Page 21 of The Alien Warrior's Mate

A bullet flew past his head. It pinged against the rock to his left. Sah-ah screamed, her terror so bright that he could reach out and touch it. If he hadn’t jerked her forward, that explosive would have embedded in her skull.

Korben’s mind pounded with one phrase:protect Sah-ah.

He could feel Enthara buzzing, itching for the command to go to war. When his zapten switched into kill mode, she formed an exoskeleton around him. He could step inside the cavern of her body and become an even greater opponent, an advantage that he needed right now. The damage from the acid rain and his previous skirmishes were taxing on his strength. In this state, it would be ten times more difficult to take on the Rulari guards without Enthara’s help.

Sah-ah’s breath rushed against his flesh as she stared at him in horror. Her eyes were so wide he could see the strains of brown in her irises. The black of her pupils. The glassy fear swimming inside her soul.

Protect Sah-ah.

Korben caught his zapten’s eye. Enthara moaned, trying to follow him as he moved, but he held up a hand and pointed to Sah-ah. With a flick of a button on his interface, he transferred emergency protocols over to the female.

Enthara immediately formed the exoskeleton around Sah-ah’s fragile body. Her sharp metal gears pointed outwards and formed a dangerous suit around the human. Sah-ah grabbed ahold of Enthara’s spikes, yelling his name from inside her iron armor. He ignored her, his heras at rest knowing that Enthara would keep her safe.

Another explosion went off near his head. The Rulari were terrible shots, but they could have gotten their target today. These bastards would pay for trying to take Sah-ah’s life.

Korben sprang high in the air and grabbed the nearest Rulari by the throat. Breaking his spine dagger that had emerged from his flesh, he hurled it into the guard’s neck. Its lifeless body hit the ground seconds before he did.

Dropping into a roll, Korben dodged the bullets that the other Rulari shot at him. Increasing his speed, he attacked again, fists pulling back to deliver a mighty blow. His knuckles slammed into the hard mane around the guard’s head and the sound of flesh hitting metal echoed in the clearing.

The Rulari swayed but did not fall. Korben glanced behind him and saw more Rulari running toward Sah-ah. She was scrambling inside Enthara’s chamber, her eyes wide and her curly hair flailing over her cheeks.

A hiss of despair flew from his lips. Enthara’s protective armor would keep her safe, but it would also trap her. Sah-ah would not be able to move without his command. The zapten were only controlled by Plutonians and Enthara required his specific thumbprint to move.

From the distance, Korben watched in horror as the Rulari lifted his sword and pointed it at Sah-ah. Rage poured through his venas. He dug his leg into the dirt like an anchor as he whipped his tail toward the surrounding Rulari. The limb wrapped around the guards’ faces and lashed them one by one against a nearby rock. Their manes shattered into a million pieces and skated through the golden dust.

He took one step toward Sah-ah when he heard a roar behind him. Another Rulari flew at him, this time with a sword raised. Korben bared his teeth and reacted. His fists slammed into the creature’s neck. The Rulari slashed his hand and the sword raked through his blue skin to the thinner layer beneath it.

Korben cried out as the weapon left a deep cut in his arm. Spurred on by the pain, he squeezed the Rulari’s neck.

Sah-ah. He had to get to Sah-ah.

A metallic clank broke through his panic. Korben’s head whipped back and he saw Enthara taking a step forward. And another. And another. His beast, controlled by Sah-ah, rolled metal fingers into a fist and pummeled the Rulari in her path, sending him flying.

Shock made his heras go still.

How had she done that?

More Rulari guards surrounded him, demanding his attention. Korben focused on his own fight. Sah-ah and Enthara would take care of each other. With a proud grin, his fingers tightened into fists of steel and he launched himself at his enemies.

Korben fought valiantly until there was only one Rulari left. The cretin’s eyes went hazy before clouding over as Korben snapped his neck. He released his grip and the Rulari sank to the ground.

Breathing heavily, he glanced up and saw the trees in the distance bending. Metal armor clanked and footsteps pounded the ground. The dead at his feet were not the only ones sent to collect him. The rest of their army was on their way with reinforcements.

The Rulari were no match for a trained Plutonian and Enthara in kill mode, but he could not fight them allandkeep an eye on Sah-ah. There was a chance that the Rulari overpowered her even in the suit. If one of his enemies got to her first…

He sprinted toward the female. Enthara saw his approach and her gears pulled back, forming steps to the ground that allowed Sah-ah to step out. In a blink, his mechanical beast retook her usual form in a blur of whirring metal and steel plates. Enthara’s transformation lasted only a moment before she was complete and ready for flight.

Sah-ah’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Korben, deed yuh seh…”

He did not wait for her to finish. Picking her up and throwing her on Enthara’s back, he got on behind Sah-ah and lifted into the air. Running away had never been Korben’s mode of conduct. He led his tribas fearlessly, plunging forward with courage and conviction. But this time, he couldn’t risk Sah-ah’s life.

His heras thumped faster and faster as the Rulari caught sight of them and took aim. Korben kept his shoulders hunched over Sah-ah to protect her. To his surprise, the stubborn female leaned past him and exposed her head to the Rulari as if offering herself up for target practice.

He bit out her name. “Sah-ah!”

She heaved a sword in her arms and rested it on his shoulder. His eyes widened and he almost crashed into a tree.Where did she get that?

Sah-ah thrust her chin against the sword’s hilt and pulled the trigger on the underside. The ricochet nearly threw her off Ethara’s back, but she clamped her thighs around the zapten’s torso and held on tight.

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