Page 46 of Scars & Starlight
Not wasting any time, I look around for something to hide behind. Sadly, recycling containers are the closest barrier I can find. One direct hit and they’ll be history. The paper and plastic containers are already tipped to the side, the mixed waste one surprisingly still standing. Probably thanks to lazy people not bothering to separate their trash, making the contents of that one heavier.
I launch myself behind it, skidding on the uneven ground. The nanite armor prevents road burn and cushions the impact to a barely-there sensation.Nice.
A vicious smile grows on my face at hearing the power-up of Kai’s weapon, followed by a Ghorvek’s enraged shriek.That’s my sexy, super-capable malien. I peek around the corner of my makeshift shield. One bastard is on the ground, unmoving, and the other is engaged in a punch-and-dodge dance with my prince. Where the hell is the third, though?
Trash crunching under heavy footfalls alerts me to the missing foe’s approach a moment too late.
“Fuck!” I hiss, rolling to the side just as a jagged sword impales the ground where I was crouching a moment ago.
“Tara!” Kairen roars from behind my cover. I don’t have the breath in me to reply as I roll again, putting some distance between the sword and my neck.
I scrabble backwards like a crab, my suit keeping me safe from the shards of glass on the ground. When the Ghorvek steps forward, easily diminishing the distance between us, and raises his weapon again, I remember the palms of my hands are weapons now, too. I lift one up and will my nanites to do the brain cooking thing I’ve seen Kairen do. I feel warmth and a slight change in pressure before my hand flies back from the expelled blast.
This one has a kickback – noted.
Whatever kind of energy the mind-scrambling pulse is made of, it dissipates before it reaches the hulking alien, and I quickly lift my other hand, now bracing myself for the pushback. This time, I hit the Ghorvek’s side, making it roar with anger and stumble back.
“Take that, you giant pustule,” I snarl at it, and use the moment of distraction to dive for my dropped gun. Before my fingers can wrap around the handle, a massive boot lands on my wrist. The nanite armor absorbs most of the weight, but not all of it, and I grunt as my bones groan in protest. I lift my free hand and try to aim the pulse mindlessly, though I can’t focus enough to do anything. It doesn’t take long for the first bone in my hand to snap with a loud crack.
I shriek in pain, unable to hold it in, and my vision blurs with awave of tears. I can’t believe I’m going to die with my face down in the dirt behind dumpsters.
Before I can fully process the change in circumstances, the weight is gone, the alien disappearing like it never was. Ashes land on my eyelashes as I look up at a panting Kairen, his face pale and eyes bloodshot. I glance at my wrist as it starts to tingle, then wince when the bone sets, the nanites having obviously numbed the area somewhat, or I’d probably be passing out right now.
“Tara?” Kairen breathes, his voice full of uncertainty.
“I’m okay,” I rush to reassure him, then flex my hand and wave my fingers to make sure everything is back in its place.
Kai gives me a hand and I gratefully take it, unsure of whether my legs can hold my weight. I think I’m in shock. I lean against him, and we just breathe for a minute, neither saying anything. When I finally center myself, it hits me just how lousy he looks.
“Are you injured?” I ask in a panic. I’ve never seen him look so gray. “What happened?”
My prince shakes his head, dark tresses clinging to his sweat-soaked brow.
“I’m not injured. I expended too much of my nanites’ bio energy in my rage. I wasn’t thinking straight – I just wanted to burn the Ghorvek scum down to the ground for touching you.”
“That’s kind of hot,” I reply breathlessly, and he huffs out a small laugh.
“Want me to set things on fire next time before we make love?” he asks provocatively.
I smirk up at him. “Only my enemies.”
“Your enemies are my enemies, my love,” he whispers against my lips, and for a moment, I forget that there are ashes of dead hulking aliens all over me. I lean forward and press my mouth against his. The kiss soon turns wild and dangerous, all-consuming, full of hunger. It’s a confirmation of life among death. In the heat of passion, I bite down on his lower lip, waking up from the haze once the taste of blood registers on my tongue.
I jerk back and press my fingers against my mouth. “Shit, sorry, I wasn’t thinking, are you even okay to be kissing, I mean, you look kind of peaky, to be honest, you probably should sit down and rest, I shouldn’t be climbing all over you like a cat in heat and–”
Kairen closes my mouth with his, continuing where we left off for a minute or two longer.
“I wasn’t ready to stop,” he explains once our mouths part, gentler this time. I nearly swoon, and it’s a good thing his arms are around me. “Come on, let’s return to the Talon,” Kairen suggests.
“Yeah,” I agree on a sigh. “If anyone’s still here, they’re unlikely to come out now.”
We lean on each other as we walk back to the pond, though I’m admittedly doing more of the leaning and he’s doing more of the supporting. When we pass my house, I stop to take one last, long look, Kai waiting with me without a question.
I don’t know when I’m going to come here next, if I ever will be. Just as I don’t know if I’ll ever see my family again, or find out what happened to them. I wish I were one of those people who can sense that their siblings are out there. If I only knew that they’re alright, that they started a new life somewhere, I’d be happy.
“Once communication is restored, we’ll make it easy for them to contact you,” Kairen says to the backdrop of the frog’s orchestra. Guess they were hiding from the Ghorvek this entire time.
I look up at my kindhearted alien and see that his eyes are soft and understanding.
