Alien Guardian's Baby (Scifi Alien Romance) (Zoran Warriors) (6 page)

V
ortex Station
.

The giant space station revolves in front of us, floating through the nothingness of space. It’s shaped like a dart: long and thin, but wider on top. Its hull is a patchwork of different colored metals. Millions of people, from all species and races, call it home. It looks shoddy and seedy – and it is. It’s a lawless place, the last place in the universe a Zoran should be – yet it’s the one place where I need to go.

I’m going to find that silver-haired Prymeta who led the assault on the
Eternity
and make him pay for what he did. His ships bore the banner of the Flaming Fang, one of the many gangs that call Vortex Station their home.

Behind the station, the vortex looms. A giant black hole, swallowing all that is in its path.

“Whoa,” Isa says, pressing her nose against the window. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Why do you think they call it Vortex Station?”

“I… never thought about it,” she admits with a guilty look on her face. “I thought it was just a name. Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like that!”

“Do you know
anything
about this station?”

She shoots me a fiery look. I’m tempted to needle her some more so we can have amazing makeup sex, but now is not the time. Vortex Station is drawing close, and we won’t be safe on that station. Not for even a second. She needs to be prepared.

These last few days have been absolutely amazing – I’ve been inside of Isa for what feels like every waking moment – but now we’ve reached our destination. We can’t hide in each other’s arms any longer. We have to face our enemies head-on.

“The station was built millennia ago by the Elohians. You’ve seen several of their kind on the
Mongoose
. The Xythians are one of the Elohi-races. Tall, slender, white hair, pointy ears. Arrogant. Can’t miss.”

“Right,” Isa nods. “The elves.”

“Elves?”

She waves my question away. “Continue.”

“Elohi was an ancient planet that produced several different species: Xythians, Terulians, Prymetas and the Ama, who lived underwater. Thousands of years ago they were united by Rayatol De’Tsa, their Emperor and Chief, and for a time, they prospered.”

“What species was he?”

“All species have claimed De’Tsa was one of theirs, and honestly, I’m not sure which one is right. Now, the Elohians built Vortex Station to study the black hole it’s named after. They wanted to harness its power.”

“What for?” Isa asks.

I shrug. “Nefarious purposes, no doubt. Intergalactic warp? Time travel? Who knows? Who cares? They failed. Catastrophically.”

“Time travel?” Isa says. “Is such a thing even possible?”

“Theoretically, yes,” I answer. “According to some. But it doesn’t matter. The Elohian Emperor came to visit the station, and his ship flew too close to the black hole. They drifted past the event horizon.”

“You mean he…”

“The ship, and the Emperor himself, was sucked into the black hole. Their alliance fell apart, the Elohian Empire crumbling, as all the species vied for control of the throne. Vortex Station became filled with refugees, as their planet was reduced to rubble. Now, it’s home to over fifteen million people, ruled by the different Elohi-races who are in a perennial war with one another.

“Now do you understand why I wasn’t too keen on going there?”

Isa’s eyes grow wide. “You’re telling me we could be sucked into that…
thing
?”

“The black hole? Possibly, yes, but don’t worry. The chance of us getting killed by raiders is much, much higher.”

My mate punches me on the shoulder. “Don’t say things like that.”

“I thought you didn’t need my protection?”

She crosses her arms, frowning at me. She looks adorable when she’s angry.

“You can protect me
this time
,” she says. “If you want.”

“Can I, now?”

“Yes. Think of it as a gift.”

“A gift? Well, you’re feeling charitable.”

“That’s me,” Isa smirks.

Of course, I’d protect Isa with my life – whether she asked for it or not – but I notice the human female gets recalcitrant when I point out she’s mine. I do not understand it, but perhaps that’s what I get for mating with a human.

She’ll learn.

I hail the station and request permission to board. The automated system assigns me a dock, and I steer the shuttle towards our destination. The station, which at first was just a speck in the sky, is now miles long. Countless ships of all shapes and sizes pass us, not giving us a moment’s attention. I keep my eyes peeled for any ships bearing the Flaming Fang’s insignia, but I don’t see any.

When the automatic docking process is taking place I climb down the ladder. Isa is pacing through the room. I feel my speech has made her nervous. Good.

“Wear this,” I say, and help her wrap her body in a cloth. “You’ll draw too much attention to yourself. I don’t think anyone here has seen a human before.”

“
I
will draw attention?” Isa says. “You’re a blue giant! You don’t think the Flaming Fang will get word of a Zoran bumping about their station?”

I cross my arms, staring down at Isa. The human female has a point. I’ve never had to hide for a moment in my life, but this mission will require subterfuge. Finesse.

“You’re right.”

“What was that?”

“You’re right,” I growl.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that?”

“Don’t push your luck,” I say. “I bet I can fetch a fine price for you on the slave markets.”

Isa’s playful grin fades away, her face losing its color. “Th-there are slave markets here?”

“Don’t worry, I was joking. About selling you.”

“No, I get that,” Isa says with an eye roll. She pulls the sheets from the bed and fashions a cloak out if it, wrapping it around my frame. “I just didn’t think that kinda thing still existed…”

I grab my mate’s shoulders, peering into her deep blue eyes. “There are things even worse than that lurking on Vortex Station. Stay close to me at all times, okay? We need to move in silence, and avoid drawing attention to ourselves.”

She nods decisively. “Got it.”

I press the silver gun I had given her on the
Eternity
back into her hands. “Here. Don’t fire it if you don’t have to. And don’t shoot me again.”

She smiles nervously, strapping it into her waist.

The ship’s buzzer goes off, signaling the hatch is about to open. Isa’s hand finds mine, our fingers interlocking.

“Drax, I’m scared,” she whispers.

“Don’t worry,” I answer. “I’m here.”

V
ortex Station’s
market is bustling with activity. There are countless aliens hawking their wares, from unfamiliar weapons to strange spices and powders to body parts still dripping with blood. Drax was right – this is an outlaw’s paradise.

One stall featuring eyeballs for sale makes my stomach churn, and I quickly look away. I try to forget the sight, but the stench lingers.

I hold onto Drax’s hand as best I can as he drags me through the crowd. I have to take two steps to match every one of his, and he’s in a hurry, so I’m almost running.

“Hold on,” I say, my breathing heavy. It’s incredibly warm here on the station, and the cloth I’m covered in is clinging to my skin. I want to tear it off, but I know better than that.

“We have to hurry,” he whispers. “We’re drawing attention.”

“No,
you’re
drawing attention,” I whisper back. “Slow down.”

A large, blob-like alien blocks our path. Its skin is light green and slightly transparent, and the creature is as round as a bowling ball.

“Move,” Drax growls, his voice low.

The blob makes no attempt at moving and, impatient, Drax shoves it aside, dragging me alongside him. A tendril shoots out and wraps itself around my leg in an instant, cracking like a whip.

I stumble. The cloth tears, my blonde hair freed. The crowd gasps.

“Drax!” I stammer as the tendril wraps itself around my thigh, dragging me towards the blob. I try to hold onto something – anything – but it’s no use.

The blue warrior whips around, his yellow eyes burning with fire. “Let her go,” he roars. Two steps later and he’s next to me, his frost-colored axe drawn, and in a flash he cuts through the monster’s tendril, freeing me.

Or so I thought. The tendril lives on, keeping its tight hold on me. I dig at it with my nails, tearing it apart with all my strength.

I hear a wretched, gurgling sound, like a bath draining, and when I look up, all the blood leaves my face.

The round blob has grown more tendrils, more than I can count, and they’re hovering around us. Drax is shielding my body with his, his axe in his hand.

The monster’s voice sounds like a stomach burbling. “The little one is mine,” it says, though I don’t see a mouth moving. “You have no power here… Zoran.”

A huge crowd has gathered around us, though no one makes any attempt to interfere.

The beast’s tendrils fly forward and Drax strikes them down, one-by-one, but there are too many. Soon there are sickly-green straps wrapped around his legs, his arms, his axe, his throat. He’s lifted up into the air, kicking and struggling, while the beast laughs, its flaps shaking. It sounds like two stones being smashed together, and it makes my skin crawl.

“Run,” Drax gasps as one tendril snakes around his throat, cutting off his air supply. “Go!”

And leave him behind? Never.

I reach behind me and blindly grab the first thing my fingers find, chucking it straight at the blob. It’s a transponder, and the moment it strikes the green monster its entire body convulses. The air is filled with the smell of burning plastic, and the tendrils all go limp, Drax falling to the floor from a great height.

“Drax!”

I rush over, my heart beating in my throat. There’s still one tendril wrapped tightly around his neck, and I struggle to tear if off. The skin underneath is bruised and nearly black.

“Open your eyes, Drax, please!”

His body is limp, his eyes closed. I tap his cheeks, thump on his chest, breathe into his mouth, all in a frenzy.
Open your eyes, Drax. Please!

My blue mate gasps for air, his eyes shooting wide open. He sits upright, coughing, his hand moving toward his throat.

“You saved my life,” he says softly, his voice barely a whisper.

Relief floods my every vein. For a split-second I’d thought I lost him and would be all alone again. I couldn’t deal with that. Not again. Not after I just found the man that seemingly completes me.

My relief is short-lived. I lift my head and notice the crowd is still gathered around us. The motley assortment of aliens whisper amongst themselves, pointing their fingers or claws at me.

So much for keeping a low profile. The entire station now knows we’re here.

The crowd parts, and the last bit of hope I have left is drained. Eight more green blobs are rolling towards us, leaving a slick path on the floor as they approach, their tendrils already whipping themselves into a frenzy.

Fuck.

We have to run.

“Drax, can you stand?”

I try to pull him to his feet, as best as I’m able, but it’s no use. He’s in no state to go anywhere.

I stand up, my fist raised in the air. They’ll have to go through me first.

“Show’s over, folks.”

A female Terulian drops in from above, a long, black staff in her hands. The ends sparkle with electricity, and she drags the staff across the floor, causing massive sparks. The blobs stop dead in their tracks, their tendrils still waving menacingly above their bodies.

“I mean it,” the reptilian growls.

The monsters seem to hesitate for a second before turning back around and crawling away. The crowd murmurs in disappointment – no doubt they wanted to see some blood being spilled – as everyone returns to their stalls.

The female alien turns around, the obsidian stick hanging loosely by her side. She’s different from all other Terulians I have seen. The ones on the
Mongoose
were short and stocky, but she is tall and slender. Her skin is a deep-green, like most Terulians, but the fin on top of her head is bright yellow. Her navy-blue uniform has a metallic circle fastened onto her chest, like a badge of sorts.

“Now, are you going to tell me why there’s a Zoran and a…” Her fiery red eye takes a good look at me, her brow furrowed. “…whatever you are… on my station?”

“
W
hat is this place
?” I growl.

“This is our station, here at Vortex Security,” the female Terulian answers. “And here,
I
ask the questions.”

The female led us to their base of operations: a small, cramped hole in the wall, with barely enough place for me to stretch my legs. I rub my neck, my skin still sore – and the electronic collar the Terulian placed around it isn’t helping. Captured by the lizardfolk. The shame!

Isa’s bravery saved my life, which shames me even further. I should’ve been the one to save her, to bring her the answers she seeks, and to avenge my fallen crew, but I failed within five minutes of landing on Vortex. For a moment, everything went dark as the monster’s tendrils choked me. I thought it was all over.

I now understand what she had said back on the shuttle about being equals. I didn’t see it at the time, but she was right. We’re now even, as far as saving each other’s lives goes. Perhaps I ought to trust her wisdom more often…

If Vukota could hear me now he’d never let me live this down.
A human?!
he’d howl. He doesn’t know humans like I do, however. He doesn’t know their strength, their bravery, their stubbornness, their intelligence, their humor. It comes natural to Zorans to see ourselves as superior. After all, our military, like our physical prowess, is unmatched.

Perhaps we aren’t as great as we think we are…

But then again, perhaps the blob’s venom is still coursing through my veins, clouding my judgment.

The Terulian brings us both something to drink, and then sits down behind her desk. I swirl the foul, blood-red liquid in my cup before knocking it back.

“Name’s Tsula,” she says after a moment of silence. “And you are?”

“Isabella,” my mate says. “And this is—”

I hold my hand up to silence her. I’m sure my mate means well, but we shouldn’t make our enemies wiser than necessary. And right now, we don’t know enough about this mysterious woman.

“Vortex Security?” I say. “Since when does this station have security?”

“Since half a century or so ago,” she answers. “Don’t come here often, do you, Zoran?”

“This is an outlaw’s den,” I scoff.

“This is much more than that,” Tsula answers, hitting her desk with her fist. “It’s a home to millions. Yes, our laws may be more lax than some, but we house women, children. We have schools. We have hospitals. And we have as much a right to a good life as you do, Zoran.”

Her words are filled with venom. It’s clear this issue runs deep.

“You’re ruled by war criminals,” I say coldly.

“We pay our rulers, and in return, they keep us safe. How is that any different from paying taxes to
your
government, Zoran? You’re one to talk about rulers anyway – last I heard, you overthrew your own High Command for treason. Isn’t that right?”

My lips are pulled in a tight line. The Terulian isn’t wrong.

“So, I ask you again. Who are you, and why are you here?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?”

“Your life would be in danger if you knew. In fact, you already endangered yourself by taking us in. It would be in your best interest to let us go and forget you ever saw us,” I growl.

The Terulian smiles at me, baring her many teeth. “I’m a cop on a station ruled by war criminals, as you put it. Let that sink in for a second. You don’t scare me, Zoran.”

My lips remain sealed.

“Fine,” Tsula sighs. She taps a button, and the screen on the wall lights up with images of wreckage floating through space. My blood runs cold when I recognize what I’m looking at.

The remains of the
Eternity.

“I don’t know what happened out there, but I’m willing to bet my year’s pay you have something to do with it – and now you’re here, bringing that trouble to my station. I don’t like that,” she snarls. “We have plenty to worry about already. I don’t need this extra headache. Tell me who you are and why you’re here, or I’m hauling your ass to the first freighter off this dump, you got that?”

She drives a hard bargain – and my chips are down. If the blob’s venom hadn’t weakened my muscles, I could simply walk out, and there’s nothing Tsula could do to stop me, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.

“I think we should trust her,” Isa says to me. “She saved our lives.”

“We don’t know her,” I growl. “We don’t know who she works for.”

Isa rests her hand on my knee. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Then
trust me
on this!”

If Vukota could see me now, he’d have a fit. Putting our lives in the hand of some Terulian? Laughable. However, I don’t seem to have any other options left. Oh, my shame is growing every minute we spend on this accursed station.

“Fine,” I growl, my jaw clenched. “Fine. My name is Drax. General Drax. Commander of that ship,” I say, nodding at the screen. “The
Eternity
.”

Tsula’s red, reptilian eyes grow wide. “You’re a Zoran general?”

“Yes,” I growl.

“I captured a Zoran
freaking
general?” she says, barely containing the giddiness in her voice.

“Do you want me to trust you or what?”

“I’m sorry,” she says, straightening her back. She grabs her drink, doing her best to appear professional. “Please continue.”

“We were ambushed by the Flaming Fang.”

Tsula nearly spits her drink out. “W-w-wait,” she stammers. “The Flaming Fang? Did
that
?”

“Yes,” I growl, growing impatient. “And we’re here to found out how and why.”

“You’re absolutely sure?”

“Positive. I spoke with their leader. Silver fur, scar across his eye. Chain of teeth around his neck.”

She nods. “That sounds like Bokito alright.”

Tsula leans back in her chair, propping her boots up on her desk. She’s lost in thought for a moment as she disseminates the information I just handed her. Isa doesn’t say a word, watching our conversation with bated breath. I’m not planning on mentioning the mysterious message she received – it’s not pertinent to the matter at hand.

“So, are you going to make the call?” I ask. “Turn us in, get that promotion? Receive a gold star?”

“No,” Tsula says pensively, her head resting on her hands. “I don’t work for the Flaming Fang.”

“Who do you work for, then?”

“Technically the Emerald Eye pays my salary,” she says, “but I work for the people of Vortex Station, first and foremost. And if what you say is true… then that’s bad news for all of us.”

I nod, but Isa is looking terribly confused.

“What does any of that mean?” she asks.

“The Emerald Eye is another gang of warlords,” I answer. “Run by the Terulians.”

Tsula nods. “They wouldn’t call themselves a gang, but you’re not wrong. Vortex Station is run by the council of four: the Silver Tree, the Flaming Fang, the Emerald Eye, and the Nameless. Or more simply put: Xythians, Prymetas, and the Terulians. The nameless, well, no one knows who they are, hence the name.

“After centuries of war, there now exists a precarious peace between the different factions. They generally keep to their own levels, and disputes are handled with diplomacy, rather than bullets. If something were to upset that balance – say, Prymetas having enough firepower to take down a Zoran capital ship – that would be bad. Really bad.”

Tsula straightens her back, looking me dead in the eye. “We have to move. Quick. After the stunt back on the market, the whole station knows you’re here. If what you say is true, then they’ll come for you.”

I nod. “So take our shock-collars off and let us go.”

The Terulian stands up, hesitating for a second. “I’m putting my ass on the line for you two.” She unhooks our collars and hands me a small, black box. “Low frequency transmitter,” she says. “Old tech. I’ll be able to contact you without the Flaming Fang listening in.”

She then taps a button below her desk. The wall behind her moves, opening up into a tight crawlspace.

“You need to go out through there,” she says. “It’s safer.”

I raise my eyebrows. “I can’t fit in there.”

Tsula rolls her reptilian eyes. “Try!”

Primal screams reach us from outside.
Apes
.

“Hurry!”

Isa leads the way and I follow closely behind, my body jam-packed into the narrow space. The door closes behind us with a snap, sealing us in darkness, and not a moment too soon, for I hear the Prymetas bursting into Tsula’s office no more than a second later.