Claimed by the Alien Warlord: A Science Fiction Alien Mail-Order Bride Romance (TerraMates Book 14)

by Lisa Lace

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  CHRISTINE

  As the cruiser rolled across the rugged Echilean terrain, I tightened the knot securing the parcel on my lap. I looked out at the stretch of industrial wasteland outside the window. The dark gray fog of centuries-old pollution was so thick that the needle-nosed tip of the ship seemed to cut it into pieces. I thought I had never been to this part of Echiles before, but it was hard to tell. Everything looked the same on the butchered planet.

  “Are we there yet?”

  “This is the place,” Axl murmured, fingers flying over the central panel of the dashboard. “I just need to activate the tracking device and send a message to the palace so they will know we’re here.”

  I slipped the parcel into my backpack and picked up a couple of temporary gas masks. After securing the straps of the cardboard masks behind our ears, we checked our weapons and disembarked.

  I hadn’t checked the time before we left. As soon as we set foot on the cracked dirt, I remembered why Echilean explorations usually took place after sunset. The afternoons on this planet were horrendous. An arid wave of sweltering heat accosted us. The ground felt like a stove, with steam hissing out of the crevices. If it were not for the cooling, skin-tight fabric of my bodysuit, I would have burned in seconds.

  I glanced at Axl’s exposed biceps enviously. Urwanians had tougher skin than humans. The worst thing that could happen to him was coming out a few shades darker.

  “There’s no one here.” I spun around slowly, looking for activity.

  Axl dragged his fingers across the remnants of what was once a tall stone fountain. Apart from a few abandoned wooden sheds, the place looked deserted. The only sounds of life came from the crunches of dead insects under our boots.

  “They should have arrived before us.” Axl reversed course, starting to head back to the spaceship. “I’ll try and make contact with someone else from Magnum.”

  “Hold on. I think I see him.” In the distance, Barthan emerged in the dimly lit entrance of a hospital halfway down the block. “Hey!” I put my backpack on the ground and started waving both arms. “Over here!”

  When the acquirer approached us, something seemed different about him. Instead of being alert, there was a look of shell-shocked emptiness. He stared blankly in front of him. It seemed like he intentionally refused to look in our eyes.

  Axl saw it too. “Barthan, where are the others?”

  “Sorry, Chief.” Barthan’s dead eyes darted toward me.

  Everything happened so fast that it was over before I could blink. Barthan reached into his holster and pulled out a weapon. In an instant, he shoved the cold, hard barrel of his neutralizer up against my forehead. My heart jumped into my throat.

  There was only one way for Axl to react. He drew his weapon, aiming at the person who used to be his right-hand man. “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded, breathing heavily through his clenched teeth. “Let her go!”

  “I need the pillar.” Even though Barthan didn’t raise his voice, I could feel every word striking me like flying debris. “Give it to me now. I don’t want to kill her, but I’m prepared to do whatever it takes.”

  “I would listen to him if I were you.” The soft tap of a cane echoed down the street. Lord Silas strolled out of the hospital entrance with a red cape dancing behind him. Moments later, a throng of fully armed Makroid poured into the streets and surrounded us. Sweat began to pour down my back and the sides of my face. I glanced at the Makroid barricade. Would we be able to break through?

  Akuza appeared. To his credit, he looked slightly embarrassed.

  “Axl.” Lord Silas beamed and emphatically hit the ground with his cane. “Even from a distance, I knew I recognized the eyes. They look like Onya. She was a beautiful creature and a fighter to the end. She would have been proud if she could see you today.”

  If looks could kill, the smoldering hatred in Axl’s eyes would have been enough to take down the entire Makroid force. He looked around angrily with a glare that could cut through steel. His eyes settled on the traitor. Overwrought with guilt, Barthan succumbed to his withering gaze.

  “I had no choice, Axl. They have my family. I would do anything for Bam-Bam.”

  “And so you did. Now hand over the pillar.” Lord Silas extended a hand, wiggling his fingers. “This time, I am asking you nicely.”

  “Wait a second.” I heard the dull whine of Barthan’s pistol beginning to charge, and I quickly closed my mouth.

  Squatting next to me, Axl pulled out the parcel from my backpack and slid it toward the Makroid tyrant. Lord Silas stepped on one end of the box, opening the package with the tip of his cane. When he snapped his fingers, Akuza dropped to his knees and took the pillar into his hands.

  “It is authentic, Father.”

  “Excellent. Thank you for your sacrifice.” Lord Silas patted his son on the back with his cane and turned his back on us. “Get rid of them.”

  When I heard those four words, I felt all the energy leave my body.

  “No, wait!” Akuza twisted his hands together. “Don’t kill them. Isn’t it smarter to keep hostages? We can use them as collateral.”

  “Collateral?” Lord Silas raised his cane at his son. “That’s a good idea. You’ve learned something during your imprisonment, Akuza.” The tyrant glared at the Makroid. “You heard my son. Restrain them.”

  Two Makroid came up behind me and pinned my arms. “Hey! Let go!”

  I saw a Makroid strike Axl on the head with the back of her weapon. He wouldn’t go down without a fight. It took another four Makroid to immobilize him and secure his wrists and ankles with electric cuffs.

  Barthan wasn’t part of the group attacking Axl. He decided to charge the tyrant instead. “You bastard! Did you forget about my family? You said you were going to free them!”

  The last thing I saw before the sack was put over my head was a Makroid seizing Barthan from behind, plunging a knife deeply into his stomach. I heard Barthan’s guttural screams and Axl roaring his name. Then there was nothing.

  What had I gotten myself into?

  My head throbbed. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to rest my head somewhere. I ended up leaning against the grubby tiles in the tiny cage. The cell was barely tall enough for me to sit up. There was enough room for me to bend my legs if I lay on my side. After a few hours of restricted movement, my aching limbs had begun to go numb. I could hardly feel the tender, chapped skin around my wrists and ankles.

  My situation wasn’t great, but it could have been worse. Axl wasn’t even in a cage. Someone had attached him to the wall by his arms and wrists, spreading out his limbs. Electric restraints pinned him. They would shock him if he made any sudden movements.

  We weren’t the only prisoners in the area. Other cells were next to us, and we could hear occasional wails.

  A different world was outside the prison. Judging by the impressive staircase in the center of the room, we were somewhere underground. Well-dressed Makroid bustled about the vast chamber and prepared for a grand banquet. Some pushed carts of rotisserie meats, while others ticked off checklists.

  At the far end of the room stood an enormous throne. Painted skulls and mottled feathers decorated the eyesore. Lord Silas waited at the foot, munching on a greasy poultry leg.

  Axl moaned. I jerked my head in his direction. His head was down between his shoulders, and a fresh sheen of sweat covered his face. The handcuffs on his wrists were still smoking.

  “Axl, are you okay?”

  “Quiet, human!” The passing Makroid rattled my cage after snapping at me.

  I scowled at the Makroid. Axl lifted his gaze to me and rolled his eyes to the right. I followed his gaze to the plinth at the foot of the throne, which held the pillar in a protective glass box. Did he want me to take it? He was supposed to be the mercenary, not me!

  When Lord Silas finally left through the sliding doors above the stairs, I took a deep breath and started counting down from a hundr
ed to ease my nerves.

  “Watch out!”

  A thunder of artillery fire woke me from my trance. It looked like Axl was walking across the room, but I knew he was still a prisoner. Was he projecting an image of himself? As Axl appeared to strut across the room and make his way toward the pillar, the confused Makroid emptied their guns. Their bullets went through Axl’s etheric form but failed to break his stride.

  The distraction was my chance to escape. Leaning against the edge of the cage, I squeezed my fingers between the bars, stretching out an arm. With a swoop of my fingers, I managed to snatch a set of keys from the belt of a fleeing Makroid. While the rest of the room descended into mayhem, I jammed the keys into my handcuffs and fell out of the cage.

  A blinking Makroid froze in front of me. “Hey! She’s escaping!”

  I swung my arm back and punched him the chin. When he toppled over, I grabbed both of his weapons. It was fight or flight time. I fired wildly at the Makroid around me, clearing a path as I headed for Axl.

  Tossing one of the pistols aside, I shot off a tabletop and held the slab of metal over my body with one hand. I mowed down the rest of the Makroid in my path and fired at Axl’s chains. When they broke, Axl fell into a heap on the floor. Groaning, Axl pushed himself off the ground and looked up at me. “We have to get the pillar.”

  I grabbed a stray weapon on the ground and thrust it into Axl’s hands. Slinging his arm over my shoulder, I managed to haul him onto his feet. His body burned hot against me. He fired at the Makroid as I made our way toward the plinth.

  There was no time to think or fret. I saw nothing but the pillar ahead of me. It was so close that I could practically taste it. That day, a heavenly force must have been smiling down upon us. Weaving through the hailstorm of bullets, I wrenched the prize out of the case, tucked it under Axl’s arm, and dragged us up the stairs to safety.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  AXL

  As Christine and I passed through the sliding doors, our eyes adjusted to the dazzling glare of white light. The doors led into the heart of the city plaza. Luxurious cottages and restaurants covered the ground level, which hummed with life. Affluent Makroid families and their children strolled around the meticulously-laid cobblestone paths. Above us were similar levels filled with mansions, pools, gambling arenas, and a slew of facilities fit for only the wealthiest.

  The illusion of prosperity was perfect. The finest trees, grass, and shrubbery imported from across the galaxy lined the streets. An eternal screen fitted onto the ceiling streamed the image of bright blue skies. Custom-built lamps were mounted on the corners at regular intervals, mimicking rays of natural sunlight.

  “What is this place?”

  “They call it the Royal Bubble.” I smeared the blood under my nose with the back of my hand. We didn’t look like we belonged in the community. The number of eyeballs lingering in our direction was multiplying every second. “We can’t stay here for long.”

  We started to run and came close to hitting a food cart. “Get out of our way!” Christine ordered, waving her weapon at the handler.

  The frightened Makroid tripped over his feet and scrambled to get away from us. With a swipe of her arm, Christine cleared off the full plates of food on both tiers of the cart. People began to complain as food rained on them and splattered across their flashy clothes. The cart vendor stomped off angrily, leaving it for us to steal.

  The doors began to slide open behind us. “They’re coming. We have to keep moving.”

  Our getaway plan was clumsy but effective. Flinging the pillar onto the top of the cart, we pushed it as fast as we could to build up momentum. When it was at maximum speed, we jumped into the back. It was up to me to maneuver through the crowd. I did my best to avoid hitting any civilians, but those who failed to move out of the way got the wind knocked out of them.

  I propelled the cart through the doors on my right, leaving behind the sunny skies and temperature-controlled environment. The typical weather for the planet, cursed black skies and bitter cold, felt like it could devour us.

  This was the first time Christine saw the exterior of the Royal Bubble. She gasped at the enormous dome.

  “I know it looks terrific, but let’s leave the cart. You see that ghetto over there? That’s where we’re going.”

  We ran past rows of dirt and mud huts, carefully avoiding the Makroid soldiers swarming out of the bubble. We flattened ourselves against one of the larger cabins, making sure we stayed concealed while spying on the active search party. We were so absorbed in what was happening three hundred feet away from us that we failed to notice the Makroid villagers coming out of their houses.

  “Axl, do we need to worry about these guys?”

  I turned around warily, the hairs on my arms and neck standing on end. Barefoot Makroid of all ages stood before us. The hems of their tattered rags swished back and forth in the wind. Each one had identical yellow teardrops tattooed onto the sides of their necks. They had gray skin which looked almost translucent from the lack of sunlight.

  They came for us slowly with slow movements reminiscent of the undead. Christine and I stood with our backs against each other and raised our weapons. I strengthened my grip on the pillar. I could hear the blood pounding in my ears.

  “Stand back, all of you!”

  “We don’t want to hurt you. Please! Don’t come any closer!”

  All the Makroid came to a halt except for one. The bravest among them was also the oldest. He had a crooked back and trembled when he walked. When he spoke, I could barely make out his Standard.

  “We not hurt you. We wait you.”

  “What do you mean?” I wasn’t afraid of him, but I still kept my weapon raised.

  “Come.” The Makroid looked like he expected people to obey him. “Follow.”

  Christine and I exchanged a questioning glance but decided to pursue the strange offer. He led us past the sea of Makroid and into one of the huts. Our guide removed the oil lamp hanging by the door and led us through the humbly furnished house, ushering us down to the cellar.

  “Axl! Christine!”

  I lowered my weapon, feeling relieved. The Magnum squad, along with General Wasid, stared back at me, surrounded by a bounty of weaponry, ammunition, and combat gear. The general stepped forward, tipping his hat.

  “The Empress was right about you two. You certainly don’t give up easily. It’s good to see you, Axl. Everyone on your team should be around here somewhere.”

  “How did you manage to find us?” I discarded the Makroid weapon, helping myself to a familiar piece from the stockpile.

  “You have one of your acquirers to thank for that.” The general gestured at Natya. “When she sensed trouble, we tried to reach you, but all our attempts at contact failed. We picked up the cruiser’s signal at Echiles and went to investigate. Barthan pointed us in this direction.”

  “How is he?”

  One look at Isley’s puffy wet eyes gave me the answer. She shook her head sadly, laying her head on Natya’s shoulder. Even though he had betrayed me, he was still my friend. My throat constricted and I felt a stabbing pain twist around in my chest.

  “He’s in a better place now.” I cracked my neck and looked at the general. “Do you have a plan?”

  “The temple.” The Makroid pointed at the pillar with a skeletal finger. “I take you.” An excited hush fell over the room. “Come. Follow.”

  The Urwanians armed themselves and filed out of the cellar, leaving not a single bullet behind. The Makroid stopped in the middle of the street and lifted the cover off a utility hole. The putrid stench of dung and sewage assaulted my nose.

  “This way.” The Makroid appeared to be impervious to the smell.

  As he climbed down the ladder, the rest of us slipped into the darkness after him. I tossed the pillar down the hole straight into Christine’s open arms. Leaping into the breach, the Urwanians advanced slowly, avoiding a murky river of black sludge and an unidentifiable substan
ce dripping from the ceiling. The odor wasn’t the only obstacle in the tunnel. The terrain was hard to walk on and filled with insects.

  General Wasid reached the end of the tunnel first. “What is this place?”

  When I emerged, I looked up at a massive bronze mound behind me. We were back at the Royal Bubble again, only this time, we were at the rear. The Makroid appeared unaffected by the crowd of irate Urwanians chastising him. He pointed to a small knoll behind the bubble.

  “This is why I don’t trust any Makroid.” Tariq spat next to his boot. “If they aren’t being intentionally deceitful, they’re actually crazy!”

  “You’re not being fair.” Natya tried to reason with him. “We shouldn’t forget that they welcomed us into their homes.”

  As the Urwanians argued among themselves, Christine followed the Makroid to the foot of the knoll by herself. She got down onto her knees, grunting as she leaned against a boulder and pushed it aside. Did she see something?

  “Hey, guys?” She peeked behind the rock to get a better look. “Someone should bring the pillar over here!”

  We hurried to her side, standing uselessly around her. Beneath the boulder was a strange hollow in the ground. Its frame and interior were constructed from an unidentifiable copper-colored metal, embellished with carvings in Makroid and Urwanian script.

  It looked like a perfect fit for the pillar.

  Christine took the pillar from my hands and slid it into the opening. As I helped Christine to her feet, the ground started to shake.

  “Back!” The Makroid rushed around, pushing us away.

  The floor started to break apart. Clumps of dead grass and soil fell into the opening. A set of shiny copper steps appeared under the ground.

  “They’re here already! Stop them!”

  I cocked my head back. A horde of Makroid appeared with Lord Silas and Akuza at the rear. They carried weapons and started firing immediately. The Urwanian soldiers on our right were the first to fall.