Page 43 of Warrior's Purpose

Abby whistled loud enough for her sister to hear. Hope turned toward the sound. Her head tilted to one side and started walking their direction. He stepped away from Abby, so he didn’t scare her sister. He halted when the doors on the black vehicles opened and several uniformed males emerged.

“Come on, Hope,” Abby hissed.

Hope peered into the tree line. She looked up at him and her green eyes widened. He really wished he could introduce himself properly, or at least not terrify Abby’s sister, but sadly that wasn’t possible. Ashtoret gripped Hope’s wrist and pulled her into the brush. He wrangled her onto one hip and grabbed Abby with his other arm.

“Hold on,” he rumbled and started running.

Hope screeched as she flailed, but he kept a tight grip on her.

“Relax, Hope. Hold onto Ash.” Abby gripped Hope’s arms on either side of his neck.

He darted between the trees to throw the human warriors off his track, while keeping a steady course toward the clearing he passed a while back. That was the best and most secluded spot for Aculus to land.

“What’s going on?” Hope cried. Her knees dug into his sides in a frantic attempt to stay seated on his hip.

“You were followed. We’re in danger,” Abby informed her. “Shit, Ash, hurry,” she urged after glancing behind him.

“Tuck your face against me,” he barked and ran faster.

Either Hope didn’t hear him or was too shocked to comply like Abby did. She cried out when a limb whipped her in the face, making him cringe as he barreled through the growth. Abby stiffened when a twiggy branch also grazed her. It killed him he couldn’t stop to check her over.

He heard the distinct sound of a vessel coming in fast and glanced up. All that was visible of the cloaked cruiser was a slight distortion in the otherwise cloudy blue sky, as Aculus zeroed in on their location.

“Thank Kali.” He ran faster toward the clearing.

“Shit, Ash, they’re still following us,” Abby panicked.

He kept to the tree line and circled the meadow. They were prime targets if they went out in the open.

“Come on,” he growled in frustration, urging Aculus to move faster.

“Abby, please. What’s going on?” Hope cried in terror.

Aculus’ vessel kicked up a long swath of dirt as it skidded to a halt. The human warriors emerged into the field. They aimed their primitive disrupters at the vessel and fired. The metal projectiles ricocheted dangerously in every direction.

How dare they risk my bonded and her sister, Ashtoret snarled in anger as he was forced behind a large tree trunk with his precious burden.

Two males advanced on them, while another two approached the cruiser. They were trying to cut them off from the ship.

“I will distract them. You get to the cruiser,” he told Abby.

“No, they’ll shoot you. You’re pretty fucking awesome, but I know you’re not bulletproof,” she countered.

“What are you talking about? I’m not getting on that thing.” Hope struggled, and he was forced to grip her tighter.

“Stop it, Hope. It’s not like we planned for this shit,” Abby snapped at her frightened sibling.

“I’m going to talk to Vintor about his insistence we not bring disrupters,” Ashtoret rumbled in frustration as the sisters argued while saddled on his hips.

He surveyed the woods around the field, looking for a way to reach the vessel without going through the advancing humans. Things got worse when he heard the recognizable sound of rotary air vehicles approaching.

Hope suddenly screamed in his ear and he cringed. He glanced back at the clearing to see two of the humans laying in the grass. Frantic blasts echoed as the remaining males fired their weapons toward the cruiser. A series of responding flashes came from the cruiser.

“Yes,” Ashtoret bellowed in triumph when the last humans dropped to the ground.

Aculus stepped into view. “What are you waiting for?” he hollered, looking rather proud of himself.

Ashtoret didn’t waste any time racing toward the hatch, clutching both females.

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