Page 17 of Slavic

“Einar,Ineed some help up here.”

“Beright there.”

Takinga second to look around,Iquickly realize that there are several humans in the breeding nests next to the outer wall.Thankfully,Ihear loud footsteps stomping toward me, and for onceIam glad my other brothers are a curious lot.

Einaris the first through the door, and beforeIcan say a word, he is storming past me across the room, a snarl on his lips.Tearinga bowl nest apart as he searches for the chain’s connection that is draped over its side, for a moment,Iam confused by his actions.ThenIsee the spines on his back emerge and start fluttering, darkening in color.Expectinghim to lift another of our kind out of the nest,Iam stunned when he pulls up a frail, multicolored human female instead.

Heturns, practically running toward the door.Thefemale is wrapped so tightly in his arms that you can barely see her. “Iwill meet you on theZenith.”Thatis all he says as he sprints past me.

Ruarcbarely jumps out of his way as he walks in.Bothof us glance down the hallway afterEinar’sdeparting form. “Slavic, the cargo is loaded, butIsentFalonandMurgulto the bottom deck to ensure we got everything and to check out the other heat signaturesBikarkeeps nagging about.”Themoment he turns toward me it’s like he sees a ghost.Hiseyes flare as he starts clinching his fists, like he is trying to control himself.

“Giveher to meNOWSlavic, beforeIcannot hold back any longer!”

“Whatthe frack is going on with everyone?”

“Ruarc, get your head out of your ass and check the rest of this room out.Ifany of them are alive, bring them back to the ship.Ifthey have been infested with the bugs young, … kill them.”

“Slavic,Iam not joking, brother.”

Asound in one of the nests has both of us turning, only to see a pair of dark brown eyes staring at me over its edge.Withoutthinking,IhandKallentoRuarc.Everythingelse fades away as my whole world shifts.

Chapter Thirteen

SLAVIC

Ina fog,Ifind myself standing over the breeding nest in the corner, a pale and yet brightly colored human female, staring up at me with huge, brown eyes.Ihave no idea how longIstand there looking down at her whenIhear my comm unit go off andBikaryelling something about swarm ships approaching.Allmy mind can comprehend is the female lying in front of me.Ihave found my mate.

Myeyes roam across her tiny form, logging all of her injuries, andIgrowl, wishing now thatIhad made them suffer a little longer.Sheis trembling all over, but unlikeKallen, she seems alert.WhenIlean closer, she does her best to scoot away holding her puny little hand out, like she is trying to stop me.Imake myself soften my voice asIeffortlessly break the chain holding her.Hereyes get large at witnessing my strength and she whimpers, curling into herself whenIstep closer.

“Beat ease little one, no harm will befall you in my arms.”

“Ok,BigandUgly.Thanksfor snapping that chain, butIhave no clue what you’re saying.”

Tiltingmy head,Itry to figure out how to reassure her while the spikes on my spine quiver asIache to have her in my arms.EspeciallysinceIam fighting the urge to simply grab her and hide her away from all others until she wears my mark.Aloud bang hitting the side of the ship’s hull takes the choice from me.ThenBikar’svoice practically screams over the speakers.

“Getyour frackin’ asses back on the ship,NOW!Ifwe don’t leave in the next tick, we don’t leave!Slavic,Idon’t know what has your attention on that deck but wrap it up.”

Themore voices she hears the more terrified she becomes, andIknow there is no way to coax her to come to me on her own.Steppinginside the nest,Istoop down and gently pull her up tight against me.Myspines quiver and for a moment,Ifeel as ifI’msuffocating as my mating collar burns its way up my neck, marking me for all to see.Inall my rotations,Inever dreamed this could happen.Atfirst,Iam so wrapped up in the sensation of having her in my arms and what this means, thatIdo not notice her struggling weakly against my much larger frame.Asob leaves her lips and with the last of her strength she hits my chest and then points to one of the nests.

“Please, if we’re going somewhere, get my sister.Ican’t leave without her.”Herwords are so soft that it takes a moment for my translator to pick them up.

Lookingaround,Ido not see but one other female in a nest.Quicklyand without letting go of her,Ilean down, checking the pulse of the female laying there, but it’s obvious she is dead.Turning,Ishow her that there are no others in the room, but instead of this giving her comfort, she wilts.

“Thegreen girl said she was there, why would she lie to me?”Thepain in her eyes makes my hearts hurt.Asingle tear flows down her cheek, andIreach up, wiping it away.

“Littleone, we will find your sister if she is still alive.Igive you my word.”

Thehopelessness in her gaze almost crushes me when she shakes her head. “Idon’t know what those growls mean, big guy and it doesn’t matter anyway, not if she’s gone.”

Ido not know how to comfort her, nor doIknow if her sister was actually here at one point.Hernest was so high she more than likely would not have seenEinartake the other female.

“Slavic,MOVE!”

Bikar’swords have me running down the corridor with her tucked in close so thatIdo not accidentally hurt her worse than she already is.Slidingon the bloody deck,Iam grateful thatBikarcan operate the shuttle remotely and it is already turned to exit the ship.

Steppingin,Iarrange her on my lap while the hatch seals and the straps lock us in the seat together.Shehas stopped fighting completely and this worries me.Pushingthe matted hair off her pale face,Ilean down slightly to make sure she is still breathing, grateful, whenIcan feel her breath across my cheek. “Bikar,Ihave my hands full, get me the frack out of here.”

“Neitheryou norEinarare making this easy on me.Doyou have any idea how hard it is to fly both shuttles and theZenithat once while we are on the run?Ihad better not hear you bitching later about how rough the ride was.”

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