Page 25 of Keeping Freya (Warriors of Arracate #3)

T’Rak

T hat infuriating female is going to be the death of me. Smiling all smugly at me now that she gets to join me. I am glad she came though, because that Fluxarion would have probably injured or killed me—at least he would have blown my cover.

I crouch behind the crates and gesture for Fr’Ya to join me. I point at the High Commander, who is sitting in the middle of the bar. “He is too surrounded like this; I cannot get to him there. I am trying to think of other options than just waiting for him to leave, because that could take hours.”

“Maybe we could instigate a bar fight?” she whispers.

That is not a bad idea. I ponder it a bit, looking the bar up and down.

We are at the back of the establishment, behind a small bar where supplies are stacked.

The bigger bar is on the left side, and tables are scattered everywhere there is room.

The bar is also packed with different kinds of aliens, so instigating a fight would not be so hard. Just what would be the catalyst ?

“It is a good idea, but how do we start?” I whisper to my mate, who bites her lip and thinks about it.

“We could use me as bait?”

“Absolutely not,” I growl.

She gives me a light shove. “I have a say in things, big guy. And they will not shoot me on sight, I’m much more valuable alive.”

I grumble, but she continues.

“Hear me out, I will run in yelling for Help as if I’m some blonde who accidentally got stranded here.

Blabber on about how good it is that there are people, how I was in an escape pod, and that it crashed here.

I can goad them into arguing with each other.

When the punches are flowing, you enter the game, and they won’t pay attention to you.

I will duck and crawl out. You can have faith in me, I can do this! ”

“I do not like this.”

“But you know it can work.”

Grumbling, I have to agree. I grab her arm and pull her out of the bar, to the back of the building. I yank her against me for a kiss, then take the pack from her. “You need to give me the gun; they will not believe you if you are armed so obviously.”

She nods and hands it over. “It will be fine, T’Rak. I promise.”

Reluctantly, I let go of her, and with one last smile, she rounds the corner.

I am back in my hiding place, and even though I know what is coming, I cannot help but be impressed by Fr’Ya. Like a bewildered lunatic, she comes in running.

“Help! Please, can somebody help me!”

The entire bar silences, and every eye is on her.

“What can I do for you, sweetheart?” a hideous guy says as he stalks towards her, already pushing others out of his way.

“My ship, or it’s not even a ship, more of a pod, anyway, crashed, and I didn’t know where I was, I was so scared. And I am so glad I found people!” She looks at the crowd with big blue eyes. “I mean, you… You’re nice people, right? You are gonna help me?”

Collectively, they burst out in laughter.

“Yes, female, we will help you.”

“I will help you.” The shoving already starts, and she is just standing there.

“I ah... I don’t want to cause trouble?” Fr’Ya’s voice trembles, and she steps back. I can barely hold it together; I have to keep in mind that she is acting.

She’s being grabbed, pushed, and shoved.

She yells “No” and “Aren’t you helping me?

” but I can see she is manipulating which aliens grab her, and when the big ugly guy hollers “I SAW HER FIRST!” I seize the moment and sneak out from my hiding place, stealing a cloak.

I shove one guy, trip another until a brawl of fighting douchebags falls into the giant, trying to get to my mate.

He roars, and the entire bar erupts into chaos.

I glance over at Fr’Ya to make sure she is safe, and I see her duck and wriggle her way from someone’s grasp. Time to find the High Commander.

His companions are easily spotted. I throw two knives in quick succession, hitting the Sternotheri goons right in the neck—their sensitive spot.

Pulling out my gun, I start running, the cloak drops from my head, and I lock eyes with the High Commander.

For a heartbeat, he is too stunned to move, but then he moves and he moves quickly.

He shoves the Caudate my way, and I have to fight through a couple of brawlers to evade the aquatic alien.

My pursuit of the High Commander is short-lived when I fall flat on my face; it turns out the Caudate restrained my leg with his tentacles.

Furious, I hack until I am free to go. I quickly jump onto one of the tables using my tail for support.

I see the High Commander, and I start running again.

My hand is on the trigger, and I aim. Only to freeze on the spot, he yanks up Fr’Ya by her braid and pulls her in front of him as a shield.

She visibly pales, mouthing the words I am sorry, before the High Commander begins to walk backward, pulling her with him.

For a moment, I feel as if nothing else exists but me and them, the noise of the fight fading away in the background. When it all comes crashing in, I rush towards the door, shooting left and right to make my way out.

Outside, I hear my mate yelling. With a feral grin, I follow her voice. I was already going to kill the High Commander, but I guess I have to do it slowly now.

I run through the settlement, not caring who sees me. The feeling is mutual because nobody bats an eye at the chase or the way Fr’ya is screaming. Lucky for me, lawlessness works on both sides here.

I hear an engine powering up, and when I reach the coastline, I see small hoverboards lined up. They must be for short use in the area, and the High Commander is racing away on one of them, making a sharp turn.

Without a flicker of doubt, I jump on one of the boards, powering it up as quickly as possible.

Turning, I can just make out Fr’ya’s braid when the High Commander steers the board into the jungle.

Determined, I follow. When I burst through the foliage and land on he road, I see I am gaining distance.

I fire a couple of warning shots with the commander looking over his shoulder.

Fr’ya uses that momentum to step on his foot and elbow him in the gut.

He groans and doubles over. He loses his grip on her, and my heart stops when I figure out what my clever, stupid mate is doing; she falls on the board and rolls off, straight onto the road .

Hitting the brakes like a madman, I stop just in front of her. I try to hit the High Commander, but he uses the chaos and quickly speeds on. Fr’ya groans, and I jump on the ground.

“Fr’Ya!” I cradle her in my arms, and she latches on to me. “I have you, you are safe.”

“I know,” she whispers and leans deeper into my embrace. I give myself one deep breath and one heartbeat to allow myself to cling to her, and then I reluctantly let go.

“We should go.”

“Yes!” Her eyes spit fire. “Let’s go kill that motherfucker.”

I look back as I start up the hover board, but there is not a single hint of movement behind us. Maybe… maybe luck is on our side.