The Alien’s Reward by Luna Kingsley
Chapter 24
Sarah
We’re wokenout of a dead sleep to the hurried sounds of guards rushing into the room. The lights go from dim to fully lit within seconds as the scientists move to the machines at our heads and begin messing with the buttons.
“What’s going on?” All four of us ask the same question to anyone who will listen. Unlike the last period of time that passed while we’ve been strapped to these beds, hooked up to these machines, there’s an urgency to their movements that strikes alarm inside of me. The presence of the guards doesn’t help. They haven’t been back to the room since the needles were forced into our arms.
“Be quiet and do what we say,” a guard says. He unlocks the restraints at my wrists before moving down to do the same to my ankles. I’d give anything to rub the soreness and irritation, but I can’t do anything until the needles are removed. In this bright light, I gasp when I get a good look at how badly my arms have bruised from the needles and drugs they’ve been pumping into my system. It’s the necessary motivation we need to remember our goal all along of getting out of here and finding our way to the cargo ship.
As soon as the scientist pulls the needles from my arms, the guard lifts me from the bed and throws me over his shoulder. There’s no time to protest or fight him because we’re already moving toward the door. “Where are you taking me?” I use my arms to lift on his back so I can see the hallway around us, but his arm is like a steel lock across my torso, preventing me from moving.
Seconds after I’m carried through the hallway, the rest of my friends appear behind me. We’re moving quickly and orderly but there’s an air of urgency about the situation that’s unsettling even though we’re the only ones in the corridor. The rest of the facility is quiet aside from the pounding of the guard’s boots on the ground and the irregular beating of my heart.
We reach a stairwell but once we’re inside, we’re met with a loud bang followed by hurried footsteps from above. The guards back away, slamming the door. “The stairs are compromised!” he yells.
We turn around but only go about halfway down the corridor when we stop again. The stairwell door opens as I lift my head in time to see Vah’all and Kraal storm through. Voices sound from the other direction, telling me they’re not alone.
“Vah’all!” Pure joy rings from my voice. All the pain and discomfort I’ve endured since being brought to this place eases as I take in my proud, fierce warrior. He’s more battered and bruised since I saw him last but then again, so am I. His turquoise blue eyes swim with emotion as he takes me in. His muscles tense, his fingers flexing like he needs to put them on me but he’s fighting it.
“My only,” he says, his deep voice vibrating through me like a mating call. Then he shifts his attention to the guard holding me when he turns around so I can’t see him any longer. “Give her to me now and I’ll consider allowing you to live.”
The guard grabs his weapon from his waist and I’m able to turn enough to see Vah’all’s talons grow before my eyes. The sharp, deadly weapons are back. Memories from the first time we met flash through my mind. Only this time, instead of destroying my ship with them, he’s going to use them to save me. Funny how things have come full circle.
The weapon fires with an explosive blast not far from my ears. I cover them but it’s too late. The ringing in my ears disorients me but the guard’s grip on me loosens. Just as I think I’m falling; I’m grabbed and pulled against a firm chest I immediately recognize. Vah’all’s arms tighten around me at the same time I throw my arms around his neck. The guard lies dead at our feet, four large bloody gashes cut through his chest all the way to his abdomen.
Vah’all moves us to safety while a bloody fight continues in the middle of the corridor. “The girls…” I say, watching closely to make sure someone is going to help them.
“Don’t worry,” Vah’all says, “our priority is to rescue the females. They will not be harmed.”
His arms tighten around me as he drops his head to kiss me. It isn’t long or passionate, but just enough to express how happy he is to have me back in his arms safe and sound.
Within minutes, Vah’all’s warriors have successfully put an end to the research guards. The scientists didn’t fight them, so they’re now bound and locked in a room while we make our escape. We all move to the roof while I continually check behind us to make sure Maren, Trinity and Willa are following.
“The cargo ships are on the roof,” Vah’all says. He’s still holding me in his arms even though I think I could walk. I’m weak, though, so I don’t fight it. After being so vulnerable and used in here, Vah’all’s strong embrace is the safety and reassurance that will get my mind right again. When he’s with me, I truly believe no one else can hurt me.
“Where will we go? Won’t everyone be after us now?” I ask.
“There’s so much that has happened in a short time. You’ll be safe at the compound for now. I know that isn’t a permanent answer but there is still so much to figure out.”
He carries me to the cargo ship, and we load quickly. As soon as it’s full, the engine roars to life and we’re lifting into the air. “Where are the other women?” I ask.
“In the other cargo ship or being flown separately by a warrior. We don’t want to take all of you together in case we’re followed. It would make it too easy for you to be recaptured if that’s their plan.”
I try to relax against him and allow the safety and security that he brings to pass from him to me. But the gravity of our situation is sinking in. How could we ever have a happily ever after on Bameh when we would always be hunted? There’s nowhere we could go that someone wouldn’t be looking for us. It would be impossible to settle down and start a family. And if we did, would there always be those on Bameh who would consider our child an abomination? I got swept up in the passion of all of this but never stopped to consider how it would end. After going through all of this? I have my answer: it will end badly.
“Ships in pursuit,” a voice says over the loudspeaker, breaking the silence in the ship.
Warriors burst into action, moving into position. We’re toward the back of the ship near the large guns but Vah’all doesn’t make a move to leave me to fill that station. He tightens his hold on me while the others handle our defenses.
When the guns begin firing, I slam my hands over my ears to cut down on the noise, but it doesn’t do much. The ship suddenly feels too small, like it’s a challenge to take a deep breath now that warriors are moving around, and guns are firing so loud I can feel it in my body.
“Fliers in the sky!” the same voice says.
I glance back at Vah’all, my expression full of questions. “What does he mean?”
Before he can answer, a loud ripping sound rivals the volume level of the guns. Then, a huge panel of the back of the ship tears free, leaving a gaping hole. An alien appears in the opening, scans the area before latching onto me with a clawed arm and pulling me toward the opening all in the matter of seconds.
The ship begins to plummet, forcing Vah’all to grip me tighter and push me toward the hole and the alien waiting to abduct me again. A fight ensues between Vah’all and this other alien while I’m clinging to his body from below. The constant swoops and dives make me scream and cling with all my life. But I still don’t have my strength back and the constant jolts loosen my arms.
“Vah’all!” I shout as soon as I feel myself slipping. He reaches out and grabs me, but the sky is full of winged aliens with their eyes on me. Another one sneaks in from below, snatching my body away from Vah’all. In my panic, I wriggle free.
This time, I’m free falling. My arms are outstretched above me, waiting for Vah’all to grab me because he’s always been the one to catch me when I’ve fallen before. But this time, I don’t stop until I reach the cold water below. My body drops like a stone, falling into the murky depths. Finally, it’s quiet. No more gunfire or shouting. Only quiet, cold peacefulness until my lungs begin to burn and I’m forced to push myself back toward the surface.