and again. The beast’s body was singed, visible vapor rising from his shoulder into the air, but he kept walking. The Hive tech had turned a beast into a true monster. Stronger than any living creature I’d ever seen.
“Trinity, have the tranqs ready.”
“How many?” she asked.
“All of them,” I said. I meant to take Angh down, and take him home. “If he doesn’t go down, take him out.”
“You can’t be serious,” Jack grumbled, but Trinity was already reaching into her gear for the tranquilizers as Jack moved up to cover her.
I stepped back and grabbed the tranquilizer injections from her just as the beast reached Dorian. He wrapped his hands around Dorian’s neck, lifted him off the ground like the seven-foot Prillon warrior weighed nothing, and threw him against the wall.
Dorian fell to the floor but was instantly on his feet in a crouch, blood dripping from his head, battle fury glazing his eyes. His battle cry was loud, a clear challenge meant to keep the beast’s attention as I advanced on him from behind.
The distraction worked as the beast took a step forward to finish what he’d started.
I slung my rifle to the ground and dropped all my gear. I needed a running start and didn’t want the extra weight. I ignored Jack’s cursing and checked the angle of the injectors in my hand.
“Now!” Dorian’s order was a boom in the room and I ran as he reached for the beast, used every ounce of strength he possessed to hold Angh in place for precious seconds so I could make my attack.
Silently, I sprinted forward and jumped on the beast’s back. The moment I made contact, I jammed the injectors into the side of the warlord’s neck.
With a roar, the beast reached behind him, grabbed me by my armor and threw me so that my back hit the wall next to where Dorian had been moments ago. I slid to the ground in a heap and struggled to right myself, head spinning, the pain like I’d cracked open my skull. The iron scent of blood filled my helmet but I blinked it away as Trinity opened fire to keep the beast off me, shooting as his legs.
“Hold your fire!” I tried to yell, but the order came out more of a croak. I didn’t need to worry. The beast swayed on his feet, fighting the drugs that flooded his system, but I’d given him enough to take down a large elephant. Even the Atlans weren’t that strong.
Jack fired once. Twice. Like Trinity, keeping the strikes to the Hive implants on the beast’s legs and shoulders until he toppled, unconscious.
Trinity lifted her helmet and looked at me, a slight shimmer in her eyes as she stared at the felled Atlan. “Why did you do that, Seth? Why did you have us save him?”
“Because he’s my friend.” One of the few still alive, if being implanted with Hive technology could be considered living. But at least now he’d have a chance. The docs could remove most of the tech and send him to live on The Colony. He’d never fight again, but at least he’d survive.
He might hate me for it. I knew that on a gut level. But I’d seen too much death. He’d just have to fucking get over it. Get tested for a mate, like my sister, Sarah, had talked me into last year. In a moment of weakness, full of whiskey and reminiscing about home, I’d given in and let her take me to the testing center for her Christmas present. She was so in love with her matched mate, Warlord Dax, that I simply couldn’t tell her no. She’d risked everything to save my life. Denying her was not an option.
The testing? Yeah, that had been a huge mistake. First, it had been a year since I’d sat in that stupid chair and still no match. Second, I doubted I’d survive until the end of my tour long enough to get one. And if I did get matched before my service was up, leaving a grieving widow was not something I wanted to do. A pregnant wife? A child? No fucking way. Because if I had a mate, I’d want it all, but that was impossible. That was beyond cruel. I couldn’t be that selfish.
Sarah didn’t understand. She lived a different life. Warlord Dax had retired once they were mated and the two of them settled into civilian life on Atlan. They were wealthy, living in a massive home with servants and accolades for his time in the Coalition Fleet. They hosted dinner parties and played with their daughter. A different life and not one I could offer any woman.
Dorian crouched down next to me and I lifted my gaze to meet his. “You are one crazy bastard, Mills.”
I couldn’t help it, I grinned. It wasn’t the first time Dorian had said those exact words to me, and I doubted it would be the last.
“Thanks for saving my life. And what’s left of my crew. How long do we have before my ship explodes?” Dorian asked, wiping his brow.
I glanced at the countdown in my helmet’s visor. “Two minutes.”
He grinned back at me. “Plenty of time.”
Moving in teams, we rushed to the emergency evacuation shuttle, six Prillon warriors carrying the unconscious Atlan between them. The transport rooms would be crawling with Hive and we didn’t have time for another fight.
Dorian threw himself into the pilot chair and I stood behind him as Trinity took the seat to his right. She was a flyer. I wasn’t.
The two went through their checks in seconds and my knees buckled for a moment as the shuttle detached from the freighter. The shift caused anyone not strapped in to lose their balance.
“Clear?” Dorian asked.
“Clear,” Trinity confirmed, her hands moving over the controls with practiced skill. I was too tired to even try to follow her actions. The shuttle lurched forward as the blast caused by the freighter exploding hit us from the side, throwing me into the control panel behind Dorian.
Alarms sounded from the wall to my left and Dorian reached back with an irritated flick of his wrist. “Don’t touch anything, Mills.”
“Shut up and drive,” I grumbled back.
He chuckled and Trinity’s shoulders relaxed, the tension in the air draining away as we moved farther and farther from the wrecked remains of the Hive occupied freighter.
When we were back in safe space, within the protection zone offered by Battlegroup Karter’s patrols, Trinity reached for the communication panel. “This is ReCon 3 for the Karter.”
“Battleship Karter. Status ReCon 3.”
Trinity looked at Dorian, who sighed. “We lost eight crew and all the cargo on the freighter.”
“Seven survivors?” She was right, and she knew it. Hell, it wasn’t hard to count that high. I’d been surprised that seven had held out as long as they did.
When Dorian nodded, she relayed the information to the control deck on the Battleship Karter. No doubt, Commander Karter himself was listening over the communication officer’s shoulders.
“This is Commander Karter.”
Hearing his voice had me rolling my eyes. Yup, he was listening.
“I’d like to know the status of Captain Seth Mills.”
Trinity looked up at me, shocked. That was a first, Karter asking
