Page 3 of Alien Knight Steals the Bride

They were almost to the cargo ship the woman was racing toward when she stumbled over a pile of repair parts and fell. Torrin clenched his jaw to hold back a moan of pain as he scooped her up and carried her the remainder of the way. He strained to climb the loading ramp, the wound on his side bleeding profusely. She weighed next to nothing, but in his condition, even the slightest pressure or movement forced him to relive every vivid moment of his previous encounters with the brutal guards. The room spun and he swayed dangerously far to the side before catching his balance, hanging on to consciousness by a thread. He staggered through the entrance of the cargo ship, the Targo hot on his heels.

The Targo screamed in pain as it jumped into the craft. The stench of burning fur and flesh hung heavily in the air. A Vilitos guard fired continuously as the door slid closed. Torrin shoved the human to the side, out of harm’s way, taking the blast meant for her.

Agony ripped through every cell in his body. He fell to one knee.I’ll be damned if she dies in here, too.He stiffened his spine, battling to stay alert when all his body wanted to do was lie down and rest. The small ship shook as the guards continued to blast the outside, determined not to let them escape. Torrin struggled for breath, his vision tunneling. “Navigation,” he croaked, “Emergency override. Engage auto takeoff.”

“Oh my god!” The woman reached for him with shaking hands as the ship tilted and lifted. “Juliette. I’m Juliette Rosen. I’m a nurse. Where are you hit?”

His took her hands in his to stop her from trying to do the impossible, which was to save him. Comforting. Soothing. Reassuring her even as he prepared himself for the end. “I’m Torrin. We’re out of time,” he wheezed. “You,” he rasped, slowly losing the battle for consciousness, “must pilot. A.I…. navigation online…”

Before Juliette could respond, the blue Targo dropped to the floor next to them. “Oh no!” Juliette cried out.

Chapter Two

Caldorian Base, Earth

Midnight

Sasha stoodnext to her new husband, King Dagan, looking out at the city from the windows of the visiting dignitary’s suite.Theirsuite now, at least temporarily. Although royal, her husband had assumed command of the entire earth-based operation since Commander Bashall had been killed in the attack three weeks past. Dagan was hard-pressed to complete his duties to his people on Caldor and handle the day to day operations of a large base, but outside of his Lumerian Knights and his best friend, Cam, there was no one her husband trusted with the task. Especially since the attack.

They’d rarely had any time alone since she’d awoken from a near death experience caused by the maju paste Dagan had put all over her body when he was claiming her. Neither one of them had known the paste would react as it had. She looked at the crystal bracelets adorning her wrists. She had to wear them at all times, as they functioned in a manner she was hard put to understand. The crystals somehow siphoned off the excess energy she was generating. The maju paste had transformed her. Changed her forever. She was now a virtual powerhouse. She had markings unlike any human. They were beautiful, she admitted to herself, but still not human.

Dagan squeezed her gently, as if sensing her mood, and she responded with a comforting hand on his chest. His markings, always lit now because of the energy she was emitting, flared more brightly at her touch. She smiled, secretly pleased that all the women of his world would know by his markings that he was taken.

Dagan growled in frustration. “So much destruction. Still so many unanswered questions.”

“Come.” Sasha smiled gently, pulling him away from the window and the wreckage still being cleared on the outside. “I may be new to this whole queen business, but even I know that you can’t give anyone answers until you have them yourself.”

She turned and glanced over her shoulder at the city. The smoldering remains of several buildings drew her eyes. “It could have been so much worse. We humans are strong. Resilient. We’ll rebuild. We always do.”

“It’s thanks to you, little one, that there were so few casualties.” Dagan placed a kiss on the top of Sasha’s head. “Our people, and the people of Earth owe you a great debt. Your new abilities are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”

Sasha gazed deeply into his eyes. “I love you and I’m growing to love the Caldorian people, but Earth is my home. I know you said we could stay here as if it was no big deal, but you can’t fool me. You’re a king, with many responsibilities. You should be on Caldor taking care of Caldorian interests. Your willingness to stay, at least for a little while, only makes me love you more.”

“Earth is my responsibility, too. I made the agreement with the Council to come out here and guide your people into a successful intergalactic trading market. One of the provisions of that agreement was that Caldor would oversee planetary security. We failed and people died. I won’t fail again,” he said grimly.

Sasha sighed. “You didn’t fail. We were betrayed, and I know you’re going to catch whoever was responsible. I have faith in you,andin the new security measures. Together, we will rebuild. Help the people of both worlds.”

Sasha closed her eyes and smiled. She lifted a hand and waved it slowly back and forth. Although cloaked and undetectable to others, she could somehow sense when one of Dagan’s Knights came close.

Dagan gazed lovingly at his queen, addressing the empty room with amusement, “You may as well show yourself. She knows you’re here.”

Sasha laughed delightedly as Falden, leader of the Lumerian Knights, appeared no more than a single hairsbreadth away from her outstretched hand, his black spectral cloaking armor flickering in and out of sight in shadowy camouflage patterns. Falden’s face was devoid of emotion as the new marking on his temple, created by his connection to Sasha, flared to life.

He nodded his head briefly in respect. “Your Majesties.”

“Any news?” Dagan asked gruffly, getting right to the heart of the matter. People were missing. Humans. Caldorians. They’d sent their best trackers to locate and shadow the enemy ships.

Falden’s lips thinned, the only sign of his emotions. “We found the traitor. He wasn’t alone. That’s all we have for now. Vander is having a chat with him.”

“I don’t understand why anyone would want to attack us when our planet, and our technology, is so far behind everyone else.” She pressed against Dagan, leaning in for comfort.

He squeezed her gently and kissed the top of her head. “You’re so gentle. Beautiful inside and out. You don’t need to hear this. Perhaps you should go lie down for a bit. You’re still not fully recovered. I can check on you when we’re done.”

“No,” she refused and straightened her spine. “They attacked myplanet. These are my people they threaten as well as yours. I’ll stay.”

Dagan nodded, love and pride shining in his eyes, before turning his attention back to his fiercest warrior.

Falden’s stony countenance revealed nothing, yet his next words painted a grim picture. “We also thought we had a lead on Torrin’s location, but my best trackers keep coming up empty.”

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