Page 78 of Alien Warlord's Fury

Warm liquid trickled from my nose, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth.

The dampener sparked, then exploded in a shower of components. The numbing field collapsed.

Energy flooded back through my markings, but I couldn't enjoy the return of power. My knees buckled as pain overwhelmed me. Through blurred vision, I saw Nirako's lifelines flare brilliant gold, the bond between us snapping back into place with stunning force.

He moved like lightning now, his blade a golden arc as he disarmed the first guard with a precise strike. The second guard barely had time to raise his baton before Nirako swept his legs and delivered a knockout blow to the side of his head.

Both guards down in seconds.

I slumped against the wall, my head throbbing. Blood dripped from my nose onto the stone floor. The world tilted sideways.

Strong arms caught me before I hit the ground. Nirako pulled me against his chest, his hand gently tilting my face up to examine the damage.

"Claire." His voice was tight with concern. "That was reckless."

I tried to smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. "It worked, didn't it?"

His fingers brushed my cheek, wiping away blood. "You could have burned yourself out completely."

"You were in trouble." I gripped his arm, steadying myself. "The dampeners were too strong for you to fight through alone."

Nirako's eyes darkened. "So you sacrificed yourself instead."

"Not sacrificed. Just... invested." I breathed deeply, trying to push past the pain. "I'm still here."

He helped me to my feet, keeping one arm firmly around my waist. The bond between us pulsed with renewed strength, his concern flowing through it like a current.

"Can you continue?" he asked, studying my face.

I nodded, though the movement sent fresh pain shooting through my skull. "The children are just beyond that door. I can feel them now."

Nirako hesitated, his eyes moving to the unconscious guards. "Hammond will know we're here soon. Those two were likely reporting in regularly."

"Then we don't have time to waste." I pushed off from the wall, forcing my legs to support my weight. "I'm okay. Really."

He didn't look convinced, but nodded. "Stay close to me."

I reached up and touched his face, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers. "Always."

The bond between us strengthened, as if the temporary severance had only made it more determined to connect us. I could feel his worry, his admiration, his fierce protectiveness—all wrapped around a core of something deeper that neither of us had fully acknowledged.

Nirako moved to the chamber door, examining the locking mechanism. "This requires a key card."

I stepped over one of the unconscious guards and retrieved a card from his belt. "Will this work?"

"Let's find out." Nirako took the card and swiped it through the reader.

The door remained sealed.

"Hammond must have restricted access," I said, frustration building. We were so close. "Maybe I can?—"

Nirako placed a hand on my shoulder. "No more energy bursts. Not until you've recovered."

"But—"

"We'll find another way." His eyes moved to the control panel. "The card reader is connected to that terminal. If we can bypass it..."

I examined the panel, recognizing the design. "It's similar to the systems I worked with before. If I can access the underlying code..."

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