Chapter 12

Lynix

I picked up a piece of the vehicle which had a massive gouge in it the size of Yanna's head. The epilers had made quick work of the vehicle. I knew they were capable of it, but I was hoping…well, I was hoping that Fatas was on our side. But it seemed she'd given me my mate and was now content to make me work for our survival.

Kyle rubbed his arms as he toed at a bag of our food which was now ground into the dirt. His hair stood on end, like he'd been tugging on it. Yanna gathered what supplies weren't ruined and placed them into a torn bag. But her shoulders were slumped with fatigue and defeat. Only moments ago, we'd been happy. On our way home. And now the last leg of our journey was daunting.

I'd be able to carry them both, but we'd be cutting it close to the dark, and we'd be more vulnerable to predators and enemies.

The tablet I used to call my brother was a crumpled piece of broken trash. I pushed my finger into the cracked screen, and the light didn't even flicker to life. I ran my paw through my mane, frustrated that I'd let my guard down.

Putting my brothers at risk was the last thing I wanted to do, but I had to admit now that I needed help. Yanna and Kyle were in danger. This was about them, not me. My pride didn't matter. And if my brothers knew I was in this predicament, they'd want me to signal for help. Queen too.

Long ago, Whitten had installed an emergency tracker in our necks. I could alert them that I needed help with a press of a button, but the signal only worked within a certain range from Akoma. I couldn't be sure if I was close enough, and I also didn't know if they'd be able to reach us in time before the dark. But it was worth a shot. Queen would want me to do this.

I slid my paw around to the back of my neck and pressed the emergency tracker signal. "Please find me, Whitten," I whispered. "I'm on my way." He couldn't hear me, of course, but I liked to think Fatas would take my words on the wind to his ear.

I stood up slowly and turned to Yanna. I didn't like to see her dejected, so I stepped up to her and cupped the side of the face. With a small gasp, she looked up at me, and the bag of supplies she held dangled from her fingers. "Mate."

Her eyes heated, like I noticed they did every time I called her that. "Yeah?" she murmured.

"It will be okay. This is a setback. We will get home."

She blinked at me before heaving a sigh. "I know you believe that. I can feel you…" she tapped her temple, "in here. You're standing tall with your head high. I have no reason to doubt you, but I'm so tired of the obstacles." Her eyes moistened. "I'm so tired, Lynix." She bit her lip as her chin trembled. "I don't feel brave anymore, and I'm trying so hard for Kyle. But…"

I pressed a kiss to her lips. And she froze for a second before giving in. I wrapped her in my arms and hauled her in the air, so she had no choice but to straddle my waist. I kissed her until I felt the salty drops of her tears and until her chest shuddered. When I pulled back, she shoved her face in my neck. I faced away from Kyle, so he didn't hear or see Yanna break. I let her cry against me as I stood as still as I could.

"It's okay not to feel brave," I said as she sniffled into my fur.

"But I want to be brave," she whimpered into my neck.

"And you are. You'll get your courage back. For now, I'll be brave enough for both of us."

She pulled her face from my neck and blew her hair out of her eyes. She gripped my face with sweaty palms. "You can have your moments too, you know."

"I know," I said, even though I didn't. I couldn't imagine a situation I couldn't conquer. "And in those moments, it's your turn to be brave for both of us." I did mean that though. Just because I couldn't imagine it didn't mean it wasn't a possibility. And I knew Yanna would be at my side propping me up.

"You're amazing," she whispered.

My chest swelled, and I wanted to shout to the whole planet that I had the best, most perfect mate. "You're more amazing."

"Yanna?" Kyle called from behind us. "Is this salvageable?"

I glanced over my shoulder to find he held up a sealed package of food.

Yanna quickly swiped at her face. "Are my eyes red?"

"No." Why would her eyes be red? They were brown.

"Okay, put me down, my big Lion Man. I'm okay now."

I set her down and watched as she and Kyle bundled the last of the supplies into two packs. One Kyle wore on his back, and the other Yanna wore.

I didn't have a pack, because I'd be carrying two humans.

Yanna argued with me, trying to tell me that her and Kyle were capable of walking, but once I showed them the pace I wanted to run, they both agreed that they weren't capable of that.

"But you can run at that pace holding both of us?" Kyle seemed baffled. "I mean, I know you're a big strong half-alien, half-lion?—"

"I'm not a lion, whatever that is—" I growled.

"—But that's crazy. Carrying two of us at that pace?"

"Drixonians have the ability to shift into an endurance mode. My systems shut down except what is absolutely necessary to run. I sort of go into a trance, so don't expect entertainment or conversation."

Yanna blinked. "Are you serious? You can do that?"

"It's like a computer safe mode." Kyle said in awe. "Wow."

I nodded. "Come on, I'll carry one of you in each arm. Hang on, because it's not going to be comfortable. But in Akoma, you can sleep as long as you want on plush bedding."

"Sounds like a dream," Kyle sighed wistfully as he climbed onto my arm.

Yanna settled herself on the other side. "I feel like a child," she grumped as she settled her legs over each side of my hip.

"My sister would so post this on Snapchat if she saw me."

I had no idea what Snapchat was, but it didn't matter. It was time to cover some distance. And fast.

I barely registered the weight of my passengers in my arms. I focused on the steady beat of my paws on the ground, the air in my lungs, and my sight. I no longer saw color as I ran, only black and white, my body operating on as little energy as possible. We made it out of the valley and onto land that grew flatter as we drew closer to the large water mass separating the land we were on from home.

Although, I wasn't thinking about that. I wasn't thinking about much at all. Just run, run, run. Breathe. Hold on. Tighten my arms. My gait evened to a smooth gallop and my claws dug into the dirt with each step.

Run. Run. Run.

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

And I was almost at the destination. I could feel it in my blood. But then pain flared in my shoulder, sudden and hot like a flame. I stumbled. The world bloomed into a riot of color as my endurance flagged. I registered the sound of two voices yelling before I hit the ground face first and everything went black.

Yanna

"Lynix!" I screamed as I hit the ground hard on my hip. His arms just… gave out. Went limp, and he slammed into the sandy ground like a knocked-out boxer.

Kyle grunted as he spilled onto the ground, but he went right into a forward roll before sliding onto his feet in a crouch. He scrambled toward Lynix who let out a low moan.

I screamed as his shoulder pulsed with a thick black blood from a hole that steamed. I slammed my hands on the wound to stem the bleeding. "Find something to wrap this with" I yelled to Kyle. My voice bordered on hysterical. Kyle dug in the bags before tugging out a spare shirt. I pressed it into Lynix's wound as he let out another moan. The sound of his voice soothed me only somewhat, because it meant he was alive.

"What the hell is this? Where did it come from?" I was losing it. My hands shook. My voice was nearing shriek levels. And when Kyle raised a hand and pointed in the distance from the direction we came, I nearly threw up.

Racing toward us in a mass of dark shapes was something out of my nightmares. Not the Ev, because they were not in the dark. But apparently this planet held no shortage of terrifying fucking things, because these aliens were like something out of a horror movie. They galloped on all fours with long necks and skull-heads, like massive fucked-up centaurs, but the size of three horses.

Laser fire zinged past my head, and I felt the heat singe my hair. "Shit, they're shooting at us."

Kyle glanced around, eyes wild and pupils blown. Sweat dripped down his slim neck. "There," he waved at a rock. "Let's get Lynix behind there to keep him safe."

"No," he growled as he rolled onto his side.

I shoved at him as the blood seeped through the fabric and my fingers. "Stay down."

"No!" He snapped back before hauling himself onto all fours. She glanced behind us at the approaching aliens. He cursed. "Flecking Xaberians."

"What are they?" Kyle chest heaved.

"Bad news," Lynix muttered. He rummaged in a pack and withdrew a laser gun that we'd saved from the Dayloes. He stumbled to his feet and shook off the makeshift bandage on his back. "It'll be fine. You two go." He motioned with the gun in the direction we'd been heading. On the horizon, I could see a wall of black approaching. The dark. My breath caught in my throat.

"Go?" I echoed. "Go where?"

"I sent an emergency signal to my brothers, and they will send Eleric. He'll come. I know he will. You can't miss him. He's got wings and feathers and is a snob." He stumbled and shook his head. The smokey lion in my mind whimpered in pain. "I'll hold back the Xaberians."

There were things he wasn't saying. I flexed my clammy hands. "And then what?"

His blurry gaze swung to me. "He'll get you two home."

"And then what?" I yelled louder. "What about you?"

He shook his head as he aimed the gun. "I need to hold them off."

"Oh no," I shook my head. "Hell no. You're not being the martyr here. You're not sacrificing yourself for me." I turned to Kyle. "Go. Run a straight line until you meet a big alien asshole like Lynix with wings."

Kyle was already shaking his head. "No… no, I don't want to leave you guys. I'll stay and fight. I can shoot. I was the high score for the last three years in Zombie Hunter at the bowling alley arcade."

"That's not a real gun, Kyle!" I yelled, frantic, because those terrifying aliens were closer. More gunfire pinged around us, and Lynix fired back.

"I can't leave you," Kyle was crying now, big tears streaming down his face.

I shoved him, and realized belatedly I was crying too. "Go! Please! If you want to thank us for saving you, then fucking go and survive!"

He stumbled back, pinwheeling his arms, and I stepped froward to shove him again, but he got the hint. He walked backward, crying so hard that his entire body shook, but he kept walking, walking, until he turned and with a low, mournful cry, began to run toward the dark.

When our truck had been destroyed, I'd nearly wanted to give up. It felt like we had lost our hope. I was tired and drained. But as we faced a new challenge, one that I didn't think we'd survive, I suddenly felt a steel rod in my spine. My head cleared. Kyle would be safe; Lynix's brother would ensure it. Lynix needed me, and I'd be there. We were mates now. Like hell I'd let him shove me away. Everything fiber of my DNA told me to stand right here at his side and face down the enemy with courage.

Lynix's arms shook. The pain his shoulder wasn't helping his aim. I yanked the gun from his hand and braced myself to fire. "What are you doing?" he rasped.

"It's my turn to be brave." I took aim and fired. One of the Xaberians screeched, his legs tangled, and he fell. The others trampled right over him on the path to us. The group seemed endless, and small figures darted around them. As they drew closer, I recognized them as Hari. I hated those blubbery little things who'd first caged me in the domed city. They flew on little jetpacks attached to their backs with their useless boneless legs flapping behind them.

Just because I could, I aimed and fired at one of them. They exploded into a ball of goo.

A shot took out another Xaberian, but that wasn't mine. I turned to find Lynix standing next to me, feet braced, another gun in his hand. He shook but managed to hold himself steady just long enough to fire.

There were too many. Behind us, the sky darkened, and I worried about Kyle. Would Eleric find him before the dark crept in? How would they get home? But I had to trust that the Drixonians knew this planet. I had to have faith.

I had never fired a gun before. I'd never held one. But my life was on the line, as well as the love of my life. Because yeah, even without these loks, and this cora-eternal business, Lynix was it for me. I was Goldilocks, and he was one of the bears—his cockiness, humor, passion, and protectiveness over me was just right. Everything was perfect, like he'd been catered to me. I didn't want to be on this planet without him. The thought of him going down under the hooves of these Xaberians… I shuddered and squeezed off another shot. It went wide, and I huffed in frustration.

Lynix was a better shot, but I could tell he was flagging. He'd run for what seemed like hours, had been shot, and was now drained of energy. I'd never seen him like this. His ears were flat on his head, his tail limp, and he wheezed with every breath.

His eyes turned to me, and I saw a flash of despair there in the lavender depths before he hardened them and gave me a brave nod. My heart thumped in my chest.

I love him.

I aimed, fired, and an Xaberian went down.

But they'd be on us soon. My arms trembled. My head pounded.

And then suddenly, a new sound entered the fray. A rumbled, whooshing sound that reminded me of a jet engine. I turned to look behind me and spotted a small figure running toward us. Arms waved, and my heart dropped into my heels when I saw it was Kyle. "What are you doing?" I yelled, anger and fear sliding up my throat threatening to choke me. "Why are you coming back?"

He pointed up, and his mouth moved, but I couldn't hear him over that odd whooshing sound and the galloping feet of the Xaberians. What was that noise? Was it the Ev?

Lynix let out a cry and dropped to one knee. A new wound bled profusely from his neck. I threw myself at him to stem the bleeding. "No!" Oh God, everything was going wrong. Kyle wasn't safe. We were boxed in—the Xaberians in front of us and the Ev approaching from behind us. There was nowhere to go.

Kyle's voice cut through the noise like a siren. "He's here!"

"Who?" I asked just as a large black oval aircraft soared over the ridge with a deafening roar. Flashes of light burst from the front of the aircraft, and I threw my arms over Lynix as I prepared to be shredded by laser fire.

But the pain never came. My body remained intact. I felt hands on me, and I looked up to see Kyle's face full of… elation. He was elated. Excited. His mouth stretched in a wide grin as he pointed at the oncoming Xaberians… who were no longer oncoming.

Laser fire from the aircraft had taken out the first line, and the rest were retreating with screeching calls to each other.

Eleric. Lynix mouthed the words to me, since all I could hear was a deafening roar.

Eleric. His brother? In the aircraft?

The massive oval wobbled in the air before taking a nosedive into the ground. Sandy dirt sprayed us, and I spit it out of my mouth and blinked it out of my eyes just as a door opened in the side of the aircraft.

Lynix rose first and motioned for Kyle and me to enter. The Xabarians remained in the distance, sending laser fire our way, but we were blocked from damage by the aircraft. I stumbled toward the door, seeing gleaming metal inside, and threw myself onto the hard floor of the craft. Kyle followed me, and as soon as Lynix was inside, the door slammed shut.

"Hold on," called a voice from the front. Feathers stuck out from behind a seat as well as the top of a blue feathered head. A large, tinted window spanned the front of the aircraft, and blue hands flicked at controls on a panel. "This isn't going to be smooth."

Lynix groaned from the floor, and I immediately knelt at his side. Blood trickled slowly from his neck wound which was not as bad as I had initially thought. I let out a relieved breath that he wasn't bleeding out. Kyle panted next me, his thin chest heaving.

"I thought this didn't work," Lynix rasped, his head turned toward the cockpit.

"Well," the deep voice paused. "It doesn't not work."

Lynix groaned. Whatever he planned to say next was caught off as the aircraft pitched to the left. I slammed into the side wall with a cry, and Kyle scrabbled to stay on his hands and knees.

"Sorry, takeoff is rough." Eleric muttered.

"Looked like your landing was rough too," Lynix snarked.

"You are welcome to fly yourself, you ungrateful flecker."

"Thank you for saving me, brother."

"That's more like it. Now everyone find a seat and strap in. This will not be fun."

Lynix hauled himself to his feet as the aircraft zoomed forward with the stability of a toddler learning to walk. He turned two latches on the side of the aircraft, and two seats dropped down, straps tumbling out. "You two sit here. I'm heading to the front."

I didn't argue, mostly because I was afraid that if I opened my mouth I was going to vomit. The entire aircraft trembled and bobbed, and Kyle was pale as a sheet. I tugged him toward the chairs with me, and by some miracle, I strapped both of us in. Lynix clipped himself into the front passenger seat.

"I might be sick," Kyle whispered. He was now a sickly shade of green.

"Look at the horizon." My stomach churned. "It helps with motion sickness."

We both turned to look out the front cockpit window, and I immediately wished we hadn't. Because we were heading right toward the rapidly darkening sky. We were heading right into the dark. Where the Ev lived.