Page 23 of Protected by the Alien Warrior Triad

As terrifying and confusing as his lust for battle was, we were certainly lucky to have the mighty alien warrior with us.

Together, our little group moves forward through the city streets. I start to hope against hope that we’ll make it – avoiding the Scorp horde entirely.

Then, suddenly, tension grips the air.

I turn my head sharply to the right, just as the three alien warriors drop into battle stances. I turn my eyes to what triggered their movements, and my jaw drops at what I see:A huge Scorp ship has touched down.

I have no idea how the ships – made of a thick, leathery, egg-like material – travel through space. Something tells me it has to do with the mythical Orbs that power all interstellar travel. The Scorp ships are less of a machine and more of a massive organic thing. We call them egg sacs because they resemble the eggs of reptiles or insects; squirming and pulsating and bursting with scorpion-like creatures from within.

This Scorp ship opposite us covers an entire city block and clearly engulfed whole buildings when it landed. Holes are ripped in the sides of it, where the Scorp it contained literally tore their way free – yet the vessel still appears to be very far from empty. In fact, I canhearthe chittering, clacking sounds of Scorp moving around inside…

…and then a sudden, muted scream rings out.

Oh, Gods! What if that were Tyler or Runner?

There’s no way to tell who the scream came from, and we would be foolish to waste the time – or our lives- investigating the death trap of that Scorp ship activity. I don’t even want to imagine the horrors that lurk within that bulbous, white egg right now. Death would be preferable.

“I’m scared,” whispers Tod.

“We’re going to be okay. Tammy is taking care of us with her friends. Shealwaystakes care of us.” Stacy looks up at me with her big eyes, searching for confirmation. I give her a tiny smile, the biggest I can muster given the circumstances.

“I’m going to take care of you –andwe’re going to find Tyler and Runner,” I whisper, and Tod wipes a tear that trails down his cheeks. I’ve cared for these four kids through bad scrapes, broken bones, and beatings when they weren’t quick enough to escape from a failed pickpocketing attempt. I’m not going to let even an all-out assault by creatures from my darkest nightmares take these kids away from me.

Or am I?

As if in completely contrast to my thoughts, Hadone grips his war-hammer and actually stridestowardsthe Scorp ship. I rush forward, grabbing his forearm. I can’t come close to wrapping my entire hand around his arm, but he at least slows as I yank him back.

Hadone spins around and growls at my touch… Then his snarl softens, and he stares at me with those green-flecked eyes.

Wait, I thought Aurelians only have slate-grey eyes?

I push the thought out of my head. These three men are nothing like the Aurelians I’ve heard about. I shake my head, pointing north. We have to goaroundthis egg sac – not seek out a suicidal fight!

Hadone looks like he’s aching for the glory of battle, and doesn’t even care what happens to himself if he bites off more than he can chew. As I touch his arm, I look into his eyes and I suddenly see something darker within them.

I realize there’s a stress behind his gaze – as though Hadone has already decided he’s not going to make it out of this place alive.

He’s not afraid of that fate, though – quite the opposite. It’s as if he yearns for somethingmore– something so great he’s actually afraid of it.

His eyes widen at my touch, and then Hadone pulls sharply back, his lips peeling away from his teeth in a snarl. There’s a primal beastliness to his features.

I don’t care. If Hadone can get me out of here safely, with all four orphans, I’ll forgive everything that Aurelians have ever done to my people.

Hadone jerks his head left, indicating that we should continue moving in that direction. A frisson runs down my spine as he pulls himself away from my touch. Every second we waste, Tyler and Runner could be in further danger.

Or they already are. They might be in that egg sac already, at the mercy of the Scorp Queen. Oh, Gods - I can’t even think of that!

We head north, stealthily and as fast as Stacy and Tod’s little legs can take them. I even consider picking them up and carrying them at one point, but our stride is careful – taking care not to make sound. It’s better to be safe than fast.

That much soon becomes apparently as we pass an alleyway and the sudden noise of movement within announces danger.

I grab my wrench harder, turning to face the threat. The Aurelians circle around to protect me, placing their huge bodies between me and whatever caused the menacing sound...

…then, from between the broad backs of the alien warriors, I see a cat running from the alleyway, cans and garbage tumbling in its furry wake.

Hadone laughs under his breath, and I don’t like the sound. This isn’t the time or place for jokes, and I don’t see how he can find anything funny right now.

We continue on – making our way further north to the abandoned hospital that the four orphans once had a second home in. We go in through the front doors and I glance at the long-abandoned front desk; imagining what it might have been like when there was a busy, stressed-out receptionist sitting there, trying to manage the waves of people coming in for the ER.

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