Page 6 of Fractured Souls

Her link flashed in the darkness. They were coming. A unit consisted of six Enforcers. Would they be enough to take down this menacing Kordolian? Thomas and Del had managed to kill the other one, but they’d had the element of surprise… and it had cost them their lives.

The Kordolian inclined his head. He squatted on his haunches before her, his face just inches from hers. “You and your men killed Orshak. Tch.” He made a sound of disgust deep in his throat. What chilled her was that he didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered that she’d just stabbed his comrade in the fucking face. If anything, he was amused. “He was starting to get on my nerves anyway. No understanding of subtlety. Do not look so shocked, little human. This benefits me. And as for you…”

Fear mingled with the adrenaline pumping through her veins, and suddenly, Alexis felt like she was going to be sick.

The way the alien stared back at her from behind his inhuman visage… it reminded her of the way a scientist might study a specimen in a glass-walled lab.

Six minutes.

The alien’s visor came down, revealing an arrogant, sharp-featured face. He smiled, showing sharp pointed fangs.

Fangs! She hadn’t been informed about that particular detail.

His gaze was cruel and cold, but she couldn’t tell what color his eyes were, because the night-vis rendered her world in black-and-white.

A black-gloved hand darted out and ripped the glasses from her face. Instinctively, she put her hands up, blocking a blow that never came. Alexis blinked as darkness invaded her vision. All she could make out were darker shadows amongst darkness, and the faint silvery promise of the moon above the treetops.

“You are quite lovely,” he whispered, reaching out to trace her cheek. “I can see why your kind is in demand. I’m still of two minds as to whether I should fuck you and kill you, or take you for myself.”

Five minutes.

Both fates were unacceptable. She had to do something, even if it meant risking getting seriously hurt… or even killed.

She would not let this monster destroy her.

“Mmph!” From beyond came the desperate muffled sounds of protest and struggle. The human captives! Alexis turned her head in their direction, but she couldn’t see a thing.

The Kordolian let out a desolate chuckle. “They’re not going anywhere. They are well restrained now.”

While they were killing his partner, the alien had been restraining his captives.

Alexis recoiled in disgust. No empathy, no remorse. This Kordolian was a textbook sociopath… and there was an entire race of his kind out there, waiting to claim Earth for themselves.

Do something, or you’re dead!

“I’m surprised you wasted time restraining them while your buddy was busy getting himself kill—”

Alexis gasped as the Kordolian backhanded her with brutal precision, his armor-encased hand smashing against her cheek. She fell sideways, and she swore she felt part of her cheekbone shatter.

“I did not give you permission to speak,” he snapped, leaving Alexis to pick herself up from the ground. Her head spun. She couldn’t see anything but darkness.

Four minutes.

She rose up on her knees, spitting blood.

She tried to reach inside her jacket, desperate for the reassuring weight of a gun or metal grenade, but the alien tore off her jacket and tossed it away, revealing her bare arms and a tight Syntech tank top. He ran his hands over her arms, and the second-skin covering his fingers felt strange and reptilian.

He caressed her breasts, her waist, her hips. Hard fingers intruded between her thighs, probing through the thick fabric of her jeans.

Racked with pain, her vision stolen from her, all Alexis could do was cry out, her voice cracking, and she hated that she sounded so fucking helpless, so weak.

The alien wrapped his hands around her neck, almost cutting off her air supply as he leaned close and inhaled deeply.

“Delicious,” he whispered, taunting her. “All of this…”

What? Her fear? Her pain? Was he getting off on it?

The alien squeezed harder, and she gasped for air. Alexis grabbed his wrists and tried to break his grip, but he was inhumanly strong, with arms like reinforced steel.

---