Page 62 of Chieftain
"Making preparations." Bartuk's voice grew urgent, and a sense of foreboding crept up my spine. Battle was near. I could feel it in my blood.
"We must move now," Charick grated over the comm. "A Kerzak skiff is preparing to land."
Chapter 18
Emmy
Muffled thuds and grunted moans of pain heralded our rescue. A soft gust of wind carried the stench of sweat and fear from the courtyard and the faint scent of greenery. A soft clicking noise heralded Charick and Bartuk's forms, their stealth suits rendering them invisible in the darkness, save for the glint of golden eyes as they dragged the unconscious guards into the pool house, my stomach churning at the surreal sight. When the last body joined the pile of Aljani, the two Vaktaire materialized in a ripple of light and shadow. I saw Bartuk’s gaze fall over us, widening slightly as he noticed the cuts and scratches on Khaion's shirtless form. While unconscious, I'd cleaned his wounds, and his chest looked raw but better.
“Chieftain, human Emmy, are you well?” Bartuk pulled a small leather satchel from inside his jacket. “I have a Medi-kit.”
“I’m fine,” Khaion waved him off, stepping to the door, eyes intent on the darkness beyond. Bartuk shoved the kit into his jacket and moved to stand guard at the large window overlooking the pool.
“We have little time. The Kerzak skiff just landed.” Charick pulled weapons from the pile of unconscious guards.
Khaion wheeled on his Sage, eyes hard, “How did the Kerzak get past the Bardaga?” This wasn’t a question from myloving mate. This was a demand from the Chieftain hell-bent on punishing the dereliction of duty that put me and his crew in danger.
“They didn’t.” Charick dropped the leg of an unconscious guard and stepped to his chieftain's side. "The skiff came from the west, following the setting suns. They were already on the moon."
Khaion's low growl perfectly accompanies the chill racing over my skin. My heartbeat skittered for only a second before succumbing to the steady beat of his.
His piercing golden eyes found me, we locked gazes, and at that moment, I sensed his strength and unyielding courage—and my anxiety dissipated.
"How many are there?" Khaion moved back to my side, holding out a slim gun with a curving metal barrel he'd taken from Charick. With deft fingers, he quickly demonstrated how to hold and shoot the weapon before handing it to me. I adjusted my grip on the handle of the gun, feeling its surprising weightlessness, and felt a surge of familiarity; My father was a cop, and while his service revolver was off-limits, I'd learned to shoot from my dad. I knew how to handle a gun, even if this one looked more like something my boys used for their Nerf wars.
“We counted ten exiting the skiff.” Charick made a face, watching me slide the weapon into the waistband of my pants. “Are there any more on-site?”
"We only saw the one Khaion killed. He was the same one who was after me from the space station." I told him as Khaion fasted the comm unit on my wrist. The technology looked small on him, but I felt like he was strapping an iPhone to my arm.
“Do you think that is an accident?” Charick asked thoughtfully, his gaze bouncing between Khaion and me.
My heart raced as I glanced up at Khaion. His eyes flickered over to me, a small smile tugging at his lips. With our hearts beating in unison, he could feel the quickening pace of my excitement.
“I don’t think so,” Khaion muttered, sliding his arm around my waist.
“Wait a minute,” I blinked, his words sinking into my brain. “Do you think Nansar purposefully brought that grizzly here?”
“Grizzly?” Bartuk turned away from his sentry position by the window, face scrunched in confusion.
“It’s an animal on Earth that looks like the Kerzak,” I explained. “Acts like them too.”
“And humans survive with them?” Bartuk shook his head in disbelief. Of course, it was hard to believe when even the Vaktaire had a fight on their hands when facing a Kerzak.
I snorted at him and turned back to the question at hand. “Why would Nansar bring him here?”
“That is the mystery.” Charick’s gaze bounced between Khaion and me, questioning.
“Duke Ako cannot know of Nansar’s dealings with the Kerzak. He despises them.” Khaion added, his face taking on a thoughtful expression.
“What can Nansar hope to gain?” I asked. “His reputation as a good guy is shot to hell after this, especially if I have anything to do with it.”
Khaion's lips quirked upward as though pleased by my bloodthirstiness. "Allies, maybe," Khaion suggested. "The Kerzak are among the few species that do not fear the Duke."
Bartuk cleared his throat, a low nervous sound that drew our attention. “I think it is time to make our escape.”
I followed Khaion toward the window, my heart thudding in my chest as I peeked around his shoulder into the darkness of the villa. A few candles flickered on the upper level, and a grove of thickly leafed trees stood beyond the courtyard. The hangar was visible to the right, silhouetted against a rippling night sky swirled with stars. Massive bodies trudged about, their grunts and growls muffled by the night. Nansar stood under the hangar, his white hair shining like a beacon.
“We need to get closer to hear what they are saying.” Charick frowned, his eyes darting over the landscape. His eyes were golden, like all the Vaktaire, but not shining, molten gold like Khaion. His were darker, an ochre color, full of mystery.
