When she looks up at me again, there’s a fire in her eyes. “Besides, these guys can’t get away with abducting me. They won’t take any more women and do God knows what with them. It ends here and now.”
Her revelation touches me. I don’t want her to feel fear, ever. Though I will always act as her shield, sometimes we must wage our own battles. She needs this.
I know not what hardships my mate has endured, but I am glad to see her inner strength emerge. With me by her side, she will stand tall and never fall. I will train her until no foe can challenge her skill. She will have no cause for fear, not while I still draw breath.
“Do you know how to handle a laser pistol?” I ask her. Hesitantly, I offer her my weapon. She snatches it from my grasp, already familiar with such arms. As soon as it is in her hand, her expression firms with determination and her eyes kindle with fiery purpose. She handles the pistol with eerie composure.
She flashes a smile at me, revealing her blunted teeth. She appears more cute than fierce, but I will never voice that thought aloud; otherwise, she might shoot me instead.
“It’s basically just a fancy gun that shoots bright light, not bullets, right? Simple. Just aim and shoot,” she asks.
I groan.
“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” I tell her.
Quickly, I demonstrate the correct way to charge the pistol and engage the safety mechanism so she doesn’t accidentally injure one of us. She can shoot the drakoon males all she wants. Pride swells within me as she rapidly absorbs what must be completely foreign concepts, making me wonder again about her mysterious origins. I already suspect her home world lacks space travel technology, but how primitive is her culture, truly? At the least, she seems familiar with weapons.
I risk a quick glance over our ravaged barricade. Little remains except pulverized rubble. In their zeal, the drakoons have demolished furnishings, walls, even flower pots. Somehow, they’ve managed to hit everything in their vicinity, except us.
The two remaining males train their weapons on my exposed head. I duck back down.
“On my signal, aim and pull the trigger. You have three shots. Can you manage it?” I ask.
“First you say it’s not point and shoot, then you tell me to aim and shoot. Make up your mind!” Elana laughs, a welcome sound amidst the chaos.
I shake my head, listening intently as the projectile weapons discharge their bullets. Soon they will need to reload. Just a moment more...
“Now! Go!”
Elana pops up over the rubble, taking aim at a drakoon. Her first blast goes wide. The second sears his leg, and he crashes down with a squeal. Her third shot strikes his chest, and he falls silent.
Elana slides back down, her face stricken.
“Oh God, I actually killed someone,” she mutters. “I had to, but still...”
I cup her cheek, keeping the pistol pointed safely away with my other hand. My first kill left me with the same shaken remorse.
“The weapon was set to stun, my mate. You simply incapacitated him. Still, I am so very proud of you.”
Elana looks up at me with glistening eyes. “Thank you, Sutek. I lo?—“
Her gaze darts over my shoulder, her eyes widening in alarm.
We have been ambushed!
ChapterSixteen
ELANA
Alarge, red male stands behind Sutek, dressed in shimmering white fabric. Laughter bubbles up inside me, unbidden, at his striking appearance. He looks every inch the caricature of a Texan oil tycoon, from his crisp white suit to the ostentatious fedora perched atop his head, specially fitted to accommodate his impressive obsidian horns that tower above him.
“Where the -beep- did you come from?” Sutek exclaims, shifting his body to place himself between me and the newcomer. “You didn’t come from their ship!”
I’m pretty sure there was some sort of alien swear word in that statement that didn’t translate. His response reflects my own shock.
“Well, dear me, no, I didn’t. I came from my own shuttle, you see, though I parked in what I thought was the landing zone.”
“Get down!” Sutek lunges forward, roughly grabbing the man and pulling him down behind our makeshift barricade. The newcomer huffs as he hits the ground, dusting off his hands on his pristine clothing.
