My feet have scarcely touched the mosaic tiles of the courtyard before I unclasp my force-shield from my belt. The metal disc is my sole defense against attacks, designed to repel fast-moving projectiles such as those from a laser weapon. I hurl it toward Elana, watching it bounce and roll until it bumps gently against her leg. She yelps and stumbles back in surprise as the shield activates, enveloping her in a radiant sapphire aura.
It will guard her from much, but not a drakoon’s flames or talons. The distance between us seems to stretch endlessly despite my frenzied sprint to reach her side.
“No, no, no!” the drakoon cries in exasperation. “You had one job! Why can’t either of you get with the program and do it right?”
I realize this drakoon is no hardened warrior. In fact, he may not be all that smart if this is how he acts with a warrior charging directly towards him.
I don’t give him the chance to reach for his weapon. My laser pistol is already in my grasp, snatched up as soon as my force-shield left my side. It hums as energy courses through the Sorium crystal, powering up the device. The crystal isn’t particularly large, meaning it won’t recharge swiftly enough for multiple consecutive shots, but it is dependable.
I raise my pistol and fire several bursts of energy, watching the glowing projectiles streak across the distance between us. I curse as the drakoon ducks into his ship at the last instant, narrowly evading the laser fire. The blasts instead scorch and melt patches of the ship’s exterior. A few more direct hits and his craft will be too damaged to safely depart the planet’s atmosphere, even from my tiny laser pistol. There’s a reason why it’s illegal to carry these weapons.
I swoop Elana into my arms just as projectiles slice through the space we once occupied.
“Did you get hit? Are you hurt?” I ask, frantic, pressing her soft body against the relative safety of the stone barricade and shielding her with my own bulk. My hands rove over her, searching for wounds.
“What are you doing?” Elana stammers.
“What are you doing?” I shout back. She trembles violently beneath my probing touch. I curse as one claw accidentally scrapes a red line across her arm, drawing a small well of blood. Humans are so easily damaged. This knowledge just makes me even more determined to protect her.
I raise my head just enough to peer over our makeshift barricade. Four drakoon males in total. One cowers in his ship, while the other two scramble for cover among the courtyard’s columns and statuary.
I should have activated those turrets like I wanted to, but of course, Rist forbade it. “Since when would we ever have to shoot down ships?” He’d asked. Clearly, he didn’t foresee situations like this one!
I curse again, firing the remaining charge in my pistol at a drakoon attempting to take to the air above us. His agonized scream and the frantic thrashing of his wings fill my ears as he takes a nosedive toward solid ground. A moment later, I hear a tremendous crash. A quick glance over the edge of the wall confirms he’s now sprawled amid what was once pristine patio furniture.
“Oh, that’s got to hurt!”
Elana also peeks over the wall. I yank her back down until she’s securely wrapped up in my arms.
“Why did you leave me?” I ask her, shocked at how my voice comes out like a youngling’s whine. “Why are you meeting with them when they want to take you away from me?”
I raise my weapon above the low wall and fire at another target. A satisfying shriek of pain rewards my efforts.
Meanwhile, Elana stiffens in my arms, her body coiled tight. “Because I wanted to protect you. This is all my fault. They said if I didn’t go with them, they’d destroy the hotel. I know how much this place means to you.”
“You, protect me?” Incredulous laughter spills from my lips, though I try to contain it. My darling mate knows nothing of this world, that much is plain. “As your mate, it is my sworn duty and privilege to safeguard you. I would gladly confront ten times as many foes if it meant keeping you by my side.”
For some reason, my words don’t reassure her at all. If anything, she seems to only become more incensed at my proclamation of devotion.
“Sutek, I am fully capable of fending for myself!”
I quirk a skeptical brow at her. She presses her lips into a tight line. The hurt in her eyes pierces me more deeply than any blade.
What astounds me most is that she does grasp a weapon—a simple kitchen knife. She truly meant to defend me, a seasoned assassin, with a cooking implement, no less.
I cup her delicate face in my hand, hating how she stiffens at my touch.
“I will always shield you. You mean everything to me, because I love you,” I tell her solemnly.
Our tender moment shatters as a barrage of chaos descends. All around us, metal bullets slam into the barricade, pulverizing the stone and showering us in gritty shrapnel.
Elana cries out, and I do my best to cover her fragile body with my own.
Unfortunately, I have only my single laser pistol, and its Sorium crystal takes agonizing moments to recharge. I make a mental note to upgrade it at the market next time—if we live through today, that is.
“I want to fight,” Elana says urgently, her words spilling out in a rush. “I don’t want to be scared anymore. It’s time I fought back. It’s time I reclaimed my life.”
Her words are barely audible over the din of destruction.
