Page 22 of Seized by the Alien Space Warrior (Alien Romance #8)

Chapter Twenty-Two

A ekon had wounded Ava. Badly. He might have blocked off the mate-bond from her, but hers broadcast like a burning sun in his heart. He felt her intense hurt, like a broken bone jagged and raw, then her confusion and now her resolve. She’d cycled through her emotions and the golden thread connecting them dulled. Where it had been bright and full of wonder, it now throbbed and ached. Hopefully soon, she would be angry with him. So angry she would want to stay out of his way. So angry, the mate-bond would eventually wither and die and he would be left with a hole for a heart. At least then, he would know he’d protected Ava as best he could.

A blast erupted in a tent next to Brenur. Aekon whirled, his blaster already raised, and shot a uniformed Ixod in the middle of his chest. The being tumbled to the ground, his limbs sprawled and his chest nothing but a smoking hole.

Several uniformed Ixod surrounded them, coming towards them from the channels between the tents. Aekon plunged his elbow into a being’s belly and slammed his knees into his flat nose when he doubled over before driving the butt of his weapon into the base of his skull. The Ixod collapsed at Aekon’s feet but not before a searing heat shot past Aekon’s shoulder. Aekon rounded on the Ixod behind him, dropping to one knee. He picked up the blaster from the being’s limp fingers and fired. The Ixod’s uniform sizzled over the fatal wound.

Aekon slashed and blasted through the Ixod Forsica. His mind focussed on the heat of battle. Brenur yelled to the refugees, helping them to clamber into the escape tunnels. Aekon protected those he could save. Some fell, the Forsica too fast or too many for Aekon to fight. He set his guilt aside. That would come later.

Smoke hazed his vision and more tents went up in flames. The sounds of battle died down to intermittent shouts. Aekon and Brenur moved through the tents and narrow streets, joined by other refuges who had chosen to stay and fight.

“They’ve all gone. I’ll set the charge and then we must also go,” Brenur said.

“Charge?” Aekon asked.

Brenur made an exploding gesture with his fingers. “I’ve rigged explosives in all of the weak points in the cavern. There will be nothing left to find here. No evidence. No names. It is the only way to keep everyone safe.” His heavy gaze skittered over the bodies, some clothed in uniforms, others in rags. “Those that made it.”

Aekon’s hand fell on Brenur’s shoulder. “I should have checked Ava for a tracker.”

“It’s not your fault, Dhasu. I should have checked her. Kaico too. There were many that could have done that.” Brenur paused as he regarded Aekon. “You can’t accept the actions of war personally, Dhasu. It will eat you up. Every being here knew the risk and was happy to accept it. Only now, you have provided hope. The only hope we have had in years.”

Only the desperate lived like this, Aekon knew. He also knew how hope could dwindle and die after a time, but when it came, how precious it was. Precious enough to fight for. Precious enough to die for.

There was only one other thing in life that was precious enough to fight and die for as well, wasn’t there? His chest tightened against his deep intake of breath, steeling himself against the truth.

He didn’t want to think. He didn’t want to feel. If that made him a weak male, then so be it. Better to be a weak male than one that would only hurt their female in the long term. He could never be good enough for a bond-mate, let alone a female like Ava.

“I will help get your message out, Ixod.”

Baxklet had to be stopped. It was imperative the Council knew about his plans. So many lives were at stake.

Coughing sounded from behind Brenur. He whipped around, his sword held high. An injured Ixod Forsica guard roused. Blood streamed from his nose and across his face and there was a deep slash down his chest. Brenur was about to bring his sword down on the male’s neck when Aekon grasped his arm. “Wait. He might know something useful.”

Brenur sneered at the male, but stepped back, his arm trembling. Aekon knelt by the dying male. He tapped his cheek and waited for his eyes to focus.

“Why did you attack?” Aekon said.

The guard’s eyes rolled back in his head as he began to lose consciousness again. Judging by the amount of blood on the ground, it was probably due to blood loss.

Aekon tapped the male’s face and barked, “Open your eyes. Concentrate.”

It took the male a great deal of effort, but his eyes cleared, although they were mired in pain.

“Why did you attack?” Aekon asked again.

“Told to…kill everyone…pain of…death.” The guard coughed and frothy blood foamed in his lips.

Aekon frowned. “You were coerced to fight?”

“Everyone…is,” the guard said. His hand found Aekon’s forearm, his grip surprisingly strong given his condition. “My sister!”

Brenur knelt next to Aekon, his expression grim. “Baxklet has your sister?”

The male nodded. “Would have joined you but…too much family.”

Brenur nodded, anger tensing the line of his shoulders. “I understand. I am sorry you are injured.”

A smile ghosted the male’s lips despite the obvious pain he was in. “You have friends on your side but…Baxklet knows you have Dhasu...” The male wheezed. “The weapon…moving it tonight… danger…”

Light faded from the male’s eyes and his chest stilled, his laborious breathing stopping. Aekon closed his eyes, offering up a prayer for his departed soul.

Brenur sat back on his haunches and dropped his head. “So much waste.”

“It seems as though you might have more support than you think you do,” Aekon said.

Brenur’s shaggy head rose to meet Aekon’s gaze. “That is one good thing, but this means our timeline has moved forward. If our friend is telling the truth, Baxklet is moving the device.”

He looked about at the surrounding carnage as he stood. Aekon rose to his feet as well. “He might have been on our side, but others won’t be,” Brenur said. “We still can’t rely on any being not in the resistance. If Baxklet has a strong hold over their families, they won’t hesitate to keep them safe.”

Aekon nodded. They were completely unprepared with only a hastily established plan discussed, but there was no option. They had to act now, otherwise it would be too late for not only the Ixod on Venturi, but other species spread throughout the ten Quadrants.

“First, we will blow this cavern to pieces. If we fail, I cannot let Baxklet discover anything we may leave behind,” Brenur said.

Brenur shouted orders to several Ixod to start the detonators of the explosives. All seemed to know about the explosives hidden throughout the cavern. When Brenur was satisfied, he turned to Aekon. “Now we leave, and reunite you with your bond-mate.”

Aekon strode next to Brenur as they made their way across the devastated camp towards the tunnel where he’d left Ava. Aekon’s skin prickled with the need to go to her. To make sure she was safe and protected.

He clenched his jaw as he fought against urges he had no right to feel. His nodes flashed deep red and then black when he realised he had no business wanting to do any of those things. It would only solidify the mate-bond and he could never give into that weakness again.

He’d been beyond control when they’d made love, the mate-bond riding him. Although, that wasn’t the whole reason, was it now? If he were being totally honest with himself, it was Ava herself. The way she moulded to his body, filled his senses with good, made him feel alive for the first time in, well, for the first time since Onda had been murdered. The way she had faith in him. Trusted him. Brought out the best in him. Made him feel worthy again. Made him want to be a better male.

He didn’t want to fail her, which made his intense attraction to her even worse because he knew one day, he would fail her. It had happened with Onda and it could happen again. Even if fate had gifted another chance with him, there was no way he could ever go through the hurt and the pain of losing another bonded-mate. He would not do it.

He could not do it.

“Ava is not my bond-mate,” Aekon said, hating how the words tasted on his tongue.

Brenur sent him a side-glance. “Are you sure about that? Isn’t that what all of the gold flashing is about, or is my knowledge of Dhasu biology out of date?”

“It’s impossible,” Aekon said, stalking through the tunnel entrance after Brenur. “Fate has it wrong.”

Brenur spun on his heels, blocking Aekon from passing him within the tight confines of the tunnel. “I don’t know much, but there are a few things I’m crystal clear on and I will tell you one of them now, my friend. If fate blessed me and I had a mate such as that human female, then I would do everything in my power not to throw it all away.”

Aekon clenched his fists so hard his claws prickled through his skin. “There is nothing to throw away.”

“Then you don’t mind if I try my luck with the human female. If you don’t want her, I will treat her like a queen,” Brenur said.

Aekon growled low in his chest and his nodes bled bright red, staining the black rock surrounding them. He barely repressed the urge to remove Brenur’s head from his shoulders with one stroke of his claws.

Ava was his! His to hold. His to protect. His queen!

Brenur simply laughed and continued along the tunnel, leaving Aekon to stare at his retreating back. “Think on that, Dhasu.”