When they stopped firing, I lunged out and sprayed them with a burst of plasma bolts. Three went down while two limped away. I followed and tackled them both to the ground. As I struggled with one, the other got up and was about to shoot mepoint-blank. As I braced to take the hit, a stun beam zapped the reptilian, and he crumbled to the ground.
Forcing the Saark in my control onto his belly, I pulled out a set of zip cuffs and bound his hands behind his back. As I got the Saark to his feet, Raven strolled down the street with a smug grin.
“Thanks, brother. Good timing.” That shot would have hurt. Seconds later, I received confirmation over the cyborg net that all of the invaders were secured or dead. “Raven, can you take care of him? They were firing into the Store. I need to make sure my female is unharmed.”
“No problem. Trinity and Orion are on their way. We can take care of this,” he assured me. I nodded and hurried toward the Store.
Chapter Twelve
Zaya
As Steele ran from the Store, Lucy said, “Come around behind the counter with me. We can duck down so they can’t see us if they get this far.”
Minutes later, we could hear different kinds of weapons fire, so I assumed the cyborgs were firing at the Mesaarkans, who were firing back. The volleys were intermittent, and I wished I could see what was happening. I didn’t dare to go to the door and look out.
“I have to say, Zaya. They didn’t make the men like that when I was your age. I’ve seen Ranger Hawk in his armor, but I didn’t know it came out of their skin like that.”
“It is pretty incredible. The same nanites also heal him when he gets injured. So far, that hasn’t happened since I met him.”
The weapons fire seemed to be getting farther away, but there was no time to relax because we heard a noise outside the door. Someone tried to open it, but Steele locked it on his way out. When the door didn’t open, it was blasted away.
Lucy and I dropped to the floor. I peeked over the counter in time to see a reptilian come through the doorway. I didn’t even think about it. I just reached into my pocket and pulled out a pistol, flipped off the safety, jumped up and held it with both hands, pointed it at the reptilian’s chest, and fired. The automatic pistol sent three bolts in succession.
The Mesaarkan’s eyes widened in surprise, and he looked down at his chest. Then he fell backward and crashed to thefloor. I stood there shaking, still holding the gun pointed at the doorway. Seconds later, another figure burst through the opening, and I almost fired again before I realized it was Steele.
He stopped in his tracks as he spotted the dead Mesaarkan on the floor.
Lucy stood up to see what fell, and she gasped when she saw the alien. “Oh my.”
“Zaya, it’s me, Steele. You can put down the pistol now. It’s over. We got them all.” He retracted his headgear so I could see his face. I lowered the gun, flicked on the safety, and slipped it into my pocket.
I wanted to run to him and fling myself into his arms, but there was a dead Mesaarkan on the floor between us.
“I’m sorry you had to do this. You did well, my mate. Let me get him out of here, and I’ll be right back.”
“You were so brave, Zaya,” said Lucy. “I don’t know if I could’ve shot that thing.
Steele bent down, picked up one of his arms to pull him up, and hoisted the reptilian over his shoulder easily.
He was back within a couple of minutes. This time, I ran to him and flung myself into his arms, holding back my tears of relief. “I was so scared,” I murmured against his chest, hugging him tightly.
“But you defended yourself just like I taught you. I am so proud of you, sweetheart. I had to take out the other four before I could get to you, and that’s exactly why we spend so much time practicing.”
With Steele’s strong arms around me, I felt safe and loved. He retracted his body armor, swapping it out for his clothes.
“Oh damn! My door is ruined,” Lucy wailed. “They didn’t just knock it down; they blew it to bits. If I had known that, I would have shot him.”
“Hey, Lucy! Are you okay?” A middle-aged man came running into the store.
“I’m fine, Artie. Only my door didn’t make it.”
Steele turned slightly to see who came in but kept his body shielding me.
“Protector Steele and his mate Zaya kept them from doing any more damage.”
Steele kept one arm around me and turned us so we were both facing them.
The man called Artie moved toward the counter, and Lucy came out from behind it and hugged him. They were more than friends from the way they held each other.
