Chapter 21
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Early July
Brir
We were just a few days from the trader I frequented when I passed through Antonito, Colorado. We wouldn’t be stopping, as I had no way of hiding Artemis’s now monster side, and there was no way I was bringing him close to humans who would more than likely try and hurt him.
We had gotten closer on the walk. I laughed as he tried to outrun Dune again. The four-legged beast was not trying, but he still left Artemis in the dust. Artemis, out of breath and face flushed with exertion, stubbornly refused to accept defeat. His eyes flashed with a fire that was half anger and half amusement.
We had found similar places to sleep, but Artemis had been exhausted from walking so far each day. I hadn’t wanted to exhaust him further, and he had been too tired to even hint at enjoying sex. I held him each night as we lay in the unfamiliar beds, keeping him close to me. Most nights, I just lay awake, listening to the sounds of the world around us. I didn’t need as much sleep as he did, and holding him in my arms brought a peace I had never experienced before.
The sun descended, painting the sky with hues of twilight. Artemis held my hand as we walked, which I liked. I liked feeling him next to me.
I stopped walking momentarily and pulled on his arm, swinging him around to face me while I brought my hand up to caress his face before I kissed him. After the first night in the hotel, I couldn’t get enough of him. I had poured so much of myself out to him. His words were the ones I clung to. His declaration that he was falling in love with me.
Caught off guard, Artemis stumbled a bit before leaning into the kiss, his clawed hand encircling my waist. His lips were warm. His breath hitched when I ran my fingers through his unruly hair, pulling him closer. He responded in kind, his grip tightening around me as he deepened the kiss.
I broke our kiss and leaned my forehead against his. He chuckled before he took a step back.
“Quit it,” he said. His eyes narrowed at me. “You’re going to turn me on, and walking with a boner isn’t something I want to do today.” He smiled up at me as I retook his hand and walked beside him.
His words sent a rush of warmth flooding through me. A soft chuckle rippled from my lips and across the quiet evening air. The corners of his lips twitched up into a knowing smirk, his gaze fixated on mine as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Maybe that’s the plan,” I retorted, playfully poking at his side. He swatted my hand away with exaggerated anger, but the glint in his eyes belied any genuine annoyance. I grinned back at him, relishing in our easy banter. “Maybe I want to eat that wet hole again.”
Laughing, I nuzzled my face into his neck, inhaling his scent. A mix of sweat and Artemis pheromones sent tingles through my body. I wrapped my arm around his waist, pulling him close as we resumed our journey.
“Yeah, that’s new. I wonder how that’s even possible,” he wondered. “Humans don’t… umm… self-lubricate. Well, males don’t anyways.”
Despite the lightness of our conversation, his words stirred a worry within me. Artemis was partially right. Humans and monsters were different species with unique characteristics and biological functions that might not necessarily be compatible.
“There are species from my world that do. Arya’s does. The males carry the young for her species, and the females carry the egg they deposit—it’s the opposite for mine. Many of the species from my world are single genders. Both have the necessary reproductive parts to carry young or create them.”
“Really? That’s… intriguing,” Artemis replied, his eyes reflecting curiosity. He fell silent momentarily as he contemplated my words, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the setting sun painted the sky with vibrant gold, purple, and pink hues. Finally, he looked back at me, his brows furrowed in thought. “So, your species has two genders?” Artemis asked.
“Yes, my race is much older than most. We hadn’t evolved that way. Selective breeding was widespread among my people. In comparison, the others had to survive because of the many issues before we finally had global peace. Many people believe the evolution of many species to be single genders was caused by consuming the Ellids.”
“That is so interesting.” He walked with me quietly, pondering what I had told him. “So, does this mean… I might be able to carry young?” he finally asked, a sense of hesitation in his voice.
I thought about it for a moment. “Theoretically, I guess it could be possible,” I answered. “We would have to ask Elix about it in New Pharia, but I honestly don’t believe our genetics would be compatible to create younglings even if your body now creates slick to ease the way for sex. I don’t know if the illness could create whole new organs.”
“At least it didn’t take away the ones I had,” Artemis quipped cheekily, lips curling into a grin. “I like my dick where it is.”
“True,” I replied, letting out a soft laugh. “I like it there as well. Very easy to reach.” I trailed my hand down his body before he batted it away with another laugh.
I had left the radio on, but no transmissions had come through since we started the walk to New Pharia. So we kept our pace. It wasn’t like I could get to Arya faster anyway. We could have ridden Dune, but even he wouldn’t have been able to run while carrying us without getting exhausted and having to take breaks. I would rather not exhaust the Lepot if I didn’t have to. The bunker wasn’t close to the city. I had wanted it that way.
Though now that Artemis had come into my life, I questioned whether that was still such a great idea. My people had lived in the village to be there for one another. There was protection in numbers that I didn’t have at the bunker. What if Artemis got hurt? I wouldn’t be able to get him help fast enough. I had started to think we should stay in the city. Maybe Artemis would like to stay with the other people. He would also eat better in New Pharia. Meta made sure there was always enough food to go around.
The sun was high in the sky when we approached the small town. I started making my way off the highway when Dune tossed his head back and reared up on his hind legs. His body flopped over on his side, hitting the ground before he stood back up.
“What the…” Artemis stuttered as I quickly sidestepped to avoid getting crushed by the giant Lepot. Dune’s eyes were wide with panic as he reared back again, his talons slashing in the air as he let out a high-pitched scream that echoed off the barren landscape.
“Dune!” I called out, grabbing his reins.
“What’s wrong with him?” Artemis asked, staying away from the beast. Dune pawed at the ground and snarled, trying to turn circles around himself.
“I don’t know,” I replied, my heart pounding as I tried to avoid Dune’s thrashing legs. The wild look in his eyes spoke of terror, a primal fear that sent my heart racing. Dune tried to pull his reins from my grasp. His head jerked back, and he reared back again. His taloned feet came down inches away from my chest.
“Dune, calm down!” I yelled, trying to maintain my grip on his reins while avoiding the vicious arcs of his taloned feet. His eyes met mine, wild and fearful. I could tell he was trying to fight whatever it was that had him in its grip, but it was winning. Nothing scared these beasts.
I looked around us but didn’t see anything.
“Dune, what’s wrong?” Artemis called out, his voice laced with concern. I could hear the fear in his tone, echoing my own. Dune was a strong creature, unflinchingly brave. To see him frightened was unsettling.
Despite my reassurances, Dune continued to panic, his large eyes rolling around in their sockets as he tried to break free from my grip. I looked around us again, scrutinizing every shadow and corner of the deserted town. Still, nothing seemed out of place.
Dune let out another terrified scream and thrashed violently again, nearly knocking me off my feet. I glanced at Artemis and saw in his face the dread that had settled in my gut.
Suddenly, Dune let out a blood-chilling screech that made me jump. My fingers let go of his reins for just a second. The scream echoed off the surrounding buildings. And Dune bolted towards Artemis.
Dune’s big body slammed into Artemis, knocking him to the ground.
“No!” I screamed, rushing forward. “Artemis, stay down.” I tried to rush to his side. Dune was prancing circles around Artemis like he circled a kill. His warbling anger made me want to clasp my hands over my ears. I couldn’t think, couldn’t move fast enough. All I could do was scream at the top of my lungs, hoping against hope to distract the frenzied beast.
Dune seemed to hesitate, his eyes darting between Artemis and me in confusion.
“Brir,” Artemis called out. I could tell he was scared. Dune had never acted like this.
That’s when I saw it. The red feathers sticking up against Dune’s flank. A dart was sticking out of Dune’s back leg.
“Dune’s been darted!” I shouted, my heart pounding as I stared at the bright red feather attached to a small, silver dart. Panic surged through me, but I pushed it down. I had to stay calm for Artemis and Dune.
“Keep down! Don’t move!” I called out to Artemis, who was lying still on the ground, his eyes wide with fright. I needed to get that dart out of Dune, but approaching him now would be incredibly dangerous.
Dune’s movements started to become erratic and sluggish as the drug began to take effect. He stumbled, his mighty legs buckling. Artemis cried out. A similar dart was sticking out of his shoulder.
I rushed forward, passed Dune, and ripped the dart from Artemis’s back. Suddenly, everything fell into place; Dune’s erratic behavior and uncharacteristic aggression toward Artemis. Some unseen enemy must have been shooting at Artemis while Dune tried to protect him.
“Artemis.”
“I’m fine.” Then Dune was crying out again, another dart in his front leg.
“No!” My cry tore through the air, fraught with panic. I rushed to Dune’s side, yanking out the fresh dart with determination. The giant creature was already sluggish from the first dose, and a second could be lethal.
Artemis was watching me, his eyes clouded with pain and confusion. “Brir… You need to find… whoever…” he managed to get out before collapsing against the dirt on his hands and knees. What was in his stomach splashed onto the ground as he vomited.
I turned my head sharply, scanning the deserted buildings around us for any sign of movement. I saw the glint of a gun on a rooftop. Pulling my sword off my back, I raced down the streets.
My breath was ragged, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Every pulse of my heart echoed in my ears, drowning out the sounds of Dune’s thrashing and Artemis’s pained grunts. My grip on the sword was a familiar weight as I jumped to the awning of a building just as a bullet whizzed past my head, smashing into the concrete pillar.
I swung upwards and continued my ascent towards the rooftop. My boots scraped against the stone as I pulled myself up, every muscle in my body burning with exertion. From the corner of my eye, I could see the sniper shifting his aim to track me. I couldn’t afford to slow down.
I launched myself onto the rooftop, dropping into a roll to dodge another bullet that whizzed past where my head had been moments ago. Fury coursed through me as I closed the distance between us.
A strange, detached part of my mind analyzed their trajectory and determined that the second shooter had to be on the next rooftop.
I ran, using every ounce of my agility to dodge the relentless spray of bullets. With a powerful leap, I flung myself towards the next rooftop. The wind whistled in my ears as I soared through the air, every muscle straining for the landing.
“Kill him!” one of them screamed.
I landed on the rooftop. Their startled yelps accompanied the thud of my boots. I swung my sword in a wide arc, the sharp edge glinting under the moonlight.
They recoiled, scrambling back as they tried to reorient their aim towards me again, but I was faster. I spun, blade raised, and severed his head from his body.
The flicker of his eyes told me that he wasn’t alone. That someone was behind me. I spun around just as another sniper emerged from the shadows.
His bullet grazed my shoulder, tearing through fabric and skin. I gritted my teeth against the searing pain, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me falter.
He made to shoot again, but I was quicker. I hurled my blade. It spun in the air, a deadly missile heading straight for his heart. His eyes widened in terror before narrowing into slits as he slumped onto the ground, lifeless.
Blood dripped from my injured shoulder, staining the rooftop but there was no time to tend to it now. I retrieved my sword and turned to the third man, who was trying to pull his handgun from the holster on his hip but failing. It was still clipped in.
I walked towards him, anger pulsing through me.
“Wait, wait, wait!” he screamed, holding his hands up. “If you kill me, the hybrid dies.”
“What?” I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. The man had fear in his eyes, but there was something else too. Satisfaction. He knew he had said something that had gotten my attention.
“The hybrid,” he repeated, pointing towards where Artemis and Dune were. I didn’t take my eyes off the man. “The darts we hit him with… they contain a poison. A deadly one.”
“What the fuck do you mean, human?” I snarled. I lunged for the man and grabbed his shirt, yanking him to his feet.
“If the hybrid doesn’t get the antidote in thirty minutes, he will die.” His hands tried to push me away.
“Then give it to me!” I yelled in his face, baring my teeth.
“I don’t have it. I was only supposed to shoot it,” he sputtered, his eyes wide with fear. My teeth ground together as the soldier called Artemis ‘it.’ “There’s another group with the antidote. They’ll give it to you if you don’t kill me.”
I tightened my grip on his shirt, my fury simmering beneath the surface. “Where?” I demanded, my voice harsh and raw. Still holding him up, I could feel the tremors in his body. His eyes darted in panic, but he understood there was no escape.
That’s when I recognized him. He was one of the soldiers who was transporting Artemis.
“And where are they?” I asked, my voice low and menacing.
He fiddled with a radio at his shoulder. “He wants to talk to you.”
I plunged my sword into the soldier’s belly. His hands went to my shoulders, squeezing as he choked on blood. I held his eyes with my own, watching as life faded from him. I dropped his body onto the roof with the others.
My fingers were slick with his blood as I reached down to grab the radio that had fallen out of his grasp. My heart pounded as I brought it up to my ear.
“You’ve made a serious mistake,” a cold voice said on the other end. I clenched my jaw at his tone, tightening my grip on the radio. “Give me the antidote,” I demanded. “Now.”
“Well, hello there,” a male voice said. “And who am I talking to?”
“The one who’s going to kill you if you don’t hand over the antidote,” I responded, eyes sweeping the area for signs of his location.
The man on the other end laughed, a chilling sound that made my blood cold. “And why would I do that?” he asked, mockery lacing his voice. “After all, isn’t it much more fun to watch you squirm?”
My fingers curled tighter around the radio, knuckles white with suppressed rage. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. “Listen carefully,” I said, fury simmering beneath each word, “if Artemis dies—”
His laughter cut off my threats.
“I admire your spirit,” he replied, amusement dripping from every word. “But the hybrid will die unless you give him to me.”
“Never,” I answered, the word a growl resonating with an intensity that surprised even myself. “Artemis is not a bargaining chip.”
“Your feelings for him are going to get him killed.” He laughed again, and my fury rose. “We have been watching. We see how you’re protecting him. How you kiss the disgusting piece of shit. How you fuck him.”
I saw red. The audacity of this man to speak so vulgarly about Artemis, the man I cherished more than life itself, was more than I could bear. My anger was a burning inferno, ready to consume everything. “I swear…” I seethed, my voice trembling with barely checked fury. “You will regret those words.”
His laughter only fueled my rage further. “Oh, I’m sure,” he taunted me, his voice dripping with malicious glee. “But not before you do.”
“Where are you?” I demanded, ignoring his mockery.
“I will come to you and save your lover if you drop your sword right there on that roof. Make your way back to my hybrid. And you better hurry. He doesn’t look very good. Or are we just going to watch him die together?”
His words were a blow, and my heart stuttered in my chest. The thought of Artemis suffering and dying… was unbearable. My grip on the radio tightened, and the plastic casing creaked under the pressure of my hand. I let out a breath and forced myself to think logically.
But logic went out of the window when my gaze returned to where I left Artemis with Dune. Dune was on his side in the dirt, Artemis beside him. My jaw dropped as I saw my lover lying on the ground. Numbness was spreading through my body, silencing the world around me. I felt my throat constricting, choking on the fear and desperation clawing their way up from deep within.
I dropped my sword. Its metallic thud echoed in the air before I ripped the radio off the body of the dead soldier. I turned and jumped from the roof to the ground.
My boots kicked up dirt around me as I landed, rolling, so I ended up on my hands and knees before I staggered up and sprinted back to Dune and Artemis.
My heart pounded in my chest, each throb echoing the seconds that passed—seconds we did not have. The ground beneath me was a blur as I pushed forward with all my strength. Each step stabbed into my lungs, mocking my desperate need for speed.
Fear coursed through me. Dune’s eyes were closed, but I could see his breathing, small puffs of air blowing dirt before his face.
Artemis was on his front, lying in a puddle of vomit that he must have expelled trying to crawl over to the Dune.
His chest rose and fell in irregular intervals. I fell to my knees beside him, a cry caught in my throat as I took in the sight of him.
His skin had taken on a sickly pallor, green veins standing out starkly against his usually fair complexion. I grabbed him under his arms and flipped him over. Blue eyes blinked back at me.
“Artemis,” I whispered, gently brushing my fingers against his cheek. It was chilled, the usual warmth replaced by an alarming coldness that seeped into my veins.
“Brir,” Artemis called my name weakly. I yanked him up and leaned him against me just in case he got sick again. A gut-wrenching fear gripped me so intensely that it was hard to breathe.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” Tears filled my eyes. “I’m here, damn it!” I spat into the radio, my free hand clutching it so tightly that it left imprints on my palm. “Now give me the fucking antidote.”
“Dune,” Artemis asked, trying to look at the fallen beast.
“He will be fine, baby,” I reassured him. I pushed his black hair out of his face. His blue eyes searched my face. “Butterfly, they are coming. They injected you with something. They won't tell me what. The asshole over the radio said if I didn’t give you to them, they would let you die.” Tears ran down my face and dripped down onto his cheek.
“Then let me… let me go,” Artemis replied, his voice barely a whisper against the wind. His words were a punch in my gut, straining my tenuous hold on my emotions.
“No! Don’t you dare ask me to do that!” I shouted, gripping him more tightly as if by holding onto him physically, I could keep him here with me. “Don’t you dare give up!”
His eyes fluttered shut, his breathing too shallow and uneven for my liking. Panic swarmed over me like a swarm of wasps stinging every inch of my skin. “Let me go,” he repeated, his eyes still looking at me even as they began to lose their luster. “Save yourself.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision as I shook my head vehemently. “No,” I choked out, pulling him closer against me. “I can’t. I need you.”
“I don’t want to die,” Artemis said weakly. Tears poured down my face. “But I don't want them to take me, please.”
“You won’t,” I vowed with every ounce of conviction. “You’re not going to die, Artemis. I will get you back. I swear, my love.”
The sound of vehicles approaching ripped my head up. Several military vehicles were moving towards us, dirt spraying from their tires. They halted feet from me where I cradled Artemis to my body.
At the sound, Artemis’s eyes snapped open, suddenly frantic. “I don’t want to go back.” Artemis tried to struggle against me, but I couldn’t let him go. Tears flowed down my face. I just hoped he could forgive me one day because there was no way I was willing to let him die.
The soldiers began to pour out of the vehicles, their guns ready in their hands. I felt Artemis go stiff beside me. Suddenly, my world was all about the weight of his body against mine and the coldness spreading from his skin.
A captain stepped forward. The antidote was in the hands of our enemies, and without it, our fate hung in the balance. “Stand down,” he ordered, his cold gaze locked on me. “Give the boy up, and we’ll administer the antidote.”
“No,” I answered, my voice an icy whisper against the still air. “I won’t let you take him.”
A cruel smile pulled at his lips as if my defiance amused him.
“Then watch him die.” The world around us seemed to halt as I looked at the man who held our lives in his hands. I could feel Artemis’s trembling body against mine, the rapid drum of his heartbeat, and see the terror mirrored in his icy blue eyes.
“I can’t let you die, my love.” I clutched his body to me. His side pressed into my chest.
“No, no, Brir,” Artemis breathed weakly, his trembling hand coming up to grasp my wrist. “Don’t… don’t let them…”
How could I choose between potentially saving the man I loved and giving him into the hands of those who had done this to him? How could I live with myself either way?
“I’m sorry…” I whispered shakily, my eyes never leaving the captain. “I have no choice. I’m sorry, I can't let you die.” I directed this to Artemis and kissed his lips gently. He was gasping for breath. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at me. The fear on his face made me feel like I was being torn in two. He understood; he knew the torment he was in.
I could see the pain that was wracking his body as the poison ate at him. I could feel his pulse getting weaker, the coldness seeping from his body to mine like a creeping shadow of death.
The captain stepped forward, his grin victorious and sickening. “Well, hurry up then before he can’t breathe.” He waved me over as he opened the vehicle’s hatch. “Place him there.” He pointed to the back of the vehicle.
With Artemis in my arms, I stood up and carefully took him to the vehicle. I held him steady, whispering words of reassurance in his ear as I carried him over to where the doctor who had tortured him was waiting.
The cage in the back was gone. Chains were laid against a plastic sheet over the vehicle’s back.
I did as he commanded, laying Artemis down as gently as I could on the cold metal bed of the vehicle. His eyes never left mine, filled with a pain that was almost too much for me to bear.
“Brir.” Artemis's voice was weak as he reached out to me. I took his hand in mine, holding it as if it were the only thing anchoring me to the earth.
“I want to see you give him the antidote,” I told the doctor, tightening my hold on Artemis. The doctor’s kind demeanor faded, and I watched as his face twisted into something dangerous.
“Honestly, your stubbornness is infuriating,” he growled, his icy gaze chilling me. “Do you think we are that stupid? I wouldn’t have brought that antidote here. No. I’m not that stupid. We will give it to the hybrid when we are far from here.” He smiled at me, telling me he had won. “Away from you.” He looked down at Artemis with excitement in his eyes.
If I gave them Artemis, I knew they would torture him. If I didn’t, he would die. Artemis’s eyes were filled with tears. His hand reached towards me. If I didn’t let them take him, he would die.
I would follow them and get him back.
Something cold wrapped itself around my heart. The thought of Artemis suffering, of him dying in their hands, was unbearable.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized to him as I placed Artemis in the back of the vehicle. It took everything in me to let him go and step back. “I will find you, my love.” I tried to reassure him. I needed him to live.
“I don’t think so.” The captain’s voice came from behind me, and before I could even turn to face him, a gun went off, and my body arched backward. A bullet tore through my chest.
Pain erupted through my side, hot and searing, yet I barely registered the loud crack of the gunshot. The world swam before my eyes, a foggy, disjointed blur of colors and sounds. I knew I was falling, but the sensation felt far away as if I were watching it all unfold from a dream.
“Brir!” Artemis’s cry echoed in my ears, his voice ragged with fear and panic. I tried reaching out to him, but my hand fell limply to my side.
My head slammed into the ground. The air was knocked out of my lungs. I tried to sit up, coughing. Silver blood stained my lips.
My breath hitched as I tried to draw in the air, but it felt like a thousand knives were stabbing into me with each intake of breath. The captain was laughing now, reveling in the chaos.
“No!” I heard Artemis scream, adrenaline making him fight.
The captain came into view, standing right over me. He pressed a boot into my shoulder, pointing a gun down at me. Pain lanced through me, but I held my gaze steady on his face.
“Don’t worry, we will take excellent care of 1134.” He smiled down at me. I watched almost in slow motion as his finger squeezed the trigger of the gun again. I heard the crack of the gun's hammer, and another round of fire burned through my body.
“No!” Artemis cried out again.
I turned my head on the ground as my vision faded at the edges. People were holding him down, securing him with clamps to the back of the vehicle. He tried to lunge forward, but they pushed him back. His tail came up and pegged the closest person in the chest, the spikes digging in deep. Then, people were screaming to hold him down.
My consciousness wavered and drifted in and out like a boat on an unstable sea. I could still hear Artemis screaming, the sound torn out of him raw and unfiltered, as if every part of his soul was being ripped apart. And I know it was because of me.
“Stop struggling, hybrid!” one of the men holding Artemis down grunted, the strain apparent in his voice.
I took a shuddering breath, my blood filling my mouth as I tried to reach for him. I turned onto my side, letting the silver blood run down my body as I crawled towards him.
My limbs trembled, protesting the desperate movements. My body was weak, too weak to drag itself along the ground, yet I stubbornly pushed on. Inch by inch, I crawled forward, guided only by Artemis’s terrified screams, which cut through my mind like a razor-sharp blade.
I watched Artemis fight with all his strength. His tail thwacked into another man’s head, the spikes embedding deep in his skull. His body fell to the ground, tangled with Artemis’s tail.
I pulled myself just a few feet before someone ran around with bolt cutters. They lined them up with Artemis’s tail and closed them.
Artemis screamed as they severed his last defense. The soldiers pinned him back and injected him with something. His movements slowed within seconds. His body started to weaken again, the sedative taking effect. Blood poured down onto the ground from this severed tail.
I saw the tears in his eyes as I collapsed onto the ground, unable to move another inch. My vision was pinpointed on Artemis. Then, he was gone from my view as they slammed the back of the vehicle closed.
“Burn this place down,” the captain said.
“But sir, we don’t have much gas,” one of the soldiers replied as my vision started to fade.
“I don’t care,” he told the man. “I don’t want any evidence that we were ever here,” I heard as the darkness finally took me.