14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Chloe

I wake to the warmth of Vornas's body pressed against mine, his fur soft on my skin. It's like being wrapped in the world's coziest, most muscular blanket. His arm drapes over my hip, pulling me close, and I can feel his heart beating steadily against my back, a sensual reminder of last night's passion.

And it all feels so right.

Not so long ago, I couldn't begin to wrap my mind around the idea of falling for an alien. Now, here I am, nestled against him like it's the most natural thing in the world.

I savor this moment, knowing all too well the shitstorm waiting for us outside our little love nest.

I roll over, meeting Vornas's sleepy golden eyes. His wild mane is even more disheveled than usual, and I can't help but smile and say, "Your bed head is ridiculous."

Vornas's grin is one of pure satisfaction. "Blame it on you, little minx. You're quite the handful."

"Oh please," I scoff, fighting back a grin. "You loved every second of it."

He pulls me closer, his purr rumbling through my body. "True. Though I must say, your human mating rituals are… Well, is it customary to make so much noise?"

Heat rushes to my cheeks. "God, you're impossible," I groan, burying my face in his chest to hide my embarrassment.

He chuckles and holds me close, and for a moment, we just lie there, basking in each other's presence.

But then Vornas sighs, his expression turning serious. "We should get moving."

I nod, feeling the weight of our mission settle back onto my shoulders.

We untangle ourselves reluctantly, and as we dress in our worse-for-wear clothes, I manage to steal a couple of glances at Vornas.

My alien. My mate. My partner in this crazy adventure.

As we leave the small nook, Vornas's tail twines around my thighs, a gesture of connection that brings a small, secret smile to my lips.

The cryopod chamber buzzes with nervous energy as our odd alien team assembles. Our resident bug-lady, the Zyrillian, is fiddling with her cryo-weapon like it's a Rubik's cube on steroids. Her antennae are twitching so fast I'm worried they might fly off.

"It's as ready as it'll ever be," she announces when she sees us, her voice higher than usual. "We just need to get close enough to spray the cryo-gas."

The Kro'tek, looking like a walking mountain of muscle and scales, rumbles, "Define ‘close enough.'"

"Oh, you know, just a casual stroll up to the killer robot. A few paces should do it," the Zyrillian chirps, her laugh bordering on hysterical.

I lock eyes with Vornas, and even in the face of certain doom, he's got that cocky smirk that makes me want to kiss him and smack him at the same time.

"Looks like we're in for some fancy footwork," he purrs, his tail swishing playfully. But I can see the tension in his shoulders. I'm definitely not the only one feeling the pressure.

It's then that the Lumenari glides over. I swear, she moves like she's underwater, all graceful and ethereal. Her bioluminescence pulses softly, reminding me of a lava lamp on acid.

"Do you have a moment?" she asks, her voice like wind chimes in a gentle breeze.

We follow her to a quiet corner, and she does this weird finger dance that I guess is some kind of Lumenari "namaste."

"So, I couldn't help but notice you two," she begins, her eyes twinkling like she knows something we don't. "The universe has plans for you both. Great plans. I can feel the threads of fate weaving around you, connecting you to something larger than yourselves."

Vornas nods, and gives me a secret smile. "I've felt it since I first laid eyes on Chloe."

The Lumenari continues, "My species—we have a great power too, but it comes at a cost. However, all good things require sacrifice, and I am ready if the time comes."

I glance at Vornas, who looks just as confused as I am. Still, I can tell she's being genuine, even if it feels like she's talking in riddles.

"Thank you," I respond, not quite sure what else to say. "We'll keep that in mind. We appreciate your help."

She nods sagely, and we shuffle back to the others, my mind reeling. Between killer robots, alien felines with bedroom eyes, and now mystical promises from a walking nightlight, I'm starting to think my life has turned into some kind of intergalactic soap opera.

Not that I'd have it any other way.

Everyone gathers around again, and I realize that the three aliens seem to be awaiting our orders. I glance at Vornas, then I begin, "We can't just stand around here and wait for that thing to come to us."

Vornas nods. "Agreed. We take the fight outside, back out into the jungle. More space, more options, and that puts me in my element."

The others nod, and just like that, we're on the move. We slip out of the cryopod chamber, leaving behind its false sense of security as we creep down the corridor, every step feeling like we're walking deeper into the lion's den.

The Zyrillian struggles ahead of me, her slight frame bent under the weight of her cobbled-together cryo-weapon. It looks like a demented backpack, all tubes and wires, and I worry slightly whether it'll actually work or just explode in our faces. Beside her, the Kro'tek moves like a living tank, each footfall echoing with grim determination. If anyone's ready for a throw down with a killer robot, it's him. Next to him floats the Lumenari, her ethereal form casting a soft glow in the dim corridor.

And, of course, there is the Host following behind all of us, being uncharacteristically quiet and on his best damned behavior.

He isn't fooling me, that's for sure.

I peer around the corner, my heart racing. "Vornas," I breathe, my voice barely audible. "The Host could still stab us in the back. We can't drop our guard around him."

Vornas's ears twitch, angled toward the Host while his eyes remain fixed ahead. "Agreed," he murmurs. "But for now, he understands the situation here better than any of us. We'll handle him if he tries anything."

I chew my lower lip, mulling over his words, but Vornas has a point that our little traitor has been useful. The Host's picks for our band of misfits have been spot-on so far. Still, I'll be keeping both eyes on our feathered ringmaster.

It's not long before we approach a massive, sealed door. The Zyrillian scuttles forward, her spindly claws poking at the control panel until the door finally whooshes open and reveals the jungle outside.

Vornas takes the lead, and I follow close behind, my fingers flexing inside the climbing gloves. The jungle presses in around us, a riot of green and shadow. Sweat beads on my skin, the humidity wrapping around me. Nearby, a bird lets out a piercing cry, making me flinch.

"Easy," Vornas murmurs, his tail brushing against my arm. He scans the tree line, alert for any sign of movement.

I nod, trying to match his calm demeanor, but my racing pulse betrays me. The Zyrillian and Kro'tek have vanished into the foliage, leaving no trace of their presence. Only the faintest shimmer in the air hints at the Lumenari's position, her ethereal form blending seamlessly with the shadows.

A twig snaps in the distance, and I suck in a sharp breath. Vornas's eyes then lock onto mine, and he whispers, "When our metallic friend makes its grand entrance, we'll need to give it the show of its life. That'll buy our Zyrillian friend time to work her cryo-magic."

I swallow hard, willing my voice not to shake. "Right. We just gotta be the bait for a murderous robot. Easy-peasy."

A flutter of movement catches my eye, and I glance up to see the Host flying up to a nearby branch. His mechanical parts whir softly as he folds his wings, and I gape at the sight. It's my first time seeing him airborne, and it's as unsettling as it is impressive.

For a moment, we're all just waiting.

Then the Host hisses from his vantage point, "It approaches!"

The jungle falls eerily silent, as if holding its breath. Even the ever-present hum of insects dies away, leaving only the rustle of leaves in the oppressive heat. Beside me, Vornas is a coiled spring of muscle and fur, ready to explode into action at any moment.

Then the quiet shatters like glass. A bone-jarring screech of metal on metal rips through the air as a monstrosity emerges from the tree line.

When I see it, I can't help but say, "Holy shit."

This freaking thing is like Frankenstein's Terminator, just a robotic patchwork of horror. Its head swivels, scanning the surroundings with cold, calculating precision, until the monstrosity's gaze locks onto us.

The robot's maw gapes open, revealing a gleaming arsenal of serrated metal, and when I notice its sharp claws and long tail, a horrifying realization dawns on me.

The creature before us is a grotesque mirror image of Vornas, as if someone had taken the Saberkai's deadliest traits and forged them into this killing machine that's three times his size.

And the only ingredient it's missing is flesh and blood to replace its unstable core.

I steal a glance at Vornas, wondering if he sees the twisted resemblance too. But his focus is on the task at hand: keeping this thing distracted long enough for the Zyrillian to freeze its core.

"We attack from two angles, divide its attention," he tells me, before launching himself at the robot. I dart to the side as he engages the robot, making my way behind it before shouting, "Hey, Tin Can! Over here!"

The robot's head swivels, its pulsing green eyes boring into me with inhuman intensity. Vornas takes the opportunity to land a blow, but that only seems to annoy the robot as it turns its glare back at him.

Just in time, the ground trembles as Kro'tek joins the fray, his massive form colliding with the robot like a meteor. The clash of metal on scales drowns out everything else, leaving my ears ringing.

Through the mayhem, I spot the Zyrillian engineer inching forward, cryo-weapon clutched in her spindly limbs. She moves with agonizing slowness, trying to close the gap unnoticed. We just have to keep this robot occupied for a moment longer.

Just as I'm about to create another distraction, a flash of movement draws my gaze skyward. The Host swoops in, his mechanical wings a frenzied blur. For a split second, I think he might be helping us, but instead, he dives by the Zyrillian, making her skitter back and give away her position.

When the robot clocks her, it forgets everyone else, making an aggressive charge in her direction. The only thing that saves her is Vornas throwing his body in the way.

The robot skids to a stop, then its arm whips out with terrifying speed, catching Vornas square in the chest and sending him straight into a tree trunk with a sickening thud.

"Vornas!" I cry out, and I'm moving before I even realize it, hurrying to his side to assess his condition.

And to my horror, he's completely limp.

I expect him to groan, make a quip about how he was certainly going to feel this in the morning—something!

But he's just laying there, lifeless.

My hands shake as I put my fingers to his neck.

To my relief, I feel Vornas's pulse beneath my fingers, weak but steady. Still, there's no time to relax.

"Vornas, come on," I whisper urgently, patting his cheek. "We need to move."

Vornas's eyes flutter open, and he mumbles, "Chloe?"

"Yeah, it's me. You took quite a hit, so be careful."

He winces, touching his side gingerly. "The robot—"

"Still kicking, unfortunately," I interrupt. "Can you get up?"

But before he can answer, the Host swoops down, landing beside us with a metallic clank.

"Oh, this is perfect," he crows. "He's still alive, even after taking such a devastating blow. If that isn't enough to prove his species worthy…"

I narrow my eyes. "What are you talking about?"

But the Host ignores me, instead turning to face the robot. "Administrator!" he calls out, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "I know you're watching through the sensors. It's time we talked!"

The robot freezes, its head swiveling toward us.

The Host spreads his arms wide, a showman's grin on his beaked face. "You wanted the perfect species for assimilation, didn't you? Well, the Saberkai have proven to be everything you could want—fierce, adaptable, and utterly ruthless. He has survived three evolutions of your robot warriors. Is that not what we agreed upon?"

The robot's eyes flicker, processing this information. When it speaks, the voice that emerges is cold, authoritative.

"He has proven his species are ideal candidates," it says. "However, there is one issue. We need to assimilate with a species that can reproduce, and the Saberkai lack fertile females."

The Host's grin widens, as if he's been planning this all along.

"Not a worry. Long before the plague doomed Mythos, I had my drones capture dozens of Saberkai females. They're all preserved in cryofreeze. All they need is the cure I've developed in my laboratory."

The robot—or rather, the Administrator—is silent for a long moment, before saying, "Good. Then we shall proceed with the assimilation."

"Excellent!" the Host crows, clapping his metal hands together. "I'm pleased we could come to an agreement. And, of course, my own species will be spared as promised?"

The robot's eyes flicker. "Yes. Your contribution to our cause will not be forgotten."

I feel Vornas tense beside me, a low growl rumbling in his chest. I squeeze his arm, silently urging him to stay quiet. We need to hear this out, to understand the full scope of what we're facing.

The Administrator continues, its voice devoid of emotion. "We will now awaken all robotic units from hibernation. It is time to depart for the planet Mythos and begin the assimilation of the Saberkai race."

My mind's a whirlwind. How many more of these things are there? And just how much time do we have to stop them?

But without another word, the robot turns, its heavy footsteps echoing as it heads back toward the underground facility, leaving us like discarded playthings.

Vornas struggles to his feet, his face a mask of anger as he takes a step toward the Host. "You spineless, treacherous—"

But before he can finish, he suddenly stumbles, and I only then notice the gaping wound on his side.

His eyes roll back, and he collapses to the ground with a heavy thud.