Page 23 of Alien Warrior’s Claim (Nyxari Bondmates #1)

MIRELLE

T he warning came through our bond first—Lazrin's consciousness flaring across our connection like a solar flare. I jolted awake in darkness, my silver markings already illuminating the room before his message crystallized in my mind.

They're here.

Hammond's forces had abandoned ultimatums and deadlines, choosing the tactical advantage of a pre-dawn assault. My danger sense shifted beneath my skin, narrowing from ambient awareness to specific coordinates of approaching threats.

I was on my feet and armed within seconds, pulling on clothing as I mentally mapped threat vectors. Through our shared bond, I sensed Lazrin rallying warriors at the settlement's western edge where the first attackers had breached our warning systems.

"Rivera," I called, knowing she would have sensed the approaching weapons through her enhanced perception. She appeared at my door moments later, her own markings glowing with battle readiness.

"Northern quadrant first," she reported without preamble. "Twenty attackers with energy weapons. More following with conventional arms. They're using the tree cover for approach."

"Get Jen and evacuate the wounded to the central chambers," I instructed, checking my blade. "Then position yourself where you can track their movements. We need real-time intelligence on their formations."

Another consciousness brushed against mine—Jen's enhanced hearing having detected our conversation even through walls. Already moving the wounded. Fifteen more attackers approaching from the east. They're discussing capturing marked women alive.

The first explosion rocked the settlement as I emerged into the chaos. A ball of white-hot energy tore through our outer perimeter, illuminating the night sky with unnatural brilliance. Hammond had clearly modified The Seraphyne's emergency flares into crude but effective explosive devices.

Warriors moved with practiced discipline, engaging the first wave of attackers. Through our bond, I tracked Lazrin's position as he coordinated the defense, his tactical mind processing threats and responses with remarkable clarity. His consciousness remained a steady beacon within mine as I raced toward the northern perimeter.

A second explosion illuminated the settlement, closer this time. The concussive force knocked several defenders from their feet. Through the ringing in my ears, I heard Talia shouting directions as she gathered other marked women at a defensive position.

"They're targeting us specifically!" she called as I joined them. "Energy weapons on non-lethal settings!"

My markings flared with renewed heat, confirming her assessment. Hammond wanted the marked women alive—for "decontamination" or worse. The thought hardened my resolve as I positioned myself at the defensive line.

"Distribute yourselves based on abilities," I ordered the gathered women. "Rivera, high ground for perception. Jen, centralized for communication relay. Talia, prepare your containment compounds at choke points."

The women moved with practiced efficiency, each leveraging her unique abilities as we'd planned. Through our shared bond, I felt Lazrin's approval as our defensive strategy unfolded according to our preparations.

A group of Hammond's forces emerged from the treeline, energy weapons raised. They advanced in military formation, their movements betraying formal training. At their center stood Martinez, his expression grim as he directed the assault.

"Take the marked females alive!" he shouted, his voice carrying through the pre-dawn air. "Use restraint protocols!"

My danger sense flared a heartbeat before they fired. I dropped to one knee, pulling Elana down beside me as energy bolts sizzled through the space where we'd stood. The bolts carried a bluish tinge—modified to stun rather than kill, confirming Hammond's intent to capture rather than eliminate.

Through our shared connection, I felt Lazrin's position shift as he sensed my immediate danger. Hold your position, I sent through our bond. I'm unharmed. They're using stun settings.

His acknowledgment came with a mixture of relief and tactical assessment. I felt him redirecting warriors to intercept the advancing forces, creating a coordinated defense despite the chaos.

"Flank left," I directed the women with me. "Use the low wall for cover. Rivera, can you target their weapons?"

From her elevated position, Rivera's silver markings pulsed as she extended her unique perception. "Second attacker from the right—his power cell is unstable. Third from left has a hairline fracture in his weapon housing."

I relayed the information to the defenders. A well-placed shot from one of our scavenged weapons struck the unstable power cell, causing it to detonate in a shower of sparks. The explosion disoriented the attackers, creating an opening for our counterattack.

We surged forward as a unified force, marked women and Nyxari warriors exploiting the opening with synchronized efficiency. My blade struck strategic points—incapacitating rather than killing, eliminating threats without unnecessary bloodshed. Through our connection, I detected Lazrin's parallel approach, his physical advantages disabling multiple attackers with clinical precision.

For precious minutes, we held the northern perimeter. Then a massive explosion tore through the eastern boundary, far larger than the previous detonations. The ground beneath my feet trembled violently, nearly sending me sprawling.

Hammond's forces have breached the eastern wall, Lazrin's consciousness reported. They're moving toward the central chambers.

I pivoted immediately, signaling the defenders to split formation. "Talia, hold this position! Rivera, Elana, with me!"

We raced toward the eastern breach, weaving through burning debris and collapsed structures. The settlement's eastern edge had been decimated, a gaping hole torn through defenses we'd spent weeks establishing. Through the breach poured Hammond's second wave—more heavily armed than the first, their movements indicating greater combat training.

At their center stood Hammond himself, his tall figure unmistakable even in the chaotic half-light of fires and explosion. Unlike his men, he carried a modified energy rifle that glowed with ominous red light—not set to stun.

"Find the women!" he ordered, his voice carrying the unmistakable tone of command. "Secure the translation stones and any alien technology!"

His actual objective materialized—beyond capturing us, he sought Nyxari knowledge and artifacts. Technology to consolidate his authority in this fractured world. Indignation heated my blood, triggering waves of silver luminescence along my arms as the markings amplified my emotional state.

Lazrin's position registered through our bond, approaching from the southern quadrant with his warriors engaging Hammond's forces methodically. Our trajectories would intersect at the breach, trapping the attackers between our converging forces.

As we neared the conflict zone, a familiar scream cut through the battle noise—high and terrified, unmistakably human. Claire, the marked woman who had expressed uncertainty about remaining with us. Through the smoke and chaos, I glimpsed her struggling against two of Hammond's men who dragged her toward the breach.

"Rivera!" I called, pointing toward Claire's position.

Without hesitation, Rivera extended her perception, analyzing the threat. "Three attackers, standard restraints. Claire's markings are flaring, but she can't break free."

We changed course, moving to intercept. Before we could reach her, a massive explosion tore through the ground directly in our path. Earth and stone erupted skyward as Hammond's forces detonated some kind of mining charge, creating an impassable barrier of debris and flame.

Through the fire, I watched helplessly as Claire was pulled through the breach, her markings visible as bright streaks in the darkness as she fought against her captors.

"They're taking her to Hammond's camp," Rivera said, her voice tight with fury. "They've got others cornered near the storage chambers."

I pivoted, redirecting our efforts toward the remaining marked women. Through our bond, I shared Claire's capture with Lazrin, feeling his immediate tactical response as he attempted to reposition warriors to intercept.

Too late, his consciousness reported with grim certainty. Hammond's forces had established an extraction corridor. They were already retreating with their captive.

As we fought to secure the remaining marked women, Hammond's strategy became clear. The frontal assault had been a diversion—a way to split our defense while his elite team targeted specific resources and individuals. Classic military strategy executed with precision.

The ground shifted beneath my feet as another explosion tore through the settlement's edge. This one struck deeper, the tremor continuing long after the initial blast. Something had collapsed underground—the vibration different from surface detonations.

"They've breached something below the settlement," Rivera said, her perception extending downward. "Some kind of... chamber? It reads differently from normal soil or rock."

The tremors intensified, the earth groaning as ancient structures shifted. A massive section of ground simply collapsed inward, revealing what appeared to be a buried chamber beneath the settlement's eastern edge. Glittering metallic surfaces reflected firelight from below, structures unlike anything we'd seen in the Nyxari settlement.

Hammond's men halted their retreat momentarily, clearly surprised by the unexpected discovery. Hammond himself approached the edge of the collapsed section, his expression shifting from tactical focus to sudden, intense interest.

"Secure this area!" he shouted, gesturing toward the exposed chamber. "Retrieve whatever technology you can carry!"

Several of his men scrambled into the exposed ruins, disappearing from view. I felt Lazrin's surge of recognition and alarm through our bond.

Ancient chambers, his consciousness reported. Technology used before the Great Division. Hammond cannot be allowed to access those systems.

Understanding his urgency, I redirected our defense toward the exposed ruins. As we approached, something extraordinary happened—the silver markings beneath my skin began to pulse with increasing brilliance, responding to something within the chamber. Each step closer intensified the reaction until my skin glowed like captured moonlight.

The sensation defied categorization—not pain but profound recognition, as though the markings had encountered a forgotten fragment of themselves. Lazrin's bewilderment filtered through our connection, his structured mind struggling to contextualize the phenomenon.

When his men emerged carrying metallic objects with geometric patterns etched into their surfaces, Hammond's expression transformed from tactical focus to stunned fascination. What they'd discovered clearly wasn't what he'd expected to find.

"What the hell is that?" he called to the soldier holding a disc-shaped artifact. "Bring it here!"

The soldier approached, struggling as the object began glowing in proximity to the marked women. Hammond examined it with barely concealed excitement, his military discipline momentarily eclipsed by scientific curiosity.

"Find more," he ordered, his gaze darting between the artifact and the chamber below. "Anything that looks like technology or weapons. Move!"

What happened next defied explanation. As I stepped to the chamber's edge, my markings flared with a blinding light. The artifacts in Hammond's men's hands responded, glowing with matching silver light. Several soldiers dropped their bounty with startled cries, the artifacts suddenly too hot to handle.

Hammond's eyes widened as he watched the reaction, his gaze shifting rapidly between the glowing artifacts and my illuminated skin. I saw the moment understanding dawned—the connection between the markings and these ancient objects wasn't coincidental.

"Fall back!" he ordered, his voice edged with urgency. "Secure everything you can carry and retreat!"

His men obeyed instantly, gathering what artifacts they could still handle while others dragged Claire toward the forest edge. Hammond himself retrieved a small device that had fallen from a soldier's grasp, wincing as it heated in his palm but refusing to relinquish it. His expression betrayed both pain and newfound determination.

Through our bond, Lazrin arrived at my side, his eyes reflecting the silver light emanating from my skin. "We cannot let them take those artifacts," he said, voice low with urgency. "The ancient technology is unstable, dangerous in untrained hands."

Together we advanced, but Hammond had planned his retreat as thoroughly as his attack. Explosive charges detonated along our pursuit path, creating impassable barriers of flame and debris. By the time we circumvented these obstacles, Hammond's forces had disappeared into the forest with their stolen technology and captive.

The settlement smoldered around us, structural damage evident but remarkably limited given the ferocity of the attack. Hammond had struck with surgical precision—targeting specific areas while avoiding unnecessary destruction. His objective had never been annihilation, but acquisition.

Morning light eventually crested the horizon, illuminating the settlement's wounds. I remained at the excavated chamber's edge, my markings still emitting aftershocks of energy. Daylight clarified what darkness had obscured—an intricate complex of metallic architecture inscribed with geometric formulations mirroring the exact patterns beneath my skin.

"What is this place?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the settling debris.

Lazrin crouched beside me, his expression grave. "A technology chamber from prior to the Great Division. Our ancestors built such facilities throughout Arenix, housing systems beyond our current understanding."

"The patterns," I said, extending my arm where silver markings traced familiar designs. "They're identical."

"Yes." His golden eyes met mine, concern evident. "Your markings resonate with the ancient systems. A connection we never anticipated."

I felt his unease through our bond—not fear of me, but for me. For what this connection might mean.

"Hammond has Claire," I said, refocusing on our immediate crisis. "And whatever he took from these ruins."

"Both must be recovered," Lazrin agreed, his tail moving with restrained agitation. "The technology without proper understanding is dangerous. And Claire..."

He didn't need to finish. We both knew what Hammond intended for any marked woman in his custody. Surgical mutilation in the name of "decontamination."

As the settlement organized into recovery teams, I remained at the chamber's edge, drawn to the ruins below by something beyond rational understanding. My markings recognized these patterns, responded to them as if to a long-forgotten language suddenly remembered.

"We're recovering her," I stated, certainty hardening my voice. "Along with whatever Hammond extracted from these ruins."

Lazrin's consciousness synced with mine through our bond—tactical assessment interlocking with strategic planning, neither requiring verbal confirmation.

Hammond had seized temporary advantage, but exposed his fundamental objective. Beyond controlling marked women, he coveted the ancient systems buried beneath Arenix. Technology that responded to the silver matrix embedded in my flesh.

Technology whose purpose he couldn't comprehend, yet would sacrifice anything to control.