There had to be dozens of them.

  “Move it,” she said, pushing me.

  I stumbled and landed on the shaft into the ship.

  “You fucking—” A shriek stole her attention. Her eyes widened before she flung herself away from a monstrous pair of talons aiming for her face.

  She lost her balance and slipped down the roof, toward the edge.

  I grabbed her arm just before she flung to her doom.

  “Shit, shit, shit!” she squealed as she squirmed around, feet dangling above a life-ending fall. “Pull me up! Hurry and pull me!”

  Another metaleater soared around, aiming for her vulnerable figure.

  I flung her up just before it sliced her in half.

  She thumped against my chest. Her blue pilot jacket acted as a buffer between us, but it couldn’t hide her petite figure. Or the breakneck thumping of her heart. She was taller than Casella but a few inches my junior. Her head only came up to my chin. She had to crane her neck to look me in the eyes from this intimate distance.

  Her thick pale lips parted. “Than—”

  Blistering squawks cut her off.

  “No time. In,” I said, shepherding her into the shaft.

  Talons scraped across the roof moments after I’d followed.

  “I told you this would happen,” she said as we rushed down the ladder.

  “Where did they come from?”

  “Like I know. They just pop out of nowhere and gobble up ships. Hence the name, metal—”

  As if summoned by her, a metaleater punched its beak through the hull and forced its head into the tunnel. It squawked and snapped at my companion’s feet.

  She shrieked and scrambled up.

  I dropped and slammed my boot into its face.

  The monster whined but didn’t give. Nor did it break.

  I didn’t put so much as a dent into its skull.

  How tough is this thing? It’s like trying to punch through a brick wall.

  With how my strength had grown, a wall no longer seemed like much of a challenge. Comparing one to this monster was an insult to the metaleater.

  While I didn’t manage to crush its skull, all my kicking did force it back outside.

  “Shitting hell. You’re a total brute,” she said from her new spot clinging to my chest.

  “That a compliment?” I asked.

  “And then some.”

  We continued down the ladder with the sound of screeching metal and roaring monsters echoing from all sides.

  As soon as we touched down, I rushed into the cockpit. “Casella!”

  There was nobody there.

  They’re still not back?!

  “What are you doing?” my partner said. “We gotta go.”

  “My mate. I need to find her.”

  “Are you… dammit. Where is she?”

  I listened to my instincts. There was an unmistakable flicker. “This way,” I said, charging into the darkness.

  It probably would have been better if things had stayed pitch black. Light started leaking into the once deserted corridors courtesy of their metal flesh being eaten away. Snapping jaws and butchering talons poked through the ship’s walls like a pencil punching through tracing paper. It was only a matter of time until there was no ship left.

  My connection with Casella guided us to the bowels of the ship where a sinister echo rumbled through the tunnels.

  A monster was fighting to enter a small room. Bursts of orange fire shot back.

  “Faris!” I yelled. Clenching down, I bum-rushed the distracted metaleater.

  The monster stumbled and crashed through the tunnel. It unsettled the crumbling architecture, bringing the ceiling down on its head.

  I clutched my aching shoulder and burst into the room, through the barricade. “Casella! Faris!”

  A panting Faris stood in the room’s center upon shaking legs.

  “Brandon?!” Casella said as she appeared from the room’s back. She rushed over and threw herself into my arms. “I just knew you were safe.”

  “Casella,” I responded, squeezing her with all my might. Even though I trusted my instincts, nothing eclipsed having the real deal safe in my arms.

  “Is that a zerrin princess?” the pale girl said.

  Casella gasped. “Who are you?”

  “Name’s Trez. I’m—”

  “Enough,” Faris panted. “Monsters… what are…”

  “Metaleaters,” Trez said. “They’re ripping this place to bits and they’ll have us too if we don’t get outta here.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I said. “Let’s go.”

  Three of us went. One of us remained. Faris didn’t go anywhere.

  “Forget the ship,” I called back. “Our survival comes first.”

  “Mission,” Faris panted. “Must… com—”

  The next sound was her body hitting the floor.

  I froze.

  “Faris!” Casella yelled. She rushed back and shook Faris’s shoulders. “Get up, Faris.” When Faris didn’t respond, Casella looked our way. “She’s not moving!”

  Trez darted over and checked up on Faris. “She’s still breathing.”

  “What happened to her?” I asked.

  “She’s passed out.” Trez stroked Faris’s face. “She’s ice cold! How long’s she been stuck here?”

  “A week, maybe?”

  “A week?! Wearing this?!” Trez’s features turned more ashen. “That ain’t good. Big guy, grab her. We gotta go.”

  “Right.” I heaved Faris into my arms, something I wouldn’t have been able to manage before meeting Casella.

  Faris’s armor was like a block of ice. Her tail, which grazed my knuckles, was no warmer.

  Of all the times for Faris to collapse. She may not be my mate, but I won’t abandon her.

  The squawking ceiling-trapped metaleater rattled around, trying to free itself from its prison.

  “This way,” Trez said, taking over leading duties.

  I glanced at Casella. “Make sure you stay close to me.”

  “Please, don’t worry about me,” Casella said. “Miss Faris needs you more than I do.”

  I tightened my hold of Faris. “I’ll protect her. Don’t worry.”

  There was a massive gash sliced into the ship’s hull. Whether it was from the crash or the metaleaters, I didn’t know. Regardless, it was a way out.

  “We’re gonna run,” Trez said. “The ship’s their main goal. They’ll leave us alone if we put some distance between us… I hope.”

  “Hold on, Faris,” I said.

  When the coast was as clear as it could be, we charged from the ship and made for the woods.

  The metaleaters noticed us. They squawked and set after the side dishes trying to escape from the main course.

  I glanced back at the two black masses swooping for us.

  “Ignore ‘em. Get in the trees!” Trez yelled.

  What should have been a small clearing turned into a half-marathon with our lives at stake. I’d never been so consciously aware of how much the snow stifled anything resembling speedy movement.

  The wicked teeth-filled monster mouths breathed down our necks.

  I closed my eyes and concentrated everything I had on moving forward and in making it into the forest.

  Moments later, there was a loud crash.

  Outspread wings tackled into the trees. One lousy trunk wasn’t enough to slow them down, but an army, commanded by silver-barked tanks, stopped them from getting any deeper.

  I gasped and looked back at their snapping mouths catching nothing but air. “Is everyone okay?”

  Casella was bent over, puffing and panting. “Yes, my Brandon. There is no need to worry about me.”

  “What you all getting comfy for?” Trez complained. “See what scaly’s wearing? That’s practically an appetizer. Leave the celebrations for when you don’t remember what a metaleater looks like. I’ve got a place nearby. We can crash there.”

  We accepted Trez’s offer and left the metaleaters, and our way home, behind.

  Chapter 14

  It took us ten minutes to reach Trez’s cave.

  There was no sign of the metaleaters. However, there also wasn’t any indication that Faris was going to wake.

  “In ‘ere,” Trez said, pushing aside a white curtain she’d used to hide the entrance.

  Smart.

  It was larger than our previous caves. You had to wander through a tunnel to reach the interior. That was lit up by glowing blue rocks bulging from the ceiling. They were an eye-catching attraction but not as much as the cave’s centerpiece.

  In the middle of the room, letting off a warmth alien to the land outside, was a pool. An underwater hot spring.

  “You like?” the grinning Trez said. “Strip scaly and drop her in. Need to get her warmed up.”

  I did as instructed, removing both her armor and her undersuit. It was my first time seeing Faris’s body in the flesh. She was incredibly well toned, which wasn’t exactly unexpected. The fitness magazines would throw money at a body like hers.

  If her muscles were to be expected, the size of her firm breasts were not. While they couldn’t compete with Casella’s, a trait shared by most, they were comfortable larger than the majority of human women would ever be able to achieve naturally.

  There was no mistaking her alien heritage. Her limbs were more reptilian than human. Red scales monopolized the elbow and knee down; her nails were replaced with sharp claws. She didn’t have any wings, putting a dent into her dragon ancestry. What actually lined her back was something she didn’t deserve, at least according to me. Scars. Plenty of scars.

  They were different to those you’d get in combat. I’m no expert but you could tell they weren’t battle wounds. The criss-crossing marks were the work of something trying to hurt, punish, torture.

  I ground my teeth.

  What sort of bastard would do this to somebody?

  I had a bad feeling about who the culprit could be. I couldn’t get Faris into the spring fast enough. Her caramel skin was painfully pale and cold to the touch.

  Anything less than red hot didn’t fit her right.

  “She will be okay, yes?” Casella said.

  “Probably,” Trez mumbled. “Her kind don’t like the cold. I can’t believe she made it this long.”

  “What about that big fancy suit of hers?” I said. “Doesn’t it have internal heating or something?”

  Trez checked the discarded armor. “Once upon a time, sure. Not since she landed here.”

  “She’s been struggling all this time and hasn’t said a word?” I said. “Can’t say I’m surprised. Dammit, Faris.” Of course an alien dragonoid could catch hypothermia. Breathing fire didn’t mean she was immune to feeling nippy.

  I can’t put all the blame on her. I noticed she looked off and let it slide.

  I wouldn’t have neglected Casella like that.

  Trez appeared with an injection pen and applied it to Faris’s arm. “This should keep her stable. And the water’s nice and hot. If she ain’t too far gone, she’ll wake up soon.”

  “Please, Faris,” Casella mumbled. “You’re the closest thing to a friend I’ve ever had. Please, don’t die.”

  I rubbed Casella’s head. “I’m sure she’ll pull through. You know how tough she is. These soldier types don’t die easy.”

  Casella sniffled and looked at me with her big puffy eyes. “Really and truly?”

  “Really-really. She’ll be awake before you know it.”

  Honestly, I had no clue if what I was saying was true. But it made Casella smile so that was good enough for me.

  “Enough waterworks. You guys look like you could do with some grub,” Trez said, revealing two packets of what looked sort of like instant noodles.

  She’d tossed away her jacket, leaving herself in a black vest. It showed off more of her pale lithe figure and the bands of white fluff running up her arms. It was like she was wearing cold-resistant bracers.

  “Where’d you get this?” I said, snatching up the first bit of processed food I’d seen since being abducted.

  “Swiped it from the ship,” Trez said. She dragged over a box and popped it open, revealing a bounty of goods. “I’ve also got drinks, medicine, clothes, and weapons. The last lot doesn’t do shit so don’t even ask.”

  Well this solves the mystery of who raided the storeroom.

  That means it wasn’t Keith or Red…

  “Have you seen another ship around here?” I asked.

  “Nope. Should there be?”

  I nodded. “It’s the one I came on. My friend might be on it. I need to know if he’s okay.”

  Trez hummed as she cracked open what looked like a protein bar and dug in. “So there was a second one?” She grumbled. “Bet the metaleaters have had it already. If that one had working power, I swear to…” She stopped throttling the bar and composed herself. “I’m gonna be honest. I wouldn’t be counting on seeing your friend again. First, they’ve actually got to get through the whole ‘crashing’ part. And then you’ve got to survive out here. Some real nasty monsters about. Makes back home look safe. Not everyone’s got a zerrin gal on their side.”

  My zerrin gal was chewing on an unappealing looking lump of gray food. She made sure to clear her mouth before she began to speak. “It is not as you imagine. My mate saved me. I would be resting in the evergarden if it wasn’t for him.”

  “So that whole hero business is just your usual style?” Trez said. “All your kind like that? What is your kind anyway?”

  “I’m a human.” I explained how we were a still undocumented species, in the grand scheme of the universe, and that I’d been abducted by pirates.

  “Fucking pirates. Bunch of scumbags,” Trez growled. “I’d say you lucked out crashing. Nothing good was coming for you. Trust me. Now look at you. Mated to a zerrin and surrounded by hotties if I say so myself.” She cupped her chest. “What’d you think? I know they ain’t much but I’m still kinda tasty.”

  I know some guys view big breasts as the be-all and end-all of the female appearance, but not me. I could appreciate a petite girl like Trez. She was a lithe thing with a tight body and a wonderful behind.

  Obviously, I’d noticed. The tightness of her bottoms didn’t help. It was a losing battle from the start.

  She was even more charming with a cheeky smile on her face. You could say she was like the girl next door, if you happened to live next to a mansion filled with alien supermodels.

  Tasty was selling her short. Trez was mouth-watering.

  I flinched when I realized how intently I’d been looking. “Is this really the time?”

  “Simmer down,” she said. “If you’re worried about scaly, she’ll be awake any minute now… probably.”

  Truly, it wasn’t just that. I couldn’t help feeling guilty eyeing up another woman in front of Casella. She’d said it was okay if I took more mates, and practically encouraged it, but that didn’t change how I’d been raised.

  Not that I wasn’t warming up to the idea.

  Before I had a chance to set up a Tinder account, Trez’s prediction came true. Faris stirred from her slumber with an irritated groan.

  “Faris!” Casella cheered, launching herself at the awakening dragonoid.

  Faris recoiled as she was knocked from her groggy state by an affectionate princess. “Where am I?”

  “You’re safe,” I told her.

  Faris’s eyes darted around the cave until she accepted my words as the truth and lowered her guard. “What happened?”

  “You collapsed.”

  “I was so scared,” Casella said. “My Brandon carried you to safety.”

  Faris tensed and glanced my way. When our eyes met, she pulled them away. “What of the monsters?”

  “We got away,” I said. “They didn’t follow.”

  “And the ship?”

  Neither Casella nor I rushed in with an answer.

  Trez lumbered forward. “Knowing metaleaters like I do, which isn’t much to be honest, the ship’s gone bye-bye. But look on the bright side. You’re still alive. Plus, it was a useless piece o’ junk anyway.”

  Faris narrowed her gaze. “And you were?”

  “Trez. You forgot already?” She crouched down and offered her hand. “I was dumped here two months back and just happened to be in the neighborhood. That’s my spring you’re bathing in. You’re welcome, by the way.”

  Faris tentatively accepted the shake.

  Trez squeezed down. “Still feeling awfully nippy. You been shooting a lot of fire?”

  Faris snorted. “A little.”

  “That right? That right? Seems to me like you’ve been recklessly using up your reserves.”

  Faris’s scrunch-faced silence was practically confirmation.

  “Someone going to explain?” I said.

  “I can, unless you’d prefer to,” Trez said to Faris. Upon receiving no response, she sighed. “Got ourselves a regular chatterbox over here. Well, allow me. I’m gonna guess that neither of you two breathe fire.”

  “We don’t.”

  “Then I’m guessing you don’t know what a brim bladder is.”

  I shook my head.

  “It’s this organ you find in fire-breathing species. You know, the one that lets them breathe fire. I ain’t gonna get all technical, but it can only hold so much fire at a time. Use it all up and… it’s actually not usually a problem. Usually. That is unless you’re a cold-blooded girl freezing your titties off depending on it for warmth.” Trez turned to Faris. “Please interrupt if I’ve said anything that’s wrong.”

  Faris grunted.

  Nobody took it as a valid disturbance.

  “You used your fire knowing all that?” I said.

  Faris snorted. “I had no choice.”

  “You almost died,” Casella said.

  “My duty comes first. Not that it matters anymore.” Her shoulders dipped as she sunk deeper. “The ship’s gone. The radio’s gone. I’ve failed.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “It’s the truth. I failed the mission. I’m completely worthless.”

  I didn’t know how to respond. The entire aura around Faris had changed. She oozed melancholy.

  Casella wasn’t perturbed. She pressed in closer. “Don’t say that. Never say that. Miss Faris is a very precious person to me. She may be the most worthwhile person I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.”

 

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