Hunted By The Alien Assassin by Ella Maven

Fourteen

Karina

The good news was that I was alive and on planet Torin according to the ship’s coordinates. The bad news was that I now had no idea what to do. I checked on Bosa, who I’d strapped into a pull-out bed pallet, and his condition hadn’t changed. Which meant, he was alive too.

There was a hole in the hull of the cruiser just large enough for me to squeeze my body through, and my first thought was to head out and yell for help, but then I remembered my dream. Bosa had told me not to go anywhere alone on his planet. There are lots of deadly things.

I drank some water, worry setting in when I saw how low I was on supplies. I was completely out of almost all the food, and the rest I had I would save for Bosa. The water was nearly gone, so I really didn’t have that much time before I would be forced to leave.

Still, I stayed put. His words in my dreams had saved us before, and Bosa had treated them with a strong reverence. I huddled next to his body in the darkened ship. Only a small emergency light remained glowing on the cockpit. The sky had a greenish cast to it, and outside the small windows, blue leaves swayed gently on a soft breeze. We were in some sort of forest, and I thought it looked beautiful and peaceful. I ached to get out of the cramped cabin of this cruiser.

Venturing near the hole in the hull, I peered outside. I could hear the soft trilling of some animals that sounded like avian chirps, as well as the snorted breathing of some ground foragers, like warthogs.

Curling my fingers around the singed edge of the hull, I stuck my head out just as a figure appeared between two trees in the distance. I ducked down immediately, and then crept over to the window, which I knew wasn’t transparent from the outside. More figures emerged—hairless cat-like creatures that walked on all fours with a plated hunchback. They stretched their long necks and called out with their wide mouths in a low, long tone as they marched forward in a huddled group.

They didn’t seem to be communicating with each other, really, and I found it odd they’d announce their presence to other predators. That is, until their calls began to feel familiar. I could have been wrong, but they seemed to be sending out signals into the air like sonar. If they lived on a planet where some creatures could blank and camouflage themselves completely, this must be a way to determine their location.

I shuddered, knowing if I had ventured out and tried to blank to hide from them, I wouldn’t have been successful. Their claws were long and wicked, and a club-like bone—the size of my head—on the ends of their tails swept the ground. Their sharp teeth made me think they were meat eaters. Which meant… they’d eat me.

Suddenly a cry pierced the air, and the creatures began to trill at each other, a different sound now as the formed a circle—the smaller ones in the middle—kind of like how elephants defended against an attack.

The creatures sent out their sonar sound again, and then quickly began an attack. They swiped with their clawed paws and lashed their tails into what looked like thin air. I squinted to get a better look, and just barely could make out the blurred outlines of figures.

The Kaluma. That had to be them. I watched in fascination as the creatures fought well. A few landed solid blows as the scales of a few Kaluma flickered as they were wounded. I thought about running out myself to help them, but I had no weapons, and I couldn’t leave Bosa alone.

Soon, the creatures must have admitted defeat, because the few that were left scattered into the forest. I once again raced to the hole in the hull and peered out just as a series of clicks echoed through the forest. An army of Kaluma appeared—a few a little bruised and bloody, but they seemed to relish the injuries. A large Kaluma with long white hair flowing down to his waist walked amongst the warriors. He didn’t wear anything fancy to distinguish him from the rest, but he walked with the air of a leader.

Still, I didn’t know if these were Bosa’s Kaluma. What if they were another group? Should I hide? My skin rippled, and when I glanced down at my hands, they weren’t there. I’d blanked, and maybe that was for the best, as the leader was making his way toward the hull… and me.

I darted over to Bosa and covered him quickly with a sheet before hunkering down next to him with the nearest weapon I could find—a wrench-like tool from the ship’s supplies. The Gattrix had taken Babe, and I mourned its loss.

A clawed hand curled around the hole and tugged. The thick metal peeled back like paper, and a trickle of cold sweat dripped down my spine. The leader didn’t step in, but instead a massive Kaluma—bigger than even Bosa, with short white hair and carrying a stick with a spiked ball on the end.

I began to shake. Behind him stepped the leader, who spotted the blanket on the floor covering Bosa. His nostrils flared, and his blue eyes flashed with anger as he reached down to pull back the blanket.

I didn’t think. Instinct made me lash out with the tool and catch him on the wrist. “Yerk!” he gasped as he jerked back his hand.

The large warrior next to him widened his stance and raised his club. “What happened?”

“Something just…” the leader tilted his head and then his eyes landed right on me, as if holding my gaze. His chest heaved, and it was like he could see into my soul. My breath stopped, my heart pounded, and then he said in a calm voice, “Show yourself.”

There was no brooking that command. I didn’t even have to do anything—my body reacted and the change came over me until I was once again a visible human, huddled over Bosa’s unconscious form. The leader’s eyes went wide, and the big warrior’s jaw dropped open.

“Who are you?” I asked, hovering over Bosa.

The leader crouched down on the balls of his feet slowly, as if I were a feral cat he wanted to coax out of an alley. “I’m Sherif.”

I inhaled sharply as tears pricked my eyes. “Oh, thank God.” Tearing off the blanket over Bosa, I pulled his head into my lap. “Help him,” I choked out. “Please.”

Sherif’s eyes blinked slowly just as the big warrior behind him let out a gasp and dropped to his knees.

I didn’t even protest when he gathered Bosa into his arms with a tight jaw.

He didn’t say a word, but concern and care were evident all over his face. He rose to his feet effortlessly holding Bosa in his arms. He nodded to me before marching out.

I noticed he walked very carefully to avoid hitting any part of Bosa on the sides of the ship. Flanking behind him as he left were two smaller warriors, nearly identical except for their hair shaved to the scalp on opposites sides of their heads.

I stumbled to my feet to go after them, but found my way blocked by Sherif. He continued to study me like I was a bug under a microscope. My skin itched and I nearly blanked again. I didn’t quite have the hang of it yet. It seemed to react to my emotions. “What… Where are you taking him?”

“Home,” he answered simply.

I licked my lips. “And… am I invited too?”

His eyes narrowed dangerously. “What are you?”

“I’m a human,” I whispered. “My name is Karina.”

“You’re not human,” his voice held a tinge of disgust that set my teeth on edge.

“I am,” I shot back. I tried to peer around his body to catch a glimpse of Bosa, but he was too damn big.

“Then how could you blank?”

“That’s a good question,” I snapped at him. Tired, hungry, and worried about Bosa, I was not in a mood anymore to be meek. “I have no idea. It just happened. You can ask me more questions later when I know if Bosa is okay. He said to tell you, Sherif, that I’m his linyx. So let me stay by his side because I flew his unconscious ass here all by myself.”

I said the last three words on my tiptoes, which still only brought me up to his chest.

Sherif didn’t look impressed by my tirade, but one word had gotten a reaction out of him. Linyx. His pupils had dilated, and his breath sped up.

“Have you mated?” he asked.

“That’s a personal question.” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.

“Karina?” A voice called from outside the ship. A feminine voice.

Sherif whirled around like his ass was on fire. “What are you doing here?” He hissed angrily.

A female Kaluma slightly taller than me stumbled into the ship. She wore a band across her breasts and a long skirt with a long slit up one thigh. An ornate necklace made of shiny stones that remind me of Mother of Pearl sat on her delicate collarbones. Her face lit up when she spotted me, her blue eyes squinting into a kind smile. “Karina?”

That voice… “Gurla?”

She let out a little squeak and rushed toward me, completely ignoring Sherif which I found… slightly dangerous. His glare hadn’t let up, and if looks could kill, Gurla would be burned on the spot. But she didn’t care, instead grabbing my hands in hers and squeezing them. “You made it. When we got word that a cruiser entered out atmosphere, I was so happy. You didn’t land properly though.” She glanced around with a small frown before once again smiling at me. “No matter though. You’re alive. Cravus is probably already at the settlement with Bosa.”

Relief coursed through me at her friendly tone. “Will he be okay?”

She patted my hand. “He’s still alive, which is the best we can hope for.”

“He was shot twice by laser fire,” I explained. “And then he had to blank for us to escape…” I grimaced. “It was all so much. I’m terrified he won’t be okay, that this was all for nothing.” The tears were coming now, my brave mask gone now that I could confide in Gurla. “If it wasn’t for me, he would have been home already, but he insisted on staying—”

“Karina,” she said softly. “No one tells Bosa what to do. He stayed because he wanted to be by your side.” Her fingers lightly played with my hair. “Such a pretty color. We’ll get you cleaned up and fed. Come on.” With her arm around my shoulder, she led me past Sherif, who hadn’t stopped glaring at me. I shot him a mean mug over my shoulder, which seemed to surprise him. His lips even curled up for a brief moment in what I thought was a smile before his scowl returned. “Gurla,” he said her name on a warning.

She sighed. “I know, I know. You’re mad I left. But I don’t care because you were doing exactly what I knew you’d do—interrogate the human.” She stopped and looked over her shoulder with a grim expression. “She got him home alive, Sherif. How would Bosa want you to treat her?”

“Bosa isn’t the pardux of this settlement,” he answered her.

“No, but he’s your friend. And he’s risked a lot for us. You know that.” With a nod of respect to her leader, she turned around and led me from the hull.

* * *

I could feel Sherif’s eyes boring into my back as we walked, but Gurla and I remained protected—surrounded by a contingent of Kaluma warriors—as we walked back to the settlement. Each warrior had different matz patterns on their chests and necks and carried a wide variety of weapons. Sherif wore two long blades strapped to his back like Deadpool, and the thought of him using them in battle filled me with curiosity. When he caught me looking at him, his eyes narrowed further, and I looked away quickly. What was up his ass?

Gurla whispered a few instructions to me to watch my step but other than that she didn’t talk, so I remained silent. The only sounds were the soft footfalls of the warriors, and I marveled how they could make so little noise despite how large they were.

Eventually, the tension in Gurla’s shoulders eased just as the forest opened and we began to tread on a worn dirt path. Up ahead, I could see the edges of a few low buildings, but it wasn’t until we reached the center of their village that I let out a gasp.

Bosa had told me what his home was like, but nothing compared to seeing it in person. Massive trees the size of redwoods stretched toward the sky, blue and purple leaves the size of cars swaying. Jutting out from the trunks were large mossy platforms, massive fungi the width of a house. And on each sat small, vine-covered dwellings. The sun had begun to set, and lights dotted the tree village, probably solar powered.

Long, thick vines hung down between the mossy pads, and I watched in awe as an older Kaluma warrior swung from vine to vine like a monkey before sliding down to the ground like a fireman on a pole. He gave a start when he saw me, and his eyes darted to Sherif.

I didn’t turn around to see what Sherif did, but it must have reassured the older Kaluma, because he gave a little nod before hurrying away.

“This is beautiful,” I said to Gurla. “Bosa told me about it, but this is… indescribable.”

She grinned. “Thank you. We’ve done a lot of work since…” her smile faltered for a second before she regained her composure, but this time the joy didn’t reach her eyes. “Anyway, we’ve worked hard recently to make it even better.”

I knew about the past of the settlement, but now wasn’t the time to say anything to her about it. I didn’t know what she’d suffered. So instead, I patted her hand and gave her my kindest smile. “And you’ve done wonderfully.”

Her smile returned and grew even wider when a voice called, “Gurla!” A Kaluma female who looked to be slightly older than Gurla based on the fine lines around her eyes hurried over, her skirt flapping behind her.

She didn’t seem surprised or startled to see me. Instead, she rushed up to me right away and stopped a foot away. She took me in from head to toe, not in a way that felt assessing but more… like a mother checks her children for injuries. She glanced at Gurla. “A little different from Tab, isn’t she?”

Who was Tab?

Gurla shrugged. “Not really. She was standing up to Sherif when I found them.”

I heard a snort behind me.

The older Kaluma beamed. “Ah, so the boldness is a human female trait, I see.”

“I wasn’t always bold,” I said. “But I had to stand up for myself. And Bosa.”

“I’m Wensla,” the older female said. “I’m the head of the females here, so if you have any trouble before you leave—not that I foresee trouble happening—you just let me know.”

“Before… I leave?” I asked.

Wensla’s head cocked. “Bosa said he planned to take you to Corin, our sister planet. The Drixonians there have… oh about a dozen human women so it only makes sense for you join your kind.”

“My kind…” I whispered. I turned to find Sherif watching me closely. He knew I had a bond with Bosa. Did that not matter? And was this what Bosa meant when he said we’d talk about our future? He mentioned taking me to Corin, but that plan certainly changed now… right? Suddenly I felt hot, dizzy, and weak. I rubbed my forehead. “Right, I guess… that’s what will happen. Um, where is Bosa?”

“He’s resting with our healer. We’ll take you to see him when he is finished.”

“I don’t want to wait,” I said, my voice low but firm.

Wensla blinked.

“Look human,” Sherif began from behind me, but Wensla shot him a look so deadly he stopped talking immediately. The females held some power in this settlement, apparently.

Wensla reached for me. “I understand, but the healer needs to be alone. It’s the best way to make sure Bosa recovers.”

I wanted to protest, but Bosa recovering was the highest priority, not my aching heart. Near tears, I just barely held myself in check. “Right…” My stomach growled and I pressed a hand to it. “Could I… bother you for some food?”

“Of course!” Wensla nearly shouted, suddenly flapping her hands. “What was I thinking? Gurla, take her to Bosa’s hut for now until we can set her up in an empty one. I’ll send someone up with food.”

Gurla ushered me toward a set of stairs etched into the trunk of one of the trees. The steps were slick with dew and moss. I slipped a couple of times, but Gurla caught me every time. She didn’t falter once. What was she, part mountain goat? I wished with all I had that I could hear Bosa’s voice. I didn’t care about eating. Or sleeping. I just wanted him. I wanted to stay here. But every minute that passed without Bosa at my side made the future I desired feel like it was slipping through my fingers.