Page 13 of Veras (Nozaroc Alien Warrior #2)

W e’d taken only a few minutes to recover after that amazing quickie.

God, I loved it hard and fast. And orgasms. And his talented tongue.

Veras managed to find us new uniforms. They were stashed all over the place, and he’d taken me into one of the smaller rooms in the center of this part of the outpost.

But all too quickly, reality returned.

“This is how I’ll keep you safe.” Faster than I could process, Veras strode to a blank wall.

His talented fingers swept over holographic images dancing in front of us.

Distinct pictures appeared like living snapshots of different sections of the planet.

The first image was the arena we’d been in the day before.

Completely demolished, it looked abandoned, not one Aavvee or caged animal in view.

But I did spy the tips of the circling tornadoes above the sturdy walls.

The Guardians. Deadly, yet still so gorgeous, stole my breath.

“I recognize the arena. But what are these other areas?” But my mind, naturally adapted to categorizing and summarizing, had already figured it out.

“This,” he swiped his hand and zeroed in on the hologram of the sky-high, ebony mountains, “is Nozaroc. As you can see, most is dominated by this mountain range we call Erdam .”

“What does that mean?”

“She houses and protects the life of this planet, so we give her the greatest honor by calling her Great Mother.” He tapped one of the holograms. It gave me my first view of the planet from space.

Sure enough, the mountain range looked like a giant black X smack in the middle of the planet with pockets of gold swirling in between.

Startling .

“The giant blue sun is only one reason the Nozarocans went underground. It is expanding and will eventually explode in another hundred thousand of your years. The other reason they went deep inside the planet is the Oro. It emanates from the core, which is where my home is located. But there are other habitable pockets on the surface, where we have outposts, and where the Aavvee have taken over.” He tapped the screen, and the planet disappeared.

“They have turned my home into a pleasure planet,” he spat out.

I immediately understood. Focusing on the rest of the floating images I studied the different sections. “Explain each of these to me.”

“You know the arena, next is another similar edifice, a giant colosseum to watch contestants battle for their lives. They race and battle against each other. It is a constant competition.”

I stepped closer and saw a real-time view of aliens elbowing and jabbing each other as they ran around a mile-long track. It looked deadly.

“Next is what the Aavvee call genetic tourism. The Oro can be used to heal or drastically change your appearance. It can grant you youth and vitality. All of this is in the beginning stages, but they will soon realize the effects do not last once you leave the planet.”

If that were the case, it was only a matter of time before the aliens started moving in. If you could live forever on the Oro, then they’d never leave.

“Exactly why they must be destroyed.” Veras bunched his fists, but I patted his arm before he worked himself up again. He took a deep breath and continued, “This section is for… debauchery.”

He didn’t need to explain more. From the fuckery going on, it was clearly an alien Red Light District. I shivered, grateful that I’d only ever been a pet.

“This section is mining, where they dig for the Oro and synthesize it.” He spread his hands wide, expanding the view. “Each section is ruled by its own supreme. Your supreme controls the arena, but he can also access the main portal to my home. Although he has not been able to breach it. Yet.”

I gathered myself for another try. I have to convince him . World domination seemed possible, especially with this place. The outpost was a command center that allowed us to view the whole planet. It was a tactical dream. We could use the portals to navigate Nozaroc and take this bitch over.

“I feel the conviction of your thoughts.”

“Good.” I faced him and held his gaze. “Your people had to know a bunch of you were coming back.” I paused. “You weren’t the only one sent out, were you?”

“No. There are others. But many do not survive their time off planet.” He sighed. “Yes, they knew some would make it back but still set the planet for destruction.”

“If they didn’t want to give you a chance, they would have made the Guardians destroy the planet immediately . Why don’t you get that? They obviously wanted to give you time to fix things.”

“I will not argue with something set in stone. It is as fixed as the stars. Unchanging. Inevitable. I have failed my people in so many ways. I will not fail in this.”

“Failed them? How?”

“You don’t understand. This is all my fault.” He banged his chest. “And I will make it right.”

Here we go. My lindo alien—and yeah, he was mine for as long as I had him—was over-emoting again. But this time it was raw. Deep and old. I would have to remind him that he couldn’t always carry the weight of the world, literally, on his shoulders. “Do you want to talk about it?’

He paced around the small room, scrambling the holograms as he passed through. “No.”

Okay. Try again. “How could this possibly be your fault?”

He pounded his chest. “I was late .”

“That’s it? You were late?”

“Yes, that is it. The expectation was that I would return in an exact amount of sanos . I did not make it back in time.”

“What happened?”

“My travels were… difficult. My mission was to gather information while keeping my world secret at all costs. I urgently needed to tell my people that a frenzy had cropped up around the Oro and its benefits. The rumors had permeated the galaxy. It was my worst nightmare.”

Mierda. This is bad. “Nozaroc became a target?”

“A giant planet-sized one. I wanted to come back early, but I would not have been allowed access. I should have come anyway and just waited here.” He sighed.

“Right before I procured travel to a world with portal access, I was kidnapped. Even in shifter form, my markings showed. If I have fur, I can hide it, like when I was the brutoo.” He showed me his arm and the intricate tattoo painting his shoulder and bicep.

“I’m not sure how they even knew what my marking meant.

But they did. I barely escaped with my life.

By the time I got here, the Aavvee had taken control. ”

“And Inkonexo was responsible.”

“He hid his true identity well. He became an Aavvee. And I changed into a brutoo . It wasn’t until the moment in the arena when you released me that we both realized who we were.

” Veras tapped the side of his head. “He must have used his time away to reveal all our secrets. But I still don’t know why.

” His shoulders slumped. “It seems there are so many things I do not understand.”

My beautiful, brave alien. He was good and true. He didn’t understand people like Inkonexo, or even me, who ignored laws and rules Veras thought of as absolutes. It was his greatest attribute and his biggest flaw. “We may never know why Inkonexo did it.”

“Exactly, my brilliant, Earther.” He reached for me and swept me up in his arms. “Give me your kisses. They are better than Oro for my soul.” Vinny buzzed at the idea, making himself known by pressing against me.

I peppered kisses along his lips, taking special care with his fangs. Time to jolt him out of this pity party. A good dose of harsh truth should help. “I hate to tell you this, but your conceit is getting the best of you.”

“My what ?” Veras lowered me, and I felt the loss of his warm arms.

Guess my plan worked too well. But we didn’t have time for this. “You’re smart, resourceful; you have excellent taste in women. Or one woman. Me. Plus, you’re the best lover in the universe.” I smiled. “Did I mention super-sexy?”

His tight shoulders relaxed.

“But you’re not responsible for the death of your people.

You’re not that powerful. Things had been set in motion far before you returned.

The takeover was inevitable. From what little you told me, your people were on a collision course with destruction.

” I held up my hand when he opened his mouth to argue.

“I’m not judging. Well, I’m totally judging them, but only because humans , from Earth, have been pretty reckless as well.

We’ve almost destroyed ourselves several times over.

World Wars, nuclear weapons. The list goes on. ”

He turned away, which meant he was upset with me.

“My point is, you being late probably saved your life.” I walked over and lifted his chin with one finger. “And mine. You saved me. For that, I’ll always be grateful. My existence has little weight compared to a whole population, but I still appreciate it.”

“I saved you.” He petted my hair, his sharp claws raking through my silky strands. “Yes, I did. The guilt will never go away, but I will think on your words.”

“Promise?”

He tipped up his chin in agreement.

I glanced back at the holograms floating around us, focusing on one that seemed different from the rest. In fact, it looked very much like this facility. There were several aliens who bore a suspicious resemblance to Veras. “What is this? Are these your people? Have they been imprisoned?”

“No. Not exactly.”

“Can we get a closer look?”

Not imprisoned because, upon closer examination, many of them looked suspended in liquid tubes.

“These are the bioengineering labs.” He swept his hand through the image, manipulating his fingers until the lab appeared around us, as if we’d been plopped down into the room.

One of the Aavvee swept by, and I jumped back.

“Worry not. This is only a projection. To give you a better view. This is all happening in real-time, and the one area where the Aavvee have spent considerable attention. It is guaranteed to bring numerous benefits for them.”

“What are they…” My question trailed off when I saw the stacks and stacks of tubes, with beings in different gestational periods of life.

“Clones. Copies. They use the Oro to create armies, but they don’t understand the limits. It can bring amazing health benefits, prolong lifespans indefinitely; however, it can also kill a being who takes too much. And even if they don’t die…”

“What?”

“They are dependent on it the rest of their lives, chained to this planet as my people had been.”

“These idiots are making an army with soldiers that can only fight here?” My bitter smile faded.

“Maybe that’s what they want. Not to conquer other worlds, but to defend this one.

” Dios mio, maybe they aren’t as stupid as I assumed .

“But look. Some of the soldiers are in tubes alone. But others hold three warriors.

“Yes. Those soldiers work as one. Share a hive mind, perhaps. I haven’t looked too closely into it.”

Interesting . “How long do the health benefits last? Of the Oro?”

“If you have a constant flow of it, forever. But if you go off planet, the effects fade. Quickly. And this weakness is what led to my people’s demise, I’m convinced of it. But even with Inkonexo betraying us, I still do not know how he, and the Aavvee, managed to destroy everyone.”

The information dump from the last few days swirled and marinated in my mind. The niggling question I had about Nozaroc would find an answer; I just hoped it was sooner rather than later. Because we only had a short amount of time before we’d all be goners.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“It is the center for the portals. Every known and explored portal tracked and catalogued. It is the most powerful and strategic place on this planet, other than where my people resided—at the core. It will tell us where the portal to Earth resides.”

“Portal to Earth?” I can go home?

“I promised I would keep you safe. Now you know how.” Veras swirled his hands over the panel, and another hologram popped up. “It is here. About halfway back toward the way we came. In the jungle.” He grabbed my hand.

Before we turned, I caught a glimpse of unusual colors.

Tan, creamy-pink, and brown. All colors rarely seen on this planet.

I found my body moving before I knew my feet had shifted.

I repeated the hand gestures Veras had used to expand the hologram, and I found myself in another lab.

There were more tubes. These were narrower, and they were mostly empty. But a few were occupied.

With humans.

My throat closed, and I couldn’t breathe. I rocked on my feet because my heart raced so quickly. Or maybe that was the lack of air. For a few seconds, I thought I’d pass out until Veras tackled me, pressing on my chest and breathing into my mouth.

“Breath, little General. Breathe for me!”

I sucked in a wheezy breath and pushed him away, crouching on the ground and hanging my head below my knees until the dizziness passed.

“Is that normal? You cease to take in air?” He randomly patted my chest. “Are you even more fragile than I thought? What will I do if this happens again?”

Leave it to my emo alien to make it about himself. As soon as I was able to speak, I pointed toward the corner. “What. Is. That?”

Veras squinted and looked at the group of humans sharing one large pod like a person-sized aquarium.

“Those are Earthers.” His voice sounded too quiet. A blast of his emotions, mainly guilt, smashed into me.

“You knew they were here.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” Veras reached for me.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why ?” I pushed his hand away, feeling completely betrayed.

“I did keep it from you, but I would never betray you. I have opened myself up to you.”

Now it was my turn to look away from him, understanding for the first time why he avoided me when he felt angry.

“There is a good reason. I assure you. Your feelings of betrayal are battering me. I beg you. Please stop.” He pulled at his hair, raising and then dropping his hands.

“Then explain.”

“I fear it will only hurt you further.

“What is it? Tell me why you didn’t mention the other humans. They need help. We have to save them.” I wouldn’t be alone.

“There is nothing to save. They are as good as dead. Only being used for parts. There is no brain activity. The Aavvee scientists must have discovered a part of your genetics that they find beneficial.” He crouched in front of me. “That knowledge would only hurt you. You cannot save them.”

Shoomp. Shoomp. Shoomp. The sound of portals being activated.

As if on cue…

The bad guys showed up.