Page 57 of Rescuing Mara

“I don’t understand O’Rec. What are you going to do?”

“I will fight Ananta off. She is too close, and she has a gun. She will not hesitate to shoot us both in the back if we run.”

Ignoring the tears that are forming, I nod. I will go. I’ll make sure I’m safe, giving him the peace of mind to focus on fighting Ananta.

“You’d better make sure you give me that future you were dreaming of.”

He kisses me firmly and then cups my cheek. “I promise. NOW RUN!”

I run like I have never before. I hear the blasts of Ananta’s gun getting louder before I hear the hum of the sliding doors open. I don’t look back. O’Rec is a fucking Warrior of Arracate. The best of the best, the elite of the Galaxy. He will beat her. I will not lose him.

I’m so blinded by my tears I don’t even notice I have reached his crew until I bump into a big wall. Only it’s not a wall; it’s a chest. A big gray Alien chest. T’Rak grunts and steadies me.

“Easy, Marra, are you hurt?” I blink in confusion at the question. Am I hurt? Why would he ask me that?

“No, I’m okay. O’Rec.” I gesture back, and he nods gravely.

“We know. He asked us to take you out of here.”

“No, NO!” I scream at him. “We can’t leave without him! I promised him I would go to you so he could fight Ananta. But we can’t leave this station! We have to wait until he beats her!”

“Marra,” D’Var’s voice is soothing but firm. “We can wait for a couple of minutes, but the battle is not the only thing we need to worry about. We did not come alone. We brought back-up from the Ring.”

Now that I have left the bubble of O’Rec’s comfort, my surroundings come crashing down. I can’t believe I haven’t noticed the continuous blasts around us. Lights are flickering and bursting all around us. The Mothership shakes and rocks.

“The… The ship is falling apart?!” I cry out in anguish. “But, but what about O’Rec?”

T’Rak gently steadies me. “We have to leave him behind. He will find a way, Marra. We have to believe the stars will guide him back to us.”

He starts walking away, loosening his grip on me, and I take my chance. I did not sign up for this. I am not the kind of person who leaves her mate to die on an enemy ship. I am not, and I will not leave him.

I yank my arm loose, and I start running. “O’REC!!!!!!!” I scream, but the doors close before I can reach the air-lock. I run forward anyway, pounding on the glass when I reach it. Just in time to see him put a dagger in Ananta’s chest.

“O’Rec,” I sob.“O’Rec, I can’t reach you.”

He turns around and walks towards me, leaving Ananta on her knees.“I am sorry, my star, but you need to run. You need to get off this ship.”He puts his hand on the glass, and I put mine on his.“I love you,”he says, but I’m too shocked to reply.

Then, horror shoots through me as I see Ananta rise.“ANANTA!”I scream, both mentally and vocally.

O’Rec just gives me a sad smile.“She is dead, my mate. I just killed her.”

“NO! NO! BEHIND YOU!!!”

I scream out in agony as I see Ananta stumble towards O’Rec. Blood wells up at the corner of her mouth, and her grin is downright diabolical. She mouths something to O’Rec as she slams her hand on some switch in the wall. All color drains from his face.

“Run, Marra, she activated self-destruct!”

“But.. But…”I can’t even think coherently because T’Rak reaches me, lifting me in his arms before sprinting towards their ship. He all but throws me down the hole in the floor when we reach it, and I tumble through a tube where D’Var catches me.

All the alarms are blaring, and I cover my ears with my hands. T’Rak enters the ship as well. They both rush towards Command, leaving me behind on the floor at the landing dock.

* * *

“Marra,”someone gently calls my name and touches my shoulder. Slowly, I turn my head, D’Var is standing beside me. “Let me help you, please?”

Nodding, I take his outstretched hand and let him help me up. “What’s happening right now?”

“The Sternotheri base ship has blown up. It appears that Ananta would rather destroy her people than let us get away.” He gently tucks my hand in the crook of his elbow and leads me towards Command. “I will show you.”

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