by Anna Hackett
The aliens got closer. Their bootsteps echoed off the tunnel walls and she stared at their ugly, scaled faces.
She tried to feel sorry for them. Once, they’d been stolen from their worlds and changed into Gizzida.
But whoever they’d been before, those people, those beings, were long gone. Now, they followed the mindless directive to consume and destroy.
Tane touched her arm and she drew in a calming breath.
The raptors moved past them.
“Now,” Tane murmured.
He pushed away from the wall and they followed him. They darted out into the large area, heading toward the bomb. They moved in behind a stack of Gizzida gear. They paused for a second, then Tane nodded. They darted out again, heading toward a stack of black crates.
“Hold.”
Ducking down behind a crate, she ignored the blinking red lights on it. Instead, she watched Tane’s face. He was so strong, so focused. That’s what she’d first noticed about him, his rock-steady core of strength. It made her feel safe.
He nodded and they crept closer. The bomb was ahead of them—big and imposing.
Selena pulled in the syrupy, organic scent that filled the air. It made her nostrils burn.
She noted several Gizzida scientists close by—a little taller and less muscular than the main Gizzida soldiers. They were working at some of the comp stations and strange raptor symbols blinked on the black screens. Tane skirted away from them, and led them up to the octagon.
Selena took in the black metal that formed the bomb’s casing. She pressed her palm to it and was inundated with sensations—warmth, life, death.
“Tane, I need a boost,” Santha said.
The woman held up two clear, heavy-duty storage containers.
“Don’t touch the fluid,” Selena warned. They’d learned that the stuff burned.
Santha nodded. “Noah designed these containers to withstand anything.”
Tane knelt and cupped his hands together. Santha pressed her boot to his hands and he boosted her up. She clung to the edge of the bomb, which was open at the top, and reached inside.
“Got the first sample.” She paused. “And the second.”
Once Tane lifted her down, Santha passed the bottles to Selena. As Selena touched the containers, her fingers tingled. She lifted one up, looking at the brown fluid.
Hard to believe that this fluid was capable of infecting people, taking over their bodies, and turning them into Gizzida. How could they stop this?
“I’ve got two more,” Santha said.
Tane boosted her up again. But a second later, he muttered, “Think we may have trouble.”
Several raptors were congregating on the other side of the space, looking around. Like they were searching for someone.
“We need to go.” Tane lifted Santha down. “You got what you needed?”
“Yes.” Santha packed the containers into her backpack.
“Selena?” Tane murmured.
She nodded. She wasn’t sure there was anything she could do about defusing the bomb. She’d thought that seeing it would spark some kind of inspiration, a way for her to shut down these bombs.
But right now, she had nothing.
Tane pointed for them to leave. There would be time for her to think about the bombs later.
Slowly, Tane picked his way through the space, leading them away from the raptors. They slipped back into the tunnel.
Dev appeared out of the shadows, stepping inside their illusions. “I think the raptors know we’re here, or at least that something is off.”
Tane’s jaw firmed. “Let’s get—” He froze. “Raptors incoming.”
Selena swiveled and saw several jogging down another tunnel. Right at them.
Her pulse spiked. In only a few more meters, they’d be inside their illusion systems and see them.
Chapter Six
Fuck.
Tane watched the large group of raptors getting closer. They’d be on him and the others in a second, and then they were all fucked.
Selena brushed against him. She pressed her slim palm to the wall and closed her eyes.
What was she doing?
He glanced back at Santha and Devlin. Both had their combat knives drawn, faces tense.
Tane studied the raptors again. They might be able to take down all of them, but it wouldn’t be quiet. The aliens would definitely know they were here.
The ground vibrated.
What the hell?
A line of dust poured down from the ceiling.
He focused on Selena. Her face was strained, her fingers pressed hard against the concrete. The vibrations increased.
The raptors slowed, grunted, and looked around.
More dust rained down from above.
Tane looked up. Shit. Cracks were appearing in the tunnel ceiling.
He stepped closer to Selena.
The raptors were communicating in their guttural language, staring at the spider web of cracks overhead.
All of a sudden, a tree root speared down.
Hell. It slammed into a raptor. More roots followed, breaking through the concrete. Chunks fell on the raptors and more roots pushed down, filling the tunnel.
“Oh, my God,” Santha whispered.
The roots wrapped around the raptors. One fired his weapon, poison hitting the wall and some of the roots. The scent of burning filled the tunnel.
Selena’s face turned even paler than usual and was sheened with sweat. Her body started shaking.
Tane pressed against her back, his mouth to her ear. “Enough. They’re trapped.”
But Selena kept staring at the raptors. More roots moved and twisted. The raptors’ shouts filled the tunnel.
Tane wrapped an arm around her. Her heart was beating impossibly fast. “Selena, enough.”
She pulled her hand back from the wall and slumped against him.
“We can get out this way.” Dev pointed at a side tunnel.
Selena looked exhausted. Tane lifted her into his arms.
“Tane.” Her voice was low and shaky.
“Quiet.” She felt so small and light in his arms.
He followed Dev and Santha, moving fast. But with each step, he worried about Selena’s breathing. It was too fast.
He needed to get her out of here first, before he could do anything else.
Finally, they reached the external door, and Dev opened it. They stepped outside and Selena sucked in the cool, night air.
“Let’s put some distance between them and us.” Santha’s pale-green gaze fell on Selena. “She okay?”
“She will be,” Tane said.
They moved into the darkness, but instead of Selena calming down, her shaking increased, her chest rising and falling. Damn, he was worried that she was going to hyperventilate.
“Guys,” he said.
Santha and Dev turned. Both looked at Selena and frowned.
“Hell.” Santha moved closer. “What can we do for her?”
“I’m going to sit here with her for a bit.”
Santha nodded. “We’ll call in the Hawk for an extraction, and keep an eye on the perimeter. We won’t let anyone sneak up on us.” Santha paused. “What she did back there…she saved our asses.”
Not just their asses, but all of humanity. If the aliens had seen them, there was every chance they would’ve immediately detonated the bomb.
Santha and Devlin melded into the darkness. Tane found a clear spot and sat down, nestling Selena in his lap.
She was still shivering, her breathing raspy and harsh.
“It’s okay, Selena. I’m here. Deep breaths.”
Big, glassy eyes met his. He reached down and pulled her chest armor plate off. With that gone, she managed a larger breath. He took his gloves off and started rubbing her arms. The black T-shirt she wore beneath her armor was soaked with sweat.
“Slow your breathing,” he said.
“C-can’t.”
Her teeth were chattering, but she didn’t feel col
d, so he guessed this was some sort of shock. He kept stroking her arms. Then, without realizing what he was doing, he started humming to her.
She nestled her head in under his chin, and slowly, she relaxed against his chest.
“W-what’s…that song?”
“My mother used to sing it to us when we were kids. It’s a Maori song.”
“Maori?”
“The native people of the country I’m from. New Zealand. It’s a few hours’ flight east of here.”
She nodded. “I love that humans have so much variety, different histories, so many different physical combinations. On my world, everyone has pale skin, white hair, and green eyes.”
He stroked his hand up her back and cupped the base of her skull. He massaged there and saw her eyes flutter. “I love your hair, and your skin, and your eyes.”
Her chest hitched.
“Keep breathing,” he ordered. “Slow and steady.”
She nodded.
A flutter of color caught his eye and he saw a butterfly. Its wings were a brilliant blue and it moved around Selena’s face. A faint smile crossed her face and she let the creature land on her finger before she urged it to fly off. He’d seen it before in the Garden. Butterflies, birds, they were all attracted to her.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Overload. It’s hard to access and connect with the Earth’s energy through all the concrete.”
“You pushed yourself too hard.” He fought back a shot of anger that she’d risked herself like that.
“I knew you couldn’t fight them without giving us away.” Her hand slid up and cupped his cheek. “And I wanted to keep you safe.”
Fuck. No one, apart from his brothers and his squad, had ever thought about keeping him safe.
Her fingers stroked, moving to touch his lips. She wasn’t shaking anymore, and he felt that small touch right through his body.
“You make me feel safe, Tane. I haven’t felt completely safe since I was taken.”
A conflicting mass of emotion churned inside him.
Then she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his.
She was surrounded by Tane. His hands were on her, his big body pressed against hers.
Need throbbed inside Selena.
Now she finally felt the shape of those lips under hers. But he wasn’t moving, and her belly contracted to a hard point. Oh, no.
Then, his hand at the back of her neck clenched on her and his lips opened.
And Tane Rahia finally kissed her.
Oh. Oh.
He pulled her closer and they surged together. She gripped his broad shoulders, trying to get as close as she could.
His mouth moved over hers, like he was memorizing the shape of her lips. Then his tongue touched hers and she tasted him. It was the best flavor she’d ever known.
Selena moaned and he made a deep noise in his throat. She felt like flames were igniting throughout her, burning bright. She was on fire and it felt so good.
This. This was what she’d been waiting for.
She needed more.
She arched into Tane, boldly letting her tongue stroke his.
He lost some of his cool. His hand tangled in her hair, just hard enough to sting. She liked that too.
He angled her head, his kiss going deeper, turning rougher. Liquid heat rushed between her legs and she whimpered.
She rubbed against him, and one of his big hands cupped her bottom.
Oh, she wished their armor was gone. She wanted nothing between them. She wanted to feel him.
Selena ground down against him. She needed more. So much more—
He tore his head away, breaking the kiss.
She blinked, feeling adrift. Then she saw the hard look creeping over his rugged face.
“No,” she murmured. “Please—”
He set her down beside him, then rose, his body stiff. “Selena—”
She pushed up onto her knees. “I hunger for you.” She felt heat in her cheeks at her confession, but she was tired of hiding, of being afraid. “I want to be with you.”
Tane blew out a breath, his face in shadow. “I’m not the man for you.”
His words made her feel cold. Had she gotten this thing between them wrong? She scrambled to her feet. “I’m sorry if I read this wrong.”
“Come on.” His voice was harsh. “We need to find the others and get out of here.”
She frowned, rubbing her chest. She felt a little hurt, and a lot embarrassed. “You don’t need to be rude. I was wrong. I won’t try to kiss you again. I understand now that you don’t want to be with me.” She was so stupid. She was an alien, different, while Tane could have his pick of any woman he wanted.
He made a growling sound.
Before she knew what was happening, he yanked her toward him.
She hit his chest, and he pulled her up on her toes, and kissed her again. Kissed her like he was starving, or like he couldn’t breathe, and she was air.
It was hard and rough, and she loved it. She clutched his biceps, riding the hot wave of desire.
Then he dropped her back on her feet and she swayed.
He grabbed her arm to steady her.
Selena touched some fingers to her lips. They felt swollen, tingling. She was totally confused. “Um, Tane…”
“I’m attracted to you, that’s not the problem.”
“Oh. I have seen the way you watch me…”
Something flared in his dark eyes.
She pulled in a breath. “So, what is the problem?”
“I can’t give you what you want.”
“I’m not sure what I want.” She licked her lips. “I thought we could find out together.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw.
“No.” His voice was harsh, cutting. “If you want to explore sex, find another man to be your test subject.”
She sucked in a breath. Is that what he thought this was? That she was just experimenting?
“Tane—”
“It’s not going to be me. End of discussion.” He turned. “Now, let’s go.”
All kinds of emotions tumbled through Selena. But one of them was winning; a hurt that took her breath away.
Chapter Seven
Selena kept her arms wrapped around herself as they landed back at the Enclave.
She studiously avoided looking at Tane.
Her hand was hurting, badly. She glanced down. The scratch from the Gizzida bug was red and swollen. Pain throbbed up her arm.
“I’ll get these cubes to Noah and the tech team.” Devlin lifted the bag of data cubes he’d recovered. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and something on there will help us work out a way to stop the bomb.”
Beside him, Santha nodded. “I’ll come with you, after I drop the samples off to Emerson at the infirmary.”
“The general will want to debrief.” With a flex of muscles, Tane opened the side door of the Hawk.
Selena just wanted a hot shower and to snuggle with Fluffy. Her bird would help soothe her.
Tane leaped out, and she tried not to watch the easy athleticism of his body, or the way his muscles moved. His harsh words kept echoing in her ears.
He might want her, but not enough.
Well, screw him.
He reached up to lift her down, but she angled away. “I can get down myself.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. He grabbed her hand and she hissed in pain.
He frowned, and holding onto her wrist, turned her hand over.
“What the fuck?” Carefully, he touched her fingers, looking at the inflamed scratch.
“The bug must have had some sort of poison—”
“Infirmary,” he growled. “Now.”
“I’m going to shower first.”
“No, this needs looking at now.” His hard tone said he wasn’t going to argue.
“Are you a doctor?” she asked. “A medical expert on Florum physiology?” She tugged on her hand, but he held tight.
“You�
��re going to the infirmary, even if I have to carry you.”
Selena glanced at Santha, and saw the woman watching them with great interest.
“We can take the samples to Emerson,” Tane said.
“Okay.” Santha handed the bag over.
“Tane.” Selena struggled to keep a hold on her temper. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He glanced at her face. “Fine.” He swung the sample bag onto his broad shoulder.
Selena felt an irrational stab of disappointment at his easy capitulation, but straightened to her full height. Good. She was going to have her shower—
Then Tane dipped, lifted her off her feet, and tossed her over his shoulder.
She gasped. “Tane!”
He ignored her. She heard Devlin and Santha laughing, then they strode past a surprised-looking Holmes. The general’s eyebrows rose.
“We’ll debrief later,” Tane said. “Selena needs the infirmary.”
“Is she hurt?” The general called after them.
“Yes.”
“No.” Selena huffed out a breath and looked up. “It’s a scratch.”
“We got the samples. I’ll give them to Emerson.” Then Tane strode out of the hangar and into the corridor.
His long legs ate up the distance to the infirmary. Even though it was late, they passed a few people who watched them wide-eyed.
Selena didn’t bother fighting him. When they entered the infirmary, Emerson appeared with a flap of her lab coat.
“I was just about to leave for the night,” the doctor asked. “Is Selena all right?”
“Yes,” Selena insisted.
“No.” Tane set her down. “Bug scratched her. Looks poisoned.”
Selena tried again. “It’s—”
“Sit.” Emerson pointed to a bunk.
Glaring at Tane, Selena flounced over and sat on the bunk.
“We got your samples.” He set the bag on the bench.
Emerson’s face lit up. “Excellent.”
“You don’t need to stay,” Selena said to Tane.
He just folded his arms over his chest and planted his feet.
The doc lifted Selena’s hand and made an unhappy sound. She pulled a scanner out of her pocket. “This has got to hurt.”
“Yes,” Selena conceded.
“You should’ve said something in the Hawk,” Tane growled.
