Page 77 of Taming Chaos

“Plutharan!” Seph gasped. “We’ve been boarded!”

“By force, it seems. I think this is a raid.”

“Pirates?”

“That would be my guess. I’m going to let go of you so I can use my hands. Put your arms around me.” He took the plasma gun from the pouch at her waist and aimed it at the warring aliens. If any of them tried to touch Seph, Torin would blast them into oblivion.

Seemingly oblivious to them, the two big aliens flew past in a flurry of blood and fury, their red and gold skin contrasting so strikingly as they grappled with one another.

The Bartharran hooked an arm around the Plutharan’s neck and tried to choke him to death.

Boom! Another massive blast thundered from below. Several more Bartharrans came down the corridor, followed by Plutharans with long silver swords. Their blades rippled with blue static energy. The big, muscular Bartharrans moved surprisingly well, darting off the walls at great speed, navigating the zero-G like seasoned experts.

The passageway was starting to look a little crowded. Torin contemplated a hasty retreat, but he couldn’t take Seph back there. Catching the wrong end of one of those explosions could be devastating for her.

A thick curtain of smoke drifted toward them from the direction in which they had come, moving so slowly it almost appeared to be at a standstill.

Now they definitely couldn’t go back there. Torin could handle the smoke, but the others?

Not a chance in all the Nine Hells.

One by one, more aliens drifted into their space, arms and legs flying as they fought viciously. Knives came out. Electrocharged blades severed and cauterized limbs at the same time. A booted foot drifted past, having been removed from its owner’s leg.

Seph cursed in English and put a hand to her mouth, trying not to retch.

I need to get her out of here! Torin’s head was about to explode. The amount of danger Seph was in, and his inability to take her away from it all… it was driving him nuts.

Where the fuck to? Not up, not down, not backward, not forward. Maybe through the wall, but then he would briefly have to stop shielding her as he cut through the thick metal.

Debris and blood and pirates were flying all over the place, turning the narrow corridor into a topsy-turvy battlefield. The Bartharrans and the Plutharans seemed too caught up in their own vicious war to notice Torin and Seph, until…

A fierce, yellow-skinned Bartharran came flying straight at them, his long braids swirling about his face. His arms were outstretched, and in one hand was a silver blade.

Aiming straight for Torin’s eye.

Torin swore as he summoned his exo-helm, maneuvering his body so that Seph was completely protected. The Bartharran’s blade came swiftly, piercing the bare skin above his cheek just before his armor could fully form.

Another blast rumbled from below, rocking the ship. Torin whipped his sword out and removed the Bartharran’s head from his body.

Globules of blood floated into the air, along with the severed head. With a sharp intake of breath, Seph tucked her head in and closed her eyes.

Then her terrified scream split the chaos, sinking a great hook into Torin’s heart and pulling hard.

No! It was unforgivable that she should feel this way.

He looked down. Two more Bartharrans had appeared out of nowhere, and they were trying to grab her legs. Golden hands curled around her.

You do not touch my mate!

Torin aimed powerful kicks at their heads, the muscles in his arm flexing as he clung to the wall. In turn, Seph hung onto him for dear life. Finally, the Bartharrans released her as they were slammed into the floor with the force of his powerful kicks.

Seph clutched him tightly. Torin desperately wanted to drag her away and reassure her, but the Bartharrans weren’t done. They surrounded Torin and Seph, arms, blades, and legs flying from all directions. One of them managed to grab Seph by her upper arm, even as she held Torin tightly.

“Get the fuck off me!” She flailed about, trying to break free of the massive alien. Torin’s gun arm swung around, but the Bartharran was pressed right up against them, and he couldn’t unleash the plasma blast so close to Seph.

The flare would burn her. It could even kill her.

Chaos!

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