Alien Exile: An Alien Warrior Romance (The Tourin Legacy Book 5) (3 page)

“I thought I was your favorite cousin.” Casin elbows him in the side.

Durstin looks at him and rolls his eyes. “Don’t believe anything this joker says,” he tells me in a loud whisper. It’s obvious that their bond is almost brotherly.

Casin laughs and turns to me. “Would you like to join the briefing?”

After glancing back at Juordin, I nod reluctantly.
It’s better than standing here, waiting, hoping. I should take action.
I pick up my containers of tea, placing one in Durstin’s outstretched hand. Now that we have the Tuorian army behind us, I just want to stay with Juordin. But I know my duty—and his duty—is to our people. I need to make sure that when he wakes, his people are safe. And I need to make sure they listen to Solim and gather flowers for the cure.

Durstin leads us down the hall into a large room where several warriors are already gathered. Interestingly, there are three female warriors among them. He seems to tower above the others as he circles to the front of the table with me at his side. The others grow quiet, settling into their chairs. Waiting.

He indicates a chair, and I sit down. He remains standing, striding confidently to a large piece of glass along the wall at the front of the room.

Durstin glances at the blinking lights on the glass, then presses a button. “Tuorin ships, acknowledge.”

Responses begin to come in, loud and clear. I count seventeen.

Durstin turns back to us, crossing his muscular arms in front of his chest. “I’ve just been informed there’s a cure to the toxin.”

An excited murmur goes around the room.

He raises a hand, and the murmurs silence, although the excitement lingering over all their shocked faces is almost palpable. “Let’s hear what they have to say about it first.”

Even though his strong voice speaks the words gently, I catch a hint of disbelief.

Casin speaks for us. “Solim has made a cure for the toxin from a white flower he found on the Ardak planet.” He indicates his toxin tattoo. “One cup of tea from the flower cures the body of the toxin.”

“How much of the cure do we have?”

I’m trying to focus on the conversation, not my warrior in the other room.
Get your mind on the plan, Ande.
But it’s more difficult than I had imagined.

“Not much. Enough for half of you, maybe,” Casin admits.

“Which means we need to collect more of the flower,” Durstin states loudly. “Once we finish the attack on the toxin factory, we need to retrieve the flowers. I’ll flash a picture of the flowers over the coms, and then I need as many people on the ground as possible, in the area around the previously downed Tuorian ship. Ships will surround and protect in the air in case the cats come back to the planet. Warriors surround and protect, while gathering flowers, on the ground. Do not engage unless forced. Retrieve as many flowers as possible until the alarms sound to return. Once engaged, flee back to Tuorin if there is no other option. Acknowledge.”

Acknowledgements come over the speaker, one at a time.

“Questions?” Durstin barks.

A chorus of “No, sir” replies ring out.

“All right, but first we have the attack on the factory. Our ships are approaching position. We’re slowing so we’ll be there in five. This is a standard ground attack. Team Declaw is going in through the front doors. I need flanking teams on the left and right, and three teams going in through the back. Let’s hit this thing from all sides. Ships will remain in the air. I need two in suborbit for maximum distance of line of site and targeting area.”

Voices come in over the speaker.

“Team Fury will take the left.”

“Team Hope will take the right.”

“Team Gravity will take the back.”

“Team Vengeance will take the back and the ship will take a high vantage point.”

“Team Valor will take the last back position.”

Durstin pauses for a second. “
The Centurion
will take the second highest vantage point. Extra warriors will back up the first teams. You have five minutes and counting. We’ll see you on the ground. No mercy.” Durstin presses a button and suddenly a very large, blinking 5:00 appears on the glass panel. It begins to count backward, large and looming.

Voices in the room and over the speaker echo “No mercy”.

As the warriors exit the room, Casin turns to him, eyebrow raised. “Team Declaw?”

Durstin grimaces. “I didn’t choose it. Falin lost her mate on one of the battles at Lenai. She chose the name…and I didn’t have the heart to say no.”

Casin nods. “How many will we have?”

“Each entry team has ten warriors—there are two hundred in all. Maybe slightly more. This was a suicide mission, so the ships aren’t filled to capacity. Many with families remained behind.”

Durstin turns to me. “Would you like to remain with Juordin?”

“No, I’d rather be in battle.”

“But you aren’t infected with the toxin. You could be exposed in the factory,” Casin points out, clearly not pleased with my decision.

I shrug. “We have the cure now.”

They pause for a second, obviously in conflict about my presence on the mission.

I gesture to the door. “You’re not going to be any more successful than Juordin was in ordering me to remain behind.”

Casin glances at Durstin. “The lady has spoken.”

Durstin gives a curt nod and leads us from the room. We arrive at the cargo bay, where at least thirty warriors are loading into two landers. We climb into the first.

Durstin and Casin go to the front, and I sit in the back with the rest of the warriors. I feel a terrible pang of loneliness for Juordin. I didn’t realize how much I’d come to depend on him since we’ve been together. Even though he’s irritating and overbearing about refusing to let me fight, I’d rather be defying his orders to fight this battle next to him than going without him.

Surprisingly, the ride down in the lander is filled with laughter. Durstin’s warriors are a good bunch, and inside jokes fill the air.

I observe silently, until one of the men turns to me. “So you’re the…” He finishes the sentence with his hands, mimicking the action of two swords beheading someone.

I smile. “Yep.”

He whistles. “Can’t wait to see that in action. We never trained in swords much…hand-to-hand combat was pretty much a thing of the past on Tuorin.”

“Not on my planet. We’re still barbarians.”

Another warrior scans me from head to toe. “Nothing wrong with that. It’s hot.”

The first warrior elbows him. “That’s the prince’s mate. You got a death wish or something?”

The second warrior eyes me, speaking after an awkward couple of seconds. “Where is Juordin, anyway?”

I swallow. “He was injured on our last mission. He’s in the healing bunk.”

They both raise their eyebrows. “That must have been bad,” said the first. “Never known Juordin to miss any action.”

“It was bad,” I agree quietly.

Everyone is silent for a moment.

“What the hell is everyone so sad for? He’s in the healing bunk, right?” one of the women speaks up.

I nod.

She raises her chin. “He’ll be all right. It’s our own asses we need to worry about.”

The air seems to clear, and everyone starts checking their weapons.

“Want a blaster?” the woman asks me.

I study it for a moment. I don’t really have a place to carry it, but I would love to try one out.

“Here,” she says, coming over to me. “Let me add this holster to your sword belt.”

I unhook the belt and she slides the holster on.

“Just make sure you aim at the cats and not us, got it?” She smiles, but there is a hint of pain in her face.

“What’s your name?” I ask.

“Falin,” she replies, holding out a hand. “Explosives specialist.”

“And not too bad with a blaster, either,” one of the other warriors breaks in, putting his arm around her shoulders fondly.

She just lost her mate,
I can’t help but think.

My resolve is strengthened by the pain I can see in her eyes.

We’re going to kill these cats and take this factory, so they can never do this to anyone else. Then we’re going to take the cure back to Tuorin and Lla’ei.

Two minutes later, we’re landing in front of the factory.

Durstin and Casin come back and stand in front of the door, facing us.

“Team Declaw…” He looks at Falin and his lips briefly quirk up at the corners. “We’re going in the front. Take out everyone you can. Shoot as many as possible before engaging in hand-to-hand. Then put the damn blasters away so we don’t shoot each other.”

We all nod.

He faces the door and holds up three fingers. “On three, two, one…”

The door opens and we follow him, sprinting up the wide walk to the factory. I can see other landers in the air, dropping the other teams at the sides and back of the factory.

Durstin and Casin shoot several guards by door, then jog inside. They turn to the left and we follow, going down a large hall. The walls and floor remind me of the cat mother ship – not smooth, and of a surface I’ve never seen before. And the smell…ammonia and fur. And a bitter smell I realize must be the toxin.

We jog to the end of the hall and turn right, finally meeting up with another team. The hall opens onto a wide floor filled with machinery. I glance up—the ceiling must be at least three stories high. We meet up with the other teams.

“I thought there were supposed to be cats here,” Casin states, his voice echoing in the large space.

Durstin looks worried. “Maybe it’s a trap—they left and are going to blow the factory. It’s what I would do.”

We turn, heading for the back exit. Just then, we hear a snarl from above.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I look up.

The cats are lined up along a walkway above the factory floor.

“Son of a bitch—there must be fifty cats up there.”

“Form a line!” Durstin orders.

One cat near the middle gives a yowl. It is copied by those around it, and the resulting yowl is one that echoes throughout the factory. It sends shivers down my spine, makes my skin crawl.

“Shoot when they’re in the air! Then use swords!” Durstin cries.

Casin draws his blaster and sword and glances over at me. “It’s been nice knowing you.”

I give him an incredulous stare. “Speak for yourself. I plan to see Juordin again.”

He raises his eyebrows and looks up at the dozens of cats on the walkway. Then he shrugs. “Then let’s do this.” He raises his blaster and gives a resounding battle cry, one voice against the yowl.

Durstin raises his sword and echoes it, and the rest of us raise blasters and continue the cry. “Aaaaaaaaargh!!!!”

Then we open fire at the cats, our blasters shooting green light. Some unprotected cats fall down, dead, and the others begin to jump down in a frenzy. A few cats have those strange suits, and shake the ground when they land. But most simply jump with no suits, springing onto us in a fury of claws and fangs.

The factory echoes with snarls, yowls, and screams. At first, we’re in a line. But it doesn’t last long. The cats are too fast, too spry.

Many of the warriors back toward the machines as they fight, using them for tactical advantage to provide height and cover.

After a few minutes, Casin and I are standing back-to-back, our swords working to protect each other.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a cat that is bigger than the others. And it’s fighting its way straight toward me.

“Shit. That one knows you,” he says.

I have the sinking feeling that he’s right.

“Fuck. We should have given you a long sword. You’re the only one that fights with those.”

With its eyes narrowed, it glares in my direction. It’s wearing a suit, but not a helmet. I have a feeling that’s by choice, not because its helmet was stolen. It’s at least six inches taller than the other cats. Broader. Angrier.

This is the leader.

More flashes out of the corner of my eye. It’s not just this cat. Others are fighting their way through from various directions. These cats are also larger, fighting with swords like we are.

“Durstin!” Casin cries.

Durstin and several other warriors make their way to us.

Less than a minute later, it’s five cats facing five of us. And from the baring of their fangs and the snarls on their faces, I have the feeling they want revenge.

I’m in deep shit now.

I wake up gasping.
Something’s wrong.
I bang on the glass, my fingers searching for the emergency release. When I find it, the glass opens and I shove it away.

I sit up, staring around.
Where are we? This isn’t the
Helios. Seeing Corin in the healing bunk next to me, I hop off the bunk and cross to his. The panel on the side of his bunk is green, so I know he’s just sleeping.
He might remember something.

I hit the button so his glass pops open. He opens his eyes, sitting up immediately and throwing his legs over the side.

“What the hell happened? Where are we?” I demand. “What do you remember?”

His brow furrows in thought. “Cat ship.”

“Malworm.” I add.

“Explosion.”

“Fixing the motor.”

“Radiation!” We both say at the same time.

“How did we get on a Tuorian ship?” he asks.

“And where’s Ande?”

He springs off the bunk, following me to the door.

“I need to find Ande. I have a bad feeling I can’t shake.”

Looking out, I realize we’re on one of the largest Tuorian warships. I exchange a glance with Corin, then we sprint in the direction of the bridge.

When we arrive, there are only two people on it. Surprisingly, I don’t recognize them. But they’re younger, so perhaps that’s why they were left behind if the others are away on a mission.

“Where are we?” I demand of the first.

“A-above Ardak,” he stutters.

“Where is everyone?” I look out the front, scanning the sky.

“Planetside. Fighting the cats in a toxin factory.”

A shiver runs down my spine. “I need to get down there. Now.”

“B-but the landers are gone.”

“What about the SCOOBIE suits?” Corin bursts in.

“Scoo-Bie chutes?” The young man asks, scratching his head.

“The Space Command Operation Oxygen Breathing and Ionizing Ensemble suits and parachutes that allow us to jump from the ship to the planet.”

His face lights up. “Oh! We do have those.”

I wasn’t sure where one of those would be on this big of a ship, and we don’t have time for him to get over his fear. The bad feeling in the back of my mind is growing stronger by the second. “What’s your name?”

“Torag.”

“Torag, take us to the suits and chutes. Now.” It isn’t a request.

Torag jumps into action and led us out of the bridge and down a long hall, then into the elevator and down two floors.

Once we enter the room and he shows us where they are stored, we don’t waste time. We change into the suits, closing the masks over our faces and checking the oxygen levels. We put our belts with blasters and swords on over the top, then grab a parachute pack to put on our backs.

“Where can we launch from?”

“We’re in suborbit, so almost anywhere. The closest portal is actually just next to this room.”

We hurry to the adjacent room and I go to the outside wall. “Where is the portal?”

Torag points at the floor. “You’re standing on it.”

Corin looks at me and his lips quirk up slightly. “Technology.”

“Yep.”

Torag sets up the computer to open the portal. “I’ll track you and tell you when to pull the shoot. You want to pull it at three thousand meters above the surface to give yourself time to slow for landing.”

“Got it.”

At that second, the girl from the bridge runs in, panting. “Wait!” She puts her arms out. “You can’t go! There’s a storm just below us, and wind speed is 150 km per hour. The maximum safety limit for jumping is 50 km.”

I glance at Corin. “Whether you come or not is up to you. But I have to go.”

He rolls his eyes. “You know I’m in.”

She looks between us. Realizing she wasn’t going to change our minds, she holds up a finger, running to the computer displays. “Give me a moment. I’ll adjust the ship to account for the wind speed.”

“How many cats are at the factory?” I ask Torag.

“I don’t know. We didn’t have much intel,” he admits.

I want to shake him.
How could they not know what they were getting into?
“How many warriors are down there?”

“About two hundred.”

I turn to Corin and raise my eyebrows. “Well, at least that’s something.”
It could be any number of cats. How did we get out of this before?

I turn back to Torag. “Where are your explosives?”

A few minutes later, I have a separate pack of explosives strapped to my front and I’m back at the portal.

“The ship is in position,” the girl reports.

Torag nods and states, “Ready for launch.”

I look at Corin. “We’re good to go.”

“Countdown on three,” Torag says. “Three…two…one. Launch.”

The portal opens below us, and suddenly we’re falling.

I turn so I’m in a dive, and I see Corin do the same beside me.

But then we separate, and all I can see are clouds.

Thunderstorm.

Lightning illuminates the clouds around me.

Seven thousand meters.

Lightning.

Why didn’t I think of that?

Dangerous.

All I can hear is my breath, speeding up as I think about the lightning.

In. Out.

In. Out.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Six thousand meters.

I stare at the wristband on the suit, clocking the meters.

The bad feeling in my gut about Ande is nearly choking me.

Five thousand meters.

I break free of the clouds and see the planet below me, huge and red. In my mind, I try to imagine it was once blue. But somehow I can’t imagine it as anything but red. Rocky mountains spread out below in all directions, and plains in the distance are covered with large patches of dark red and white.

Four thousand meters.

Stay calm. You’re almost there.

I see the buildings below, where we’re headed.

From the outside, it looks like any other building.

But inside, it’s a war zone.

Three thousand meters.

“Pull the chutes.” The calm voice over the com is discordant with the panic I feel inside.

I angle toward the back of the building, almost feeling Ande’s presence.

She’s in trouble. Help your mate.

Corin lands beside me, both of us running the first few steps on land.

I detach the chute and am at the back door before I can even think.

“Blaster, swords!” Corin reminds me, and I pull the door and draw them in one motion.

We walk into the smell of ammonia, blood, and cat.

Ande is up on a conveyor belt, fighting the largest cat I’ve ever seen. Her cat is fighting with a single long sword, sparks flashing when it makes contact with her two short swords. Although Ande is fighting with everything she has, the cat is stronger. Its movements are jerky, eyes narrowed and flashing with barely controlled rage. It’s forcing her backward toward what looks like a huge vat. I shudder to think what’s inside it.

I want to take in more of the battle, but I know Ande doesn’t have that long. The other warriors are busy, and she needs help now.

I toss my bag of explosives to Corin and raise my sword, running toward them. I stab the cat fighting Casin in the back on the way to her. I jump onto the conveyor belt behind the cat. Unfortunately it sees me, and draws a second long sword.

It yowls, long and loud, as it fights us both, bringing other cats to it.

They stab at us from the ground.

Suddenly, there’s an explosion from across the room.

Corin.

A fire begins, and spreads to a pile of boxes.

The large cat says something in its awful, yowling language, and several of the cat warriors run to the fire. It narrows its eyes until they are barely two slits, fighting us with renewed vigor. Ande is obviously tiring. She falls to one knee trying to block a low swing from the cat, and jumps down from the conveyor belt.

The cat follows her swiftly, its tail waving angrily. Its swords are still up, but I kick the sword closest to me out of the way and jump on its back as it jumps down to follow Ande. Taking my knife, I stab it in the neck just as it runs one of its blades through her stomach.

Anger roars through me.

I stab it again.

Then again and again.

I jump off the cat as it falls to the ground, the resulting crash echoes through the factory.

“Fire!” One of the warriors yells at me, and I realize that the flames have spread quickly along the wall of the factory. Everyone has stopped fighting, and is running for the exits.

Ande is still conscious, holding her stomach as blood comes out. I pick her up in my arms and run out of the building, following the other warriors to the closest lander.

Corin is waiting for me, motioning for me to sit on an empty seat. I place my mate across my lap. He grabs a shirt from another warrior, and together we press it to her stomach. Her face is drawn with pain, but she still seems alert.
For now.
I’m worried about all the blood.
Too much blood.

We lift off, and through the window I can see a few cats running from the factory out across the landscape. A few seconds later, I hear another, louder explosion. Clouds of red billow out from the building, debris raining on the planet’s surface around it.

“We got most of them.” The voice is filled with satisfaction.

I look up to see Durstin, the head of the Tuorian army. My hands are covered with blood so I nod in greeting. “Cousin.”

“It looks like you two patched up well.” He claps a hand on my shoulder and looks down at Ande in my lap. “Your mate is a fighter. I doubt even this will slow her long.”

His words make me feel better.

I look down at the love of my life.

“I hope you’re right.”