Venomous Hunger (Eok Warriors Book 2) Page 16

  Minister Knut’s pupils grew to invade his entire irises, then retracted back to fine lines. It was an impressive display of self-control over the sudden fear he felt, but Kamal still saw it.

  “Eoks,” Minister Knut said, his lips pursing over his tiny, pointy teeth. “Savages, all of you.”

  Wyol chuckled, then stepped in front of Kamal, looking down at him with a smile on his face.

  “Should we kill them now?” Wyol flicked an ionic blade from the holster at his hip, waving the deadly weapon back and forth in front of Kamal’s face.

  “No!” Aliena shouted, still struggling to free herself from the Ilarian guards, even though she was clearly no match for their size and strength. “I surrendered! You have no need to hurt them.”

  “My poor, sweet, dear human.” Minister Knut turned to Aliena, then bent down in front of her. His fine fingers reached for the silken, dark brown hair and he pushed a heavy curtain of locks away from her face. “You have no idea how much I relish having you under my control right now. After what your cousin Rose cost me, it will be a joy to use you as an example of what little humans can do to protect themselves.”

  “What are you talking about?” Kamal growled and hissed, but couldn’t move. “She’s too valuable to hurt.”

  “Yes, she is.” Minister Knut turned his head to Kamal, and his purple eyes gleamed with amusement and something akin to joy. “That is why no one will ever suspect me when they find her used-up, defiled body aboard your ship. Prime Councilor Aav will have no other option than to blame the infamous Eok warrior turned bestial pirate for the senseless death of a precious, defenseless human female. Then, I’ll regain control of the Human Preservation Initiative, and forever stain the Eok warriors for the soulless beasts that they are.”

  Knut looked away, losing interest in Kamal. A pained, almost sad look was etched on his fine, dainty features.

  “Such a loss. You really are a beauty. I would have been proud to keep you in my personal harem, but do not fear, my dear. Your death will not be in vain. All my little pretties will soon be returned to me.”

  Knut inhaled, then shook his head. He walked to the back of the room behind the Ilarian guards. His job was done now, his focus was on the future, on the obscene wealth the blood of so many was going to give him.

  “I’ll wait until the job is done before leaving.” Minister Knut raised a disdainful eyebrow, his gaze flitting to Wyol. “I’ll confirm the death when you’re done. And do the same to the other female as well. We can’t leave any witnesses behind.”

  Wyol’s lips stretched, exposing his small, wicked teeth in an obscene grin. He moved toward Aliena fast, snatching her away from the Ilarian guards, jerking her to her feet.

  Then an ionic blade flashed through the air and the world descended into beautiful, glorious chaos.

  Aliena

  Wyol jerked her away from the Ilarian guards, his grip on her left arm like a vise, fingers digging into her flesh hard enough to leave bruises.

  But then, bruises were exactly what they wanted to leave on her body.

  Her vision blurred as she was dragged across the metallic floor to the cheers and hoots of the crew—or what remained of them. There was no mercy to be expected from those males, no shred of decency or even shame for what they were about to do. Who they were about to betray.

  Finally, Wyol threw her against the wall, the impact hard enough to make her ears ring from the blow. It took a second or two for her eyes to focus, and she fought the confusion, hard. There was no time for weakness, not now that the lives of those she cared about were hanging by a thread. Finally, she blinked and locked eyes with Wyol. He was bent over her, close enough that she could smell his acrid breath. That male who wanted nothing more than to use her body, causing as much pain as he could. And he could do a lot, and would enjoy every bit of it.

  Wyol braced his arms on either side of her against the wall, forcing her into a shivering, defeated heap of flesh.

  Then the glow of something hidden in Wyol’s clothing caught her attention. It was in the synthetic leather overcoat, strapped to his side by a holster. Recognition came, fast and blazing.

  The ionic blade. Yes, this was her only chance.

  Wyol was still bent over her, his pink eyes fixed on her like a shark’s. His delicate nostrils flared and his pupils moved, retracting and contracting in fast succession, a telltale sign of the high arousal he was in. He didn’t glance down as she reached, ever so slowly. The handle vibrated with deadly power as she closed her fingers around it. Time stood still as she pulled the blade away from its sheath in Wyol’s holster. The Avonie male was too busy enjoying how terrified she was to pay attention to her, or to consider that she could pose a threat.

  Aliena fidgeted with the handle, not sure on how to power it on. Soon her fingers found a small indentation and she pressed on it, then the blade hummed to life. By the time Wyol noticed the metallic gleam of the blade in her hands, it was too late.

  It became a beautiful, power-drunk instrument of death.

  Wyol’s pupils retracted fully in his pink eyes as he saw the blade in her possession. She didn’t wait to see what he would do. Aliena brought the blade up between herself and Wyol in a large arc, ready to spill blood.

  The effect was instantaneous. He flung himself away from her, falling to the floor and scrambling to put distance between his body and the deadly weapon.

  “Bitch! Kill her!” Wyol screamed at the Ilarian guards—but it was too late.

  Before the guards could do anything, Aliena threw the blade across the floor in the direction of the one person in the room who could save them all.

  Kamal’s hands closed around the handle of the blade like he’d been born with it. Then blood erupted, bright red and shocking. Something heavy and wet fell to the ground, and Aliena realized it was one of Sheegar’s limbs. A screeching, metallic howl filled the air as Sheegar flailed around, grabbing uselessly at his stump with his remaining two intact hands.

  Marmack took advantage of the moment of confusion and quickly turned, grabbing the ionic gun from the male standing behind him. Tailan threw herself to the floor as Marmack pointed his newly acquired ionic gun at the male standing behind her, and fired. The male collapsed in a heap of steaming flesh. He was dead before he hit the ground.

  “Stay back!” Marmack shouted at Tailan before turning to Kamal, his ionic gun in hands.

  The two males faced each other for a fraction of a second. Everything they needed to say was in their eyes. There would be no mercy, no forgiveness from them. Kamal’s war scream filled the room, loud and powerful, speaking of a wrath without bounds.

  A chorus of male shouts and screams answered him as the remainder of the Mellark crew—the traitors—leapt into action.

  Aliena pushed with her feet until her back lay flat against the wall. To her right, Tailan did the same, her face set in lines of fury and blood.

  Kamal was a magnificent tool of death. His talons slashed as the ionic blade drew circles around the traitors who were massed at the back of the room. Marmack helped with the ionic gun and his fists, his strength giving him an edge over his opponents. Soon, bodies were lying on the floor, unmoving and devoid of life.

  “You filthy little slut.”

  Aliena turned to see Wyol standing in front of the Ilarian guards. Then she saw Minister Knut in the doorway to the back of the room. His face was twisted so much he looked more like the monster he was on the inside than the slim, pampered male he was on the outside.

  “Finish her.” Minister Knut looked to the side, where a staggering Sheegar was standing. “Or there will be no money for any of you.”

  Minister Knut turned and walked away, soon followed by the Ilarian guards. Wyol remained there, then locked eyes with Sheegar.

  “She’s all yours,” Wyol said with resentment. “Don’t fuck it up this time.”

  Wyol turned and followed Minister Knut. Aliena locked gazes with Sheegar, who was bleeding profusely from his to
rn limb. The black eyes blinked, then he took a step closer. She was defenseless in front of him, without any weapons, only her bare hands against his size and strength.

  “I’m unarmed, Sheegar.” She spoke on instinct, hoping to strike a chord where his honor was concerned. “You wouldn’t slay an unarmed female. I know you wouldn’t.”

  Sheegar paused, towering over her as Kamal and Marmack remained absorbed in their fight. She could scream, but it would be no help. Sheegar was fast, and a single blow would end her. He was only hesitating because he thought her a strong female, one deserving of the honor of fighting for her life. Screaming like a defenseless child would only make him realize how very weak she really was.

  The black eyes revealed nothing but his mandible clicked fast, showing his internal turmoil. His insect-like features were too foreign for her to read, but she sensed he was torn between his self-preservation instincts and his honor, which dictated to him that she was to be treated with respect.

  “I will not harm you, human female Aliena.” Sheegar took a step back. His expression changed, looked more at peace. “I will not dishonor the Great Mother. But this won’t change your fate. This won’t change any of your fates.”

  Without another word, Sheegar turned away and ran. Aliena watched as silence descended upon the room.

  “They’re gone!” Tailan shouted as she sprang to her feet. “Knut and the others are gone.”

  Kamal slowly turned in the direction of Tailan’s voice. His steel blue skin was almost entirely covered in blood. It dripped down his forehead, along his ridged nose, and around his full lips like macabre paint. His eyes glittered, fog-like and crazed with violence. His talons were fully extended, six inches long and sharp, covered in the blood of those he had killed.

  Aliena stared at the glory of Kamal’s body, the deadliness of it like an aura around him. They locked gazes across the room and something hummed inside her chest, like pulling on the strings of a musical instrument. This was where she belonged. At his side—wherever that was in the vastness of the Ring.

  Aliena tore her gaze from Kamal’s and looked around. Bodies were spread everywhere, torn apart by blades and talons, pierced by ionic detonations. Death—so much and so shocking, she felt nothing but a blank numbness where horror should be screaming a fit. Then her eyes locked on the insect length of Sheegar’s severed arm.

  Revulsion filled the blank in her mind and she felt her stomach churn.

  She tried to look away but the fascination was unshakable. She was tethered to that limp arm, to the emerald green fingers open and twisted in a way that was impossible. Then movement attracted her attention in the midst of all the stillness of death and she was finally able to look away.

  Marmack had found his way to Tailan and was helping her to her feet. Aliena stared as the couple held each other, the strength of the feelings they shared as obvious as the way Marmack crushed the smaller Cattelan female to his chest.

  “To the command center.” Kamal’s voice filled the death-silenced room. “We need to find out where they’ve gone. Now.”

  Aliena turned to find Kamal had moved and was now standing right above her. He bent and slid his blood covered arms under her, one under her legs and the other around her waist. He lifted her like she weighed no more than a rag-doll.

  She held on to him, pressing herself to his chest as he walked fast. Physical contact with Kamal sent a rush of emotions through her body.

  Finally, the door to the command center slid up and they all entered; Kamal still carrying her, and Marmack holding Tailan tight to his body.

  As soon as the door closed behind them, Tailan broke free of Marmack’s grip and rushed to the control panel, her fingers tapping on the buttons before she even sat down in the chair. Soon, the images on the screens changed.

  The top row of screens showed a series of round hatches, with a light ominously flashing red over a small, round window.

  “Shit.” Tailan slapped the armrest of her chair. “The rest of the escape pods are gone.”

  “Knut took them?” Kamal put Aliena down but still her close.

  “I don’t think so. Looks like they hooked a Ring’s diplomatic shuttle to the Mellark. It’s still distancing from our loading dock. I think they just released the pods with no one in them.”

  Silence descended.

  “Why would they do that?” Aliena spoke the words she knew no one wanted to hear. “Why release the escape pods and not use them?”

  “To trap us inside.” Marmack spoke for the first time. His voice was steady, but his face was drawn with tension. He was afraid.

  “Tailan, check the propulsion engines.” Kamal’s tone was equally somber.

  Tailan bent furiously over her control panel. “Both are dead. I’m not even getting the backup propulsion to work.”

  “And the long-range communication?” This time, there was urgency, even worry in Kamal’s voice. “The distress signals?”

  Another frenzy of fingers on the keyboard.

  “Nothing. We’re in the dark.”

  This time, silence folded its long fingers around them, engulfing them in threads of dread. There was only one reason Minister Knut could have for keeping the Mellark in the dark like this, and it wasn’t a good one.

  “He’s going to get rid of us.” Aliena reached for Kamal’s arm, his warmth and strength steadying her.

  “He always has a backup plan.” Kamal’s arm tightened around her and he looked down into her eyes. He stared at her for a long time before returning his attention to Tailan. “He wanted to keep your body as proof of the abuse, but he knew there was a risk it wouldn’t work. How long do we have until his shuttle lands?”

  “Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes at the most. That’s if he doesn’t have hyper-nuclear propulsion.”

  “Okay. Fire the slow speed engines. We’re making our approach to Aveyn.”

  Tailan’s face suddenly slacked with understanding. “You don’t mean it. It’s too dangerous, we’ll never make it.”

  Aliena frowned and looked from Tailan, to Marmack, and back to Kamal. Whatever understanding they had, she didn’t share it.

  “It’s our only chance.” Kamal looked at Marmack. “To the end, brother.”

  “To the end, brother.” Marmack brought his fist over his heart, then inclined his head. “If I meet the Sky Shepherd today, know it was an honor to have fought by your side.”

  “May the Midnight God hear you.”

  Aliena opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. Her gaze went to Tailan. The Cattelan female’s skin was livid, a green so pale it looked almost white. Enlarged yellow eyes locked with hers.

  “We’re going to crash-land the ship on Aveyn.” Tailan was out of breath, her lips trembling as she spoke. “It’s not going to work.”

  Aliena stared as her mind rebelled against what the other female had just told her. Crash-landing the Mellark was a suicidal attempt without the propulsion engines. Tailan swallowed, then seemed to come to terms with the situation. She turned to Marmack, who in turn bent and brought his forehead to hers. The gesture was both intimate and incredibly tender.

  “Okay.” Tailan inhaled deeply, then nodded. “If we want to do this, we should start now, before Knut lands. The order to shoot us down might already have been given.”

  “He’ll send a party after us,” Marmack said. “Make sure we died in the crash.”

  “Let him come.” Kamal straightened. “We’ll be ready for him.”

  The four of them nodded their agreement. If they died, at least they would die together. A strange sense of peace entered Aliena’s mind at the thought. She didn’t want to die, but if she had to, there was no one else she would rather have at her side.

  “Aliena and Tailan, buckle up in the back of the room. Marmack and I are taking the command.”

  Kamal turned to face her. His thumb traced the line of her jaw, her bottom lip. He bent and placed a kiss on her mouth and she responded, fully aware that this might be the l
ast time. They kissed long and deep, pushing the world and the threat of death to the background.

  Then Kamal broke the kiss. “I am sorry I did not protect you.”

  “There’s no one I would trust more with my life,” Aliena told him.

  “My life for yours.” Kamal smiled but it was without humor. His thumb ran along her cheek with a heart-wrenching tenderness. “Now we’ll really see if you can fly, Little Bird.”

  “Go, save the day.” She picked up his hand and kissed his palm. There was nothing more to say.

  Aliena pulled away and joined Tailan in the back, then strapped herself in beside the other female. Without looking away from Kamal, she extended her open palm to the side. A few seconds later, Tailan closed her hand around hers, then squeezed.

  The Mellark moved, submitting to the attraction of Aveyn. Aliena closed her eyes and prayed to whatever Gods of the old Earth still existed.

  Then they fell to a blazing, howling Hell.

  Chapter 16

  The coppery taste of blood invaded her mouth, but it wasn’t enough to quench the scream that took root deep in her guts as the Mellark sped toward the rocky cliffs below. Somewhere, far in the remoteness of her mind, she knew she had bitten her tongue along the way, and hoped it wasn’t too bad.

  Voices rose, Kamal and Marmack shouting, but their words held no meaning.

  Tailan’s voice joined Aliena’s as a wall of greenery crashed through the large window. The world exploded in a cloud of shattering glass, broken leaves and rock debris before Aliena’s head hit the cushioning at the back of her seat. The world faded to a grayscale blur, then darkness fell upon her.

  Time floated in a meaningless cloud, and Aliena became progressively aware of warm liquid running down her forehead and dripping down onto the back of her hand.

  She managed to swallow, then writhed against the fog of unconsciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, and confusion mixed her thoughts in a senseless mash.

  Oh, Gods.