I know I need to say something. The mission he’s about to undertake is dangerous and, quite frankly, scary. The planet we’re landing on is a hot bed for crime and violence. It’s small, a fourth the size of Earth, but it’s smack dab in the middle of a Tsuvian stronghold and the designated entry point for their stolen goods trade. Unlike Magera and Xalta, we have limited knowledge of the compound’s layout. Just a few out-of-date satellite images of the surface. For that reason, Leandra and I aren’t going. Sol was able to pinpoint an area that most likely matches up with Bryn’s description of the sky, but still, Ren and the other chosen males are mostly going in blind.
There’s no way I’ll let him walk out that door and into such unknown circumstances with thoughts of me on his mind. I don’t want him distracted, and I definitely wouldn’t be able to live with myself if he left without knowing how much I really love him. Feeling slightly panicked, I stalk over and wrap my arms around his waist.
“Don’t say anything. I really suck at this so…just let me talk. I know I overreacted a little and you weren’t trying to be a dick…but I was embarrassed.”
Ren guides me in front of him and tips up my chin. “You have every right to be cross. I should have told you. I did not know how.” He rubs his thumb along my cheek. “Forgive me.”
“On one condition.”
His thick brows draw together. “Anything.”
I tug at the straps stretched across his chest. “You have to wear this the next time we get naked.”
“As you wish, my Aciana.” Capturing my mouth with his, Ren teases me with his tongue before breaking the kiss. “I will come back to you.”
While Ren and the others ready for their departure, I sneak upstairs to check on Injari. She and Urina have been kept separate, using the overflow seats in the anteroom rather than sitting in the nav bay with the rest of the group. After our interaction at the ship’s entrance, her wild eyes and disheveled appearance are all I can think about. I’m worried about her. Urina too. Neither one of them can stand to be around the males. They shake and cower. Crouch and hiss, like they’re about to fight. It’s heartbreaking. Their bodies are no longer chained, but their memories—their fear—bind them just as effectively, denying them the freedom they so desperately need.
The dull thump of my knuckles rapping against her door echoes down the hall, but no one stirs inside her room. I wait a second, then peer inside. Empty. That’s odd, we haven’t been called to strap into our seats yet. Maybe she went down early? Anxious to see Ren one last time before he leaves, I head for the stairs, but the sound of faint whimpering stops me. Urina’s door is slightly ajar. Hurrying over, I glance inside, and a jab of despair cuts through me. She’s tossing and turning on the bed, grimacing and grasping the sheets as Injari holds her.
I shove the protein bars I brought for them into my pockets, freeing my hands. There’s a good chance if I spook her, she’ll attack me.
Pure aggression greets me as Injari’s violet eyes cut to mine and I freeze, afraid to breathe. Ren stirs inside my mind, ready to defend me but I call him off as the harsh lines around Injari’s mouth soften.
“Aciana. Sorry, I did not see you there.” She turns to Urina, then back to me, almost as if she’s weighing her options. A loud cry from Urina seems to dispel her indecision. Standing, she opens the door further, welcoming me in. “She cannot sleep. No matter how long I stay with her, she still fights her memories.”
Returning to the side of Urina’s bed, Injari wipes the sweat from her furrowed brow with a wet cloth. The petite brunette’s face draws up in a silent cry. “She will not eat. Nor will she allow me to help her bathe… I fear she will lose herself if she does not rest soon.”
I swallow hard. Unsure of what to say, I take a seat beside her on the floor.
“Has she talked to you at all? Sometimes that helps…”
She shakes her head, “There is no need to discuss it. I fought hard to keep us together. We both know what occurred. They took great pleasure in making us watch each other’s suffering.”
Urina flops on her side, exposing the deep, red gashes on her back. Injari yanks up the sheet, covering her.
“Do you know where Ren and the others are going?” I ask.
“Yes. Urina and I were on the same transport as the others at first. But the Tsuvian leader took a liking to us.” Her lip curls in disgust. “We were separated, kept on their ship for longer than the rest, then returned to the Inokine after we were deemed damaged. Our Keeper would not leave us, and when we refused to submit to their…” Her lip trembles and a distant look clouds her eyes. “They punished her for failing to comply with their demands and delaying their delivery. Our Keeper fought hard but could only hold their attention for so long. They…brutalized her. “
“Just your Keeper?”
Rage contorts her features. “All of us. But it spared the other females of our group. They did not linger long out of fear of missing their deadline.” I reach out to comfort her but stop as she jerks back out of my reach. “I apologize, Aciana, I do not wish to be touched.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Do you remember anything about them? The Tsuvians you did see? Do you think you could describe them for me?”
She nods. “There is one. I do not know his name, but he takes the teeth of those he ravages like trophies, wearing them around his neck. One tooth for each…time.” Her gaze drops to Urina’s swollen mouth. “He took two from her, six from our Keeper.”
My jaw clenches in anger. The slight puffiness to Injari’s jaw and the way she winces when she speaks, suggests he’s wearing more Illusian teeth than she admits. “And you do not wish to show your Acia his face?”
She stares at the ground, and her shoulders sag. She has no reason to be ashamed, and I don’t know how to comfort her. “I do not wish for him to see me, or her, in that manner. I wish to keep what dignity I have left.”
“I understand. He’ll respect your wishes. May I tell him what you’ve said?”
She nods. “Only if you swear to make that bastard suffer.”
“I swear.”
Injari grabs my wrist, her fingers cold and desperate. “Aciana? Can you do it again…what you did for me? She suffers.” Injari smoothes the hair from Urina’s brow. “No matter how hard I try, I cannot protect her from her own mind.”
“I can try.”
I cover Urina’s hand with mine, but she withdraws from my touch. Not all that surprising since we’ve never formally met. She doesn’t know my scent. I’m about to ask Injari what to do when she grabs my hand in hers and presses my palm to Urina’s neck. This time, the female doesn’t pull away.
Summoning feelings of safety and love, I push them toward her as hard as I can. Her strained muscles relax, and she stops flailing. Something heavy leans against my arm, and I’m shocked to find Injari’s exhausted body slumped over the side of the bed, her forehead against Urina’s, both fast asleep. Tears of relief sting my eyes at the sight of the two of them finally finding a moment of peace.
I swear I’ll do this all day long—every day if I have to.
My head begins to pound and my vision blurs after about fifteen minutes. I can’t keep this up much longer. Carefully retracting my hand from under Injari’s, I slip out of their room, hoping they’re deep enough under to be out of reach of their nightmares. Dragging myself down the steps, I search for Ren to tell him what I’ve learned.
Chapter Eighteen
Ren
We have been hovering over Non’s atmosphere long enough for me to lose my patience. Sol has yet to confirm the weather patterns his algorithm predicts. We cannot risk exposure to the elements or the tusked beasts that roam this planet. His calculations must be precise. A few carbon atoms away from hydrofluoric acid, the rains can melt the flesh from your bones. Only a palmful kills, even less maims. The green-haired female’s mention of her captors’ markings solidified my suspicions. Tsuvians are known for initiating their young by forcing them to
scar themselves using the toxic liquid. It is considered an honor.
“I apologize, Acia. But there is no way for me to guarantee it will not rain. The weather there is unpredictable.” His brows stitch together in frustration as he stares at his screen.
Our lives depend on his accuracy. “Again.”
“With all due respect, Acia, my calculations will not change. There has not been a storm in several cycles of the planet’s star. I have little data to work with.”
The sweet scent of my mate reaches my nostrils before I feel her warmth at my side. I raise a brow. She also smells of Injari and Urina. I am surprised the unmated females let her near them.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, taking in Sol’s frustration. He should control his emotions. Now I have to explain his incompetence to Jayla, and it will only worry her more.
“Nothing of concern. What has you so distressed?”
Her gaze flutters to Sol, then returns to mine. “Injari spoke a little about what happened. She identified one of the Tsuvian rapists…but didn’t feel comfortable showing you. She doesn’t want the others to know.”
The veins of my neck bulge as I hold my breath, keeping the roar dying to escape at bay.
“Describe him.”
“She didn’t tell me much. Only that he rips teeth from the females he rapes, then wears them. She said he wears at least eight. Six from her Keeper alone.”
White hot anger courses through me, and my vision narrows. The metal chair beneath my hands crunches and caves in as I rip it from the ground. Jayla shrinks back, away from me, and her fear sobers my rage. She should never fear me.
“Fuck the weather. We leave now.” Grabbing Jayla’s hand, I stomp out of the navigation bay and into the common room where most of the males are waiting. “Gather your shit and strap on your armor. I have grown tired of being cautious. These Tsuvian pricks have touched our females, and it is time they learned the consequences of their sins against us.”
My words are received with vigor. All males, mated and unmated alike, crush their fists to their chests and growl in anticipation. Not all can join us. Many will need to stay and protect against those who might catch wind of our arrival. But the violence brimming at my fingertips spreads like wildfire through the room, infusing them with anticipation. Ragar, Ari, and I will find evidence of our females, and after that, rip apart any of those fucks involved with their abuse.
The air is still as we slink through the darkness. The charred glass that stains the ground cracks and breaks under our feet, but only just barely. We move with ease and precision, keeping our weight evenly distributed, leaving no footprints behind. We settled on the mostly abandoned far east corner of the Tsuvian territory, hoping our distance from their receiving docks will provide enough cover to avoid their notice. Though, with the males I left behind, they would be foolish to attack. Our people are hungry for retribution.
Ragar peels off to the right, and Ari to the left at the hint of firelight up ahead. The scum patrolling the immediate perimeter of their loading zones use only torches. Any more light would signal their location and leave them vulnerable to air assaults. Another way they have assured their deaths. The shadows bow to me. I slide into Ragar’s mind, then Ari’s, ensuring they are in position. The makeshift guard towers at each end of the dock are spaced no more than one-hundred-fifty strides apart but cannot be easily seen in the dim light. We will have the element of surprise.
I sink to the ground, crouching just out of the firelight’s flickering reach. The shitstain guarding this tower will turn his back soon. Blood is sweeter when spilled at the perfect moment. Shaking off his boots, he leans against the railing, throwing back his head to take a swig from his canteen. Flashing forward, I climb the structure—no higher than the height of three Illusian males—and ready my blade. The stench of cum and dirt burn the back of my throat. Filthy fucking heathens. Go ahead. Enjoy your last drink of swill.
I rush him, pressing the blade deep into this throat until its edge hits bone. One quick jerk severs the spinal column. Hopping up over the railing, I catch his body, taking care to secure the canteen before it hits the ground. A quick check with Ragar and Ari tells me they have also eliminated their targets. Three down, hundreds to go. With no one left to stand watch, the fire’s eventual death will signal our arrival. I toss the remainder of the alcohol from his flask into the flames, stoking them. That should give us enough time to find what we need.
Jumping down, I pause to listen for movement. Nothing. Ragar and Ari advance as I creep forward. The air reeks of animal and rotting flesh and I slow my pace at the sound of shuffling feet. A beast twice my size strains against its binds, gnawing on a barbed bit that has been forced into its mouth.
I’ve heard of these beasts. Giant animals that roam and use their bore-like tusks to dig through the sharp crusts of the ground to the small animals that burrow and live under its surface. They are wild, unable to be tamed. But the violence has been bled out of the creature in front of me, and it does not so much as stir as I approach. The foul stench on its breath suggests it has been fed rotting flesh. Most likely used to consume the bodies of their dead. The beast pulls back, straining to get away as I grasp the large blade at my thigh. It still has some fight left. Good. It can exact its revenge alongside us.
Steadying its head by grasping one of the tusks, I dig out the bit, narrowly avoiding its jaws as they clamp down. The beast jars its head back and forth adjusting to the freedom, a hint of understanding gleaming in its black eyes. Stretching its legs and hind quarters as I cut the rest of its binds, it kicks and takes off, shaking the ground beneath my feet. I hear it squeal in the distance, calling to its kin, and a chorus of squeals answer. I wait until it’s out of sight, unwilling to turn my back on the creature, then break into a full sprint.
One body. Two bodies. Three bodies. Four. Giving into my rage, I take one life after the other. Seeking out and destroying every single Tsuvian that crosses my path. They succumb like pups. Not known for their individual battle skills, it is through group combat that they excel. My strides slow as I come up on what appears to be a graveyard of open, broken storage containers. They have been left unguarded. Nose to the ground, Ragar follows a trail. The scent of Illusian blood hangs in the air, and it is not my own. A female has bled here.
I order Ari to stand guard and join Ragar. His nose has led him to a large overturned crate. Its walls are warped, the metal pushed so far outward the pole securing its hinges has bent. Dipping his finger in the red stain covering the door, my second turns toward me.
“Zira’s. Already congealed with time.”
My eyes cut to the symbol on the side of the crate and my blood boils. “This container carries the seal of the Universal Community trade commissioner. It was designated for the Sector Nine trade station, one of the busier ports of entry for goods distribution.” Thoughts of my Life Giver fill my mind. I slice my blade across my wrist, letting the sting focus me. I cannot give into my rage. Not quite yet. We know where our females are going and where they have been. Only one task left.
The sound of raucous laughter floats through the air. They enjoy themselves while our females suffer. I scan the landscape. There. A group of six Tsuvians stand fireside, drinking and having their fill of the meat roasting in front of them. I zero in on the one in the middle. A large scar runs across his forehead and over one eye. His head is shaved with a long braid down the middle and, hanging from his neck, are the trophies Injari spoke of. He whips out his dick, spitting and pissing on the flames. The rage within me spills over. Time to fucking play.
A jolt of electricity heats my veins as my blade slices through the closest Tsuvian’s neck. No resistance, like carving the fat off an animal. He was so inebriated, he failed to hear my heavy steps. It is not until I throw his lifeless body into the flames that the others take notice. The remaining five arm themselves, dropping their meals.
“Oh, what the fuck? You killed Zee?” the trophy hunter says, gesturin
g to the burning carcass in the flames. He looks to the short Tsuvian beside him. “Vang, you’re on cleaning duty now.”
“Fuck that, it’s Gru’s turn,” he says, dismissing me. They show no fear. I cock a brow at Ragar, who trembles with a barely controlled rage. Like an animal begging to be released, he breathes heavily, staring at the Tsuvian closest to him.
The one called Gru throws his canteen at the males and reaches down to grab his axe. “Fuck that, I’m on bitch duty. I ain’t had the rest of my spoils yet.” He lunges between the two males.
“Settle, boys, settle. There’s enough foreign pussy for all of us. Let’s handle this first. Then we’ll wet our dicks when the new shipment arrives.”
They push forward confidently. Ari looks to me, disappointed. They are not running. Too stupid to scream, they will not call for additional back up. Cocky fucks. Time for Plan B.
Flexing my mind, I let my power seep into their pores, permitting them only to breathe. Ragar cocks his head in anger, letting out a loud huff. Fine. I release their vocal cords. Ragar always has enjoyed the screams of his prey.
“Take your pick.” I point a barbed finger at the trophy hunter. “That one goes last.” Malevolence gleams in Ragar’s eyes as he prowls forward. I watch for a moment, enjoying the way he slowly slices his barbs down the front of the screaming Tsuvian’s face. The others begin cursing and talking over each other. I silence them. I want to hear this. Enjoy it.
“What’s he doing? What the fuck are you gonna do, you prick?” The Tsuvian called Zang baits Ragar as he looks him over, muscles jumping in excitement. The male yells something inaudible as Ragar releases a barb through the entrance of his ear, slowly drilling through the soft tissue until blood begins to trickle down his neck. Left ear next. Then the eyes—one at a time—until they both hang loosely from the sockets. The meaty tissue of his inner eye gleams in the firelight and a sense of pride and satisfaction surges through me, curling my lips into a wide grin. Positively delightful.
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