Mad Panther (Alien Guardians of Earth Book 2)

by Donna McDonald

  They were nearly out the front door when Gina was tackled hard from the side. The leather journal and book were thrown into the air.

  Sugar spun quickly and caught the journal in her hand.

  The book thumped loudly to the floor.

  "Gina!" Lake turned hot eyes to their attacker.

  The male held a cocked and ready to shoot gun to Gina's neck.

  Lake raised his hands in the air. "It's okay. Just don't hurt her."

  25

  "Disobey me and she diessss," the man said.

  While the attention was on Lake, Sugar hung back and retrieved the book from the floor. She shoved it down into the pillowcase along with the journal. Only then did she move forward to stand by Lake's side. "He's a hybrid shifter rather than a natural one."

  "Get your hands into the air, woman."

  "Shifter?" Lake repeated.

  "Man-beast combo," Sugar explained. "Not like Axel."

  "You! I know yooouuuu," the man hissed, his forked tongue making a show with every word. His scaly arm tightened around Gina's throat. She clawed at his hold but seemed unable to break free.

  Holding one hand up, Sugar used the other to set the full pillowcase on the floor. Then she held up both hands while he glared directly at her.

  "Youuu killlled those sent to get yooouuuu."

  Sugar winced. "Sorry I had to kill your snake and bat friends, but to be fair, they attacked me first."

  "You will do as I sayyyy or I will kill the girllll."

  "If you kill her, then we'll kill you for sure," Sugar stated flatly, rolling her eyes. "Let her go, and we'll let you go. You know you're not going to walk away from this. That's the only option you have to continue living."

  "Give me what they seek," he demanded. "I want the blade of gold. They will change me back if I give it to them."

  "Can I lower my hands? I've got to take off some clothes to show it to you," Sugar said as moved them down and slowly began unbuttoning her shirt.

  The man watched both her and Lake. Sugar looked down and pretended far more discomfort than she felt about his staring.

  Lake, can you hear me? Look at me if you can.

  Sugar raised her face as Lake's eyes cut to her. His gaze dropped to watch her unbuttoning her shirt.

  I said look, Junior. I didn't say leer.

  Sugar turned and narrowed her gaze as she looked at the snake man. "Is this what you want?" she asked, putting a hand to the gold trident embedded in her chest.

  "Yesss… remove it from your person."

  Sugar winced. "Well, you see, that's a problem because it's permanently joined to me."

  "Not true," he hissed, dragging Gina backward.

  "You got a gun to my friend's head. I'm not going to lie to you."

  I'm going to distract him, Lake, so Gina gets a chance to break free.

  What if he shoots you? Lake asked

  The artifact will heal me. It's done it before.

  But…

  Sugar bit her lip and pretended to get nervous. "Can I remove my shirt completely? The gold wraps all the way around. I think if I show you all of it, you'll understand the problem I have with just handing it over to you."

  "Do what you must. Hurry," he hissed.

  Sugar pulled the cloth free of her slacks and removed it from her body. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra. Keeping her eyes on Gina who was staring at her in shock, she nodded and swept the bra from her body.

  The man stared as her ample breasts bounced free and his grip on the gun wavered just enough.

  Gina grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder to the floor, but he grabbed her leg as she started to run.

  Lake's hands dropped from the air. He touched his chest and called out for help and the blade took him over swiftly.

  By the time Lake's body reached the still hissing man, the blade inside him had formed a blue lightning bolt in his fingers. Protector Lake held it over the man's chest and then plunged it home. The snake man stopped squirming and hissing.

  "Come with me. He won't harm you now," Protector Lake said as he held out a hand and pulled Gina around the creature to safety.

  "Did you take its life?" Gina asked

  "We will see shortly," Protector Lake said.

  They walked back to where Sugar was getting re-dressed. She smiled at Lake. “Good call. If you'd changed too soon, he'd have killed her without a thought. It was his every intention to kill all three of us once he had what he wanted."

  Protector Lake nodded. "Agreed. I saw that was his motivation."

  Gina looked between them. "You weren't afraid for yourselves, were you? You were only concerned for me."

  Sugar shrugged as she answered the still startled Gina. "You fight well, but those creatures are not normal. Someone is making hybrid soldiers. They seemed to be blackmailing them into becoming those strange shifters."

  Sugar turned her most serious expression to Gina's rescuer. "Lake, I hope you can hear this. I think your father was connected to the people who did this. I also think it was something he wanted you to know."

  They heard the snake man call out as the lightning bolt turned to energy and disappeared inside him. He changed back to his human self as they watched.

  "What did you do?" Gina asked in amazement.

  "It was a programming reset. I restored the snake man's DNA to its original settings. He could have died from the reversal. It was a risk but a logical one. He was full of doubt about what he claimed. I don't think those who did this to him can undo it yet. They would have changed back one or two to convince their victims."

  "Will they be able to figure out how you undid their Frankensteining?" Sugar asked as she tucked in her shirt.

  Protector Lake blinked and took a moment before answering. “I am unable to predict the long term results from my intervention.”

  Sugar went over and pulled the still groaning man to his feet. "Look, buddy. You're back to normal now. Get the hell out of here and don't go back to those bastards. If I come across you again, you're dead."

  The man looked at his now human arms and hands and nodded. "Thank you," he said with sincerity and limped away, glancing fearfully at a still blue-covered Lake.

  Gina turned to look at the being who had abilities that stunned her. This was no living computer as Sugar thought it was. This being was making ethical decisions every moment. "Why did you spare his life instead of killing him?"

  "The original Protector is programmed for destruction. That sentient blade spares only those of absolute good. Judgment for all else is swift and deadly. Only the Destroyer blade is swifter to take a life. My programming was done differently."

  "What is your programming?" Gina asked.

  "To teach lessons against evil. To eradicate as a last resort. To protect all life when possible—even those that appear evil."

  "And the Creator blade? What is its programming?"

  "To create is divine work."

  Sugar grabbed up the pillowcase and headed to the door. "Come on, children. Let's save the chitchat until we're back in our flying saucer. We don't know how many more of those snake men are around here. Frankly, I'd just as soon not have to deal with any more of them today."

  Lake, still under the influence of the blade, turned instantly to obey Sugar's suggestion to leave. Gina stopped him with a touch on his arm.

  She glanced outside at Sugar dodging all the bodies in front of the house as she escaped with Lake's belongings.

  "Before we follow, I need to ask you another question," Gina said quietly.

  "As you wish."

  He paused and gave her his full attention. Gina searched his gaze and wondered again where the real Lake had gone inside his own body.

  "I need to know—were you a human before you were a sentient blade?" Gina asked softly.

  "My essence was alive and part of a human. Is this not your real question?" he asked.

  "Yes. That was my real question."

  Gina nodded as they began t
o move along again. Lake's fingers on her arm gently pushed her forward. She ignored the still bodies as best she could when they were forced to step over them.

  "Who were you back in the beginning—back before you went into hosts? Where did your essence come from? Did someone take it from you against your will?”

  "I was a human who was beloved by Athena. I was dying as all humans do. She gave that part of me energetic immortality. I gave sentience to one of her most valuable creations."

  Startled to hear her fears completely confirmed, Gina let Lake and his blade pull her back to the airship. She was glad the craft was able to apply reverse directions without the need for further programming. Luckily, flying was second nature to her, and she was grateful for her muscle memory today.

  By the time the airship lifted into the sky, the blue energy of the blade had all but disappeared back inside Lake's body. An exhausted human male now slept in her passenger seat.

  Gina studied Lake's profile. What did his father mean about Lake having been prepared to host the blade? Marta had mentioned no anomalies in any of his human genomes. Nothing indicated her father or Sugar had been in any way prepared.

  "Is the trip home going to be just as fast?" Sugar asked.

  "No. We must fly much slower. Lake being in recovery instead of fully alert requires a modification of our speed."

  Sugar sighed. "Damn—that sucks. Lake did well today. I thought he handled hearing about his father pretty well considering all we learned."

  Gina nodded absently. "Yes. His father's story may always be a weighty emotional burden for him to carry. Lake—his blade—it spared the snake man's life. That action greatly surprised me."

  Sugar nodded. “My blade would not have done that. I was surprised about that action as well. How many hours…"

  "Four and a half," Gina said quickly. "Can we stop talking now? I need to think and to keep my focus on our return."

  "Sure. Right. Shut up, Sugar," Sugar joked as she leaned back. "Guess I'll nap too then. I can feel the adrenaline wearing off. Wake me if there's a crisis."

  "I will be sure and do so," Gina promised.

  Once Sugar had fallen asleep, Gina let the silence of the airship wrap around her.

  Sugar and Lake's blade had worked together to save her life today. Then for whatever reasons Lake's blade had restored the snake man to his human self. Now she was transporting the two sentient blade hosts while they recovered.

  Plus, somewhere in the craft was a pillowcase filled with a journal and a sad letter from Lake's father that still held secrets.

  In the bigger picture, they had accomplished their original mission, but at the cost of all Lake's beliefs about his life.

  She had unfortunately confirmed her worst fears about the blades being more than mechanical. Now she had to decide what to do with the information.

  "When will I learn that not all knowledge is helpful?" she grumbled to herself. "I am as bad as Lake's father."

  Had Athena used the life energy of actual people to make the blades? Along with others before her, Gina had personally created many versions of artificial intelligence in her studies. There was always some point in the creation where it was apparent that the artificial being had no genuine life spark.

  Were there beings out in the known universe who truly had mastered what Athena had done with the sentient blades?

  Lake’s blade had informed that she had the energy of the original Creator. Was she truly that kind of being?

  The blades obviously had a life spark.

  They had personality, mental capacities, and wit. When they were in control of their hosts, you knew you were dealing with an advanced life form as well as the human in the body.

  The blades had their own thoughts, decision-making abilities, and they listened to you when you communicated with them. Lake's blade listened well and seemed very anxious for Gina to accept its presence in Lake.

  The blades could function independently—even in their hibernation states—yet sought a host. They needed their hosts to become a complete being.

  Today the blade acting in Lake had chosen to show mercy for reasons it had attempted to explain to her. Gina knew that wasn't the product of programming.

  Mercy was not a mathematical probability. The choice to save a life was an ethical one requiring a moral standard from which to make it.

  Had the sentient blade genuinely been human once? It had told Gina no. But alive? Yes, what it was had been alive. Was it speaking of what remained after the death of the body? If so, how did Athena capture it and transfer it into what she created?

  Gina's mind was in turmoil from her need to know for sure what the sentient blades were. She would study the journal Lake's father left him. She would look for her own answers.

  Her father had merged with his blade long before her parents created children together. Had part of that original blade essence passed on to the four of them? What about the essence of any previous host?

  Now she wanted to know if Lake Wright was becoming possessed by another actual person. She needed to find out whether or not anything of the man she detested most of the time would survive the extended merger.

  She had never cared this much for anyone outside of her family. Lake was proving to be her one exception.

  She turned to look at the quietly sleeping man in her passenger seat and wondered if she would ever understand her motivation to take care of him.

  26

  "Order me to escort him. I need his full attention."

  Nyomi lifted an eyebrow at her daughter's request. "I thought Lake annoyed you."

  "Do not ask me to explain what I cannot."

  "Very well," Nyomi said. She took in a breath to project her command above the noise of the crowd. "Lake Allen Wright, Savior of Rodu, come to the throne."

  Gina watched as Lake stopped smiling and talking to the three females surrounding him. He frowned as he headed to answer her mother's summons.

  Nyomi watched the brass young human lift his chin in defiance even as he bowed to her. He would prove to be a challenge for her daughter. She hoped Gina's fascination with him didn't get prolonged.

  "Gina, you will escort Lake this evening. See to that his needs are met."

  Gina turned to look at her mother and found her parent fighting not to smile. "As you wish," she said tightly, wondering when her mother had developed such humor. Sugar had that effect on all of them.

  She walked down from the dais where the royals sat and bowed her head to Lake. "I asked my mother to do that for me," she admitted in a whisper.

  Lake grinned. "Really? Giving in to my charms finally?"

  "No," Gina answered. "But I wished to speak with you privately.”

  Lake held out his arm. "Let's take a walk. I hear we no longer have to have a guard."

  Gina slipped her arm through his. His familiarity was growing on her. She searched for the blade's essence but could not find it in Lake's eyes.

  "It said to tell you that it doesn't work as you imagine. It said to remind you that he and I are becoming one being.”

  Gina felt uncomfortable with Lake knowing about her curiosity. "I regret if I have offended you."

  "Which of us do you like best?" Lake asked.

  Gina turned to him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

  Lake slipped her arm from his. "I heard everything. I know what you talked about and I sense your concern for me. But I can't compete with your interest in him. It's bad enough I have to deal with him talking in my head. I don't need you talking to him when you're with me."

  Gina nodded. "As unfathomable as it seems, I accept your chastisement as truth." She put her hands on both Lake's arms. "I do not know who you are or what the blade is. I only know that I care about your continued existence as the human you were born to be. Everything about what I feel confuses me."

  Lake took her hand and pulled her into a corner behind one of the many columns. "You confuse me too. Let's see if I can find us both some clarity."
>
  His lips descended to hers and brushed lightly. A purring sound escaped her throat and Lake stepped closer to feel her more fully. His mouth explored hers and his body heated. It was the hardest thing in the world to let her go. She felt like home to him when he'd never had one. That made him far too needy to be fair to either of them.

  Gina touched his lips and sighed in resignation. "I am no longer opposed to us arranging a social engagement."

  Lake laughed and pulled Gina away from the column. "And we'll have one—when I'm sure that I'm going to be the one enjoying it. I have to be sure the blade won't be taking over in the middle of things."

  Gina lifted her chin. "That is a logical concern in your circumstances."

  "Will you wait for me?"

  Gina turned and lifted an eyebrow. "Wait for you? It is customary for partners to seek complementary peaks of pleasure, but if you wish to achieve yours first—I suppose I can concede. You will have to make it up to me though. I am difficult to satisfy."

  Lake held up a hand, blushed completely, and then laughed at himself. What else could he do?

  "No. Honey. That's not… bloody hell, you're literal. I'm a bastard at times, but I would never do that to you."

  Gina shook her head. "We have much to learn of each other."

  Lake snorted. "Starting with how I'm going to be able to keep you from hating me on a daily basis."

  "The probability of us getting along consistently well is very low. However, the probability of me getting along with your blade is not any higher. I think I prefer working things out with you."

  “That surprises me,“ Lake said with a laugh. "You're not buying the whole ‘we are one' thing, are you?"

  Gina shook her head. "Not yet. Perhaps I will be convinced in time. I understand from records I've read that you and the blade cannot be separated without death occurring for you. Therefore, I will strive to get used to—Protector Lake when he appears.”

  “I’m having to get used to Protector Lake as well," Lake said and squeezed her hand as they walked.