Page 11 of Seized by the Alien Space Warrior (Alien Romance #8)

Chapter Eleven

A ekon’s arms came about her as she plummeted forward. Light briefly shone above them before it disappeared and they were surrounded by solid darkness. They toppled over and somehow Aekon managed to fall and land with her body on top of his. The breath whooshed out of his lungs. Her head jolted with the impact, her limbs splayed over Aekon’s massive body. His fingers curled around her biceps as he flipped her onto her back, his body caged protectively above her.

Hands other than Aekon’s clutched her body. She screamed, terror flooding her system. Aekon’s growl split her ears. He pressed her to the floor, arms braced around her shoulders, knees either side of her hips. His body shook as his powerful muscles coiled. His chest vibrated with the feral sound and pulsated into her. His body was a cage around her, protecting her from the ghosts in the darkness.

“Desist, Dhasu. We mean neither you nor the female harm, but we must move from this location before the Forsica find the entrance,” a harsh voice said before a weak light bled some of the darkness away.

Ava jerked and stifled another scream as an Ixod face floated to their side . The shaggy hair flared in a tangled halo about his head, knotted into hundreds of locks pushed backwards to reveal round, deep-set black eyes, a triangular flat nose, and thin lips stretched into a determined straight line. He held his palm towards them in a supplication resembling peace. In the other he held a device that glowed with muted light. The long black claws that tipped his fingers lent a dangerous air to a gesture she didn’t trust. Shadowy forms appeared behind him in the weak light.

“I am Brenur,” he said. “We saw your craft crash in the flat-lands and then tracked your progress here. We meant to come to you before Forsica but they beat us to it. This was the best we could do while remaining hidden.”

Muffled voices sounded as pounding thudded against the brick wall they’d somehow fallen through. Dust trickled to the ground. Now her eyes had adjusted, she saw they were in a small, narrow bricked-in space. Walls towered overhead, making her think that the space between buildings had just been covered in. Beneath them was dry dirt, scattered with uncomfortable small stones that dug into her back.

“They won’t take long to break through.”

“Forsica?” Aekon said.

“Our local and very corrupt planetary guards,” Brenur said.

“I have no reason to trust you.” Aekon snarled. Ava didn’t recognise his harsh voice from the gentle, growly one he used with her. It was perma-frost steel.

She shuddered and his fingers tightened perceptibly around her shoulders.

“I can give you no reason now, but unless you take a leap of faith with us, the Forsica will show you no mercy. Whatever they do to you will be nothing compared to what they will do to the female,” Brenur said.

A low growl simmered through Aekon’s chest and a flash of red skittered over his skin, highlighting his features. The pounding on the wall became louder and gravel skittered over the floor when some of the bricks dislodged. Aekon stared at her for long moments and she could just about feel the thought tumbling through his head. His narrow gaze slid to the Ixod. It was clear he didn’t like the decision he’d come to. She couldn’t fault him. It wasn’t like they had a lot of choice.

“If you harm the female I will tear you and all of your friends here limb from limb,” Aekon said.

“I have no doubt you are fully capable of doing that and we accept your terms. Come, before it is too late and we are all caught,” Brenur said.

A flash of concern mixed with determination flickered at the edge of her mind, somehow hers, but not. It had come and gone so fast though and then she didn’t think of anything as the back of Aekon’s finger brushed her cheek. His dark eyes burned. “I will protect you, Ava.”

His voice was so low she thought she was the only one here who heard him. He slid his arms about her and clutched her to his chest as he rose. She clung to him, whole body quaking, curling into his strength as the light shone over several Ixod faces. She whimpered knowing she was so close to the faces of aliens that had bought her and had planned on doing unspeakable things to her.

Aekon pressed his lips to her temple, “They will not hurt you for fear of their own painful and slow death.”

She shivered. The words Aekon spoke should have horrified her. Instead her fear melted away. Brenur inclined his head, locking his gaze with hers. She found it hard to keep it, but his eyes were free of the sadistic delight that had filled the eyes of the others of his kind. There was something different about his face. It wasn’t angled so sharply. His nose had more prominence, instead of being flat, and the tan-coloured fur on his face was thinner and receded higher on his forehead rather than sprouting a mane from his brows.

“You are safe, female,” he said. “I promise you.”

She definitely was not safe. She hadn’t been safe since she was ripped from her happy little life on Earth, but at the moment he was the best choice in a really shitty situation.

She managed a shallow nod. It seemed to be enough for Brenur and for Aekon, because Brenur stepped past them.

“Follow us. Quickly.”

“I’ll walk,” Ava said.

Aekon tightened his fingers about her thigh as his gaze seared into her. “Female. I will carry you.”

The possessiveness in his eyes forced a delicate shiver through her. This comment from any other man would have had her uttering a few choice words, but coming from Aekon, she liked it. Those words were downright sexy . He was the only man—male— she had ever accepted this behaviour from. She didn’t know how or why, but instead of raising her hackles, it caused a deep sense of security to filter through her. It was just so right . She would happily let Aekon carry her for miles and it wouldn’t be enough. Her gaze skimmed his full lips, her mouth tingling with the need to close the gap between them.

She mentally shook her head, clearing the dizzying, confusing urge to kiss him. She pushed her legs against his hold, needing to find some distance between them no matter how urgent the situation.

“It’s okay. I can do this.” Besides, he’d done nothing but carry her. She couldn’t in all honesty make him carry her more.

He let her legs slide to the ground, his heated gaze on her the whole time. His arm banded about her waist, holding her against him. Her breasts crushed against his hard pecs. Her nipples beaded and a tingle raced through her body, pooling with need between her thighs. His heart pounded beneath her splayed hand on his chest. The heat from his body caressed her. She leaned forward a little, drawing in his unique scent. The heady mix of masculine spice filled her lungs and burrowed into her blood, setting it on fire with arousal.

She tried to shake the frisson of awareness away, but instead tilted her head back. Aekon’s nodes flashed with a deep, burnished gold and her desire ignited as though stoked by another force. He skimmed her breast with his fingers before fluttering over her cheek. She shivered. Her hand over his chest clenched into a fist and she uttered a whimper as need cascaded through her.

“Dhasu,” Brenur hissed.

She wrenched her gaze from Aekon to Brenur, seeing the fidgeting tension on his face, and pushed away from Aekon. Aekon’s fingers remained on her elbow to steady her. She nodded at him, removing her elbow from his grasp. She felt the loss of his touch but fought the urge to plaster herself against his side again.

Something other was definitely influencing her. She was scared for her life, sure. The uncertainty and terror writhed though her body like a living thing. She shouldn’t have room for arousal, yet whatever crackled between them seemed to be getting only stronger. There was something growing between them and she didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing, only that she needed space to think. Rest. Eat. Work through the horror of everything. If she was being influenced by some sort of alien pheromones, she needed fresh air as well.

Besides, Aekon had already told her she was just a job. Rescue her. Get her to the Sanctuary. Then leave. What he felt towards her was probably pity. Desire was a long way away from his duty. He was a seasoned warrior, and she’d only made his job more complicated. She didn’t need to add embarrassment to the list of emotions obscuring her ability to think clearly.

She pulled her attention back to Brenur, determined to ignore what was most probably a one-sided, confusing, irrational attraction. “Let’s go.”

Brenur glanced between them before tugging a hand-held device from his robes and handing a light to Aekon. Two Ixod followed Brenur and Aekon directed her before him, while two others took up the rear, leading them along the narrow space between the bricked walls. Ava stifled a shudder being surrounded by the aliens who had been so cruel to her, but these ones seemed to want to help them for some reason. She had to remember there were all types of people. Good and bad couldn’t just be limited to the human race. She had to rely on her logic now, as her trust-o-meter was shattered. She didn’t want to think they could be walking into more trouble, but then again these Ixod could have handed them over to their Forsica. They had saved them. For now.

They came to another wall, and then stepped through a rectangular doorframe set in it. They crossed the threshold and she saw it was more a carved hole than a doorway. There was a loud scraping sound and a thud. Ava peered over her shoulder to see the Ixod behind them closing the gap with a heavy section of the same wall of the tunnel they were in. When it shut, the shape disappeared seamlessly into the wall.

Lights glowed about them as the other Ixod lit their torches, illuminating their surroundings, which happened to be a brick tunnel, in gloomy light. At least she could see where to put her feet on the hard-packed dirt ground.

Waves of unease came off Aekon, but when she looked at his face, he gave nothing away. His gaze darted about, watching, alert and outwardly calm. She had no doubt he had the ability to fight if it came to that, although with the wall sectioned off behind them, escape was only forward.

“Come,” Brenur said. “We still have quite a way to go.”

He set off in front of them. The tunnel they were in was made from bricks that arched above them. Underfoot was compacted dirt. It was slightly damp so that when they walked, there was no dust. The cold slid through her clothing, and even though they walked at a brisk pace, Ava crossed her arms over her chest for warmth as well as to ease the strain on her shoulder. Throbbing pain jolted through her with each step and her energy was sapped. What she wouldn’t do for some Ibuprofen and a stiff gin and tonic.

They came to another wall and the Ixod behind them moved through the same procedure, closing a section behind them as they went at Brenur’s direction. After another little way, the tunnel opened into a vestibule where several other tunnels branched away into deep darkness.

Ava stumbled into the small chamber. Her hair ruffled in a breeze and she shivered in the dank air. One of the Ixod in front glanced over his shoulder and frowned at her. He came towards her but stopped when she drew back. A deep growl came from deep within Aekon’s chest and he stood so close to her, his front pressed against her back. The Ixod put his hands in front of him, his gaze flickering between Aekon to her. She couldn’t help the fear that raced through her system, even though this being was trying to be gentle.

“I mean no harm,” he said. “I am Kaico. A Medico. Your female is injured.”

Ava stiffened. “I’m not his female.”

Aekon’s deep growl cut over her voice. “I will care for her.”

She fought the urge to burrow into Aekon’s body. She didn’t trust this Ixod as far as she could throw him, which in her current condition, was not very far.

“When we arrive at our shelter, I will apply medical assistance. If you wish,” Kaico said. His gaze softened as he studied her. “I have not seen a species such as you before, female, but you look to be in pain. I merely desire to aid you medically.”

He did have a non-threatening, gentle aura about him. He also hadn’t made a grab for her just because he was larger and could subdue her if he wanted.

Ava relaxed, just slightly. “Ava. My name is Ava.”

Kaico beamed at her. It made his round eyes crinkle at the edges and softened his whole face, even though he did have fangs. Splinters of grey streaked the fine fuzz of fur over his forehead and through his long mane and she realised he was older than the others in their small group, if grey hair was a universal indication of aging.

Aekon laid his fingers over her good shoulder, his strength seeping into her body. “I have no qualms in maiming anyone who causes you further pain.”

Kaico’s round eyes widened. “I would never harm another being. My duty is to preserve life. I uphold the oath I took when I became a Medico.”

“An Ixod who cares for life. That’s one for the archives,” Aekon said.

“You will find all is not as it has been presented. Once we are safe at the shelter, I will tell you our history,” Brenur said as he came to stand next to Kaico.

“I already know your history.” Aekon growled. The sound sent goosebumps skating over her skin.

“Our true history. Not the one that has been fabricated across the ten Quadrants. One thing is certain. You know nothing about us.” Brenur’s gaze hardened before he turned and led them into one of the tunnels.

Aekon stiffened behind her. He didn’t trust Brenur, but between him and the Forsica, even she could see Brenur was the better option.

Kaico sent them an apologetic look and his shoulders rounded. “I understand it will take a lot for you to trust us. I hope that I am able to take the first step towards that if you’ll let me.”

He followed Brenur into the tunnels and was soon swallowed by the darkness. The other Ixod shuffled past. “I am Berd. I can assure you, Kaico means no harm. He is our best healer at the shelter.”

Ava glanced behind her at the two remaining Ixod. They looked at her with stoic expressions, but they were dressed in ragged clothing and worn, scuffed boots. These didn’t look like the pristine uniformed Ixod she’d seen at their crashed ship or the weaponised, leather-shod Ixod who had bought her at the terrible auction. There was a weariness to these beings that set them apart from the others of their species.

Training people, she was adept at spotting weaknesses and working on strengths. Pushing through the pain of the body was mostly a mind game and she was good at motivating through the impossible. There was a grim determination to these beings, but one thing was for sure: they hadn’t been rescued out of the kindness of their hearts.

They’d been rescued for a reason. She didn’t know what it was, but she knew payday would come.

“I am York and this is Ser.” York gestured to his companion who gave them a hollow stare.

A grizzly scar cut into the fuzz on York’s face, from the underside of his eye to the corner of his mouth, and he looked at them through grave eyes. There was nothing warm and fuzzy about these two. Not like Kaico. Even though he was still big and scary, there was some semblance of humanity about him.

York gestured to the tunnel Brenur and Kaico had walked into with a quick tilt of his chin. “We should go. It’s best to remain together in these tunnels.”

A slither of fear ran though Ava when Ser shifted and she caught the glint of a metal blade beneath his ragged coat. She glanced at Aekon. He gave nothing away, but by the tightness of his shoulders and tension thrumming through his body, it hadn’t gone unnoticed by him either.

Aekon sent them a long, deadly look before ushering her in front of him and into the tunnel. She couldn’t help the distinct feeling she’d fallen from the tips of the lion’s claws into the lethal mouth of a dragon.