I was certain the last person had been evacuated. Only then did I retreat, facing a wall of fire, the eerie blue hue licking across the ceiling. There was no other way out. The smoke was too thick, sickening in the stench and caustic atmosphere.
“Get on with it!” My scream went unheard, barely registering in my mind as I bolted down the stairs. The fire singed my clothing and skin, a reminder to keep going. I held my breath, covering my face with my arm.
Then I heard the harsh cracking sound as the walls began to cave in. There was little time left. I could either die here or make a break for it.
I chose the latter.
Using what strength I had left, I took a running jump, flying in the air in the direction of the firestorm covering the front entrance. Hitting the ground with a hard thump, I rolled a solid twenty feet before coming to a stop, my lungs gasping for air.
When I was able to open my eyes, drinking in a cool breath of the night air, all I could see were flames erupting from the tops of every building.
And the gut-wrenching sounds of wails, women crying in desperation.
This was just the beginning of a nightmare.
“Get him!” a Cenzan called, boots thumping on the hard ground near me.
I blinked, trying to rid the smoke and fog from my eyes, rolling over on my back. Dual sets of hands helped me to my feet.
“Killer. Are you all right?”
I hung my head, taking several additional deep breaths. “What the hell... happened?”
“We were attacked.”
I knew the young Cenzan, one who volunteered for everything in the village. Granak was strong, capable in many ways. I grasped onto his arm, pulling myself to my full height. “Who?”
“Humans. They came in from all sides, tossing bombs before shooting. It was...” Granak’s voice faltered.
“How many?” When he faltered, I turned to face him. “Was there a woman with them?”
“Several. What does that matter?”
“Long braid?”
“I... I don’t think so.”
Fuck it. I tipped my head back and roared, the rage shifting through every cell. “We have to get everyone to safety.”
“Yes. Yes. I know. I...”
I shook him, more out of frustration than anything. The second Cenzan stood in a daze, turning in a full circle. There was no way to describe the scene in front of us. Almost every building was on fire, the firepower of the humans much more than any of us had anticipated. “We need to get everyone out of here. Gather them together.”
When they both had wide eyes, their mouths gaping open, I snarled, “Listen to me. We need to protect our own. Take them to the woods and toward the river. Are there any humans still here?”
“Only the dead ones,” the second Cenzan stated, his voice ragged from the smoke and terror encompassing his entire being.
“Show me,” I directed.
Granak nodded, tugging on my arm. “We were able to kill several of the attackers.”
I took long strides, wiping soot from my face as I watched the villagers streaming by, clutching their loved ones as they attempted to move into safety. As Granak directed me toward the outskirts of the village, I glared down at the humans killed in the battle.
One after the other.
There were at least twenty dead, maybe more. I lost count and in truth, had no heart for the job at hand. I was furious, more with myself than anything, but knew this wasn’t going to end. The fuckers would be back.
“Granak. Can you get our people to safety? Can you do this?” I gripped both his arms, staring into his haunted eyes.
“Yes. Of course. What are you going to do?”
“Head to the Comstar. I need answers.”
He nodded, taking several deep breaths. “Why? Why did they do this?”
“Because they fear what they don’t know. I’m going to the transport. Find out how many were killed and injured. King Drateq will want to know a count.”
“Yes, sir,” Granak answered, giving me an odd salute. A human salute. The reminder of my former life made me sick to my stomach.
“I’ll be back and we will retaliate.” There was no other choice, no way the Cenzans could allow this to go without a mark of revenge. This was exactly as Khrelan had warned, only I had a terrible feeling I knew who was responsible.
I headed toward the transport area, barely able to function. What if I could have stopped this massacre?
Thank God the area hadn’t been damaged, the basic controls not only kept secret but in a secure location. Within seconds, I had contact with the Comstar, my hands shaking in the effort to do so. I was wrecked, my mind stripped of all conscience and yet the rage had built to an indescribable level. I would kill the motherfuckers who did this with my bare hands.
Including...
I shoved the thought aside as I prepared for the transition, keeping my hands by my sides. Closing my eyes, I envisioned the woman, the amazon-like creature who’d turned my world upside down. Was she happy that she’d destroyed lives? Was she thrilled that she’d managed to perform an act of murder?
Another thought entered my mind. What if she had no part of this?
My mind remained in the fog as I completed the transition, falling onto the steel structure as soon as I was through.
Two Cenzans met me, those who were closet to King Drateq. I’d known Braga Maak and Kalek Zanton for months, trusting them implicitly. After all, I’d been the one to help save Braga’s life.
“Brother. You’re safe. Shandar is glad you’re here,” Kalek stated.
I rose to my full height, taking full breaths of the clean air. “Then you are aware of the attack on the Colony 22. They experienced significant damage. I’m one of the lucky ones.”
“Unfortunately, yes. Shandar is eager to hear what you know.” Braga motioned toward the hallways behind him, his eyes full of sadness.
This was a terrible day in the colonization efforts. All the work that King Drateq had done to secure an easy transition had just been shoved into the toilet.
There were no appropriate words to say given what had occurred.
I followed behind them, my thoughts drifting to Kristina. Clenching my fists, I was forced to face certain facts. I knew exactly what Shandar would demand and even so, I wasn’t entirely prepared for the outcome.
I was led onto the bridge, the command station a location I’d been to more than once. The Comstar ship was massive in size, capable of housing thousands of Cenzans. This was his official home, even though his hopes were to move to a location on Earth with his family. While I had no love of the American military any longer, I could respect the multiple layers of the Cenzan enterprise, including their methods of organization.
“King Drateq,” I said quietly as I scanned the room. Several of the king’s leaders lined the perimeter, as if the attack had indeed been expected. Some I knew. Some I didn’t care to know any further given their utter hatred of humans.
Shandar shook his head as he approached, gripping my shoulder. “You and I have been through far too much, Killer. No need to address me in a formal manner.”
I gave him a respectful nod. “The bombing wasn’t entirely unexpected.”
“No. Which is why I sent Khrelan earlier,” Shandar said, sighing. He paced the bridge, glaring out the massive window that highlighted Earth. He seemed to notice my stare. “I am aware of the rumors swirling around the presidential candidate. I realize this attack could be under his direction. You forget,
I have many connections in the political arena of every country. This Jonas Bradford isn’t well liked in several other countries, let alone proctors in America, but his numbers are growing.”
“He could be dangerous for all of us, but why attack now before the election?” I’d attempted to rationalize the concept.
“I’m not certain. I’ve put out feelers at this point to try and see if anyone has heard anything. In the meantime, we need to acquire the actual person responsible for pulling the trigger, so to speak.” Shandar growled under his breath. “They are close.”
“I have no idea how many Cenzans were hurt or killed but at least twenty humans are down.”
“Even one life lost is too many, including human lives. We’ve worked diligently in our efforts to live and thrive on Earth. This attack can’t be taken lightly.”
The foreboding feeling remained furrowing in my mind. “I understand.”
He turned in my direction, walking closer. “Your skills are not only legendary amongst our kind, but they’ve proven to be vital.”
His words left me feeling uncomfortable. “I appreciate that.”
“I know you have your reservations about hunting humans. I certainly don’t blame you, but this is an extraordinary exception.”
“Yes.” My entire body was tingling, the solid thump in my heart laced with anxiety.
“I need you to hunt this God of War. I don’t care who he is or what importance he might be to humans. He must be captured and brought to justice.”
The words wrapped around my very soul. “What if there is no God of War?”
Shandar knew me well enough to realize there was meaning behind my statement. A smile crossing his face, he walked even closer. “Tell me.”
“What if this is the Goddess of War? Bellona.”
The king glanced in Kalek’s direction, giving him a formal nod. “While you understand how much I value human females, if this is true, she must be captured and brought to me.”
The breath caught in my throat, a hint of anguish pinging in every muscle. I couldn’t think of Kristina as anything but the enemy. “And she should be.”
