Her Alien Protector

by Siren Allen

  “Please tell me I’m not going to become a vampire now that I’ve drank from you twice?” She asked, wiping away the blood from her lips.

  “No.” He didn’t say more, couldn’t, angered by the repulsion in her eyes.

  He turned to her guards. “More soldiers are coming. You’re not fit to fight. My blood can heal your wounds,” he told them. “You won’t turn.”

  They shook their heads. Idiots.

  “You’d rather die than save your people. You can barely lift those guns you’re holding. Do you not have mates? Little ones?”

  The guards looked at each other then shared a glance with Lark. She nodded her head. When their eyes landed on him, he could see they were ready. He cut both his wrists and held them to their mouths, allowing them to drink. Behind him, Lark asked a question.

  “You’ve been shot,” she told him. “You’ve slit your wrist three times and still you live. Are you able to die or are you already dead, like I thought?”

  Wouldn’t she like to know? Raynor let out a dry chuckle. “I’m already dead. I died the moment you chose that sex demon over me.”

  Lark would’ve said more, but the sound of footsteps racing toward them prompted her to action. She stood from her chair. “They’re coming. I need weapons.”

  “Sit down,” he told her as pulled his wrists away from her guards. Their wounds were already closing. He helped them to their feet. To the guards he asked, “How many rounds do those guns hold?”

  The one they called Manuel replied, “These hold 200 chambers, rapid fire.”

  “Good, use them all.”

  The guards nodded, turned and kneeled, guns at the ready as they waited on their enemies to make it to their location. Raynor turned to Lark to find her still standing.

  “I told you to sit down.”

  “I can’t sit down,” Lark shouted. “I have to help you fight them.”

  Raynor laughed. “I don’t need your help. The only thing I need from you is blood. Until I leave this awful place, you’re my food. I won’t allow you to get yourself killed. Now sit down and shut up.”

  It was no surprise when she didn’t obey him. “I may be your food, but I’m not your slave or your soldier. You can’t tell me what to do.”

  He took a step closer to her, not sure what he was about to do. He didn’t have to find out. Gun fire turned his attention back to the task at hand. Manuel and Nathaniel were firing at anyone who dared turn the corner.

  From the loading dock he heard someone calling, “Fall back, fall back. How the hell did you lose our prisoner? My father is going to be pissed.”

  So that was the Prince. Raynor was going to enjoy killing him.

  “Send in the drones.”

  Shit. Drones.

  “We need more weapons,” Lark said from behind him. “Drones have cameras on them and they can shoot…

  “I know what the hell a drone can do.” He didn’t need her to tell him. He didn’t need her to do anything, other than be there when he was thirsty. Ignoring Lark, he asked her guards, “Where can we go to get more weapons?”

  “Follow me,” Manuel told him.

  The guard led them away from the loading dock. Raynor stared over his shoulder to find Lark still rooted in the same spot he’d left her. The drones were coming. What the hell was her problem?

  He strode over to her, growing angrier with each step he took. “Did you not understand my words when I told you, you’re my food and I’m not allowing you to die while I’m here?”

  “Those are my males and I command them not you.”

  Was she pouting at a time like this? “Right now, I command them. Now come on, we have to leave.”

  “You don’t have to treat me like this, Raynor. I tried to apologize for what I…”

  Fuck this. He tossed her over his shoulder. She beat against his back. “If you scream or make a sound you will lead them to us, thus getting your males killed. Is that what you want?” She stilled and he kept walking, following Manuel who frowned at him before resuming leading the way.

  He didn’t care if this offended her people. He wasn’t going to let her pride get her killed. As soon as this was over, she could once again be in charge of her helpless citizens. He wanted off this planet ASAP.

  As he moved swiftly down the corridors he ignored the pain he felt at the thought of leaving Lark behind. Thrown over his shoulder, she gripped him tightly as she bounced against him.

  He could feel her breasts pressed against his back and being a male, he reacted. But that was all it was, his body reacting to stimulus. She was sexy. She was his mate. Of course he would want her. But she didn’t want him.

  His cousin, Keefe, once told him that feeling unwanted by your mate was the worst feeling in the world. Raynor now knew what he’d meant. He was experiencing that agony first hand.

  Yet, he refused to be like Keefe, to spend his existence alone and mourning a female who turned her back on him. Keefe was not the warrior he used to be. His mind was slowly deteriorating.

  By the time Raynor saw him again, his cousin probably wouldn’t recognize him. Soon they would have to put Keefe out of his misery. Raynor would not allow that to happen to himself.

  Raynor would move on. His body would learn to crave another and if that proved difficult, he would condition himself to crave another. He would do whatever he had to in order to get past this hurt.

  He could hear the buzzing of drones. And though he and his squad were moving quickly, the drones were gaining on them. Lark’s heart was racing, he could hear it thumping in her chest, could smell her fear.

  “Manuel, we’re not going to make it to the weapons,” Raynor told the guard.

  “This way,” Manuel told them. “They won’t be able to get in here.” It was a chute in the wall. “This is where we toss our dirty uniforms. It’ll probably smell horrible, but the drones won’t be able to enter.”

  Raynor nodded and set Lark on her feet. Once down, she glared at him before turning and following her males into the chute. Raynor was the last to enter. He eyed their surroundings one last time before opening the chute and sliding down.

  When his feet connected with the ground he jumped up, never wanting to slide down a chute again. What he found in their dirty laundry area surprised him. A group of Venusians were huddled together, hiding out from the intruders.

  Lark was moving from one person to the next, checking on them, ensuring that they were okay. He watched as Manuel punched in a code on a large cabinet looking thing. When he opened it, Raynor realized it wasn’t a cabinet at all. It was a food supply unit.

  He began distributing bottles of water and what looked like what his kind called crackles to the people. Raynor took in the area. So far, the intruders had not found this location.

  “Your males,” Raynor said to Manuel as the male strode over to him. “The traitors, they know of this room, correct?”

  “Yes. It’s the laundry area. We keep a food storage unit here in case the laundry crew gets hungry.”

  Raynor didn’t comment on how pampered Lark’s people were. Instead he asked, “Why haven’t they looked here, the traitors?”

  “Truthfully, I do not know. I can only assume they didn’t think our people would hide here. We have escape plans in place in the event that we are under attack. Most of our people were able to make it to the escape pods.”

  “How do you know this?” Raynor could sense Lark moving closer to them, listening.

  “My wife told me.”

  “Did she make it out?”

  Manuel smiled. “She did. She and others are en route to Area 51. We were able to get all of the labor and delivery patients and babies on pods and out before things went to hell. Our scientists are there waiting for them. They will be given shelter until we send word that it is safe to return home.”

  “What of those who didn’t make it to their pods?”

  “For those who didn’t make it to their pods, we have a Rover dock stationed outside the dome. T
here’s an archway that leads to it. Lining the archway is protective gear to shelter foreigners from the solar flares. Nathaniel led many of our people to the dock and watched them board the rovers and began the journey to Aphrodite Terra. Aphrodite is expecting them.”

  “This place cannot send help?”

  “Their crafts are now down also. I assume our enemies were planning to attack there next. The location is on lock down with only the back loading dock accepting rovers. We wanted to send more people there on rovers, but our traitors bombed our vehicles right after Nathaniel’s mate and kids boarded the rover and left.”

  “Did they safely make it out?”

  “Yes, but the rest of the rovers are destroyed.”

  Raynor nodded. “We do not need rovers. We will not run. We will fight. How many soldiers are still loyal to Lark?”

  “Not many and most of those who were are now dead.”

  He heard Lark sigh. He ignored her. “How can you tell who is for you from those who are against you?”

  “You mean other than the fact that they’re trying to kill me?” Manuel joked.

  Raynor didn’t smile.

  Manuel cleared his throat. “I’ve noticed that the ones who’ve been trying to kill me are all wearing ear pieces. We don’t use those, only handheld Stat-Phones. I believe they are using the device to communicate with the Prince.”

  They had such devices on his world. “Do you have the ability to scramble the signal?”

  “Yes, and I thought of that. But I fear it will scramble all signals across the planet. We will have no way to reach those on the other side of our world. Right now, they are safe, they are our haven. Their crafts can’t fly, but they still have rovers. They are currently sending more soldiers to our aid. I need the lines of communication open to them.”

  “And there’s no way you can keep that channel open and disconnect others?”

  “I cannot. We only had a small communications team at this site. I fear they are all dead.”

  “And there was no one else who learned how to work these devices?” Had these people never heard of cross training?

  “Lola could, possibly Farah. I fear I have not heard from either of them.”

  “Lola is safe.” Lark chose that moment to enter the conversation. “She escaped in her pod. I pray Farah did the same. Lola tried showing me how to work the channels. I admit, I rarely paid attention, choosing to show more interest in weapons that communication. But I remember a little of what she taught me. I could try to turn off that particular channel.”

  Raynor nodded. “Can you do it from here?”

  “No, I would have to get to one of the main computers. We have one on the loading dock, but that’s never going to happen. There’s one in my office, one in Manuel’s office and one in the main server room.”

  “Which is the closest?”

  Lark thought for a moment. “The one in Manuel’s office. Manuel, come with me and we will…”

  “Not happening,” Raynor shut that idea down before it could be voiced. “You will not leave my side.”

  Lark rolled her eyes. “Manuel will be with me.”

  “Not happening,” he repeated. “I will go with you.”

  “Raynor, I can do this, you do not have to chaperone me.”

  “I have my reasons.” Food, that was the only reason, he told himself. The darkness disagreed. He turned his attention to the others in the room. “Are any of you able to fight?” A few stepped forward.

  Raynor turned to Manuel. “Take one of them with you. Go find one of your weapons closets that haven’t been raided yet. Load up on weapons and return here undetected. Don’t forget they have drones roaming the halls. Lark and I will try to disconnect the connection they have…”

  “What if…”

  “If we can’t disconnect it without hindering the connection to your aid, we will not disconnect at all,” Raynor promised the guard.

  “After we get the weapons, what will you have us do?” Manuel asked him. He could feel Lark’s distress over this.

  Though he cared not for her feelings, he still turned to her. “What would you have your males do while they wait for us?” If he didn’t agree with her decision he would shut it down. The fact that he was willing to listen to her input at all surprised him.

  You still want her, the curse that only spoke to him directly when he was on the battlefield, chose that moment to speak up. Raynor ignored it. When it came to strategizing, his darkness was helpful.

  When it came to matters of the heart, his darkness was just as clueless as he was. For a moment Lark appeared surprised that he was asking her for her suggestions. She pushed her hair over her shoulder before answering.

  “After you retrieve the weapons, wait here. The drones didn’t see which way we went, but it won’t be long before the traitors figure it out. If we are not back in one hour, lead the wounded to my father’s library. You know the code to his secret door. The corridor there leads to the outside. There should be a storage unit there with protective gear inside. Try to make it to Aphrodite on foot if you have to.”

  “I’m not leaving here without you,” Manuel told her.

  “You have to. These people come before me. Manuel, do not argue with me on this. Your mate is pregnant, she needs you. You’re the only person I trust to lead our people in case I don’t make it. Okay?”

  Manuel nodded. “If you are not here within an hour I will get them to safety. I will come back with the soldiers, to help take back our home.”

  “I expect you to,” Lark grinned.

  Raynor watched the exchange between the two of them, not sensing any desire, nothing more than friendship and mutual respect. Good. He would’ve hated to kill Manuel in front of Lark and their small group of survivors.

  Lark turned to him. “I’m ready.”

  Raynor stepped forward. He didn’t know what they were going to experience out there. He needed another taste of her, just to ensure he had enough strength to protect them once they were out in the open once again.

  “I need strength for what’s to come.”

  “Okay.” Her eyebrow raised in confusion. Then it dawned on her and she blushed, glancing around the room. He could sense the shame she was experiencing. He knew how she felt about him. It shouldn’t anger him when he sensed it.

  It did.

  Raynor stepped closer to her. “Now.” He whispered, voice cold.

  “Not here,” she whispered back.

  “Now, or I don’t help. I’ll leave you and your people here.”

  “And where will you go? You’re in just as much danger as we are.”

  “I have ways of leaving here, ways you wouldn’t understand.” A lie. She believed it.

  “You would leave my people, who are helpless and wounded, to suffer?”

  “I’m a vampire, aren’t I? A monster? Why should I care about you or your people?” She flinched and he immediately regretted his words.

  “Please Raynor,” she whispered. “Not here.”

  The way she said please was what got through to him. “Have it your way, this time. I won’t drink here, but as soon as we reach our destination, you will pay up.” His voice lacked some of the hardness it had held earlier.

  Lark nodded, eyes misty with tears.

  Her tears would not sway him. Raynor gestured toward the door. “Lead the way.”

  She turned and he followed, ignoring the darkness beating against him, punishing him for hurting her. How easily his beast had forgotten that she was the one who hurt them first. If they allowed her too, she would hurt them again.

  Raynor would never allow that to happen.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The journey to reach Manuel’s office didn’t take long.

  Only once did Raynor sense danger and that was when he heard the buzzing of a drone. He was able to cloak himself and Lark before the object reached them. It sped past in search of life forms. They remained undetected.

  They found Manuel’s offic
e trashed with books and debris everywhere. Raynor followed Lark inside. Seeming to know exactly where to go, she climbed over toppled cabinets and furniture and headed to the back wall.

  Raynor shoved the objects to the side as he followed her. “Where are you going, ma… Lark?” He’d almost called her mate.

  Ignoring him, she placed her hand on the back wall.

  “Lark, what are you doing? Ignore me again and I will leave you and your people to your own defense.”

  She took a deep breath and stared over her shoulder at him. “The device is kept in a separate room, a secret room that only I and my most trusted male knew about. Thankfully, the only male I trust is Manuel.”

  It was Raynor’s turn to flinch from the glare in her eyes. She resumed rubbing her hand over the wall. “Found it.” She pushed in. Raynor watched a small square part of the wall dip in.

  “How do you know where to push?”

  “I find the hollow spots.” She rubbed her hands over more of the wall, finding six more spots and pushing them in.

  When she stepped back, he realized it was like a puzzle. Once the last piece was pushed in, the wall slowly began to open revealing a room full of computers, monitors and other devices he couldn’t name.

  She moved to enter the room and he quickly made it to her side and pushed her behind him. He would be the first to enter. If there were any threats inside he would kill them before they could hurt her.

  “What the hell, Raynor,” she called from behind him, so close that he felt her breath at his neck. It took every bit of strength he had not to shiver in response. That angered him. He didn’t want to react to her.

  “There could’ve been someone inside. If you die, I’ll have to find another food source.” He stepped into the room and surveyed it quickly. Once he was sure it was safe, he stepped back and allowed her to enter.

  She rolled her eyes before stepping over the threshold and heading for the corner of the room. Raynor stood guard at the entrance. A drone or traitorous guard could find them at any moment.