Chapter 10
Maddison gave herself to the count of one hundred to feel sorry for herself.
When the count ended, she was unexpectedly calm.
Even more surprising, she didn’t want to stay safely tucked away until the danger passed.
She wanted to do something. But what? She couldn’t fight.
Despite her reluctance to sit here and wait, she had no desire to hurt someone else, even if they were a threat.
It wasn’t logical, but that didn’t change the facts.
She wasn’t a fighter. She wasn’t any kind of hero.
A small voice spoke up from the back of her mind, reminding her that Havoc had called her brave.
If he believed that, maybe she should, too.
He was out there, doing what needed to be done because it was the only way they’d survive the day.
She couldn’t do what he did, but she should do something, even if it was something small.
An idea came to her. The part of her mind that was already poisoned by fear resisted, but she didn’t listen. With shaking hands, she opened her pack and rummaged around inside, feeling for the smooth handle of the stun wand.
She should have remembered she had it before and given it to Havoc. Would he have used it? Probably not. It was an unfamiliar weapon and one with limited uses. It was better than nothing, though. She pulled it free and settled it in her lap.
Just in case.
Time slowed to a painful crawl that left her with too much time to think and nothing to do. Her back ached from being hunched over, and her legs cramped from being forced into awkward positions for too long.
To ease her discomfort and give her something to do, she crawled closer to the opening and stretched out with her belly to the ground.
That was a little better, and it allowed her a glimpse of the outside world.
She kept far enough back to avoid being spotted if anyone came close, but the change let her view the area directly in front of the gap.
Outside, the forest looked so calm and peaceful. Sunlight dappled the ground, and a breeze rustled through the leaves, making it seem as if everything was fine. Only she knew better. Somewhere out there, Havoc was hunting the ones who were hunting them.
A branch snapped, shattering the relative calm. Maddison froze. Something was out there. Was it a harmless animal? A local predator? Or was the enemy out there right now? All she knew for certain was that it wasn’t Havoc. He moved like a shadow when he wanted to.
Her fingers tightened around the handle of the stun wand. She didn’t power it up, but holding it gave her a small measure of courage despite the nausea that came with the thought that she might have to use it.
The noise got louder as whoever or whatever was out there approached her hiding place. She couldn’t be sure, but it seemed to be coming from her right. That was the direction Havoc had gone. Had this one slipped past him, or had something happened to him?
Maddison went through every trick she knew to calm herself, but it got more difficult over time. She was almost relieved when the armored and armed mercenary finally stepped into view. Compared with her imagination, they looked almost ordinary.
This was no monster. In fact, they looked human. Other races had similar builds, but most of them were either significantly smaller or larger than her people. This one wore a helmet, but the visor was clear, letting her see the familiar features of an adult human male.
The verexi must have fallen a long way if they were willing to hire humans… a race they considered to be little more than vermin.
The noise he made was because he wasn’t watching where he was walking.
His entire focus was on the scanner he held in one hand.
He moved it back and forth as he walked.
Ice crawled down her spine and wrapped its chilled fingers in her guts.
He had to be tracking her somehow. Nobody else was out here. Havoc was gone…
She was wrong about that.
Her lover exploded into view five seconds later. She saw only a blur of motion that slammed into the soldier’s back. She bit back a yelp of surprise, too stunned to do anything but watch as he grappled with the other man.
Havoc threw an arm around his opponent’s helmet, pulling his head back. A blade flashed, and Maddison watched in horror as Havoc drove the full length of the knife into a gap between armor and helmet.
The closed visor meant she couldn’t hear anything, but the man’s mouth opened wide in what she imagined was a scream. Then Havoc twisted the handle before pulling it out with a sideways motion that sent blood continuing into the air.
When he let go, the soldier crumpled and dropped. Havoc leaned over him, and the knife flashed again. He was making sure the man was dead.
Maddison swallowed hard, grateful they hadn’t had time to eat yet today.
Tears blurred her vision, but she made herself watch as Havoc searched the body.
He took the man’s firearm, the scanner, and some other things she couldn’t make out.
She expected him to bring them to her and tell her to hide them in her little cave.
Instead, he turned to look in her direction, a bloody finger held close to his lips. She raised her hand in silent acknowledgment. She didn’t know whether he could see her. She hoped he couldn’t because if he could, he’d see the revulsion on her face.
The male she’d made love to last night, the one she’d snuggled up to as she slept, was soaked in blood. His golden fur was matted with it. Streaks of red gore covered his face, his throat, and his arms. He looked like a dangerous predator. A monster with violence in his soul.
He’d killed someone for her. Judging by the amount of blood, maybe more than one person.
Loris’s words played on a loop in the back of her mind. “When I choose violence, it’s because I’m protecting someone or something I value—a client, an ideal, or a friend.”
She finally understood. When she looked at Havoc again, she didn’t see the monster. She saw him. The one who had given her more pleasure than she’d imagined possible. The one who was out there, risking his own life to protect hers.
He slipped away again, disappearing into the undergrowth like a golden shadow. Her protector. Her mate.
“Come back to me,” she mouthed the words, not daring to make any sound. There had to be more soldiers out there, which meant she had to do what he said and stay hidden to wait for him to tell her it was safe.
The morning air was warm and damp, and soon the breeze carried the coppery tang of blood and other, more unsavory scents into her small sanctuary.
After this was over, she’d suggest they both find a quiet stretch of the river. She’d wash the blood out of his fur, and then she’d scrub herself until she felt clean again. Was there a cleanser of some kind in the first-aid kit? There should be. She’d use that.
She distracted herself with such thoughts as she waited. It was better than worrying about things she couldn’t do anything about.
She got so lost in thought that the stench of death faded from her awareness…but so did everything else.
She didn’t hear the new soldier approach until he was almost on top of her.
A huge alien with thick, rubbery skin and ill-fitting armor lumbered into view. This one came from a different direction than the last, and he wasn’t using the same kind of scanner. The one he used was strapped to his wrist. It flashed faster and faster as he approached the dead body.
She watched from her hiding place, every muscle tensed and ready to flee… only there was nowhere she could run.
He moved slowly, his booted feet thumping down into the dirt as he made his way toward the body of his comrade.
Blue-black flesh bulged out of the gaps between the various pieces of protective gear.
He didn’t wear a helmet, which let her see a sidelong view of his face.
His bulbous features and protruding eyes made him look like a child had sculpted his face out of too-hard clay.
A sickening smell reached her nose, and she almost gagged. The scent was like raw sewage mixed with rocket fuel. It burned her throat and made her eyes water.
The alien prodded the corpse with one massive boot. When there was no movement, he kicked it hard enough to lift it into the air. “Stupid human. I’ll take your share of the bounty.”
He made a gurgling noise Maddison thought might be laughter. He didn’t bother to look at the body again. Instead, he turned and walked in her direction. She cowered and hoped the shadows hid her from view.
Thankfully, he didn’t notice the hole beneath the roots at all. He stopped less than a meter away, unaware of how close he was to one of his targets. She didn’t draw a breath until he turned, putting the tree she sheltered beneath at his back.
“I know you’re out there, beast. You might have beaten the humans, but they were weak. I am not. I will kill you and leave your body to rot. I will take your head, though. The verexi will pay generously for proof that your meaningless life has ended.”
She checked her translator to find out the language he spoke. It was logarian. She should have guessed. They were a violent, angry species that lived for conquest. They were known for their foul tempers and even fouler stink.
Without thinking too much, she lifted the stun wand and pressed her finger down on the activation button.
It powered up with a low hum, and she continued to hold the button down until it was at full power.
She’d only get one chance at this, and if the alien mercenary regained consciousness before Havoc came back, it wouldn’t go well for her.
She summoned her courage and tried to move, only to discover her body had betrayed her. Fear had locked her muscles, leaving her paralyzed and helpless.
No. She would not let this happen again. Her past traumas were exactly that—part of her past. She didn’t want to be that person anymore.
I can do this.
Her fingers moved slowly, tightening her grip on the stun wand.
Adrenaline made her heart pound and heightened her senses.
She saw the gap in the logarian’s armor at the back of one leg so clearly.
Coarse black hairs poked out of the dark green skin, each follicle covered in viscous fluid. Was that the source of the smell?
She pushed the errant thought away. No distractions. No excuses. Now was the time for action.
She lunged forward, slamming the wand into the gap with all the strength she had.
A loud pop was followed by a crackling she heard as well as felt through the wand she still held in a death grip.
The gut-churning scent of burned flesh wafted over her, making her stomach heave, but she didn’t break contact. She didn’t dare.
It felt like an age passed before the big mercenary went down. His legs folded, and he fell in a graceless, twitching heap.
She exhaled in relief and scuttled backward, putting as much space as she could between her and the unconscious alien.
It wasn’t far enough to escape the stench he emitted, though.
With his massive body blocking her one exit, she could only endure the miasma of death, charred skin, and whatever other hideous aromas the logarian exuded.
Even her unpleasant surroundings couldn’t dull her euphoria. She’d done it! She’d faced her fear and made the choice to protect the ones she cared about. Havoc would not have to face this stinky asshole alien alone.
With a grim smile and shaking hands, she put down the wand and let herself slump forward in relief.
Now, all she had to do was wait for her lover to return. She hoped he wouldn’t take too long. The logarian really stank.