Page 42 of Xefe (Nozaroc Alien Warrior #1)

“W hat is this place?” Sunny’s deep voice vibrated against my chest. He still held me in his arms as we followed the tiny whirlwind to the facility’s entrance—a giant force field positioned high above an alien jungle. The humidity was thick, and moisture beaded on my forehead.

My sobs had quieted, but silent tears still tracked down my face. “Go in.”

“How do you know it’s safe?” Sunny watched the swirling tornado breach the force field in front of us.

“Veras brought me here.” And told me the truth about this horrific planet.

Sunny’s grip tightened as he and the rest of the group walked through. The markings on his body sizzled and heated against my skin, but we were able to pass. The rest of the warriors, as well as Querida and Nheenya, followed.

The little Guardian led us down long halls, past equipment and weaponry, transportation devices as big as tanks stacked one on top of the other.

The facility was massive enough to accommodate a large city.

We eventually ended up in a central hub with several hallways and doorways branching off from it.

The center room had a homey feel to it, with colorful throw pillows, hanging drapes, and rugs.

It looked like a cozy room on Earth, but with an alien twist.

“Welcome, warriors. Humans. You are home.” Veras walked in, and as he strode toward us, his squat legs lengthened, his narrow shoulders broadened, and his mottled skin took on a golden hue.

In seconds, the Aavvee scientist had turned into a Nozarocan warrior, with golden markings outlining his chest and neck.

There were a few differences: the color of his eyes, the shape of his face, but otherwise, he had the same black hair and swirling eyes as Sunny.

Chameleon. That was how he’d described himself. Too bad I was so numb, I couldn’t even feel the shock of his big reveal. My feelings were buried deep, no longer accessible.

“Veras? You are a warrior true?” Sunny took his measure, poised to tear him apart if he gave the wrong answer.

“I am. I am a native to this planet, like you. A Nozarocan warrior. I have much to explain.” Veras tipped his chin up. “But first, you must swear to keep this location a secret. We have put ourselves in grave danger by allowing you here. But we could not let any other humans come to harm.”

“As long as my almax , the earthers, and the warriors are in no danger, I make this pledge.” Sunny pounded his chest, and the rest of the warriors followed suit.

The spiraling Guardian whirled around us with a sense of glee, shimmering and shrinking into a wisp of gold. The slight breeze zipped around us, nuzzling under our hair, as if saying hello. That would have been shocking enough, but when the tornado disappeared, a curvy human stood in its place.

“This is Truena. My almax . And that gust of wind is Nito, our very own Guardian.”

“Hi everybody. You can call me True. I’m sure you have a bunch of questions.” She looked at Veras and sighed. “After you put on some clothes.”

“Of course, my heart.”

True put her hands on her hips, clearly used to being in charge. “How about you make yourselves comfortable. It’s not perfect, but it’s been home for a while now.”

Nime set Nheenya on her feet, and the purple alien swayed. “I don’t… Shapeshifting? More humans? I don’t feel well,” she whispered.

Querida was next, and when Loxo lowered her down, she collapsed at his feet, sobbing.

“My beautiful one. Please, do not cry.” He threw himself on the floor with her and wrapped her in his arms.

I was the last, numb to everything but loss. “I want them back!” I sobbed and pressed my hands over my face.

“What is this? Why aren’t they happy?” Veras asked his mate.

“Because, babe, they’re in shock. Get blankets for the girls, and I’ll get everybody food.” True pushed Veras toward a large metal cabinet.

“Blankets, my heart? How will that help?”

“Trust me, they need to get warm.” True rushed from the room.

Veras looked skeptical but moved us toward their makeshift couch. It was a bundle of stuffed sheets arranged in a rectangle on the floor. He piled rough blankets on top of us.

It took a good hour for everyone to settle down. True fed us, Veras told the warriors about their identities, and I cried into my food, unable to take a bite. Sunny held me the entire time. My tears were tearing him apart, but he wouldn’t let me go.

We were all weary and tired to the bone. Eventually, Sunny asked, “How long have you been here?”

“Many, many sonas .”

“Almost two hundred years.” True shrugged. “I was abducted in the 2020s.”

“Is that a long time? I do not understand your measure of time.” Nheenya added.

“It is the equivalent of two human lifespans. Almost three.”

“The Oro can extend your life…indefinitely. You won’t die from natural causes, but you can be killed.” True sat on Veras’ lap, Nito ruffling her hair as she spoke.

I didn’t care. I felt dead inside. I should be planning, should be demanding Veras save them, but the shock penetrated too deeply. I was lost to agony. My Valentina. Nieve. Sobs wracked me. I had no hope. No chance of seeing them again. “I didn’t kill him. I failed. Freckles got away.”

Would they kick us out?

“I brought you here because…it is too late for you to go home, Hermosa. The extra Glrtsstlllloroggg you used irrevocably changed you. You need it continually now to survive. I’m sorry.

” Veras sighed. “Truthfully, we would have helped you regardless. I wanted you to kill Freckles because it was such a deep yearning inside of you. Plus… he needs to be killed. He’s shown far too much of an interest in humans. ”

“He told me he knows our secret.” My stomach dropped as I remembered smashing his face in. I looked down at my broken knuckles, which had already begun to heal. “That humans and Nozarocans can breed.”

The room erupted. I’d dropped a bomb, and there was a flurry of chatter between Veras and the warriors.

The softest sound tickled my ears, just above the animated conversation. Hoots bounced off the walls, getting louder and louder in a cacophony of sound.

“ No-Wing. ”

“ Where? ”

“ You safe? ”

“ You hurt? ”

“ Mama! ”

“Holy shit!” I sat up and wiped my tears. “ I’m in here! ” I hooted back.

“Oh no, how very sad. I have seen this before.” Veras looked at Sunny. “I am so sorry, my brother. Your human is permanently damaged. The Aavvee have broken her mind.” He shook his head. “She’ll never be the same again.”

“My almax is fine. That is her way. She communicates with…everyone. Even the animals of this planet.” Sunny glared at Veras. “Do not ever call her broken again. She is perfect.”

Veras rolled his eyes.

True giggled. “I taught him how to do that.”

“They’re my friends. Don’t hurt them.” A wave of black fur and wings flew through the doorway.

“ Greeeooowwllls? How did they breach the force field?” Veras held True above the cloud of mink fur. “Great! We are infested. We’ll never get rid of them.”

Joy coated and intermingled with some of the pain, breaking through my fog. The wave of pangos spread everywhere, on the walls, jumping on the furniture. The whole lot of them.

King Pango emerged first, with Baby attached to his back, riding piggyback. “ No-Wing? You safe? Good? ”

“ I’m good. ” I hooted, reaching out for Baby.

“Mama!” He screeched and dove for my hand, piercing my thumb before I could react. In seconds, he took his fill and swept his tongue over my cheeks, slurping up my tears. Then he scrambled up my arm and hugged my neck, taking deep breaths as he nibbled on my skin.

“ Bad spike, good? Friends? ” King Pango wrung his little hands, the ring of flowers on his head off center. His tiny wings flapped as he studied the warriors.

“ Friends. All friends. ” I cuddled Baby.

“I want to pet one.” True wiggled out of Veras’ lap and sat on the couch next to me. “They’re so cute.” She reached out—

“Blood! Blood! Blood!” the pangos chanted, and before I could warn her, King Pango took a bite.

She didn’t even flinch. True was obviously a tough mamasota .

“ Good. She good. Good-Blood. Yum. ”

“ Yum. ” The pangos chanted her new name. “ Yum. ”

“You get one taste. That’s it!” Veras pointed at the leader of the pack, his voice booming. “No more.”

“ Boo. ” King Pango’s long ears dropped, his soulful eyes going round. “ Mean, No-Spike. Mean. ” But the king let everyone else know there would be no more nibbles.

“What are they saying?” True cuddled one of the teenagers who’d been brave enough to crawl onto her lap.

“They named you, Yum.”

“Oh! Well…okay.” She laughed and we all watched the innocent pangos frolic and play.

With Baby in my arms, I could finally breathe. Finally, see through the fog and remember my main goal. Yes, they’d taken Valentina and Nieve, but they were here somewhere. There had to be a way to find them. The over-dramatic alien, Veras, was just going to have to tell us how.

I caught his eye. He’d obviously been watching me. “How do we get them back?”

He tipped his chin up in a nod. “Good. You are not broken. I was worried.” Sunny’s body tensed around me, and I could feel the glare he aimed at Veras. When I glanced back at him, one of the female pangos was sitting on his shoulder, combing through his hair.

“This was a hub for all of the returning Nozaroc warriors before my people retreated to the center of the planet, where the Oro is strongest. The Aavvee defeated them because of the acts of a traitor.” Veras clenched his hands, his double thumbs tapping.

“But there were many of us who were off planet when it happened. That is where I believe some of you were taken from.” He pointed toward one of the hallways.

“I have an observation room where I can track almost everything the Aavvee are doing. As long as your friends haven’t travelled off planet, I will find them. ”

“How long will that take?” My voice was hoarse from crying.

“I don’t know. What do you know of these warriors? The triad?”

“They were loyal. Dedicated to our supreme. I do not think they will harm the earthers,” Sunny answered.

“Yeah, but all they kept talking about were their almaxes ? W-would they force themselves on them?” My voice shook.

“They have honor. They will have no feelings for them unless they are their true mates. Their rod will be hidden. If we can find the earthers, and they are not a match, I think they will return them.”

“And if it turns out that one of the girls matches with one of the guys? What then?” I asked.

Veras came over and pulled True back into his lap, as if he couldn’t be away from her. The pangos swarmed, jumping on and off of him, picking at his hair. He did not look happy. “Only one would be a match.”

“What do you mean?”

“They are a triad. Three parts of the same whole. They will share one mate.”

“Alien thrupple.” True nodded and adjusted the crooked flower wreath atop King Pangos’ head.

I shrugged it off. To each their own. “Ok then, if one of them is their almax . Then what?” It was a no-win either way, although Nieve had been pretty interested. But that was before they kidnapped her.

“Then they will fight us to the death to keep her.” Sunny rested his chin atop my head and tightened his arms around me. “But we will win. Unless the earther does not want to come with us.”

“I will kill them if they hurt my sister.” Sensing my anger, Baby came over and caressed my cheek. “I know Nieve can take care of herself.” She’d have those three wrapped around her finger in seconds.

“Don’t forget. I activated your communication systems. Once they get closer in range, you may be able to reach them that way.”

Querida and I immediately tapped our palms. Nothing.

I looked over at my friend, realizing I’d been in my own little bubble of pain and hadn’t checked on her. Or Nheenya.

They were huddled together with Querida’s head pillowed on Nheenya’s lap. The purple alien was humming and stroking her hair.

“You okay?”

Querida shook her head and closed her eyes.

Loxo paced behind her, but so far, he was holding it together.

“They will be fine. I feel it. Here.” Nheenya placed her hand on her chest. “It is a knowing. We will remain here where it is safe. And they will join us. Soon enough.”

I held onto Nheenya’s words with both hands, thinking of nothing else as the pangos made themselves comfortable. Apparently, they were moving in despite Veras’ protests. True had said yes, and that was all that mattered.

When it was time to sleep, True showed us to a room.

It was simple, a little bigger than a walk-in closet.

It had pillows and scratchy blankets. Sunny stripped me down seconds after entering.

He kissed every bruise, every sore spot.

We made love with quiet desperation, devastated that our loved ones were missing, but so grateful to have each other.

“Thank you, Sunny.” I kissed his full lips as I sprawled on top of him, resting my chin on my hands.

“For what, my beauty?”

“For caring about me and being brave enough to face your feelings. It wasn’t easy to go against your supreme. I know I blew up your world with everything I told you.”

“You did nothing wrong. I will always listen when you speak truth.” He brushed his thumbs over my cheek as I snuggled against him. “Defying my supreme was nothing when everything I have ever wanted is here. With you.”

“Do you really think we’ll find them?” I held my breath, clinging to any bit of reassurance he could offer.

“I have no doubt we will turn over every rock, traverse every portal, until your sister and friend are back in your arms.”

I drifted off to sleep, holding onto Sunny’s words. He never lied, which meant we’d never give up until we were reunited with them again.

THE END

—Next in series, Veras (Nozaroc Alien Warrior) Read on for a sneakpeek.