To Catch A Warrior [Unearthly World Book 5] (12 page)

“The creature must be something you have manifested.”

“I have no mind powers; I’m not crazy,” she screamed. “It’s coming closer.”

“Having powers doesn’t
mean
you’re crazy. But you’re letting the powers
make
you crazy with manifested fears. Make it stop, Zabbie,” Titus bellowed as a warrior was consumed, then another, overwhelmed by the thick smoke. Titus couldn’t see his warriors anymore.

Titus turned and stopped, the thick fog surrounded them. The faces were floating inches from them. All vacant stares, circling around each other. Tendrils of the white substance reached for Zabbie. His warriors were choking on smoke, Titus could hear them coughing. Jagged teeth protruded from a black mouth. The faces tilted to one side then another. Titus could feel Zabbie’s heart pound. In the smoke he heard the warriors gasping and gagging for breath.

“The Gorgano came,” Zabbie said as he set her on her feet. She seemed dazed, her words a loud whisper. “Oh, God. I remember. They came and they killed us one by one. Each time our minds were invaded by thought, each time I grew stronger and they never knew. I killed the Gorgano that came to the planet until they stopped coming, I was so angry. I boarded our vessel from Earth, we had hidden it, and somehow I fixed it. It was blown up the second I ran from it into their ship’s hangar. But there was no one alive on the ship that I boarded, at least none I saw, the ship was too big to search everywhere and I had to run.

“I must have destroyed my shuttle because that’s what the Gorgano would have done; in my thoughts I knew they would blow it up. I found the hangar bay. I took a smaller shuttle, one of the Gorgano’s, alone, away from the Gorgano vessel. I escaped.

“This place in the cavern wasn’t here, where we’re standing wasn’t here to begin with. I created it. Each time the Gorgano came, I grew stronger, but I didn’t know how to save them, my friends. We had to hunt, we needed the food, I made this place all wrong. We couldn’t hunt, the animals disappeared, only the fruit stayed edible. We would have had to kill what I created, I was responsible for what I created and I couldn’t kill the animals. It hurt too much the first time I tried. I’m useless. I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you.
I’m so sorry
.”

She was sobbing as she shouted the last to the faces hovering inches from them. Titus pulled her closer, her misery was killing him. She sounded so defeated, she had been through hell. His poor little warrior. Zabbie blamed herself when there was nothing she could have done. The Gorgano were too strong. It was a miracle she escaped. Titus began to wonder if the Tonans and Gorgano engaged so long ago before joining forces. A battle would explain her references to both aliens and her escape if there was confusion.

“I’m sorry,” Zabbie whispered.

The faces before them disintegrated in the breeze. Tiny glimmering molecules fluttered high overhead. Everything faded. Everyone was standing back in the cave. His warriors gazed around, all were fine. Zabbie turned in his arms. Her gaze was hollow.

“I lost so much, so many,” she said. “How could I forget?”

“It’s alright,” Titus said. “I’m here with you. It’s time to take you home.”

Titus could see Cy standing to his left, scowling. The other warriors looked wary. Titus gathered Zabbie close. Her little body was shivering. Their entire mission was a hoax. But Zabbie finally understood and admitted she had been altered. How altered would remain to be seen.

Zabbie watched the heavens zip by. She sat on Titus’s large bed dangling her bare feet. Her other furs remained on but she liked the feel of the air slipping between her toes as she swished her legs back and forth. When they returned to the ship Zabbie asked to go to his quarters, she saw the looks the warriors gave her. They were nervous having her around. She wondered if Titus was. As if thinking of him made him appear, he strolled into the bedroom.

“Are you afraid of me?” Zabbie asked.

Titus knelt before her and gathered her hands into his. “No.”

“Your warriors are.”

“My warriors are fearless, but cautious.”

“How could I have done so much and not realized it?”

“Trauma. Zabbie, you watched the Tonans slaughter your friends, you watched the Gorgano invade and kill. Nineteen people gone. I’ve heard how volatile Earth was and is. All of that you survived to end up alone. Fear, death, loneliness can do strange things to anyone.”

“The Gorgano and I alone was so real.”

“Maybe it was. Maybe you destroyed all but a single Gorgano on the vessel. Maybe when it escaped so did you. Maybe the only way to keep itself safe was to take you back into your memories.”

“There must be something missing. Why would I fire on your ship?”

“Because that’s what the Gorgano do. None of the blasts damaged my vessel.”

“What if I blow up this ship?”

Titus rose to sit beside her. He slung an arm around her shoulder drawing her against his chest.

“Zabbie, you have never hurt any of us. The smoke hurt you more; my warriors can filter a great deal of toxins. All of them tell me any choking or gasping we heard wasn’t real, they were fine, the smoke surrounded them but never touched them. When we get to my home, we can work on discovering what you’re capable of. Some of the human females I’ve encountered had no clue how powerful they were until placed in an extreme situation. You have been placed in so many situation, but the Gorgano’s ability was never explained to you. Everything will be fine.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I say so and I’ll make it fine.”

He sounded so sure of himself she wanted to believe him. “I’m so confused, Titus. I don’t know what’s real in my life anymore.”

Titus hooked a finger under her chin and made her look at him. “I’m real.”

“I hope so. Sometimes I worry I’m on the planet and I’m sleeping and the fire is creeping closer. I envision a huge wall of protection. The dark wall forms in my mind blocking my vision of the fire.”

A voice sounded in Titus’s room. “Captain,” it was Cy.

“I was asked not to be disturbed.”

“Fine, but I thought I should mention a large wall of meat was created in the eating hall. A few replicators went nuts and began tossing meat. Strategic meat, Titus. It’s standing in the middle of the fucking floor. If I didn’t know better I’d swear it was taunting us. We go close and it begins to sway. Fucking creepy. Your little mate isn’t by chance feeling threatened by food, is she?” Cy’s tone was condescending.

Titus sighed then grinned. “Still think you’re alone on a planet?”

“Sorry. I was thinking of the wall and also thinking how hungry I was, so he wasn’t far off the mark.”

Zabbie felt her face flame red.

“Well, I know of a meat wall we could check out,” Titus said.

“Do you want me to concentrate and try and bring it down?”

“Maybe you better not…”

“Fuck, Titus,” it was Cy again. “Fucking ninja meat.”

Zabbie groaned and flopped backwards on the bed. “This is going to prove to be very difficult.”

Titus laughed. “For all of us.” He clicked the console at the side of his bed. “Status report, Cy.”

“Evasive maneuvers, Captain. Every mouth for itself.”

Titus climbed over her pressing her into the bed. He gripped her under her arms and pulled her to the pillows. He kept most of his weight from crushing her. Zabbie traced her finger down his forehead to the tip of his nose.

“All this time, I never knew. It’s been me all along,” she said.

Titus captured her finger to kiss the tip. “What happened to your hair?”

“A Gorgano really did burn it off. We were mind battling, the images are hazy. I think that’s how it intended to take my furs from me. Another memory I blocked. He tried to burn me alive, instead I burned the Gorgano. I’m still having trouble with my memories of what’s real.”

“You may always have some trouble with past memories but the ones you make now will be yours forever. You went through an ordeal and then some.”

“I have always tried to be a strong woman, but right now I’m a little scared of me.”

“You don’t need to be scared.”

“But look at what I put us through.”

“Have we suffered? The warriors will get over being pink. Think of what happened as though it was an adventure.”

“You are an adventure.”

“One that will never end.”

When his head dipped, Zabbie leaned to meet his lips. His tongue was soft and warm. Her tumultuous emotions needed strength to settle but she was too worn out. She broke their kiss and sought refuge, her face pressing into his throat to hide. This was a side of her she hated. Memories of feeling lost and alone resurfaced. She lived each moment as her last for so long, too long.

“Titus can you make me feel alive? I lost that emotion somewhere, I want it back, I need it back. I told you I wanted to live each day as my last. It’s because every day was my last, then every hour, then every minute. It became common place. I need to see a tomorrow if there’s to be a today.”

He gripped her throat in his hand to push her back against the pillows, the pressure firm though gentle. The intensity in his gaze warmed her skin. He released her throat and slipped his fingers into the fur she wore. Their eyes never broke contact as he ripped the hide from her, he was in battle mode, his nails were razors.

When he reached her middle, exposing her breasts, he rose to hover over her. Broad shoulders, powerful arms expanded sending them deeper into the mattress. Zabbie lowered her hand to trace the outline of his hard cock against the fabric of his pants. Steady fingers slid up then down caressing.

Titus shivered and sucked in his breath. His fingers were in the top of her fur near her waist. The tips of his knuckles slipped against her lower lips as the fur was torn. For a brief moment, as his flesh connected with her heat, he remained motionless. Zabbie lifted her hips to press against him. A single knuckle rubbed her nub.

“I want you, warrior.”

Her words were whispered but she knew he heard her.

“You will have me today,
tomorrow
and any time in between. No more risks, little warrior.”

His grunting growl was a warning she knew he expected her to heed. She nodded as best as she could as he pulled her fur from her and tossed it to the floor. Titus gripped her thighs and spread her before him. His knuckle returned to ravish her nub while she moaned. She reached her arms over her head to press against the flat wall.

Remaining in battle mode, Titus leaned down and kissed her folds. His hot tongue darted inside of her making her squirm. A snarling growl rumbled within his throat. Each of his fingers tightened on her flesh when he pressed them into the inside of her thighs to spread her further. She was vulnerable, his teeth were large and sharp, his nails weapons. The points of his black fingernails were millimeters from her skin. One slip and she would bleed. One slip and she could be taken from him. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but for a second, a single moment, she was afraid.
Of him and of losing him
. He had become that important. The idea was astounding, with her sudden fear came her love of life.

Titus rose over her and bellowed a war cry making her shiver and jump. He pressed his forearm high across her chest, pinning her. She cried out when he plunged into her making her take all of him. The sheer pleasure of the pain was welcomed. She lifted her legs to wrap around him. She could let herself feel fear if only for a second. He was massive, he was a warrior. Zabbie was strong but it was alright to let someone be strong for her.

The motion of his thrusts slowed. “I can sense you won your battle. The smell of fear is gone. A warrior has a great ability to scent emotion. Acceptance and surrender has given many of my conquests leniency.”

“When you Holiday?”

“When I Holidayed in the past. And when I battle.”

“Do you miss the battle leading up to a Holiday?”

“No. There is no urge to battle you.”

“Do you belong to me?” Zabbie asked.

He chuckled. “Yes.”

Zabbie wrapped her arms around his forearm and clung tight. Titus pulled from her and plunged deep. Zabbie was thrust up and pulled down. She had a new life, and she wanted to live it, she wanted to feel it. She gripped him harder, demanding more of his weight, more of his strength. The bed was bouncing under her; the entire world was in motion.

Calling his name, Zabbie came with his last powerful thrust. She was exhausted, her legs limp spaghetti from the wild ride. She groaned when he pressed his body against her, his breathing as ragged as hers.

A voice came over the intercom as Titus rolled off of her to settle by her side. “Captain? I know I shouldn’t disturb you, but I wanted to report the ship was rocking like crazy. It’s stopped now. Sorry to have bothered you.”

“Oh—dear,” Zabbie said. She couldn’t help it; she laughed then quieted feeling the slow blush creep over her face.

A disgruntled growl reached her ears. “Damn it, I should have known.” Cy didn’t sound happy.

* * * *

“Can you tell me what you remember?”

Zabbie was gazing up at Finn while sitting on a high table. Titus’s healer was a good warrior; he was also kind and patient. Zabbie didn’t look concerned or afraid but Titus was learning she hid her emotions well. She wasn’t as good hiding emotional scent. She wasn’t distant, more wary of harming someone.

“I remember leaving Earth. Watching the ground as we battled a storm. There was a tornado in the far distance, cities were in rubble. I remember feeling so sad I had to leave my home. But excited for a new start. Many shuttles left that day. The trip would be long, but we had food and water. We spent time getting to know each other. I made friends. We heard some conversation between the shuttle and Ulsy but the captain, Damon switched to head phones when talk became disturbing.

“Rumor was spreading of how evil the Tonans were. Some swear they had seen a Tonan in a grey shield. There were crazy rumors of a Tonan helping humans, but that was too impossible to believe. The only feedback from Ulsy became the same president repeating the same thing over and over. It was an obvious loop. All of us started wondering what to do, fear was palpable. Our captain, Damon, changed course and we were all in agreement. None of us knew what to expect when he spotted a distant planet. We landed on the planet; it was rough and the shuttle did actually crash. No one was hurt. Damon was an outstanding pilot, he saved us.