Page 2 of His Fierce Fugitive (Earthly Possessions #2)

2

TAK

W ith Iris secure over my shoulder, I charge through the chaos of the prison riot, using my bulk to clear a path.

My mission is clear—find a way out of here and return to King Ryz and Queen Gwen of Ydris.

Not just because it’s my duty, but because…Iris is my fated mate.

I knew it the moment we locked eyes when I was brought into the cell next to hers. My whole body came alive as if I’d been asleep for ages. It was like being injected with ten rounds of Chom’s energy serum.

And it makes our escape that much more crucial.

The smell of ozone and the cries of aliens ring out in the dungeon, as I try to keep my senses from being overwhelmed by the beauty in my arms.

It’s difficult to think straight when she’s finally in my grasp after watching her suffer in the cell next to me. I can’t stand to think about what she must’ve gone through at the hands of that deviant collector that purchased her. If I ever get my hands on him, I’ll rip all of his limbs clean off.

My team had picked up a broadcast from law enforcement on the collector’s planet that mentioned a human woman found near a forest. She’d told them she was enslaved and forced to do monstrous things.

It still makes my blood boil.

However, the collector wasn’t punished—only Iris…for assaulting him. The deviant probably bought off the authorities before they sent her to Lyrica—a prison planet run by a crew of corrupt administrators. The most crooked being the Warden himself.

I’m sure that bastard took one look at Iris and realized she could make him rich. Humans, especially women, fetch a hefty sum on the dark market. In the meantime, he could use her for his own sick and twisted urges.

My grip tightens on her as I fight back a growl.

It would be easier if she could run along with me, but she’s barely dressed and without shoes to protect her feet. It doesn’t matter. I’d carry her forever if I had to.

I stop at a junction of corridors, watching guards pass by on the way to the dungeon without noticing us.

Perfect.

My team and I had researched the prison’s layout and security system before I got myself thrown in here, pretending to be drunk and disorderly in front of one the officers. I’d counted on being tossed in the holding cell next to Iris, and fate had been on my side.

Thanks to the uprising and chaos after I stabbed the guard, the security system went haywire. Whatever happened—It works to our advantage as I navigate the various hallways, scanning the walls for the door to a secret warehouse where ships and other confiscated possessions of prisoners are stored.

Finally, I see the small alcove, a thin blue light illuminating the door in the shadows.

I put Iris down for a moment. “Don’t move, or they’ll see us,” I whisper.

She swallows, eyes wide, and nods.

I punch in the code my team provided and as the door slides open I pull Iris along with me through it before it closes again.

The warehouse is massive and I quickly scan the space. “Help me find anything we can use—food, weapons…you know?”

“Like I have any idea what those things might look like,” she says, as we both start rummaging through the piles of goods, trinkets, and devices. Some unfamiliar even to me.

“Use your best judgement,” I say, grabbing a few protein cubes, hydration packs, mouth beads, and a small tool kit, the contents of which I hope we won't need.

I want to find more suitable clothing for Iris, but I’m not seeing anything appropriate.

“How about this?” Iris lifts a huge serrated knife in the air from a nearby pile.

Weapons like this are usually kept in a separate room, but they must’ve not seen this one. “Quorr, you sure are a lucky charm,” I reply with a smile, and to my surprise, her cheeks go a little pink.

Hmm, I like that.

She hands the knife to me, and the touch of her fingers sends heat all over my body. I clear my throat as I sheath the knife in my belt. There’s no time to dwell on those types of feelings now.

“To the ships,” I say, my voice lower than I expect.

She follows me as my gaze travels over the line of various spacecraft, some in better condition than others.

I’m looking for something specific—the crest on the alien’s tunic who lost his hand because he spoke to me. I do feel kind of bad that I had to provoke him to talk, but it was all part of my escape plan.

“What are we looking for?” Iris asks, next to me, when I spot the gold and green crest on the hull of the ship in front of us.

“That,” I say, pointing to the small, agile vessel, its sleek lines promising speed and maneuverability.

“Why this one?” she asks, as we rush towards the ship.

I stop in front of the hatch, and unzip the pouch attached to my belt. Then I pull out the severed hand from the alien in the cell.

She stumbles back, her mouth agape.

“Because it would be a shame if this guy lost his hand for nothing,” I say, placing it on the craft’s exterior panel.

It chimes and the hatch door opens, the rest of the vessel’s locks disengaging with a satisfying hiss, granting us access.

She’s still not moving, as I put the hand back in the pouch and toss it aside.

“Come on, Iris. We have to keep going,” I say, helping her to board and guiding her to the co-pilot seat, as I activate the cockpit controls, the ship’s console coming to life with a soft hum.

Her eyes are wide as she takes in the ship around us. It’s not terribly new. We have more advanced ships on Ydris. But it’ll do for our purposes.

The engines ignite with a surge of energy.

“Secure yourself in,” I say, demonstrating how to engage the seat harness. She does so and I smile at her. “Prepare for take-off.” I almost add ‘mate’, but hold off…for now.

The ship roars to life, responding to my touch, as if it somehow understands the urgency of our escape. I bring up the screens and input the coordinates to Ydris, then add the code to open the prison warehouse panels.

They begin to part and I push the craft to full speed.

“Oh my god!” Iris yells, then laughs, as we soar through the stars.

I chuckle at her reaction along with her…until the screen next to me shows multiple ships in pursuit.

"Hold on, Iris," I command, my voice steady, even as my muscles tense in preparation for the oncoming assault. “We’ve got company.”

A chase ship doggedly pursues us and a barrage of missiles fills the sky, their explosions rocking our craft. I twist and dive, relying on my reflexes to keep us airborne. They fire relentlessly, their weaponry designed to cripple even the most robust spacecraft. My attempts to outmaneuver them are successful at first, but soon, it becomes clear our getaway will not be without sacrifice.

"Brace yourself," I grunt as a direct hit slams into our vessel. The ship sputters, and I fight to regain control as alarms blare.

"Are we going to make it?" Iris cries, looking over at me, her eyes pleading for answers.

I grit my teeth, throwing all of my energy into keeping us aloft. "Yes, we are,” I reply. Though I’m trying my best to convince myself.

With a final rebellious spurt, the ship dives, plunging us into the atmosphere of an unknown planet. I do my best to control our descent, but the jungle below offers no flat landings. I grab Iris’s hand just before we crash, smashing us into the dense canopy of a lush jungle.