Page 97 of Scorching the Alien Empire
The ship veers left under Dracoth’s inputted controls, the fractured world slipping from view. In its place, shards of broken, molten metal glint in the void—a beautiful constellation of destruction. A graveyard of war machines, their shattered remains drifting like eerie, glimmering sapphires.
Our ship’s shields shimmer, dispersing debris as we press forward, slicing through the void. I marvel at the sheerdestruction and chaos—the twisted husks of ships, the pulsing web of green energy flickering and dying in the distance, the planets smoldering in boiling magma.
“We tarry here,” Dracoth rumbles, frustration lacing his tone despite thegloriousmurder spree unfolding before us. “Jazreal, have the fleet follow us to these coordinates,” he commands, his fingers busily working on the holographic controls. “Destroy any Scythian targets en route.”
“At once, War Chieftain,” Jazreal replies, voice crisp and professional.
How exciting!
“Oh, Babes you missed a few,” I chime in excitably, pointing to the upper right corner where a cluster of murder-bot drones rotate in the void, having the audacity to still be alive.
But the ship doesn’t turn. Instead, it surges forward, picking up speed through the destruction toward the darkness.
“We lack time for small hunts,” Dracoth murmurs. “We must strike its vitals before it can recover.”
A flicker offearsparks from his side of our bond.
I freeze.
Dracoth is never afraid. He is thefear maker—my big red murder dragon. Whatever he saw in the Crucible, whatever heexperienced... itmust have been the stuff of nightmares.
“Makes sense,” I mutter, clinging to his warmth tighter, wishing we were alone, the heat between my legs needing to be filled by something hotter.
Our ship whizzes forward in a blur, but not with the dazzling kaleidoscopic speed I’ve seen before. Occasionally, those cross-shaped machines appear in the distance—no longer pulsing their sickly green light. Still, our fleet obliterates them, blasting them into pieces as we continue streaking through the void.
Then, Dracoth speaks again, his eyes snapping to mine, catching me off guard. “Earlier, you spoke well.” His tone isserious. “You honored Ignixis’s memory.” Then he leans down—his silly nose-rubbing thing.
With incredible grace and elegance, I tilt my headjust so, and our lips collide instead.
Soft, teasing smooches dissolve intosomething more—open mouths, darting tongues desperately reaching for each other. Heat consumes me as his fire sears through my veins. His grip tightens, his presence overwhelming,invadingmy space,claimingme.
I moan against his mouth, letting him know exactly how much I like it. How much Ineedhim.
“War Chieftain, we’ve arrived.” Jazreal’s voice is an ice bath on our burning moment.
Our heads snap toward the massive panoramic viewport.
Then—I see it.
A hulking black monolith, its obsidian surface etched with intricate glyphs and statues of strange, alien bug creatures. It looms in the void like aforgotten god, its jagged spires cutting through space, angular and menacing.
Framed against the infinite blackness, the station is nearly invisible. Alone and blending seamlessly with the void as if it were never meant to be found. It has a creepy, oppressive vibe that sends a chill slithering down my spine. It feels alive—a predator lurking, waiting to ensnare us in its fangs.
Dracoth moves, nearly launching me from his lap as he rises to his feet. I cling to him, steadying myself.
“We board. Now,” he declares.
His eyes gleam with something fierce.
“It’s time to learn the truth.”
Chapter 20
Alexandra
Monolith
Theshuttlerumblesominously,jostling me in Dracoth’s arm. A shiver runs down my spine despite the lovely warmth radiating from my personal red radiator, taxi man.
