“Yahiro, wake up!” Her eyes jolted open like a shot to the heart.
“Protect her!” Sundamar grunted behind a thick pair of wings as she tumbled off of Quist’s chest and to the side. Her skin was covered with a sheen of sweat and her heart raced so hard she could feel its beats in her throat.
Something howled, high-pitched and bloodcurdling off in the dark, and the ground vibrated beneath her body. She was pushed back against the heavy bark of a tree and covered by Quist’s body.
Her fingers wrapped around his wing stems and squeezed. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?” she screeched in fear. His back slammed into her and she was momentarily squished between him and the tree. Her whole back ached in one fell swoop.
Quist lifted off of her in a hurry. He turned to check on her, but she was already pulling herself up his body. She peered out into the dark in time to see Sundamar thrown back, splintering a nearby tree, and a shadowy beast falling upon him.
“Are you okay?” Quist shook her.
“Y-yes.” Her eyes didn’t leave the alien as he shoved himself off the ground, pushing the monster with him, fighting it and its strength at the same time. Yahiro clutched her stone, its light casting everything in shadows, and threw it over Quist’s shoulders. The light bloomed and bled through the area, giving a gleam of sudden daylight throughout.
Her eyes widened as the bear-beast startled by the glimmer and looked straight at her with eyes as black as pitch that sparkled with blood.It’s not a bear, definitely not a bear.Although it had the same build and fur pattern, its face was horrifically humanoid with a nose that flattened to hoggish.
In that moment, she was more thankful than ever that she’d been found by Quist and Sundamar.
“Look at me, Yahiro. Look at me,” Quist hissed and clasped her chin, guiding her to face him. “Don’t look at it!”
Her eyes remained glued to the monster regardless, even when Sundamar rose up on one knee and unsheathed his giant sword. Her eyes stayed on the beast even when the sword drew in all the luster from the stone and burst into a blaze of sunlight. Quist pulled her into his arms and hid her eyes from the battle scene.
Yahiro wrapped her arms around Quist’s stomach and buried her face, unable to keep the tears from falling. The comfort wasn’t lasting amongst the tremors and grunts, while the trees the cracked and splintered out of her sight. She was surrounded by wings made of steel, gone hard as a shell, but her thoughts were on Sundamar.
Quist released her and stood, his whip out while his other arm curved and protected his wound. Her eyes landed back on the scene but the glint of light cascading off both aliens half blinded her. Sundamar was being thrown around, the beast faster than him, and dead set on getting through his armor. The only thing protecting his skin was the blunted shield of his massive sword.
Quist left her side and snapped the end of his golden whip. It swirled through the air as if it had a mind of its own and wrapped around the monster, jerking him off of Sundamar, if only for a beat. It was enough time for him to right himself and raise his sword.
Yahiro scrambled over the ground and ducked behind the tree that covered her. The best way to help was to stay out of it. She knew she’d only be a distraction.
The bark at her back shook as she sucked in a breath and clenched her fists, turning around to watch what was happening. She licked her dry lips and squinted.
Sundamar was slashing the creature, bloodletting it from side to side as it tore and rampaged from the whip that held it aloft. Quist was hovering in the air, out of reach, but was wincing and shaking from the effort of holding the beast off his brother.
They’re winning.But not without an extreme amount of strength. Every time the monster reared to go after Quist, Sundamar slashed and stabbed it again—at lightning speed—to keep its attention on him. Even she could tell how weak Quist still was.
An eternity passed before the ground roiled with its body, seizing and pawing at whatever life remained in its grasp.
She stood but stayed where the aliens had put her, knowing firsthand that anything can fake a defeat. Her lips parted in fear right as the whip slithered from its body. Sundamar lifted his sword over his head and thrust it straight through the monster.One thrust.
The strength...
Blood spurted from the deep wound. He left his sword embedded in its body, and without taking a breath, he looked straight at her.
Yahiro curled her arms around her frame, feeling her body heat up, up and over and outward. Every part of her was on fire as his gaze bore into her, feverish and wanting. She knew that look. She had seen the same in Quist’s eyes not long past.
Before she had a chance to brush it off, he came straight for her. Her own bloody knight in shining armor. He stood, towering over her the next moment, glaring at her with hunger. Her heart pounded, her belly knotted. A wave of heat and raw excitement rushed through her. It’s potency had her lifting her hands and grabbing the ridges of his chest piece.
Sundamar stepped forward, she stepped back. He did it again until her back was pressed against the tree. The hands on his chest piece strained, holding onto him but also a frail attempt at holding him off.
“Undress me,” he ordered, his voice raspy, and slightly choked.
“No.”
He settled his elbow on the trunk behind her, leaning down and over her, and caging her in. She peered up sheepishly, in heat, but the thick smell of copper and sweat filled her nose.
“I’m your commander. Don’t deny me.”
She pried her eyes from his and looked at the gilt of his armor. “You’re not my anything,” she whispered. The wall of his body intensified and stiffened. His fingers dug into the bark above her head, causing the pieces to fall over her. “I’m with Quist.”
