MINE! [New World Book 8] (17 page)

“Where the fuck are they?” A warrior bellowed.

Alarms were blaring. A shiver went through Huck, a connection was established.

“Your planet is under attack,” Huck said.

“You bastard, you were involved the entire time.” A warrior turned on Huck.

Before Huck could respond, a massive alien appeared, the likes of which he’d never seen. A massive winged creature with obvious relation to the Gorgano. Racing to a window Huck peered out. The planet was under attack. Castians, Tonans, Gorgano, Zargonnii and Angano were battling for their lives. A fierce pain pierced his heart. Becky and his son were in grave danger.
He knew it.
Huck was on the move.

The time passed and there was only so much Becky could look at inside. Past the strange window, she could see a herd of horses. A huge black stallion reared, Caveat she’d learned was his name, and the horses were on the move. Becky frowned wondering what scared them. The massive stallion looked pissed. The head mare gathered the others and dust flew in their wake. Becky scrambled to the door. Strange noises were coming from overhead.

She cracked the door open and stepped outside. A dark mass hovered overhead and Becky saw the space ship a hundred feet above. It was gliding over the terrain. In fact, everywhere she looked massive ships flew. She spun in a tight circle as she studied the closest. It wasn’t Tonan or Castian. She wondered if maybe this was Titus’s vessel, a Zargonnii mother ship. A slight sound stopped her in her tracks and she turned with slow deliberation. She knew instinctively her baby shield was up.

The creature was tall, ten feet or more, and winged. Long legs and arms were see-through, appearing paper thin, green blood ran through veins. Becky could see its internal organs working. The mouth hung open; blackness was beyond the lipless and empty void.

Human female.

Becky heard the words in English in her mind. The creature moved in a gangly fashion taking a step toward her then retreating as though given a push.

Force field. Interesting.

Furious, Becky moved forward in a fast motion, the creature made a half scream within her mind and was tossed back onto its ass. The baby shield was in full force. Whatever this creature was, it was dangerous. An odd cry from within made her cringe. The sound came again, louder and an immense feeling of homesickness engulfed her. She realized her little warrior was calling for his daddy.

“Oh, poor baby, don’t be scared; mommy’s here.”

The creature rose and advanced trying to gain entry into her thoughts. Becky placed a hand at her temple. She needed to fight this thing with her mind. Rage overwhelmed her when she realized her baby was sobbing. Cries reached her ears, coming from the main hive. The planet was under attack. Warriors began spilling out into the open making her breath catch. The menace before her was trying to gain entry into her thoughts. Becky had other ideas. The baby shield wouldn’t let the thing close enough for her to battle. It began to crawl toward her. Rising higher, she slowly backed up.

Each time the creature tried to invade the shield sharp sparks flew, and the being wrenched and writhed but continued on. Castian warriors battled back to back. A Zargonnii split another of the gangly beings not far to her right. Warriors were thrown to crash together. Becky was the only female in sight. She was afraid, and she was furious. Did she and her son mean so little to these warriors? Only one cared for her. There was one she loved, loved enough to call home. Her thoughts centered onto him.

Huck where are you?

A whoosh of fast wind and Becky tumbled to the ground. Huck was high in the air; his arm sliced down and slashed five razor talons into the creature. The heave within her breast was profound, and she knew their child was relieved to see his father.

“Die Angano.” Huck was ripping the being to pieces. Green blood saturated the ground.

Sitting on the ground, Becky watched in horror as the sky came to life as more of the aliens were fighting with warriors. Becky could see other Tonan warriors, many fighting with the Castians—some were not. Huck cut the being’s head from its neck, and a green sticky substance covered him.

“Huck,” Becky screamed when three Tonan warriors approached her. All three warriors were sent spiraling before they came within a foot of her.

The warriors sprang up, one growled she was carrying and they needed a portal to catch her. She was the one they needed. Becky knew they wanted her because of Huck. Apparently, so did Huck. He was a whirlwind of action. A battle cry and two of the three Tonans were smashed back to the ground when Huck attacked.

Two Castian warriors were suddenly beside Huck. The three faced off until Becky jumped up and ran to Huck.

“Leave him alone,” she screamed.

Who was the enemy? Did Huck have to fight both sides? Why, what had happened?

“Becky, stay behind me,” Huck yelled.

“But we came to join the Castians; why would they want to fight you?” Becky yelled.

“Cobra and his mate have been kidnapped,” a warrior shouted. “Your Tonan has something to do with it.”

“No,” Becky yelled. “Huck would never put his son in danger.”

“Does your son look like he’s in danger?” the warrior bellowed back.

Everywhere she looked was anarchy. More massive white furred beasts appeared on the ground and Becky knew they were Zargonnii warriors, the resemblance to Zell unmistakable in one. Huck bellowed, sounding frustrated. He was a warrior who wanted to fight, but Becky could see he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to battle the Castians; he didn’t want to war with the Zargonnii. Becky was furious with Cobra. If he’d just accepted Huck, this wouldn’t be happening.

Damn Cobra to hell.

A dark hole opened and Becky howled as she was sucked inside along with Huck. She heard the bellows of
traitor
coming from the Castians. They were furious with Huck. They were certain he was evil. Becky knew he wasn’t. They bonded, she knew him. Huck would never allow his son to be raised with Tonan warriors who were pure evil. Once her baby shield fell, they would kill her, and Becky knew Huck would never allow that to happen.

Becky fell as her feet hit the hard cold floor. She sat in a heap alone. Huck wasn’t with her. She was in a dark room surrounded by bars.
You know when you’re a prisoner.
She jumped up and gripped the steel-like substance shaking it; the metal of the cold cage didn’t budge. Enough light from a far corner told her she was in a huge hanger alone. She slumped to the ground and wrapped her arms around her legs. The baby shield would keep her alive for four to five years. The Tonans were cruel enough to let her rot. Once the baby shield was gone, they would kill her. Her son wouldn’t be able to fight off a hundred if not thousand-year-old warriors.

“Huck?”

Her whisper was desolate to her ears. Her tummy quivered and she sensed the baby and his fear. By now they could be anywhere in the universe. If they returned her to Earth, she would die. An image of her father caught in the mudslide invaded her thoughts. They had been separated by a flood for two days. Each day they’d called to one another, they walked the banks on the opposite sides laughing and telling stories. Until the last day, when the mud slammed down from the hillside taking her father with it.

In her thoughts, she saw her dad as the muck claimed his ankles then calves. He smiled at her as he died, calling to her she would be fine. The mud rose to his hips as he floundered, and all she could do was scream and pace and watch—and scream. Helplessness, the likes she never felt engulfed her as she watched the man she loved more than anything in the world taken from her inch by agonizing inch. He was already dead, they both knew it, as he died in front of her calling her name and telling her he loved her and how proud he was of her. He begged her to turn around and not see him die, but she couldn’t.
“Look behind you.”
He yelled over and over everything would be fine, but it wasn’t, and she couldn’t bear to look away. The muck crept to his throat and he gurgled her name, the ooze spilling into his mouth with attempts to calm her, as his hands waved overhead and he was enveloped to his fingertips. Then his fingers stopped wiggling and sank. Her father was gone. Life went black. As black as it was now.

Gazing left and right, the dim lights extinguished and she was alone in the blackness. A tiny whimper filled her ears and her arms wrapped around her belly. She wasn’t alone, and Huck would come. He wanted his baby, and he wanted a mate. Becky only needed to bide her time, until she was home in Huck’s arms.

* * * *

Huck could see Cobra in the other cage, pacing restlessly. Cobra was growling and snarling.

“They have Leah,” Cobra boomed.

“They have Becky, too.”

“Have you done this to us?” Cobra bellowed.

“No, I want my child, and Becky promised to mate with me. She wanted more time. Time for you to get to know us both better. I wanted to make sure you accepted me first.”

“Leah is terrified. Her calls to me are driving me insane with the need to comfort her.” Cobra stopped to grip the bars of the cage. He was without strength. Tonans as well as Castians relied on light to fuel their shields. Both sides could drain the energy from a shield. Huck’s shield was with him, he could pull it up, but he wouldn’t be able to maintain it for long. The shield was depleted.

“She has her baby shield,” Huck said. “They both do.”

Cobra glared at him. “Leah has her shield, but my son has no mother to feed him.” Cobra slumped as he gripped the bars. “I saved everyone. Now I can’t save my mate. The one being who is the most important to me, who has always been the most important to me. I failed her. She’s always stood by every decision I’ve made, knowing I do what I do for my warriors, and I never told her she is important. What an ass I am.”

“What?” Huck was so stunned he stood mouth agape. Cobra never did anything wrong. “A strong leader always blames himself, even when he’s not wrong.”

Cobra lifted his head, his gaze intense. “What if I’m right, that I’m wrong?”

From his sorrow-filled eyes, Huck realized he didn’t mean Huck being evil, something in his past hurt.

“As long as we can feel them, even their fear, they are alive,” Huck said, it’s what he was holding onto.

“When I get out of this, with my mate, and I will, she won’t be leaving my side for a very long time.” Cobra’s determination gave Huck hope.

A sound made Huck look down the hall. His captain was approaching. The smug look he wore when he stood beside Huck infuriated him.

“Your female is carrying. She will last years in captivity, alone. Your son will develop his own shield in a few years or so then die, if I choose. I’m surprised, Huck. Your real father would be furious with you. You have his blood, you are evil. Yet you chose to give the brat a piece of your shield. Why?”

“I had my reasons.”

The captain chuckled. “Evasive. Nice. You are evil, aren’t you? I know our kind.”

Huck nodded. An idea formed. “I didn’t mate. Again, I had my reasons.” If his captain thought Becky was useless, he might send her back.

His captain chuckled. “No lies. Good. In this case. It was all an act wasn’t it? The child was to help infiltrate. Only, you should have informed me when you were on the shuttle. But I suppose you not telling me is strategic as well. Unless it was your idea all along to take over my position. You could once your son was grown. You’ll have a long time to explain to me what you were thinking. Right now denounce the bitch. I want her off my vessel.”

“Denounce?” Huck swallowed hard.

The captain moved closer. “You will go and tell her everything you said to her was a lie. Tell her you only wanted the brat to aid in your venture. You can’t love; I know you can’t. You had some plan. I want every Tonan on Cobra’s planet to know they are living a lie. They may have snapped their tails off; they may have convinced Cobra they are telling the truth. You will prove to them in doing that they have pulled off the biggest lie in Tonan history.”

The captain moved back and sauntered past Cobra laughing. Cobra was open-mouthed when he centered his gaze on Huck.

“If I go to Becky and lie, she will be killed when my tail grows. Cobra, there is no truth in what the captain said. He believes what he says, but he’s wrong. I am evil, but I love. Every second spent with Becky makes me better. He could never understand; pure evil has no understanding.”

“If you’re speaking the truth right now, and I think you are, you have a serious problem. You will be taken to her to denounce her. They will kill you when your tail grows. You may not have mated Becky, but if they kill you, they will kill her and your son. It would only be a matter of years.”

Huck was devastated, Cobra was right. In order to save Becky, and his son he would have to lie. If he lied, his shield would come up and she would know,
everyone will know
. He had to convince everyone he was telling the truth, but how? His pacing became erratic, the baby shield was impenetrable. Until it fell. Becky would be killed. His son would battle but a four or five year old didn’t possess the strength of a seasoned warrior. His shield knew evasive maneuvers, but it took time for shield and warrior to become one. They weren’t always one, they had to learn together.

The idea stopped Huck dead in his tracks. At one time he battled his shield, it was too foreign. His shield was a part of his stepfather, not his biological father. It took Huck longer than the average warrior to connect, to learn to move, to cooperate,
to trust
. A hand to his heart, Huck was almost felled to his knees with the revelation, he did trust. He trusted his stepdad, he cared for him and it was for him and his mother he learned to accept his shield and not reject it.

In those critical years, he could have cast his shield aside, it wasn’t his, he had to make it his. To this day there was resistance in his shield with some of his actions. His shield that tempered him, made him search for control. If his shield was gone, would Huck be more like his evil father without the interference? There was risk, but there was a chance, his only chance at saving his family.