The Alien’s Equal: Drixonian Warriors #7 Page 13

  Like an avenging tsunami wave, the trees erupted with a mass of dark figures. War cries lit up the night, overriding the sound of the vehicle’s engine. Hover bike headlights appeared like spotlights, riding over the running soldiers. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of Drixonian warriors descended on Alazar with revenge on their tongues and bloodlust in their eyes. I’d never seen anything so awesome in my life.

  They poured into the gates in a steady stream. And for the first time in days, I felt the taste of victory.

  * * *

  Nero

  Justine tugged on my arm. “Please, stay here.”

  “I can’t, cora-eternal,” I said, wiping at her face where I’d injected a vial of medis to deal with her wounds. Mags had a stash of it, and I’d used the rest on myself. My leg would never be the same, but the pain had dulled to a mere discomfort. Later, I’d have one of our healers repair it with stitches. There was no time for that now, so I’d wrapped a spare swath of cloth over the wound in a makeshift bandage.

  “I know, but—” she bit her lip, a plea in her eyes.

  We had landed near the tree line. Mags and her partner sat in the vehicle while I explained to Justine why I needed to return to the city. “I promised Gram. And I can’t let my brothers fight without me.”

  “You’ve been fighting for two days!” She stamped her foot like a chit, her aura chattering away at me so loudly I wished I could swat it away. Gently, of course.

  “We’ve been fighting for many cycles,” I said softly. “And it’s so we can live out the rest of our rotation in peace. Not much longer, Justine. And then it’s our time.”

  Her jaw clenched, and she ducked her head. “I want to go with you.”

  This was my turn to nearly stomp my foot. “Absolutely not. I can’t concentrate in there if I’m worrying about you. The best thing you can do for the cause now is to wait here with Mags where it’s safe. Please. I’ll return to you as soon as I can.”

  She pressed her lips together with a sigh. I knew I’d won, but I didn’t feel triumphant. “Without you, I wouldn’t be standing here. Now let me finish this and ensure Gram and his Uldani are safe.”

  She nodded. “They saved our asses. Numerous times.”

  I snorted. “Yes.”

  She dropped a kiss on my lips. “Go on then. Do what you need to do. But you come back to me.”

  “I promise.” Those words no longer made me cringe. I was so close to fulfilling my promises to Justine and my mother. I turned to Mags, who was watching us from the driver’s side. “Keep her safe.”

  I took off running toward the mass of Drixonians streaming into the city. Fighting was in my blood, and I was in the mood to take off a few Uldani heads. Tossing that flecker who’d hurt my mate off the vehicle wasn’t enough. I needed blood dripping from my machets and the cries of my dying enemies ringing in my ears.

  I entered the fray in a crowd of Drix from the Great Welf clavas wearing gray and white arm tags. The drexel nodded at me before directing his warriors at a line of Kulks who stood blocking a group of Uldani soldiers.

  I sprinted through the gates to a scene of utter war. Memories of the Uprising swamped me as I met laser fire, smoke, and the cries of dying and wounded. The metallic tang of blood hung thick in the air as I stepped over bodies of fallen Kulks. Luckily, I found few fallen Drixonians, and those were young warriors from other clavases. Many reminded me of Hap, and I was thankful he remained behind in the tree-line with Shep to treat the wounded.

  A ferocious growl thundered up ahead, and a grim smile spread across my face. Gar. I’d recognize his war cry anywhere. A dying Kulk fumbled with his laser gun as I walked past, but he didn’t have time to fire a shot before I sliced his hand off at the wrist. Catching the now-free laser gun before it hit the ground, I triggered a laser blast into his eye slits. His lifeless body went limp and I trudged forward.

  Rounding the corner of a few huts, I entered the large open expanse near the hub of the city. Since the Drix had entered every gate, most of the Uldani and Kulks had been pushed here. Surrounded by Drix and a few Kaluma, we were picking them off as their circle tightened to protect the Uldani’s top commanders. The royals’ pods had been wiped out. Some still burned in a cluster in front of the hub where they’d been shot out of the sky. The skyscraper buildings of the elite were severely damaged, many collapsed and smoldering husks of what they once were.

  Gar’s massive form, backlit by a burning government building, hacked away at Kulk bodies, sending their bloodied bodies arcing through the air as if they were chits. Above him, Sax and Xavy led a troop of warriors on bikes, firing at stragglers who sought to catch any of our ground fighters off guard. While we honored any who wished to surrender, I didn’t expect many Kulks or Uldani soldiers to give up until they were dead. This was their last stand.

  Civilians were not to be harmed unless they took up weapons against us—even the royal breeders and elite. Gram told me they had an emergency bunker where most of them would be hiding to wait out the war. We’d leave their fate to him.

  Daz and Ward fought side by side, while Drak spun and kicked his way through easily a dozen Uldani soldiers. He’d barely had to use his machets—his massive fists doing enough damage.

  A Kulk raced toward me and I didn’t even bother raising my laser gun. With a slash of my tail, I knocked him off his feet and then slammed my machets into his neck. I stepped over him as he gurgled his last breaths.

  Daz glanced over his shoulder at me, hair flying and nostrils wide as he panted from exertion. His body glistened with blood, but he didn’t look like he had a scratch on him. His lips stretched into a grin. “Good to see you, brother.”

  I pumped a laser shot into another approaching Kulk. “Back at you.”

  “Nero!” Came a shout from above. Xavy circled overhead and waved a ring-laden hand at me with a smirk. “Looking a little beat-up there.”

  Sax rode past me, a big grin on his face. “Had some trouble?”

  “You have no idea,” I shouted. “Come down here and pick me up. I need a ride somewhere.”

  Sax swooped down, and I jumped on the back of his bike as it skimmed across the ground. Clasping my arms around his waist, I directed him to Gram’s warehouse. The plan was for him and his soldiers to pull back once the Drixonian army entered and to wait for me to arrive so I could ensure their safety. They were, and the Drix had orders to kill all armed Uldani on sight.

  Sax whooped as we sped through the burning streets of Alazar. While he drove, I took out a few lingering Kulks with my laser gun. After we touched down in the small alley of Gram’s warehouse, I swung my leg off my bike, wincing at the pain. I’d need to get myself some more medis. And soon.

  Sax squinted into the darkness. “Where are we?”

  “I had some help,” I explained. “This mission went off the rails moments after we entered the gates. If it wasn’t for Gram, Justine and I would have been dead yesterday.”

  “Gram?” Sax’s mouth dropped open. “Did you just say Gram?”

  “Yeah, I think you guys already know each other. He seems to have a habit of saving Drixonians.” I knocked on the door. “It’s Nero!” I called out.

  After a long pause where I was sure Gram was peering through the cracks in the wall to ensure it was me, the door swung open.

  Gram stood in the doorway, a bloodied sling hanging from his shoulder to support his left arm, and a long gash in his temple. His relief at seeing me at his door was palpable.

  I opened my mouth to give him an update when I was shoved aside.

  Sax wrapped his massive arms around Gram and picked him up, squeezing him to his chest as Gram sputtered.

  “I never thought I’d see you again!” The big Drix hollered with a wide-mouthed grin.

  I shoved at my brother’s back. “Sax, you’re crushing him.”

  Sax dropped Gram so quickly the Uldani nearly fell over. I clasped his good arm to keep him upright, and he shot me a thankful smile. “I never thought
I’d see you again either,” he said to Sax.

  The warrior squinted into the darkness of the room, and I realized we were surrounded by a dozen or so battle worn Uldani. Most were bloodied and injured, but they all looked happy.

  “Did you lose any?” I asked Gram.

  His smile faded. “A few.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He nodded. “Me too. But they died hearing the beautiful sound of the gates opening and the Drixonian warriors descending to help us earn our freedom.”

  I let him know the Uldani and Kulks were in a losing battle, penned in from all sides. “It’s only a matter of time before they die or the last few surrender.”

  “I hope they surrender,” he said. “Only so that I can make them pay for their crimes against you and the rest of us. Corruption has been allowed to reign in this city for too long.”

  Sax shuddered. “Fleck, I hate being back in these walls.” He rubbed his palms together. “So, what’s the plan?”

  I explained to him how Gram helped Justine and I when our future looked bleak, and that he had steadily been amassing a loyal contingent with the intent of overthrowing the royals. “Our deal was that he got us to that hub and we let him and his Uldani live in peace.”

  Sax raised a nubbed brow at the Uldani. “Been working on this awhile, have you?”

  “Since my father died all I could think about was getting revenge on Borhan. After you killed him, I realized this entire system allowed Borhan to do what he did. So that was when I began finding others who were as discontent as I was. We will rebuild a new Alazar without walls.”

  A loud boom shook the warehouse and Sax grinned. “Sounds like we’re helping you with that wall thing.” He rubbed his stomach. “By the way. Any of you have snacks?”

  Thirteen

  Justine

  The ground shook with explosions and war cries. I swore I could hear Gar over the din, which was crazy, because I was several hundred yards away. But his growl was unlike any other. I shivered. I stood as close to the tree line as I dared, while Mags and the other Uldani, whose name was Yirpin, stood behind me at the front of the car.

  Because of the noise of the battle, I didn’t hear the rumble of a bike approaching us from behind until it burst through the trees. Mags and Yirpin whirled on the newcomer, guns out.

  I caught sight of Hap’s flopping black hair and hollered at my new friends, “Don’t shoot!” I ran past them toward Hap, who leaped off the bike before it came to a full stop. The tears were already leaking from my eyes when we hit each other at full steam. The shock of the hit reverberated down my injured arm. I whimpered and Hap immediately swept me into his arms, his hands coasting over my body. “Are you okay? Where are you hurt—” His gaze landed on my loks and he went still. His gaze lifted to mine. “Jus,” he whispered in awe. “Nero?”

  “Of course, Nero,” I laughed through the tears. “Oh God, it’s so good to see you, friend.”

  “What happened?” he asked. “After we didn’t hear from you at the first sunup, I started to worry. Daz kept saying that the mission could take several rotations, but I couldn’t relax until I knew you were okay.”

  “What didn’t happen is the question.” I squirmed out of his arms and got to my feet. I briefly gave him a rundown of all that had occurred since we broke into the walls. When I got to the part where we took a dive off the pod, he went pale.

  “Justine, you’re flecking with me.”

  “I’m not. So much went wrong. But then so much went right. We shut down their systems and stayed alive.” I bit my lip. “Nero is hurt. Bad. I think he caught some laser fire to his leg, and it looks like Sax’s leg when he almost died. Remember?”

  “Fleck,” he muttered. “And that flecker ran into the battle, didn’t he?”

  “Of course,” I said. “But he does have a good reason. An Uldani named Gram helped us, and Nero has to—”

  “What did you say?” Hap’s eyes narrowed on my face.

  “An Uldani helped us—”

  “What name did you say?”

  I frowned at Hap’s stiff posture. “Gram. He’s the one who helped Sax and Val escape too. So, his name is probably familiar.”

  He swallowed heavily before shaking his head. “No, no I never heard the name of the Uldani who helped them. I know a Gram. He…” Hap tore his fingers through his hair. “When I was brought here as a chit, the Uldani gave me to an elite family as a playmate and servant to their young male chit. When his father was convicted of a crime and sent to the mines, the male ran away. That was when Daz fought to take back possession of me.”

  My mouth dropped open. “Are you serious?”

  “Gram was my friend. The only Uldani who ever treated me well.” He wrinkled his nose. “When he ran away … I never thought I’d see him again.”

  “Well, he grew up to save the lives of two Drixonian warriors, two human females, and lead a resistance to overthrow the Uldani royals and take over Alazar. He’s a good man, Hap. Just like you.”

  Hap shook his head with a laugh. “I can’t wait to see him again.” He threw his arm around my shoulders. “Introduce me to your friends.”

  I made the introductions. “Mags had a hand in saving us too. Without her driving skills, I’d be pancake on the streets of Alazar.”

  “Pancake?” Mags asked.

  I slapped my two palms together and made a splat noise. Mags jerked at the sound. “I wasn’t sure I’d get there in time.”

  “You did, and I can’t thank you enough for it.”

  “My mate at the tree line across from the front gate is treating the wounded,” Hap said. “Would you like to follow me there?”

  “Thanks, but we’re going to wait here until we get the signal from Gram,” she said.

  He nodded. “Understood.” Shaking my shoulder, he smiled down at me. “Let’s go see Shep. He’s the one who spotted you over here.”

  After saying goodbye to Mags and Yirpin, I hopped on Hap’s bike. Once he settled behind me, we sped through the trees until I spotted a dug-out trench just past the tree line, lit by torches. Shep’s head popped up and a relieved grin crossed his grizzled face. “Justine,” he breathed as I leapt off the bike and reached for him. He clasped me to his chest and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. He held my hands and rubbed his thumbs along the loks on the insides of my wrists with a warm smile. “I see you and Nero finally succumbed to Fatas’s plan.”

  I lifted my chin. “I would have chosen him with or without Fatas.”

  His smile grew and he patted my cheek. “That’s my girl.” He held up his wrists, where he bore wooden bracelets which matched the ones Hap wore to symbolize their mating. “I know a thing or two about choosing the right mate for me as well.”

  Hap leaned in and nuzzled his neck. “I heard that. You really do like me. I knew it!”

  “Go away,” Shep growled at him with mock annoyance.

  I scanned the trench, where Rokas was bent working on a few wounded, none who had mortal injuries, although one was missing the lower part of one leg. His expression was stoic, so I assumed Shep or Rokas had given him some good stuff. His head turned to me and he gave me a soft smile. I knelt next to him and brushed his hair from his purple eyes, which were a little hazy. He had a purple armband on with a leaf on it, and if I recalled correctly, that meant he was part of the Dryad clavas.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked him, which felt like a ridiculous question.

  “Like I lost my foot,” he grinned at me dopily. “You’re pretty.”

  “And you’re high,” I murmured. “What’s your name?”

  “Pruett.”

  “I’m sure Hap will design a badass prosthetic for you, and you’ll be walking again in no time.”

  “Pros-what?”

  I patted his head and my fingers carded through his thick hair. “Get some rest, Pruett.”

  “Mmmm,” his eyes closed. “That feels good.”

  So, I stayed at his side, finger-combing hi
s hair until his breaths turned deep and even and he began to snore softly. After that, I visited a few more wounded Drix, who seemed irritated they’d been sidelined from the action. But one was temporarily blinded from an explosion, and another couldn’t hear anything and just kept yelling, “What?” in my ear until I told Rokas he might need some sleepy juice too.

  After completing my rounds, I returned to Shep’s side, where he sat watching the gates of Alazar. The city no longer rang with explosions and gun fire. Every now and then, a cry or a shout rang out, but it had mostly fallen silent. The battle had taken its toll on the city as fires continued to smolder. The east-facing wall was mostly caved in, and I felt a bit like I was watching the end of Game of Thrones when Daenerys lit up King’s Landing with her dragons.

  “What are we waiting for?” I asked. “A signal?”

  He wiggled his comm at me. “Already heard from Daz the battle is over. The remaining Uldani commanders have surrendered.”

  “Now what happens?”

  For a moment, Shep’s face showed every one of his three hundred cycles as he heaved a heavy breath. “Now, Daz decides their fate.”

  I turned my face toward the gates, and knowing the drexel of the Night Kings, I didn’t expect much mercy.

  * * *

  Nero

  The four remaining Uldani commanders representing the once plentiful Uldani army now knelt in a line at Daz’s feet. Their hands were tied behind their backs, and their once pristine uniforms were splattered with dirt and blood.

  Kuala Renner, the supreme commander of the Uldani army, had never been seen before, until now. He’d preferred to remain behind his safe walls and send his commanders out to battle. Even when us Drix had worked for the Uldani, he’d never used us as bodyguards. He hid behind his technology and weapons. Without them, he was just another flesh and blood body, capable of breaking like the rest of us.

  He was older, his hair snow white and his face lined with age. I could tell he’d once been strong, as the hint of corded muscle remained on his slim body. Without his protection, he stared up at Daz with a mixture of disgust and fear. Even in defeat, he thought he was superior to my drexel. It made me want to beat him into the ground.