“No, my scent wouldn’t have traveled far last night and we’re close to the ocean. The ak’rena stay within the deep forests, otherwise, the tempest will shoot them down with lightning. Any nearby packs brave enough to venture this far would’ve smelled it all day now, and they’ll be wanting valos flesh and blood tonight.”
“We need to leave! Now!” Annie turned away and scrambled for her bag. “How far is the ocean?”
Galan ignored her and left the temple, collecting the large sheets of metal he had dragged nearby and began to build a multi-leveled barricade. Once the humans realized he was trapping them inside, terrorized, angry screams filled his ears. He ground his teeth knowing it was heard by the rapidly coming ak’rena and were spurring them on.
“Galan, please. Please, don’t do this!” Annie yelled behind one of the sheets of metal, her face appeared at a crack. “I’m sorry! Please don’t leave us here to die. There’s so much more I can show you. I haven’t even begun with some of our technology.”
“You’ll be safe,” he mumbled as he grabbed another broken and charred piece, sliding it across the ground. He’d only stayed with the humans for three reasons: he needed the time to heal his wounds, he needed to find his bow, and he was curious. The last one gave him the incentive to allow the female human freedom, unlike the others, and show her the creations of their Creator. She said they didn’t have one, only parents and beliefs. Galan didn’t believe it.
Every passing moment had left him with physical and emotional pain. All day he had been plagued with glimpses of the raven-haired human, Yahiro. Each one made his heart race and his member ache and at one point he had mindlessly walked off into the forest, weaponless, to go after her. The only reason he hadn’t was that he knew Sundamar and Quist were with her now, and she was safe with them.
But those images... He pounded his fist into the metal barricade.
“You stupid fucking alien! If you leave us in here, I’m coming after you. I’m going to fucking kill you. I should’ve shot you in your heart.”
Fucking. Copulating. Procreating.Mating. Mate.
Yahiro.
He moved another piece against the outer barrier, thrusting it into the dirt. He was getting used to the translator and was more than ready to get to his female and show her that he knew how to take care of her.
“I fucking hate you! Half of what I showed you today was a lie!”
A shrill screech sounded right beyond the tree line and he grabbed one of the guns on his belt, aiming, and pressing the melody of clicks to start it. It heated up instantaneously in his hands and lit up. The humans went silent.
He cocked the weapon where he had heard the noise and waited.Four. There’s four.They stalked from the deepening shadows but their myriad of footsteps could be heard. Many shrieks sounded in the distance but the ones waiting to pounce had gone silent.
“Galan...” he heard Annie’s whisper.
His eyes didn’t leave his target; instead, he swayed the pointer of the weapon between the noises of the four he could see. The sun was at his front and his skin glowed and sparkled in preparation.
Come on.
Attack me.
COME ON!Everything went quiet, even the predators in the distance. Everything but the twitching humans and his pounding heart.Where thefuckis my bow?Galan took to the air and hovered himself above the ground. He managed several feet before the first beast attacked.
He pressed the trigger and a bright red beam of light shot out, straight between its eyes. The ak’rena fell midair and landed with a thud. There was a sizzling hole straight through its head.
Galan faltered and stared, awestruck at the human’s rod—gun. He had expected a stone—bullet—to come out, not a ray of light straight from the hottest, most potent light he had ever seen. The dust of the dead beast rose from the ground and with it, the smell of charred flesh.
His distraction didn’t go unnoticed when he heard Annie scream from behind him. A dozen ak’rena stepped out of the forest, hackles raised and tails swinging. The sun was almost gone.
He quickly turned as they came forward and placed the final barricade in place, catching the female’s eyes, the gun burning the palm of his hand.
“Please, don’t leave us,” she whispered again, her anger gone, but he was already flying up and into the air. The sounds of the beasts feasting on their pack member, cracking bones and all, sounded and the wide-eyed, pale fear on the female’s face did little to move him.
She wasn’t Yahiro. Her body wasn’t made for his. This female would be safe for the night and the broken door in the back of the temple would release her and the other humans in the morning.
Yahiro didn’t have a metal barricade and amenities to keep her safe. An image of her pale face, filled with apprehension and fear, appeared before him.She needs me. Even with my brothers, she needs me.It felt like a kick to the gut, the intensity of it, and his anxiety returned to find her.
Blood spatter and gristle flew across the area, splattering his wings. With one final glance at the scene, double-checking the security of the barriers, and another three headshots to keep the pack busy with fresh food and away from the temple, he was ready to leave.
“Galan!”
The female screamed his name, not only catching his attention but also the attention of the ak’rena. He looked her way, barely able to make her face out amongst the shadows well within the crack. Galan turned away, hearing Yahiro’s own screams in his head.
“I have something of hers!”
