Page 38 of Captured
Chapter Nineteen
Juliet
We’re out of time and we’re out of luck.
Rakir moves in quick, efficient motions, his hands dancing over the controls of his ship so fast I can’t focus on them. Not for the first time, guilt bites down on me as I rethink the damage I’ve done. If only I knew back then who my real enemy was, I would not have sabotaged Rakir’s ship with such efficiency.
But I didn’t. Everything I thought I knew was wrong, right down to who the real monsters in the galaxy are.
They are human. They are us.
But there’s no time to dwell on who’s to blame. The Black Star soldiers are moving on the shore, spread in a military, half-circle pattern. They’re good at what they do, covering the shore, not leaving any angle unchecked. Their weapons are raised and at the ready, but that isn’t what makes my spine crawl with dread.
Captain Henrick stops a short distance from the ship, raising his hand to his men. He’s unhurried, his body posture relaxed. Like he’s enjoying himself. Like he’s savoring what’s about to happen.
The soldiers obey instantly, stopping their motions, their gazes ever vigilant, turning around to cover the shore and the forest. They know we’re in here.
I move closer as Rakir’s skin disappears, replaced by the hard, black shine of his scaly armor. I know by now it’s an instinctive reaction. My hand reaches for it, my fingertips reveling in the cool, slick feel of the scales. The thought shoots through my head that I should be terrified of it, of him.
But I’m not. Not anymore. The feeling of those black scales under my fingers is like a soothing balm over my nerves, calming the crazy race of my heartbeat. I know it’s just an illusion, but I feel as though as long as I can feel the warmth of the man under those scales, I am safe.
Rakir turns blazing yellow eyes to me. There’s not a hint of a smile on his scale-clad face.
“I redirected all power to the external armor. We have only a few minutes before the translator shuts down.”
We won’t be able to talk soon. He shakes his head, his grim expression telling me things that don’t need words.
“The armor won’t be enough,” I say in a dead quiet voice, like my entire chest is hollow. “We’re not going to be able to hold on long enough for your people to come.”
Rakir just looks at me, not saying anything. His silence is stronger than words and a small part of myself just wishes he’d tell me everything is going to be all right, even for a second. But he doesn’t.
His gaze goes to one of the screens.
“My brothers are on their way as we speak.” Despite the reassuring words, I can feel the chill crawling up my spine. This isn’t the good news I would hope it to be. “They have our exact location.”
But they won’t be here soon enough. What they’ll find when they get here is a burned hole in the ground and nothing else. Rakir doesn’t need to say it, his tone speaks for him.
“How long until they breach the hull?”
Silence answers me, more and more deafening by the second. Too soon, that’s what the silence means.
We’re going to die in here. Trapped.
I turn to the screen, watching two of the Black Star soldiers dragging a heavy metallic lockbox down the shore. My training falls back in place, the frazzle of the fear easing away while the cool of combat settles in. I am no maiden in distress.
I am a warrior, trained in combat. I will die like one.
No. I’m not ready to give up yet.
“What kind of weapons do you have?”
“Nothing that will get us out of this.” Rakir shakes his head, then seems to make up his mind. “There’s too many of them and nowhere to go. I can’t protect you from all those phasers.”
Alone, he could escape, that’s what he doesn’t say. I’m a burden, a death trap unto myself.
“Then just leave me.” I straighten, inhaling deep. I don’t want to die, but I’d rather die alone than bring Rakir down with me. “You can escape by yourself and take the List with you. You’re faster than them. You can hide in the wild until your brothers come.”
“Never.” Rakir purses his lips, his fangs showing. His eyes blast pure yellow fury as his hand reaches behind my neck. His hold is harsh and painful as he pulls me closer. “I will never give you up and I will never abandon you. We survive together.”
