Page 31 of Wayfinder (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #5)
Once ensconced in the alley's darkness, I tucked Pearl into a hiding spot against the grimy metal wall behind a stack of discarded crates. Turning to face the enemy, my entire body tensed in anticipation. It had been a long time since I faced true battle, the struzzi, and ajkula notwithstanding. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that some part of me relished the promise of a fight.
The shadows seemed to thicken and swirl as the Aljani moved toward me, a sneer twisting his lips.
With a swift and practiced, although unskilled motion, the Aljani unsheathed his blade, the steel glinting in the dim light.
I wasted no time in drawing my own long knife, its sharp edge easily deflecting his attempts at attack.
We moved about each other, parrying and attacking in a dance that was as beautiful as it was bloody.
My opponent was entirely unmatched by my skill, yet his bravery and determination earned my respect, which in turn saved his life.
The locator beacon on his comm unit beeped urgently, reminding me that time was of the essence.
I swiftly dispatched the Aljani with a precise cut to his lower leg, severing his muscle.
It wasn’t a fatal injury, but he would not be able to continue the chase.
He screamed, blood gushing from his wound, droplets coating me in a warm and sticky spray like a sudden summer rain.
Unease settled in my stomach as I turned to face Pearl, unsure of what her reaction would be. She had witnessed me taking the lives of animals during the contest, but this was different. The Aljani was a sentient being. Would she see my actions as cruel?
“Jutuk!”
With a wild cry, she threw herself into my arms. The smell of iron and fear lingered in the air as she pressed herself against me.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Tears streamed down her beautiful face, glistening like jewels. Her hands, delicate and trembling, ran over my body as she anxiously searched for any sign of harm.
“I am well, my heart.” I gruffed and answered her worry in the best way I knew how, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss.
While a dark alley with an injured male moaning nearby might not be the most romantic of situations, she clung to me desperately, our lips meeting in a wild and passionate embrace.
I felt her fear and worry echoing in my own heartbeat.
I lifted her, not willing to let her out of my arms as we moved toward the service tunnel, our lips never straying far apart.
Once we’d moved into the narrow darkness, she whispered softly, “Please don’t do that again.”
“Do what, my heart?” I lifted her slightly so that our faces were even.
“Make me think you’re bleeding.” Her lips pouted adorably, and I couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her again before opening the door that would lead to level three.
This passage, used for engineering purposes, was wider and easier to traverse. As we emerged on the third level, poverty and squalor greeted us. The poorest space station residents lived here, along with any criminal element that escaped Jala’s intense screening process.
The streets were littered with garbage, and the stench of decay hung so heavily in the air I could barely discern Pearl’s floral scent despite her closeness. The buildings seemed to sag with weariness, once vibrant colors now faded and peeling.
Scattered stragglers shuffling through the streets wore expressions of profound exhaustion and gnawing hunger.
The weight of their weary bodies was evident in every slow, labored step.
They trudged on, driven by an insatiable need to survive, and the only sound audible was the faint rustle of their tattered clothing.
This was not a place where we could easily blend in—it was a stark reminder of the harsh realities of life on the lower levels, despite my sister’s benevolent hand—which I knew was all that kept most souls here from starvation.
I kept Pearl firmly tucked against me, traveling in the shadows to keep out of sight. I felt her small hands clutching my arm with a tight grip, her ragged breath catching in her throat at times when the rankness around us became too much.
The smell was so bad, so pervasive, I didn’t scent the Kerzak before the beast stepped through the fog and shadows.
Pearl let out a high-pitched squeak at the sudden appearance of the monstrous, eight-foot-tall creature.
Its body possessed a thick fur that seemed to bristle and twitch with each movement.
Narrow, obsidian eyes scanned over my mate, taking in every detail with calculated precision.
Its black lips pulled back, revealing long, sharp yellow fangs that glistened in the dim light, and its gray tongue flicked from between the fangs as if anticipating its next meal.
“Human.” The word was a warbled growl.
There were rumors that Kerzak enjoyed the taste of human flesh. The idea of those long yellow fangs sinking into Pearl’s soft, creamy skin broke something inside me.
Bellowing the Vaktaire war cry, I pushed Pearl to the side and lunged at the beast.
The Kerzak, bred and trained to be vicious warriors, snarled in response, its sharp claws and teeth bared.
But I was just as deadly, my own training and instincts honed for combat—plus I fought for the safety of my mate.
The Kerzak’s curved swords glinted dangerously, but my trusty blade had seen me through countless battles.
We circled each other like two predators, each searching for an opening to strike.
Our movements were fluid yet brutal, a dance of impending death.
Around us, the air filled with the metallic tang of blood and the sound of clashing blades.
The ground beneath our feet quickly became slick with blood, but neither of us showed any sign of relenting.
This would be a fight to the death, and I was determined to emerge victorious.
The idea of what the Kerzak would do to Pearl if I fell was too much to bear.
I deftly sidestepped and attacked with a swift strike to the beast’s back, slicing through its tough skin and drawing a gush of hot blood.
But the Kerzak was just as quick, and his blade grazed my arm.
Smelling my blood seemed to drive the Kerzak into a battle frenzy.
With a fierce bellow, he lunged, sharp blades slicing through the air with lightning speed.
One of them hit my shoulder, and I felt the blade reverberate in the bone, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
Yet, the searing pain in my shoulder was nothing compared to the determination to protect my mate.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I met his next attack, slash for slash, the sound of our clash echoing through the alleyway.
“Jutuk!” Pearl screamed, worry frantic in her voice.
I steeled myself against glancing at Pearl.
The Kerzak, distracted by his own twisted desires, gave me the opportunity I needed.
I took advantage of his distraction, bending low and driving my blade into his side.
With a jerk, I tore through flesh and organs, leaving the beast swaying as its guts splattered onto the floor at my feet.
The Kerzak swayed, not giving up easily to death despite the stench of blood and death filling the air.
Finally, the beast’s dark eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell with a resounding thud.
“That that, fucker!”
Pearl’s voice cut through my battle haze, and I jerked about, stunned to find her holding a piece of scrap wood like a club and standing over the prone body of an Aljani.
“Softball was the one sport I didn’t suck at,” she huffed between ragged breaths. Tearing her gaze from mine, she gave the Aljani another whack with the piece of wood before tossing it to the side.
“You’re hurt.” The triumphant glimmer in her eyes vanished, replaced by a deep sense of concern. Without hesitation, she rushed to my side, her movements swift and graceful even as she jumped over the body of the Kerzak.
Her body slammed into mine, and I gave myself a moment to hold her, to feel her heart echoing the beat of my own. A moment to linger in the knowledge that she was safe.
“You’re bleeding.” Her voice trembled as she lifted a corner of her cloak to wipe away the blood from the deep cut in my shoulder. Taking the blade from my fingers, she cut away a swath of cloth from the hem of her cloak and used it to tie a makeshift bandage around my shoulder and arm.
The injury to my bicep was shallow, and the blood flow had already started to clot. The shoulder wound would need suturing, but I had survived worse. I could survive anything to keep her safe.
“It’s nothing,” I said, grasping her chin in my fingers and drawing her gaze to mine. Her blue eyes were wide, holding just a hint of leftover fear from the recent battle, but she nodded bravely. I brushed her lips with mine.
“There’s a stairway that leads to the docking bay,” I said, resisting the urge to sequester us in the darkness and keep kissing her.
Pearl entwined her fingers with mine. “Let’s go.”
Goddess, this woman was amazing.
We traversed the alley and entered the stairwell without incident, although I suspected the scream that cut through the air like a siren heralded the discovery of the fallen Kerzak and Ajani.
The dock was a hive of activity, with hundreds of sleek spaceships constantly arriving and departing.
The sound of engines revving, and cargo being loaded filled the air, accompanied by the scent of fuel and ozone.
The stairway let us out near the loading area, providing cover as we hid behind towering stacks of crates, holding everything from foodstuffs to weapons.
Peering through a small gap between boxes, we watched as crews unloaded supplies and technicians scurried about, completely oblivious to our presence.