V’ALEN
One whocanfeelandone whocannot… Kidnapped and thrown into an alien war where danger is a constant threat, fear would consume most.ButAlainaWebster isnotmostpeople.
Ripped fromEarthbythe HighTasqals and labeled a slave, Alaina seizes this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.All becauseshehasasecretsheisdeterminedtokeephidden.
And she would have succeeded, if he didn’t come along. V’Alen. The cyborg who can see right throughher.
As theyembarkona missionthatchallenges the boundaries ofhumanityandtechnology,theyform apassionateconnectionthatisasintenseasitisunexpected.
Caught ina series of events that bringthemcloser together, Alaina and V’Alenmust confront the consequencesofalovethatdefiesall odds. Alovethattranscendslifeitself.
BEFOREYOUREAD!
Goodnessme,it’sbeenawhile. Ifyou’repickingupthisbookrightafter readingAjos,youcanskipthispart. Ifnot,IrecommendgoingbacktoAjosfirst.Astheplotisanoverarchingone,somethingswill be easier tounderstandifyoureadthatbookfirst. For thosewhodon’twanttogoback,or arenew tothisseriesor mywork,here’sabriefrundownof what’shappenedbefore.
Inbooks1-5ofCapturedbyAliens,wemetfivecouples.Fivehumanfemalesandfivealienrebel heroeswhorescuethemfromtheHighTasqals araceofovergrowntoad-likebeingswhoaredying fromsomeincurablediseasethatmakesitimpossiblefor themtoreproduceontheir own. Andwhobesttofill thatgapthanlovelyhumans.(Gosh,we’retooawesomefor our owngood.) Attheendofthatseries,wefindouttherearemorehumanstrappedinastasisholdsomewhereand our rebelsmakeanoathtorescuethem.
Thencomesthebook,Ajos. Arebel fighter whohelpsopenthestasishold,hefallsfor Kerena,afemalewhowastrappedinside it.
AjostakesKerenawithhimonwhatshouldhavebeenasafe-enoughmission,butnothinggoesto plan.Kerenaiskidnappedbyaplant.Yes,youreadthatright. Whileimprisonedbythisflora,shediscoverstheplantreactstohumanblood. Itturnsout,thisplantiskeytohealingtheverybeingsthattookher fromEarth.(Boo!) Butwhat’sevenmoreimportant,isadevicesheandAjosdiscoveredwhileontheir mission.A glowingorb.Onetheyhavenocluethepower of,andonetheHighTasqalsseemdeterminedto retrieve.
Thisbookpicksuponthestorylineofthatorb,withV’AlenandAlaina. Ifyouunderstoodanyofthat,keeponreading! Ihopeyouenjoy!
Below isaTW/SPOILER
. . . . .
SPOILER/TWBELOW:
Thisbookcontainsthemessurroundinghealthanddeath/mortality.Theheroineinthisbookis terminallyill.Whatever your experiencewithaterminal illnessmaybe,whether youor alovedone suffer/havesufferedfromsuchamalady,Iunderstandthisthememaybeasorepoint.Itiscompletely fineifyouwanttoskipthisbook.. Ihavemanyother booksyoucanenjoy:)
MASSIVESPOILERINCOMING
. . . . . TWINCOMINGNNEXTPAGE . . . .
AG
“JEKINNNN. ”
Alaina’sbrow furrowedslightly,her nosetwitchingassheslowlyrousedfromsleep. Thatvoice…Itsoundedsoreal.So close.
Lidsstill heavywithsleep,her eyesslowlyopenedtolockwithyellow slittedpupils,luminousin thedark,rightbeforeher andsoclose,theywereall shecouldsee.
Her breathroseinher chest,stoppinginher noseasshestartledawake. Sheknew thoseeyes.Saw theminher dreamsthatturnedintonightmares.
Theywere the eyes of a Hedgerud. Agator-guard, as she and the other humans called them. Evil beingswiththosesamecoldyellow eyessetover longsnoutsthathidsharp,jaggedteeth.
Henchman of the High Tasqals, the very fiends that ripped her fromEarth, his presence spelled deathanddanger.
But he couldn’t be here. She had to be dreaming, for she was on the Restitution’s base. Aplace where rebels fought to keep her and other unfortunate souls safe from the same species she was staringatrightnow.
Itwas the safestplace for her to be inthe whole universe. Aplace where she was protected from theHighTasqalsandtheir minions.NotevenEarthwassafer thanhere.
Sohow…
How wasshestaringintotheeyesoftheverythingshefeared?
Her heart slammed into her chest as a screamtore fromher lips or rather, she tried to scream, butthesoundwasstifledbysomethingforcingher mouthclosed.
Somethingrigid.Somethingunmoving.
Alaina grabbed at it, her fingers grasping thick skin that felt like leather, and her entire body shudderedasshetriedtoscramblebackward.
Aclaw.Onebigenoughtograspher wholejaw whileconstrictingher neck.
But even as she scrambled backward and tried to pull the claw from her face, her movements werefutile.
Her headmetthewall.Therewasn’tanywheretogo.
She’dbeenasleeponher sleepingslab.Shewas still onher sleepingslab.Andshewastrapped. The pressure on her jaw increased as the gator-guard pushed her head back into the bedding, almostasifhewastryingtoramher jawboneupintoher skull.
Her whimper was silencedas she staredintothose slittedeyes,terror fillingher andrunningover asthegator-guarddrew closer.
1
The alienlowered his head, his snout comingso near to her face that she could smell his rancid breath.Sharpteethbaredover her face,soclosethatthetipsbrushedagainsther nose.
Thishadtobeadream.Another sideeffectofher illness.
Shealreadyknew abouttheheadaches.Thenausea.Thereducedstrengthandcoordination… She knew all aboutthe diagnosis she’d received justa weekbefore she’d beentakenfromEarth, butthedoctor hadn’tmentionedhallucinations.
And this pain developing in her throat, the terror replacing the blood in her veins, it all felt too real…
Butit couldn’t bereal.
Theonlywayagator-guardcouldhavepassedthebase’sdefenseswasif… Oh, God no.
Thebasehadbeenbreached.
Theywereunder attack.
“Jekinnnnn,” the gator-guard hissed again. “Rise and keep your maw shut, or I will crush it and silenceyoumyself.”
A whimper left her throat as he pulled her forward by the face, the automatic lights finally clickingontoreveal thehorror beforeher.
She’donlyseenthe Hedgeruds andtheir masters,the HighTasqals,onholo-images.Never inreal life.Andthoseimagesdidnojusticetotheutter horror thattheyactuallywere.
Coarsedark-greenskincoveredeveryinchofthegator-guard’sbodyrightdowntohisjaggedtail. And those cold, wicked eyes. So unfeeling, she could lookrightinto themand see thathe wished for her doom.
Grabbingtheclaw thatwaslatchedontoher face,shepushedatit,tryingtofreeherself.
Panicshotthroughher likeabullet.Shehadtogetfree.Shecouldn’tlethimtakeher.
The Tasqals onlywanted humans for one thing, and eventhoughshe had two, maybe three weeks lefttolive,shedidn’twanttodiewrithinginpainwhileanalienspawnrippeditselffromher belly.
Asascreamcutthroughtheother sideoftheroom,Alaina'sheartdidoneheavythump.
Constance. Her roommate, Constance. Withthe suddenterror she’d wokenup to, she’d forgotten abouther roommate, butConstance musthave wokenup to see the evil intheir midst. And thatmeant itwasnow twoagainstone.
Therewashope.
Panicmeldedwiththeonlyother thingfloodingthroughher veins.Adrenaline.
Pulling her legs toward her chest, she released them in a kick that struck the gator-guard in the belly. Startled, his grip onher loosened enoughthat she freed herself. Spinning, she onlymanaged to land onher belly, her fingers digginginto the beddingfor purchase as she tried to scramble forward andawayfromthemonster now behindher.
Agrowl sounded inthe room. One that chilled the air itself as a claw closed around the backof her skull,slammingher facedowninthebeddingsohardshecouldn’tbreathe.
Ascreamrippedfromher throatanddisappearedintothesoftfeathersofher quilt.
Growling,the gator-guardpulledher bythe hair,yankingher backsohardshe felta tendonspasm inher neck.
His claw closedaroundher throatinthe nextsecondandsuddenlyshe was spuntoface himas he liftedher towardtheroofwithonehand.
“Pitiful,”hemurmured.
Her ownweightwas pullingher downagainstthe vice around her neck, cuttingoffthe air she so
badlyneededtoremainconsciousandsurvive.
Itwasastrangefeeling,beingchoked.
Her body fought for air, her head feeling like it was swelling and about to combust…and yet, behind itall, behind the panic oflosingher breath…there was calm. Abeckoningthatitcould all end now andshewouldn’thavetofightanymore.
Butshe had tofight.
Strangledwordsrosefromher throat.“SoMeonEpleaSehElp…”
Movementbehind the gator-guard sentanother chill downher spine as she spotted his counterpart movingbehindhim,focusedonnoneother thanConstance.
“ConsTaNce!” Run! She tried to scream, to shout, to tell the other woman to run, but the claw aroundher throatonlytightened.
Painspreadaroundher neckasiftheguard’sroughskinwastearinghersapart.
Tears sprunginto her eyes and the painonlycaused her to flail more. Grippingthe gator-guard’s armwithbothhands,shepulledagainsthisclaw withall her strength.
“Unbelievablypitiful.” There was a hiss followed shortlybya cackle as the gator-guard laughed. “It is no wonder our masters chose your species to rebuild theirs. You cannot escape them…even if youwishto.Resistanceisfutile.”
Painspreadthroughher throatandshewassurethebloodvesselsinher headwereabouttoburst. “FuCk.TheM.”Teethgrit,sheglaredatthefiendbeforeher. Itshouldn’tbepossible,butthosecoldeyesgrew colder ashisslittedpupilsnarrowedonher.
Behind him, Constance screamed. “Letme go, youpiece ofshit!” She dugher heels into the floor, butitwasliketherewasnoresistance.Theother gator-guardpulledher alongbehindhimanyway.
“Make haste,” the Hedgerud said. “There are many more of these jekins to find. The masters awaitour return.”
No.
Alainabeganstrugglingagain. Thiscouldn’tbehappening.
Surely,thiswasn’thow itended.
Not like this!
She triedkickingatthe guardagainas he headedtowardthe door,butpossibly,the actionhurther morethanithurthim.
Shewasbarefootandhisskinwaslikehittingjaggedrock.
No.Shehadmoretimeleft.Morelifeleftto live.Anditwouldnotbe takenfromher prematurely. Sherefused!
The universe frickin’owed it to her.
As the gator-guard turned withher inhis grasp, her eyes landed ona small tool she’d beenusing tocutplantsamplesaroundthebase.Abladethatwastuckedinwardlikearatchetknife.
For weeks, she’d worked tirelesslybeside Kerena, another humanrefugee onthis strange world, cuttingplants withthatblade,tryingtofindacompoundtheycoulduseagainsttheHighTasqals.After Kerena had accidentally found a plant that caused Tasqal cells to react, they’d been experimenting since,tryingtoreplicatetheresultsandmaybereverseit.
To find the weakness of the scourge that descended upon Earth, ripped them away from their lives,andwasstill chasingthemthroughthecosmos.
Itwouldbeironicifthatsamebladewouldliberateher now.
She just needed to get close enough. If she could just grab it, she could use it against the fucker
holdingher inhisvice-likegrip.
As she hung on to the gator-guard’s arm, fighting the burn in her throat and the one in her lungs, sheeyedtheblade.Itwashighonashelf,highenoughthatshecouldgrabitif
Her body swung in the guard’s grasp, and Alaina pushed her weight into the sway. Her fingers closedaroundthebladeatthesamemomentthatthegator-guardturnedhisheadinher direction.
Liketheworldsloweddown,thebladeflickedopen,thesharpmetal glintinginthelight.Sheonly saw theslightwideningofthegator-guard’seyesassheswungher fist,buryingthebladeintohisarm.
Her heart thumped, just one massive beat as the blade sunk into his skin, dark-green blood springingupalongitsedge.
But despite that it sunkthroughthe hard barrier his skincreated, it didn’t go nearlyas deeplyas she’dhaveliked.Eyeswideasshestaredatit,timestoppedasthegator-guardroared.
Hewasgoingtokill her now.Hewasgoingtocrushher throatbetweenhisfingers.
But as her wide eyes rose to his, he reached for her hand still grasping the blade. Time started movingonce more as his fingers tightened, sinkingthe blade deeper into his fleshas he squeezed her wrist.
She felther bones crack, feltthe muscle inher hand spasmas he tilted her wristbackward inone sharp movement. Her backarched withthe pain, her eyes watering, her sharp sob disappearingunder thesoundofthegrowl hereleasedfromhischest.
“Pest,”hegrowled,snappingher wrist.
The agony made the breath stop in her nose, her lungs caving in as pain shot through her arm. Throughher blurredvision,shecouldbarelymakeouther limpwrist,thebonestickingupunderneath her darkskinasthegator-guardpulledthebladefromhisarmandflickeditsomewhereintheroom.
Her mind swam, indescribable painmakingher consciousness wane as the gator-guard’s hold on her tightenedashesteppedfromtheroom.
The sounds that hit her as soon as they left the sound barrier surrounding the sleeping quarters weretheonlythingthatdampenedher anguish.
Screams. Wailing. Bigboomingsounds that echoed throughthe night air like massive guns being fired. Smoke and burning buildings. Residents screaming and running for their lives. People being murderedrightbeforeher asdarkoutlinesofgator-guardscutthemdown. Her heartceased.
Itwas…horror.
Upabove,somethingmuchdarker thanthenightitselfwashoveringintheair.
Likeasymbol ofterror,theHedgerud’smothershiphoveredintheair, waiting for them.
Even without the Hedgeruds saying it, she knew…if she got on that ship, she was never coming back.
“Comrade,onyour right!”
The gator-guard holdingher jerked, takingher withhim, and Alaina choked out a crybecause of the pain. Fromtheir right, one of the rebels, an alien with four sets of eyes and as many arms, was chargingtowardthem,hisbladepointedatthegator-guard.
Buthedidn’tstandachance.
There was nothing she could do as the gator-guard brandished a sword and buried it into the rebel’schest.
Carried forward by his momentum, the sword went full hilt into the rebel’s body, piercing him throughandthrough.
Ashisbodyslumped,hisgazelockedwithhersandshesaw themomentthelightlefthiseyes.
“No!”shechokedout,atthesametimethatConstancescreamedthesame. Thegator-guardwithdrew his weaponandkickedtherebel’s bodyoutofthewayas ifhe’dmeant nothing.
Theutter disrespectwasharrowing. She was shudderingnow,her bodyshakinguncontrollably.Notoutoffear,butmaybe the shockto her systemwasjusttoomuch. How…
How didthishappen?
How didthebasefall soquickly?
“Keep walking!” The guard infrontpulled Constance and the womanwinced, a whimper leaving her lipsasshestumbledover thebodyofafallenresident. Somuchdeath.
Itwaseverywhere.
She could smell it in the air. Like a thick, heavy concoction of dread that would seep into her bonesifshestayedinitspresencefor toolong.
For amoment,despair almostovertookher,butthat’swhensomethingcaughther eye.
Glisteningmetal.Blackandgold.
Far off throughthe smoke and destruction, that armor onlymeant one person. Since she’d woken fromstasis, he’d beenthe one alienthatcaughther eye, and maybe itwas the engineer withinher, but he was a beauty to behold. She’d never interacted with him apart from that first day when he’d installedatranslator chipbehindher ear.Butsheknew hisname.
“V’Alen,”shewhispered.
IT WAS A WHISPER, BUT HE HEARD IT ANYWAY. Thatmomentwhenthehumancalledhisname.
Despitethesurroundingchaos,V’Alenturnedandlockedontoher immediately.
Droppingthe piece ofbuildinghe’d beenliftingso a trapped residentcould flee, he senta probe inthehuman’sdirection.
[Scan] [System:
TwoHedgeruds. Twohumanfemales: Injured.]
Anditseemedthehumanhadn’tbeentheonlyonethathadspottedhim. ThemomenttheHedgerudscaughtsightofhimwasclear,too.
They suddenly stopped walking, tension radiating off them as they glanced toward their mothership,thenbackinhisdirection.
Evenfromthe distance, he could sense whentheir pulse quickened, and he knew their nextmove evenbeforetheydid.
Theyweregoingtochangedirection. Iftheywenttowardtheir mothership,hewouldinterceptthemtooquickly. “It’stheKyron!”oneofthemhissed.
Their words carried over the distance, his enhanced hearingpickingup their speechas ifhe was standingrightinfrontofthem,andhetiltedhisheadslightlyashewatchedtheir eyesdartaround. “Hide!”theother hissed.
Justashe’dexpected,theydivertedtoanearbybuilding. Jumpingfromtheroofofthebuildingonwhichhestood,V’Alenheadedintheir direction.
[Scan]
[Activatinginfrared]
2
. .
He could see themclearly. Eachstandingoneither side of the door, weapons drawn, the humans still intheir grasp.
“PLeAse V’AleN.” It was the human whispering, the same one that uttered his name. Only now, her voicewasfilledwithhope.
I saw you, human.
Glancingat his fingertips, he knew he could use a high-powered beamto take out the Hedgeruds fromthisdistance.Buttherewasaproblem.
Hecouldn’tharmtheHedgeruds.
Hewasforbidden…andtheHedgerudswouldknow thattoo.
Launching himself into the air, V’Alen jumped, engaging the thrusters built into his armor so he couldmoveover thechaosbelow andlandjustinfrontofthebuildinghe’dseenthemtakethehumans into.
Twostepsandhewasinfrontofthedoor theyhidbehind.
[Scan]
[...Probingvicinityfor alliedspecies . .]
[Allyfound]
Akur,rebel fighter andtwinbrother ofhiscommander,Ajos,wasnearby.
Calculatingthe chance ofsuccess ina millisecond, V’Alentilted his head inthe rebel's direction. Hespottedhimimmediately,dual bladesswingingashecutthroughtwoHedgerudsatonce. Akur wasn’trestrictedlikehewas.Hewoulddo.
Themalelookedhiswaythen,thebloodofhisenemiessplashedover hisfacelikeapainting,and V’Alengavehimasignal.
Backup necessary.
Akur noddedandbeganheadinghisway,buthispathwasn’tclear.
Eventhoughhewascuttingthemdown,Hedgerudswerestill chargingathimlikeaflood. Athiscurrentpace,Akur wouldarriveinroughlyoneminuteandthirtyseconds. V’AlenturnedhisattentionbacktothetwoHedgerudshefaced. Theywerestill hidingandfear waftedfromtheminwaves.
“And ifthe Kyronspotted us?” one ofthe Hedgeruds asked, his voice so low, his words sounded likegrowling.
“Unclear. But this is cowardice. We are hidinglike weaklings. The Kyroncannot attackus. That istheir law.”
“Cowardice? We do not know if he observes the treaty. I have seenwhat a rogue Kyroncando, andIdonotwishtobekilledbyone.”
Thatwasall heneededtohear.
They weren’t sure if he was abiding by the Law of Voltaris, so he would use their fear against them.
Charging his fist, V’Alen calculated the exact trajectory of each particle as he struck forward, sendingthedoor flyinginward.
“Qrak!” One of the Hedgeruds exclaimed. There was a scream from one of the females and
scamperingastheHedgerudsscrambledfurther intothedarkness.“Takecover!”
V’Alenstoodinthe center ofthe room,his gaze flickinginthe directionofthe closestfiend.“You cannothide.Iwill alwaysseeyou.”
[Scan]
[System: Female.Alaina.Neckwound.Brokenbonesinthewrist.Critical damagetothebrain. Chanceofsurvival: 3%]
[System: Female.Unnamed.Woundtothearm.Woundtothejaw.Chanceofsurvival: 99%]
V’Alen’s system charged, his armor lighting up like a wave. He hadn’t expected one of the female’slifestatetobesocritical and,asthedustcleared,hisgazelockedonher.
“IamsorryIamlate…Alaina.”
Apartfromthehopeinher eyes,surpriseshonethrough.
He’dusedher name.
He must have saved her designationwithout realizing, for he onlyknew one other human’s name andthatwasthenameofKerena,hiscommander,Ajos’,mate.
This little female must have impressed on his subconscious programming. That part of him that raninthebackgroundandhehadnoaccessto.
Whenhadshedonethis?Hewasnotsure.He’dhadlittlecontactwiththehumansthey’drescued. His gaze moved fromher to the Hedgerud who had her inhis grasp, and the brute pulled a blade fromhiswaist.
V’Alen’sgazeflickedtotheweapon,andtheHedgerudseemedtowither alittle.
Everyoneknew youdidnotpointaweaponataKyron,evenonethathadnotgonerogue.
Butthe Hedgerud was smarter thanhe looked. Because, thoughhe’d drawnthe weapon, he held it looselyinhisclaw athissideasifwaiting.
“Hm.” The Hedgerud spoke, his voice much steadier than the tension his body indicated. “The famed Kyron stationed at the Restitution.” He gripped the female, Alaina, tighter and she winced. “TheHighTasqalshaveheardrumorsofyour presencehere.”
[Scan]
[System: Forty-fivesecondsbeforeAkur’sarrival]
“Threewords,Hedgerud,”V’Alensaid.“Releasethehumans.”
TheHedgerudglancedathiscomradeandatthatmoment,theair aroundthemchanged. Possibly,thefacttheyweren’tyetwrithinginagonygavethemconfidence.
Ahiss-cackledevelopedinone’sthroatandhiscomradejoinedinwithhisownhesitantlaughter.
“TheKyrondarestogiveusorders.Maybehe’sforgottenthelaw ofhispeople.”
TheLaw ofVoltaris.
The one that locked his combat abilities. Restricted them. And the only thing that gave other speciesenoughpieceofmindtotrusthisown.
The Hedgerud tugged the female in his grasp, and her body jerked against his. “What are you going to do if we don’t let them go, Kyron?” He glanced at his comrade. “You can’t attack us, can you?”
Yes.Yes,hecould.
Heonlyneededcertainconditionstobemet.Andtherewerewaystodothat. V’Alentookastepforward.
“One more step and Ikill the human.” The gator-guard lifted his blade and pressed the tip against Alaina’sbelly,butthefemaledidn’twinceor pull away.
Her gazewaslockedonhimasifshewaswaiting,waitingfor himtomakehismove.
[System: ThirtysecondsbeforeAkur’sarrival]
“Don’tworryaboutme,”shewhispered.“FocusonConstance.”
Her words made himtilthis head slightly. Itwas notwhathe’d expected her to say. Itwas almost as ifshe was aware ofher chance ofsurvival and wanted himto save the other female who had much better oddsthanshedid.
Threepercent.
Itwascuriouslylow,evenwithhispresenceandwithAkur ontheway,theoddsdidnotimprove. “Quiet!”TheHedgerudshouted,slammingafistintothefemale’sbelly. EverythingwithinV’Alenstilled.
Thesebeings.
Thesebeingswerefilledwithmalevolence.
It wasn’t his place to decide good or evil. That was the reasonfor the Law of Voltaris. But even though he was mostly artificial, with even his brain altered by code, that part of him that was still fleshreacted.
He’d spent many revolutions with the Restitution, and he’d seen and archived much. The rebels andthebeingstheyprotected,theyfoughtanevil muchgreater thanthemselves.
Anevil theseHedgerudsbeforehimworshiped.Anevil thatpreyedontheweak…thosetoosmall tofightback.Likethefemalebeforehimnow.
TheHedgerud’smasterswereascourgeonthissideofthecosmos.
AsAlainadoubledover,her gazestill lockedonhis…somethingsnappedwithinhim. Whatever itwas,madehisvisionturnred.
OneoftheHedgerudsshiftedevenfarther back.“Whatdoesredmean?” “Youcan’tattack,Kyron!”theother exclaimed.“Youareforbidden.” Sohewas.
He shouldn’tbe able to defyhis systemlike this, butwatchingthe small female choke onair was a scene that seemed to make his systemreact without his input. No doubt as he moved, a signal was beingsentbacktoVoltaris,warningtheKyronofhispossibledisobedience buthecouldn’tstop.
Thishuman…thelookinher eyes…
He cut through the air, erasing the distance between him and the Hedgerud as his hand closed aroundthefiend’sthroat.
Fear shone in the Hedgerud’s yellow irises as he suddenly released the female to grip the arm now athisthroat.
“Youcannotkill me,Kyron,”theHedgerudgrunted.Buthiswordsnolonger boreconfidence. V’Alen’s gaze flicked from red to white and back, his system trying to correct the glitch in his code,buthefoughtbackasheraisedhisarmhigher,liftingtheHedgerudoffhisfeet.
Asenseofpower wentthroughhim.Onethatsetoffinternal alarms.
Thisfeeling…
[System: Threesecondsuntil Akur’sarrival]
“You cannot kill me.” It was more of a plea than a statement now as the Hedgerud flailed in his grasp and V’Alen was aware of Alaina trying to crawl away to safety. The other Hedgerud was scramblingbackaswell,hiseyeswideandhismaw open.
“Affirmative.Icannotkill you,”V’Alensaid.“But he can.”
Thisfeelingiswhatledhisancestorsastray.
[Scan]
AS ALAINA TRIED TO CRAWL AWAY, SHE FOUND SHE COULD HARDLY MOVE. Everything hurt.
Above her, V’Alen had the Hedgerud in his grasp and, at that moment, she yearned to hear the bonesintheasshole’sneckcrackandbreak.
Shewantedtohear himscreaminpain.
Damnthem.
Damnthemall tohell.
“Youcannotkill me!”theHedgerudexclaimed.
“Affirmative,”V’Alenanswered.“Icannotkill you…Buthecan.” Hewho?
Itwas buta blur and the glistenofa blade as someone else darted into the room, butshe was too startled, feelingtoo muchpainto evenmove or react. Itwas as ifher mind lagged as itfoughtto keep upwithwhatshewasseeing.
Onesecond,thegator-guardinV’Alen’sgraspwasresisting,andthenext,hisbodywentlimp. Hefell tothefloor withathud,hishugetail missingher bymereinchesashisbodycollapsed.
Her head pulsed, dizziness interfering with her vision as she looked at the fallen Hedgerud. But evenwithher blinkinghard to dispel the blurriness thathad creptover her sight, she knew something waswrong.
The gator-guard’s bodydidn’tlookrightand inthe second thatpassed, her mind refused to allow her tounderstandwhatshewasseeing. Butitsoonbecameclear.
Thehorror ofthesightmadeascreamleaveher lips. Itwasn’tthegator-guard’sbodythathadfallentothefloor. Atleast,not all ofit.
Her terrifiedgazemovedupwardasrainsuddenlybeganfalling,splashingagainsther legs. Rain? Inside?
Theconfusionandthepoundinginher headmadeher mindswim. Nothingmadesense. Butthenher gazefocused,anditclicked. Notrain. Blood
3
.
For thegator-guard’sbodyhadbeenslicedcompletelyinhalf. Thelower halfhadfallenandtheother halfwasstill beingheldupbyV’Alen’sarm.
In one movement, he threw the upper half of the gator-guard to the side as Alaina scrambled backward,her bodymovingoutofpureinstinct.
Black and gold metal blocked her view as cold arms surrounded her, pulling her against a hard body.
Her bodyshookascool blueeyesmethers.
“Threatexterminated,”V’Alensaid.“Hewill nolonger harmyou.”
Shewasbarelyawarethatshegrippedontohim,eyeswideasshetriedtocalmher breathing. Theyweresaved?
Therewas another shoutintheroomandAlaina’s gazefocusedover V’Alen’s shoulder justas the movingblur materializedintosomethingher mindcouldunderstand.
Another oftheRestitution’srebels.
Akur. Over seven feet tall of pure pissed-off rebel fighter, somehow he’d killed the two gatorguardsbeforeanyoneintheroomcouldevenreact.
The tall alien braced a boot against the other Hedgerud’s chest and slid his blade fromthe now lifelessbody.Histeal skinsplatteredwithblood,helookedlikehe’djustmadeasacrifice.
“Getoffmyblade,”hehissed,ashekickedthebodyoffandflashedthebloodfromhisweaponas ifitwasaninconvenience.
Satisfied,heturnedtoglanceatV’Alen.“Niceteamwork.Thanksfor thesignal,brother.” Alaina’sheartwasbeatingsohard,shecouldn’tthinkclearly. Wasitover?Ithadall happenedsoquickly.
She’d knownshe was livingina camp full of rebel fighters, but she’d never seentheminaction beforenow.
And these mustbe the elite ones because mostofthe other rebels onthe outside weren’tfaringso well.
“You are safe now,” V’Alen’s voice cut through her consciousness and she realized he’d been focusedonher theentiretime.
His eyes were no longer that luminous red and he was so calm, you wouldn’t know that right behindhimwaschaosanddeath.
“You are safe, but injured.” He raised a hand and it hovered over her wounded wrist as if he wasn’tquitesurewhattodoaboutit.
Shewincedwhenhisfingersbrushedover thewoundandhepulledthemback,hisgazeflickingto her face.
Curious.
For arobotman,hewasn’tasunaffectedasshe’dexpectedhimtobe.
“I I’mfine.”Alainablinkedthroughtheswirl ofshockandpain.“How didyoufindus?”
Helookedather,hisheadtiltingslightly.“Youcalledme.”
The wayhe was lookingather, like anall-knowing, super-intelligent, man-alien-AI-personmade anyresponsedieonher lips.
She remembered whispering his name. No way he’d heard that fromthe distance he’d been. But theywerefrickin’luckyhe’dcome.
“Constance,”shewhisperedasshetriedtostand,andV’Alenhelpedher up.
“Constance…” Alaina gulped when her eyes landed on the woman. There was a line of blood goingdownConstance’scheekandher lipwasswollenandbleedingwhereshe’dbeenpunched.
“Don’t worry about me, Alaina. I’m fine.” Constance forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Areyouokay?”
Alainanodded.“I’malright.”
“Youlie.”
V’Alen’s words made Alaina snap her head backto himso quickly, painshot right into her skull withthesuddenmovement.
How did he even know that?
“I…”
What was he?
Hisgazedidn’tbudgeandstaringintohiseyes,theintelligencetherewasalmostoverwhelming. Itfeltasif,shouldshetrytodenyit,hewouldprovideafactual rebuttal thatshewasindeedlying. Hewasright,though.
Shewasn’tfine.
Her neckwasburningliketherewasaringoffirearoundit,her headwaspounding,her limbsfelt weak,andher wristfeltlikeeventhebloodvesselshadbeencrushed.
Nottomention,thatpunchthegator-guardhadgivenher feltlikeithadbrokenaribor two.
“Weshouldgetthemtothebunkers,”Akur said.Heglancedtowardthespacewherethedoor was as he spoke. “Better not go that way. That ship is too close. Our fighter jets couldn’t intercept it before it entered the base, and I saw a unit of Hedgeruds heading in this direction. We have to find another way ”
Alaina glanced toward the door, and, as if summoned, there was a loud snarl as a gator-guard chargedintotheroom.
Hehadapointedweaponaimed,onethatwastippedwithshiningblackmetal onthesharpend. She opened her mouthto warnthe others, butthere was no use to warnanyone. Itseemed V’Alen wasleaguesaheadoftheminthatregard.
Either he’d seenthe guard comingor he’d heard the intruder before theydid, for he grabbed her andturnedjustintimetoblocktheguard’sattack.
Judgingfromthetrajectory,thegator-guard’sweaponwouldhavepierced her. Instead,itplungedintoV’Alen’sback.
“V’Alen!”Alaina’seyeswidenedasshejerked,her bodyweightlessasV’Alenlether go. ShewasfallingasV’Alencrouchedandspun,turningtowraphisother armaroundher oncemore justbeforeshehitthefloor.
Thatcalmfaceofhisturnedtoher,hisgazelockedwithhersashisfreearmshotoutbehindhim. His palmconnected with the threat, and there was a humthroughout his entire being. It vibrated againsther,sendingtinglesall acrossher skinas,onceagain,timestoodstill.
Inthenextinstant,therewasaloudexplosion.
The building shook and a high-pitched sound threatened to melt her eardrums. Her senses protested,her earsringingastheroomfilledwithdustoncemore.
Alainacoughed,coveringher noseasshesquintedtoseewhathadjusthappened.
ButtheonlythingshecouldmakeoutwerethelightsinV’Alen’ssuit.
He was still holdingher, still ina crouch, and as the dust cleared, it became evident just exactly what hadhappened.
There was a hole inthe wall thathadn’tbeenthere before…a man-sized hole. Or rather, a gatorguardsizedhole.
She could see outside of the building, into the chaos still unfolding out there, and on the ground
outside was the unmovingbodyof the gator-guard that had attacked, his spear lyinga few feet away fromhim.
Achuckle filled the roomas Akur laughed. “Qef. WhenI said we couldn’t use the door, I didn’t expectyoutomakeanew one.”
Alaina’swideeyesmetV’Alen’sasheroseandsupportedher soshecouldstandonher feetonce more.
What the hell… Sheglancedfromtheholeinthewall andthenbackathim. He just did that… “I Ithoughttheysaidyoucouldn’tattackthem,”shewhispered. TherewereringsaroundV’Alen’spupilsthatspunashestudiedher. “Conditionsweremet.”
THE HUMAN WOBBLED ON HER FEET, AND V’ALEN WONDERED WHETHER IT HAD BEEN WISE TO RELEASE her.
Ashesteadiedher withahandonher elbow,shesmiledupathim,causinghimtopause. Thatwasn’tthereactionhe’dexpected. Butitwasn’tthefirsttimeshe’dsmiledathim.
Thatfirstdaywhenhe’dinstalledthe translator chips behindall the humans’ears,she’dsmiledat him too. He remembered, because most of the humans had eyed him with wariness even he could read. And thoughhe wished to know more abouttheir kind, he’d kepthis distance. Notall biological beingsadjustedwell tooneasartificial ashewas. Itwassomethinghe’dlearnedwhiletravelingthecosmos,anditwasnodifferenthere. Butthisone…thisfemale… Shewasn’tafraidofhim.
[[DeepSystemRoot: AutomaticRecordCreation]] [[RecordName: Alaina…]] [[Recordsaved.]]
Shesteadiedherself,glancingupathimoncemore.
“I’mok.Icanwalk.”
Shewasright. She could walk.Butthatdidn’tmeanshe should. Hisearlier scantoldhimthatmuch. Shewasinjured.Muchmorethanher woundsrevealed.
[Scan] [System: Estimatedchanceofsurvival: 3%]
Her lifestatestill registeredascritical.
[Major woundstotheneckandthewrist] [Critical damagetothebrain]
4
Zooming in, V’Alen’s head tilted as he gathered the information. Alaina’s semioval center was compromised. He could see the mass thatwas compressingit. Abiological mass. One her ownbody created.
“Akur,wemustmakehaste.Thisfemaleiscriticallyill.”
Hesaw her stiffen,her muscles tighteningas her eyes dartedtotheother human.“I’mfine.Really. It’sjustafleshwound.Ijust…needacastfor mywrist.”
She wouldn’t meet his gaze. Instead, she looked toward the hole he’d made in the wall. “We shouldgo.”
Shewaslyingagain.
Whenshe tried to take a step forward and realized he was still holdingonto her arm, she finally glancedupathim.
“Truly,I’mfine. ”
Shestressedthewordas ifitwouldmakeittrue…or atleastcausehimtobelieveitwas true.But regardlessofher efforts,hecouldseeeverydetail shewishedtohide.
Wasthisanother humantraithehadyettolearn?Thislying?
He could tell her head was aching. The vessels there were throbbing. Strained. The mass in her brainwascausingher bodytofail.
Shewasweaker thanshelooked.
What’s more, he saw thatshe tried to hide the pain, closingher eyes for a momentbefore opening themalittletoowidelyandwithtoomuchforce.
“Dohumansliewheninpain?”
Hisquestionmadeher eyesgrow larger and,oncemore,her gazedartedtotheother female. He watched as she huffed a laugh through her nose, her gaze darting away from him. “Of-of course,not.”Clearingher throat,shepointedher gazeatAkur instead.
“Whichway?”sheasked.“Wecanrunifyoutell uswheretogo.”
“Negative.”
Alaina’sgazesnappedbacktohis,her throatmoving. Sheopenedher mouthtoarguebuthewasalreadycrouchingtolifther intohisarms. Shegaspedbutdidnotfight.Stunnedmaybe.
“Whatareyoudoing?”
“Liftingyou.”Now inhisgrasp,hecouldhardlyfeel her weight. “Putmedown.”
“Irefuse.”
Shesqueezedher eyesshutagain,her browsknittingalittle. Sheoughttogetbetter atlying.Hecouldseerightthroughher. Shewasinagony.
With that in mind, he lifted her arm to rest her broken wrist on her stomach so he didn’t accidentallycrushit.
“Aren’tyoulikearobot?”shegroaned.“Shouldn’tyoulistentome?” Arobot?
He had heard that term before. Whispers the other humans made, unaware he could hear them. Andhe’dsearchedfor thedefinitionintheArchive. Arobotwasamachine.
“Iammuchmorethanthat.”
“Okay, butyoudon’thave to carryme. Icanwalk. Youshould use your strengthfor
someone else
whomightneedyour help.”
Hepaused,andshestiffenedashisgazeflickeddowntohers.“You needmyhelp.”
Sheswallowed,her throatmovingasshelookedupathim. Still gazingintothosewidebrowneyes,hespoketoAkur.“Brother,letusgo.” Akur gruntedinagreement.
“We will head through the Lihzahr’s district. Take path sixteen.” Akur said, crouching to lift the other human,hishandsgraspingher buttocksalittletoofirmly. Thehumanscreeched.
“ thefuckareyoudoing?!”
Aresoundingslapechoedintheroomasthefemale’shandconnectedwithAkur’sjaw. She’d slapped him so hard that Akur’s head turned a fraction to the side and V’Alen saw the disbeliefshineinthemale’sgoldeneyes.
For amoment,Akur didn’tmoveandV’Alencouldevenfeel Alainastiffen.
“Constance? You okay?” she asked. Despite the pain she must be enduring, she was looking at Akur withsomewarinessinher eyes.
[System: Dataretrieval] [Humans.Aherdspecies. Strengthinnumbers. Athreattooneisathreattoall.]
“Thanks, Alaina. I’mokay,” the humannamed Constance said, her brows divingas she looked at Akur.“Keepyour handstoyourself,bigguy.”
Akur crouchedandgrabbedher,throwingher over hisshouldersanyway.
Sheyelpedandkickedathim.
“You’re inno positionto fight me. Youare weak. You’re injured. Just relaxand let me take care of you, female, ” Akur said. There was a strange look in his eyes and a slight smile on his lips. He wasbaitingthehuman.“Andthanksfor thecompliment.”
Thehumangroaned.“Ididn’t compliment you ” “Youcalledmebig.”
“ Andyouhavenorighttocarrymelikethis.Iamnotyour mate!”
Akur grunted.“Butyou can be.Areyouoffering?”
“Hell no!”Constancewriggledtofreeherself,andAkur chuckled.
V’Alenpaused once more, watchingtheir interaction. Bothhad slightlyelevated heart rates. And the human lied. Akur’s careless words excited her enough that her breathing rate slightly increased, too.
[System: Datainput] [Humansregularlylie] [Reason: unknown]
“Letusgo,brother.”
AsV’Alensteppedthroughtheholeinthewall,Akur followedbehind.
The night was thickwithsmoke, but he knew the waywithout usinghis lenses, and it didn’t take
longbeforetheyweresprintingacrossthebaseastheyrushedtowardthebunkers.
Akur was fast for a biological being, keeping pace as they hopped over obstacles fallen carts, fallenbuildings…fallenbodies anditwasclear carryingthehumanshadbeenbest. Theycouldmovemuchfaster thatway.
As they turned a corner, heading through an intersection of three streets, his proximity sensors pickedupmovementthatwasjusttoofastfor ittobealivingthing.
“Incomingonyour left!”heshoutedatAkur.
Akur changeddirectionjustintimefor apartofabuildingtosmashintotheground.
Themalepaledalittle,justasthehumanhewascarryingsquealed.
Akur’sgazedartedtoConstance.“SeewhyIhavetocarryyou?”
“Oh, shutup.” Areddishhue colored Constance’s cheeks, and V’Alenlooked downatthe human he wascarrying.
Her skin was darker than Constance’s. Brown. And he wondered what that hue would look like brushedover her skin.
She was also smaller than many other humans they’d rescued. Frailer looking, possibly because ofthemassinher brain.
Nestled againsthim, her hair a cloud ofshortcurls thatbrushed againsthis armor, she was silent andher eyeswereclosed.
Unconscious.Buther heartratewassteady.
He needed to get her medical attentionquicklyand trust the other rebels were doingtheir part. If eachrebel protectedatleastonehuman,theycouldminimizecasualties.
Protectthehumans.
ThiswastheRestitution’sprimedirective.
Ahead, burning buildings blazed, lighting up the darkness. Shops. Lodging. Bathing rooms. All placesthatwerebuiltbyrebelsandrefugeesalike.
All destroyed.
Andall becauseofthehumans.
A dying race that has been searching for a suitable species that can foster their young, he wondered if the High Tasqals may have found just that when they discovered the little planet called Earth. Why else would they have come after the humans, destroying so much to gain only a few females.
Glancingdownatthehumaninhis arms,heknew…iftheTasqals wantedthehumans sobadly,the rebelscouldnotletthemsucceed.
If it had been up to him, his people, the Tasqals would have been erased from existence long ago…
And that was the exact reason why it was not his place to interfere.
“V’Alen,whichbunker?”Akur’svoicecutthroughhisstreamofconsciousness.
Lifting his gaze from the human’s face, V’Alen focused ahead as he scanned several meters in frontofthem.
“This way,” he said, diverting down a side street. “The Hedgeruds haven’t reached sector fourteenyet.Weshouldgototheentrancetothebunkersthere.”
As they hurried through the chaos, dodging fleeing residents as they too ran to safety, V’Alen’s gazefell oncemoretothefemaleinhisarms.
Heneededtobecareful.
Earlier, when she’d been in the Hedgerud’s grasp, he’d fought against his code. If it happened
again,thecouncil wouldbelievehe’dgonerogue.
AndarogueKyronwas always captured.
He’dbehuntedandreset.
Thatwas a riskhe would notwant to take…notevenfor this strange beinginhis arms. One who wassodifferentfromtheothers.
Onewhoknew shewasdying,butwasfightingtolive.
…One whohadcausedhimtofightagainstthe verycode thatbuilthim somethingthathas never happenedbefore.
Hehadlearnedtoomuch,hadtoomuchdatastored,toomanyexperienceshedidnotwanttolose. His time withthe Restitutionhad evolved into muchmore thana missionto gather informationfor the Archive.
Itwasalife.Hislife.
Even as these thoughts flicked through his system, he knew it was…abnormal. Almost as if he was…feeling.
But he was Kyron, and Kyron did not have emotions. Perhaps he should head back to Voltaris voluntarily…havehiscodeupdatedincasesomethingwasamissinhisdeepsystem…
As he boosted himself into the air, jumpingover anabandoned hover vehicle, Alaina groaned in hisarmsandwincedasher consciousnessreturned.
“Where…”shewhispered.
“Notlong…Alaina,”hesaid. Theywerealmostatthebunkers’entrance.
“W-whataboutthe others?” Her voice was so low, itwas almostinaudible. “There were a lotof usinthetemporaryaccommodation.Wewereall sleeping.”
“Mostwill besafe.”
Around them, the air grew thicker withsmoke that billowed up into the darksky. Cries, wailing, andforlornsoundsfilledtheair.
All thesebeings,their small,finitelives…theyweremourningwhattheylost.
Itwas a darkdayfor the Restitution.The darkesthe’dseensince he’dbeensentas anemissaryto therebels.
Alainacoughed.
“Most?SomehavebeentakentotheTasqals,haven’tthey.”
Notaquestion.Her voicedidn’tliltattheend,andhewonderedifshewishedfor ananswer. Aglanceher wayanddeepbrowneyesthatheldtoomuchsorrow lookedbackathim. “Affirmative.”
Alaina swallowed hard, and even though her eyes were closed to keep away the dust and mountingsmoke,hecouldseethedistressetchedintoher features. Butshewashere.Shewasalive.Andhehadher.Shewasoneoftheluckyones.
“Bunker approaching.”HeprojectedhisvoiceinAkur’sdirection.“Tenclicks.”
The bunker was just ahead, the door that led to the underground tunnel just barely visible in the darkness.
“Hurry!”Akur shouted,atthesametimethatV’Alen’sdefensesystemsactivated,thethreatbehind themidentifiedinasplitsecond.
Itwastooquick,notenoughtimefor himtoturnandwarnAkur ofwhatwasabouttohappen. Theexplosionsentthemflying.
V’Alenspunandtheyhitthegroundhard,his armor absorbingtheimpactofthefall.Rollingover,
he ensured the human was tucked underneath himas he braced above her, a shield in case shrapnel followed.
Butitwasn’tshrapnel thatcame.
[Scan]
Astheworldaroundthemlitupwithabrightlight,heshoutedinAkur’sdirection,“Holdon!” “Qef!”Akur shoutedsomewherebehindhim.
V’Alen charged his systems just in time before gravity shifted and there was a pull against his armor. Qefindeed.
Heknew whatthiswas,buthehadn’texpectedtheHedgerudstouseit.
THERE WAS A POUNDING IN HER HEAD THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECENT TURN OF EVENTS. Thiswasn’tthetimefor her illnesstoraiseitsuglyhead.
It was difficult, fighting against her own mind, but through the brain fog, the surrounding chaos wasslowlybreakingthrough.
He was braced over her, V’Alen, for somehow, after the loud boom, she’d ended up without injuriesbutwiththegroundather back.
His armor felt cold against her skin as he caged her in, his hands planted into the earth beneath them.
There was a brightlight, muchbrighter thanthe sun, and itdidn’ttake longto understand where it wascomingfrom.
Abovethem,thathugedarkshipwashovering,andthelightwascomingdirectlyfromit. Itlitthemup,andsherealizedbelatedlythather bodywashoveringofftheground,barredonlyby V’Alencagingher in.
Shewas…floating.Somethingwaswrongwithgravity.
“What’shappening?!”
He focused on her, those strange blue eyes seeming to go right through her, and with the chaos aroundthem,shewasn’tsureshecouldever getusedtothecalmnessinhiseyes. Ifhehadanyemotions,hedidn’tdisplaythem.
“Your kindcall itatractor beam,”V’Alensaid.
“Awhat?”She’dheardhimbut, shit.Thosethingswerereal? “Light,manipulatedsoitgainsforwardmomentum…”heexplained. Ofcourse.Sheunderstoodall aboutthesciencebehindit.
Not.
“We’re going to get pulled up into that thing?!” Eyes wide, she squinted as she looked up, the largeblackmassthatwastheshiplikeashadow behindthetoo-brightlight.
“Negative.” His single utterance was sure, and Alaina swallowed hard. “There is a ninety-eight percentchanceIwill remaingrounded.”
“Butit’saffecting me.”Shecouldn'thelpthetremor thatcameintoher voice.Shehatedtheenemy, butshewasalsofrickin’terrifiedofthem theHighTasqalsandtheHedgerudsalike.
“Calm,Alaina.Iamhere.”
Shechokedonpanicandadrenalineas shenodded.Staringintothosestrangeeyes,shetriedtodo whathesaid.Toremaincalm.
5
Taking in a deep breath, she fought to regain control of her body. But it was rising on its own accord,pressingintoV’Alen,andevenwhenshetriedtogroundherself,nothinghappened. Itwaslikegravitywasinverted.
But V’Alen wasn’t rising. Despite the pull, he remained steady. Unaffected. Not even his face revealedanystrain.
His head tilted slightlyas he watched her, and she was beginningto realize thatwas the onlytell thatactual thoughtswereflyingaroundinhismind.
Asthepull becameevenstronger,itplasteredher bodyagainsthis.
Her hipsagainsthisbelly,her breastssquashedintohisarmor,andtheir faces… Theyweresoclosenow,their lipstouched.
Cool.Supple.Thefeel ofhisstartledher.
Theywereflesh.Atleast,they felt likeflesh.
As her lips pressed against his, V’Alen didn’t flinch, and in the terror of it all, neither did she. Those strange eyes of his bored into her and his gaze was the onlythingdampeningthe effect of her terror.
For if she focused on the fact that they were being pulled upward into a ship that even itself lookedevil,shewouldfocusonthefactthatitwouldall beover.
And this was not how she wanted to die.Notscreamingfor her life while those wretchedTasqals hadtheir waywithher.
V’Alenshiftedandshesworehefloatedfor amoment,whichsenther heartintooverdrive. Dipping closer to her, he was so near that all she could stare into were his eyes. “Do not be afraid.”
Shit.Shewaswell pastthat.
Fear anduncertaintywerealreadyswimminginher bloodandher heartwas acolosseumfor their babies.
“Okay,”shewhispered.
V’Alen’seyessuddenlyflashedwhiteandstayedwhiteasdustpickeduparoundthem. Shehadtosquintfromthebrightness.
Vaguely, she realized that dust was rising around them, floating upward like little particles suspended inthe light, and she was forced to grip onto the alienabove her and press her face against hischeektoprotecther airway.
That’s when they suddenly jerked and descended a few inches, V’Alen taking them both lower intotheearthbeneaththem.
Alainashuddered,finallycomprehendingwhathewasdoing.
He was keepinghimselfstill, fightingthe power ofthe beambyanchoringhimselfinto the ground itself and,ineffect,hewasanchoring her.
Butanythingelseunderneaththebeamwasn’tsolucky.Whenascreamcutthroughthenoiseofthe hoveringship,Alainapoppedoneeyeopentosquintinthedirectionofthesound.
“Constance?”shechoked.“ConstanceandAkur!”
Her chestheavedwiththerapidbeatingofher heartandshetrembledagainstV’Alen.
“Youhave to help them. Leave me.” She swallowed hard, the decisioncomingwithout a second thought.“TheyhavemoretogivethanIdo.”
Glowingwhiteeyesmethers.“Negative.”
“What?”
Thedustclearedsomewhatandher eyeswidenedasshesaw Constancerisingintotheair evenas
