Chapter 18
We burst into the human village, swiftly passing through the open gates before the humans have a chance to react and block us out. The stunned expression of the young guard would be amusing if the situation weren”t so dire. The guards never anticipated an attack, complacent in their duties. My tribe experienced a similar lack of security when Melvall and I easily entered. Too long have we been negligent.
Some of the braver villagers reach for their weapons, but my companions are quicker, disarming them with ease. None of these men bear battle scars or possess the strength to challenge us. Most are youths on the verge of adulthood or elderly individuals hardly able to move, let alone fight.
”Keep moving,” I say to my tribe brothers, not wanting to fight those unwilling or unable. I didn”t come here to massacre indiscriminately.
However, the timidity of the guards is unexpected. Are the humans so weak that they won”t fight for their survival? Even prey species resist when cornered, but most of the humans cower in fear.
I stride toward the buildings, aware that Melvall stays close behind. I must remember he lacks the combat experience of my brothers—his tribe has never encountered a raid like mine has. Yet, I am grateful to have him by my side, his courage unwavering.
It”s challenging to discern Ariana”s scent among the myriad of new odors and people. Traces of her come and go, but it”s always vague.
”There are so many,” Melvall says, stepping aside as a panicked female dashes past him, unaware he could easily reach out and capture her, take her for his own.
I hadn”t anticipated so many females. I never imagined that such a multitude could coexist in one place, each of them unique yet similar.
My ears throb from her shrill screams, causing my eyes to water, and I wonder if this is a unique defense characteristic of their species.
I pause my search to address Melvall, ”How has this human village escaped raids from other tribes? Their presence is not subtle, despite being deep within my tribe”s territory. You even knew about them.”
Melvall laughs, appearing relaxed. With a flourish, he hefts his strange weapon. It’s like a spear, only with several pointed heads. ”I know everything, brother. Everything.”
His words bring me to a halt. Brother. The male has indeed proved his worth. His trustworthiness. Even though we do not belong to the same tribe, he is my brother. Under different circumstances, I might have considered his words manipulative, but Ariana and her humans have changed everything.
As I watch the humans scramble for safety through the narrow gaps between buildings, I realize that most of them make poor warriors. Even their males shriek and flee from us. We had expected a fight upon our arrival, but this is hardly a challenge.
When I notice a human male carelessly shoving a small female towards us as a distraction, I roar with indignation. Sadly, he is not unique in his cowardice. Many males abandon their mates in the chaos, utterly disregarding their safety. Such behavior is despicable, and word of their weakness will undoubtedly reach the other tribes. This settlement will become a target. It won”t take long for all tribes in the area to descend upon this settlement.
The disbelief on my fellow tribesmen”s faces echoes my own feelings. Behind their shock, however, lies a newfound ambition. I fear that rescuing Ariana might not be their only goal; they may seek to claim mates for themselves in the process.
With this in mind, I grow even more determined to find Ariana and take her away. She deserves a male who will protect and cherish her, someone who will fight for her. As I scan the crowd, I”m surprised by the wide variety of human females: tall, short, curvy, and thin. Many wear clothes similar to the black ones Ariana once wore, while others don long, flowing dresses.
Amidst the sea of panic, I finally spot her. Ariana, the one person not trying to escape. We lock eyes, and for a moment, I am whole again. But my elation turns to rage when a male appears behind her, grabbing her roughly.
My vision turns crimson with fury. I recognize this man as Walter, the one who ordered my execution. Of course, he would only fight when his victim is weaker than him and he has the advantage. With a roar that shakes the heavens, I vow that nothing will stand between me and my mate, especially not a weakling like Walter.
Ariana resists Walter”s grip, struggling to reach me despite his size and strength. My heart swells with pride in her determination to be by my side against all odds. As I charge toward them, intent on securing my mate, several human males emerge from the crowd, brandishing their small, powerful weapons.
”Watch out for the lightning!” I warn my brothers. We must not underestimate the deceptive force of these weapons.
My new, borrowed axe slices effortlessly through the air in a smooth curve before colliding with an opposing weapon. The human male steps back, bracing against my strike. As our eyes briefly meet, I see a mix of fear and resolve in his youthful gaze.
Ignoring his youth, I push forward and my tail snakes around his ankle, yanking him off balance and onto the ground. His weapon clatters away. If he is smart, he will stay down.
As two more warriors move to block my path, increasing numbers of human warriors emerge from between the buildings. Some usher the villagers to safety, while others fight to place themselves between their family and potential harm.
Adrenaline courses through me, heightening my senses. I crave this challenge. I”ve been looking forward to this.
My fellow tribesmen fan out behind me, assessing their adversaries. The humans form a line to prevent us from advancing further into their village, yet their lack of strategy reveals their inexperience with defending against tribal raids.
One human raises a laser pistol, and I instinctively wince as he fires in my direction. However, I have learned from my experiences fighting these humans. We came prepared. The bright light from his weapon never reaches me. Instead, the air shimmers before me. His attack disperses into a mere fading glimmer.
”Shields! Make sure your force-shields are on!” Melvall calls from behind me. My tribe-brothers and I huddle together. Our shield-bearers step forward, raising them high to provide cover for the rest of us. I do not even begin to understand the mysterious technology that powers these force-shields. Melvall insisted we bring them, and I now see his wise reasoning.
We are bombarded by endless beams of light. We are forced to wait for the right opportunity to strike once their ammunition runs out. We know their weakness is close-quarters combat. Together, we advance in an attempt to make the shooters retreat, but the humans armed with laser sticks fiercely assault our shield-bearers. Despite our best efforts, we are outmatched by their advanced tools.
”Taccit, the force-shields won”t last much longer with this beating,” Melvall says amid the cacophony, his eyes filling with panic.
”What do you want me to do about it?” I ask him. ”They are your tribe”s weapons. I don”t even understand how they work.”
”I don”t either!”
My gaze snaps to the male. ”You - you don”t understand how they work? Then why did we bring them?”
Melvall hisses as he swiftly knocks down a human just moments before they get too close. ”I thought it was a good idea. It is a good idea! It”s not my fault that they are complex machines that are difficult to understand.”
”Didn”t you just say you knew everything?”
”Shut up, Taccit. Shut up. Hasn”t anyone told you that sometimes you are really annoying?”
”Will you two focus?” Balroth shouts from behind us. His shoulder slams into mine as his force-shield is battered, forcing him to retreat a step. ”Now is not the time for a lover”s quarrel.”
”He”s right. We have to act now. The shields will die soon. Get your mate or fall back!” Melvall annoyingly acts like it”s not his fault we are debating the depths of his boastful lies in the middle of a battlefield.
True to his word, the shimmering barrier dissipates, and the once-humming device on my hip falls silent.
I watch in horror as a human charges toward us, stick raised to strike the shield that no longer exists. I know it”s not there anymore, but Melvall doesn”t. Acting instinctively, I hurl myself forward, my tail whipping out to push Melvall aside. My axe absorbs the blow, but the lightning from the man”s weapon courses through my arm.
Melvall rapidly recovers, lunging at the human and dispatching him with ease.
Glancing around, I observe my brethren being forced into retreat, unable to withstand the relentless assault. We gravely miscalculated by infiltrating so deeply into human territory, not anticipating the sheer number of males armed and ready to defend their home. The guards at the gates served as a mere decoy, lulling us into a false sense of security. We charged in, unwittingly stepping straight into their carefully laid trap.
* * *
”Retreat!”I say to my warriors, fearing the impending slaughter if we do not flee. As we attempt to withdraw and regroup, the human warriors begin to flank us. In the distance, the gate to the human village closes.
“We are trapped. Melvall, we are trapped!” I look to my friend, sharing my concern. Perhaps the male has some solution I can’t see. He’s casting his own unique brand of mayhem on the battlefield, poking his strange weapon at opponents with a flair that would make even the most seasoned warriors jealous.
The human who closed in on us abandons his attack to rush after his screaming companion. I watch him go, not interested in chasing a fleeing enemy.
“Ah, Taccit, you are always the optimist. I’m sure the situation isn’t as bad as you think.” Melvall’s face is flushed from the battle.
My grip around my axe becomes white-knuckled. The weight of responsibility bears down on me. ”I led them here—my brothers in blood and tribe. This is my fault.”
”Well, admitting you have a problem is the first step,” Melvall says, smirking. ”Now let”s find a solution, shall we?”
“Oh, for the love of all that is holy!” Balroth growls behind us. “Do you know how hard it is to concentrate right now?”
Suddenly, on my other side, Zoran appears. His long black hair is in disarray, flying around his face as his head whips side to side. “I kind of like it. If we are going to die here, might as well do it laughing.”
“That”s the spirit! Put those keen eyes to good use, Taccit’s younger brother.” Melvall cheers him on.
Zoran gapes at him. “I introduced myself to you. How do you not remember my name?”
I growl as I have to drag Zoran behind me, towards the inner safety of our huddled group. My younger brother is far less experienced than the rest of us, and the fact that he so easily turned his back on his enemy to gawk at our ally is proof of that.
“He knows nothing! He’s just a puny, bothersome male.” I remember his earlier comment, and a vicious smirk grows. “And he smells!”
“I do not smell!” Melvall roars. With purpose, he pushes through our barricade and charges towards the nearest human. The humans squeal, diving away from the enraged male.
“So does that mean he admits to being puny?” Zoran asks as he slips into the now empty place beside me.
“Balroth!” I roar. My brother seems to be the only sane male present. “These humans take pleasure in this brutal slaughter. They could have repelled us long before we reached their gates, but chose not to. They”ve led us here on purpose. What do you propose?”
Instead, I spin at the sound of a roar.
My heart seizes when I see a blond-haired human thrusting his lightning stick into Balroth’s chest. My brother takes a moment to look down at the offending wound. He bares his teeth in a chilling challenge that would have even me pausing.
“It’ll take a lot more than that to take me down, James!” Balroth grins wildly.
As Balroth”s foot collides with the male”s stomach, the impact is hard and the sound of his rib bones cracking is audible even from where I stand. James, the human, gurgles in pain and stumbles away from the attack.
Balroth may act casual about the lightning weapon blow, but I know that more strikes will follow. We are not invincible. I grind my teeth. It’s all my fault.
“You fools! We are going to die here today. Worse, I’m going to die here, surrounded by madmen.”
Zoran looks over at me. “It’s not so bad!”
Suddenly, a figure in a dark cloak catches my attention. The mysterious figure wears a hood, hiding his face, but I know they must belong to another tribe.
He darts between the humans standing back from the battle. As he moves from one to the other, I watch the humans collapse to the ground, their weapons falling from limp hands.
The humans finally take notice of the intruder in their midst. As a warning shout rises, their collective focus shifts. It”s the one mistake they make, and it”s the one that will cost them the battle. They have given us the opening we need. My warriors rush forward, experience teaching them to take every possible opening.
Fighting without hesitation, we discard any previous attempts at minimizing injuries. These dishonorable humans deserve no mercy. My axe deflects a lightning stick and then buries itself in the gut of an adversary, whose shocked eyes widen before he crumples to the ground, lifeless.
Across the battlefield, our mysterious ally”s hood falls away, and I am finally able to meet his gaze. His skin is covered in glowing lines, casting an eerie and pale glow upon all those standing around him. I have no idea who this mysterious male is. It doesn”t matter that he comes from another tribe. Right now, he is not my enemy. No, he saved my life—and that makes him a friend.
”Finally!” the male says, throwing back his head and laughing. ”We witness the prowess of these human warriors. I”ve been eagerly anticipating this day. But now, it’s time for me to claim my mate.”
The male has the audacity to wink at me before vanishing into the fray. I stand dumbfounded as he pushes his way toward the fleeing humans. I”m clueless about what his true intentions are here today, and I”m not sure if I want to find out. However, now that the battle is turning in our favor, my sole priority is finding Ariana.
I scan the humans surrounding me, my eyes seeking her out. It doesn”t take long to locate her. Ariana is one of the few women remaining in the vicinity. Instead of trying to escape, she is struggling against Walter. I hurry toward her, my heart racing. The time has come to claim my beloved.
* * *
My eyes focuson Ariana just in time to witness Walter”s hand swinging towards her. Even from this distance, I hear the resounding smack of flesh against flesh.
At the sound of my roar, Walter”s eyes snap up to meet mine. When he realizes I am pursuing him across the battlefield, his face turns a shade of white that shouldn’t even be possible.
He erratically grabs the struggling Ariana and forces her body against his own, pressing a projectile weapon to her temple. In response, she immediately stops moving. I”m well aware of the devastation their weapons can inflict on me, and I know Ariana is much more fragile in comparison. This weapon could be the death of her.
”I thought you were dead,” she says, her knees struggling to hold her weight. Walter, however, keeps her upright with his vice-like grip.
”In this life and the next, I will come for you, my mate. I will always claim what”s mine,” I say to her.
My gaze shifts from her vulnerable eyes to the icy stare of Walter. I bare my teeth, lifting myself to my full height and radiating an aura of menace. ”Release her, and your death will be swift.”
Walter responds with a laugh—high-pitched, unhinged, and altogether unpleasant.
”If you kill me, you’re all as good as dead,” he says with chilling conviction.
”You”ll never be safe again. You”ll spend every day running, hiding. My death will bring a world of pain for you, Ariana, and everyone in Eve’s Rest. You think I”m bad? The people I work for are untouchable and infinitely worse.”
Dread creeps down my spine, but I shove the feeling aside—none of his threats matter if Ariana doesn”t survive.
All the while, Walter”s voice intensifies, and I can hear my brethren approaching now that they”ve subdued the other human warriors. They keep their distance, so as not to provoke Walter and risk Ariana”s life, but also stay ready to intervene if needed.
My eyes catch a glimpse of movement behind Walter, a tall figure gliding closer, silent and stealthy. Desperate to keep our advantage hidden, I fix my gaze on Walter”s face once more.
”Let my mate go,” I say, my fingers tightening around my axe handle, leather digging into my skin. My hands tremble, betraying a vulnerability not seen in cycles—all for her. I drop to one knee, allowing Walter to revel in his apparent power. ”Please, I beg you. Let her go.”
In an instant, the world springs to life. Melvall lunges forward, seizing Walter”s weapon-wielding arm and forcefully redirecting the pistol away from Ariana. I waste no time. With a mighty bellow, I hurl my axe at the treacherous man, praying that it finds its mark.
Ariana lifts her head just as Walter”s body collapses beside her, my axe still lodged deep in his chest. With a stifled gasp, she scrambles away from the lifeless body and the spreading pool of blood.
Before she can get far, I scoop her up into my arms. ”Ariana! Oh, Nika! I am here. I have you.”
My hands frantically search her body for any signs of injury, desperate to ensure the health of my beloved mate.
”Taccit,” Ariana shoves my hands away and buries her face in my chest. Tears pour down her face as her whole body trembles with each sobbing breath. Pulling her closer, I do my best to offer comfort by rubbing her back and whispering soothing words.
Through her sobs, she finally chokes out, ”I thought you were dead. Walter said he...” Fresh tears spill from her eyes, coursing down her cheeks as her voice fails her.
Realizing how close we both were to death nearly sickens me. I hold her closer, cherishing the feel of her body pressed against mine. We are perfect together — her softness complementing my strength. She brings out the tender side in me. She is my weakness, and yet because of her, I am strong.
”I am fine. I am now that you are here,” Ariana whispers, pushing herself slightly away from me. Reluctantly, I release her, feeling the ache of her absence as soon as I do.
Frustration laces my voice as I say, ”I should punish you for leaving home. I”m never letting you out of my sight again. If I have to tie you up to keep you safe, I will, my mate.” Gently, I caress her cheek, my touch filled with love and adoration.
Her eyes widen at my words before she unexpectedly begins giggling, the sound interwoven with tears. She clutches onto my shirt tightly as she says, ”I think we should leave now. I want to be anywhere but here, please. You can punish me later.”
Thoughts of various punishments flood my mind, stirring an undeniable arousal within me. But she”s right — now is not the time or the place. Her safety and comfort come first. Her complete submission to me can wait.
”Let us leave this place,” I say while lifting her into my arms. She feels so light and fragile as I carry her against my chest. I promise myself never to take this moment for granted.
Our escape route has already been secured by Melvall and my tribe members, and so we swiftly leave the human village behind. We make our way into the surrounding forest, heading home.
My raiding party trails behind us at a respectful distance as I continue to cradle Ariana in my arms, safe and secure.
”I will find you every time you run. I will claim you every time. For you are mine. You are my prisoner.”
Despite the intensity of my words, she gazes up at me with soft, loving eyes and reaches out to tenderly stroke my cheek. ”I like the sound of that, my love.”