Page 39 of Secretly Mated To My Monster Alien Boss
The massive Xirian Yakirian had been talking to earlier launched himself into the fray with a howl, his flaming red hair billowing in the air like a war flag.
Half of the masked figures fought the Deruzians, Xirians, and the humans who knew how to handle a gun. The rest of them still slithered into the hallways, guns raised.
They were infecting Alien Inc. and Deryg had to stop them.
They were searching for something–the question was what.
He ripped another piece of fallen wall and braced it against the upturned tables they used for the impromptu corridor, slowly clearing his way toward the main hallway.
He had to find Kiara. He had to protect her.
“This one is sturdier,” Rexan yelled from beside him, heading for a piece of fallen metal.
“It just looks sturdier, leave it,” Deryg said. “It’s not good enough for the trench.”
Rexan blistered, even as another cough wracked his frame. He wasn’t used to getting orders. “It’s as thick as my forearm and–”
Deryg didn’t bother replying. He just spiked the metal with his improvised spear, cleaving it clear through as if it was made of water. “I said leave it.”
Rexan looked so bewildered, Deryg took pity on him.
“It’s a human-made alloy. They’re not as strong,” Deryg said.
“Why would someone bother to make something that looks powerful but is not?” Rexan asked with disdain.
Deryg didn’t bother answering. Deruzians didn’t build things just for their appearance, humans did. That was all there was to it.
One of the older humans running toward the safe room tripped behind Deryg. Or maybe she collapsed. Deryg crouched down instantly, his massive frame creating a barrier around her as more people ran around them. She could have been trampled. He placed his hand on her arm gently.
The woman flinched. Her panicked gaze shot to Deryg and relaxed the second she saw him.
“Thank you,” she whispered, fresh tears creating clean grooves on her ash-covered cheeks. Her frail wrist rose. Deryg caught it and helped her to her feet.
As they began moving toward the safe room, her crying intensified. “I thought I was going to die,” she weeped.
“You won’t.” But Deryg was going to lay waste to the invaders.
“I can’t find my daughter,” her wail echoed in Deryg’s chest.
He clenched his jaw. He just hoped the daughter had gotten out.
“She brought me here tonight as her plus one,” she went on, probably trying to keep her mind on anything other than the battle raging a few feet away from them. “She’d wanted to bring her fiance, but I’ve been so down since I lost my Arnold three months ago, she thought some company might cheer me up. We’d been married for forty-three years and he took me out dancing every month. Even after he healed from his hip replacement.”
The sorrow in her voice slashed clean through his hearts. No being should have to suffer losing their mate.
He had to find Kiara.
Sobs shook the woman’s body. “I have to–”
“Mom!” A voice bellowed from inside the safe room. People stepped aside as a young woman rushed forward, embracing her mother.
Deryg stepped aside and averted his gaze, watching as the last few frightened guests made their way into the room. But he could hear their cries of joy at being reunited–and the cries of despair as they didn’t see their loved ones.
“Thank you,” the daughter said, crying as hard as her mother. Her blue eyes held Deryg’s silver ones with nothing but gratitude. “I’ll never forget this.”
Deryg nodded. Neither would he. He never forgot the lives he saved–or the ones he couldn’t save.
“Hold the invaders back,” he instructed Jaryn as he turned to him. “None of them get into this room while a Deruzian still stands.”
