Page 68 of Charmed By the Alien Warrior

“There.” Leah points to the waterfall.

Her voice is steady despite the tense set of her shoulders. My gaze follows her finger, and I spot it—a wide, dark depression behind the waterfall. It’s almost hidden, but unmistakable once you know it’s there.

“That’s where the others are?” I ask.

She nods. “Yeah, there’s a cave behind the waterfall.”

For a brief moment, a sense of hope fills me. Maybe they’ve managed to hold out and the anurois haven’t found them. But then the loud screech that I remember so well from those days spent in the crashed ship echoes around us and any hope I felt is dashed to the ground in pieces.

I freeze as a massive shadow sweeps across the ground, nearly blotting out the sunlight. Slowly, I tilt my head back and look up, my eyes widening at what I see.

It’s three anurois.Shit.

We’ve been lucky so far not to see the anurois that have been harassing the other women. But luck always seems to have a way of running out on Laedirissae.

The anurois are even more terrifying than I remember. Some part of me had convinced myself that my memory had exaggerated and that they couldn’t possibly be as bad as I recalled. But they are. If anything, they’re worse.

Each creature is covered in black scales that seem to glimmer as the sunlight hits them. Their enormous wings beat the air with enough force to make the leaves on nearby trees move as if they’re in a storm. Long, pointed beaks glint with rows of razor-sharp teeth that could cut through flesh like scissors through paper, and the knife-like talons on their feet flex menacingly as they circle above us.

The absurdity of the puff of blue feathers on the long tails that snake out behind them and the round ball of fluff that sits on top of their heads doesn’t make them any less horrifying. They’re built for killing, and they know it.

“They’ve seen us,” I whisper, glancing at Sorrin standing beside me.

He glances skyward, his jaw tightening. “We need to move. Now.”

Sorrin draws his sword with one sweep of his arm, before stepping forward and positioning himself between me and the anurois, his broad shoulders a barrier that makes me feel protected. And terrified.

I know he’ll do everything in his power to protect me, but the thought of him facing down these monsters makes my stomach churn with a tight knot of fear.

“Warriors, get the females to the cave!” Sorrin’s voice cuts through the rising tension, sharp and commanding. “Once they’re safe, we’ll fight off the anurois.”

The other Laediriian warriors respond instantly, drawing their weapons and spreading out to form a circle around us as we move down to the pool on foot. Their expressions are hard and focused.

Another gut-wrenching screech rips through the air, sending a shiver down my spine. I want to cover my ears, to block out the noise, but instead, my hand tightens on the hilt of my knife. My heart races as I glance toward the waterfall, knowing the other women are so close.

“This way!” Leah moves with purpose, her steps quick as she leads the way to the waterfall and the cave behind it.

She starts toward the waterfall, her movements purposeful and quick. Cassandra follows along behind her, her shoulders hunched as if she wants to disappear in on herself. I know all too well how she feels.

Sorrin places a hand on my back, urging me forward as the warriors close ranks around us. The screeches grow louder, and dirt and leaves fly around us, stirred up by the flapping of the anurois’ massive wings.

As we near the pool at the base of the waterfall, a shadow dives toward us, and I hear the sharp intake of Sorrin’s breath. The ground shakes as an anuroi lands in front of the group, its talons gouging deep ruts into the muddy banks of the pool.

It lets out a deafening shriek, its beady eyes fixed on us with terrifying intent.

Sorrin steps forward without hesitation, his sword raised. “Run,” he growls, the word low and fierce.

My heart pounds as the other warriors join him, their weapons gleaming in the sunlight. Leah, Cassandra, and Isabella dart around the edge of the pool, their feet slipping on the wet rocks as they near the waterfall, but I hesitate.

My legs feel as if they’re made from lead as I’m torn between the instinct to flee and the agonizing fear of leaving the man I love behind. The thought of leaving him feels like a betrayal of everything in my heart.

“Mara!” Isabella’s shout snaps me out of my daze. Gritting my teeth, I force myself to move.

Cold mist from the waterfall clings to my skin as I skirt along the edge of a narrow ledge and duck behind the curtain of water. The deafening roar of the falls muffles the chaos outside,but my heart beats so loudly it feels like it might burst from my chest.

Inside the cave, dim light filters through the cascading water, throwing shimmering patterns on the walls. The damp, musty air is thick with tension. My eyes quickly adjust to the gloom, and I stop short, my breath catching in my throat.

Huddled in the far corner are six women, their expressions a mix of wariness and relief as they see us. They look battered by their ordeal, their faces gaunt, and their cheeks hollow. Dark smudges shadow their eyes, and their clothes hang loosely on their frames, ripped and caked with grime and dirt.

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