Alien Heart (8 page)

Lian—

The man’s voice filtered through the roaring pain. “You almost found it, Commander. Now you will have the chance to see what you would shut down without a thought up close. See what we are trying to do to save our own people.”

He jerked Kiele upright and marched him to the grate. The part of his mind not writhing in pain congratulated himself for being right about the entrance. Now he was about to find the lab. As a prisoner.

***

Anji was bored
ten minutes into her wandering non-tour. This place was just a spa, with a huge side of live sex. She’d already walked in on at least three couples, and what she thought was a foursome. She didn’t stay long enough to count all the limbs flailing in the huge bed.

Whatever rumors Kiele heard about this place seemed to be just that.

With a sigh she turned around and headed in the direction of the entrance. She’d rather spend the rest of their time here with Kiele, preferably in a private room, admiring each other’s tattoos. Naked.

The image made her smile. She moved faster, rounded the corner—and almost ran into one of the employees.

“Oh—sorry, I didn’t see you.”

“Quite all right.” The woman adjusted the towel draped over her arm and stared down at Anji, frowning. She had the scaled hairline and lean, almost androgynous body of a T’An. No wonder Kiele practically worshipped Anji’s hips and breasts. “Cee told me you were wandering around. Did you need help finding your way out?”

“No. I have an excellent sense of direction.” She stomped down her anger, aware that the woman’s question was a veiled insult. “Thank you—I’ll just head back. I’ve seen all I wanted.”

“Enjoy the rest of your time on Taurean.”

She strode away, and Anji turned to leave, halting when she caught a flash of light on metal.

What the—

The T’An had a stethoscope. In the pocket of the white coat, peeking out from the towel over her arm.

Heart pounding, Anji waited until she was out of sight, and started to follow her.

It was easy as she moved into the crowded areas of the spa, and she was tall enough that Anji could keep track of her while staying far enough to keep from being spotted. Anji ducked when the woman glanced around, straightening in time to see her disappear through a narrow door.

Anji waited as long as she dared, then ran to the door, easing it open. A dark tunnel greeted her, with a metal ladder bolted into the wall next to her. She looked down, and saw flickering light at the bottom of the tunnel. If there was a hidden lab here, it would make perfect sense to hide it underground.

She took a deep breath, closed the door, and reached over to grab the ladder. Fortunately, the rungs were fairly close together, so she didn’t have to stretch too much to climb down. Another door was at the bottom of the ladder, and this one had a small window. Just above her eye level. She stood on tiptoe and inched over until she reached the edge of the window—and took in a harsh breath.

People in white coats hustled around a huge room, filled with equipment she recognized from her trips to medical clinics, and tables. Operating tables. There was a body on each one—and not all of them looked like they were breathing.

She had found the lab.

Kiele stumbled again,
fighting the pain that stabbed through his back. He could feel blood sliding down his skin. Too much blood. It was already leaving him lightheaded, more so because he was close to his normal immersion period.

The T’An pushed him through an open doorway and he squinted, blinded by the bright lights after marching through the dark tunnel. When he blinked his eyes clear, anger shoved aside his pain.

Rows of tables filled the cavernous room, each with a captive human strapped down to the cold steel surface. Blood stained their gowns, flowed into the tubes attached to the tables, streaked over the white coats of the scientists and doctors.

“You murderers—” He jerked free and slammed into the nearest scientist. The human on the table turned her head. “Melissa.” She was the female he and Anji had seen in the city. “Hold still.”

He managed to free her wrist before fresh pain roared across his back. It buckled his knees, and he gripped the edge of the table to keep himself from hitting the floor face first. Melissa reached over, touched his wrist.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For trying.”

Everyone in the room gathered around him as he was yanked to his feet. His captor spoke, triumph in his voice. “Meet Commander Kiele Suun, our most vocal opponent.”

One of the scientists stepped forward. “Is he not Lian Suun’s brother? There will be repercussions if we harm him.”

“Not if his death was accidental.”

Kiele lifted his head, scanned the T’An surrounding him. His people, plotting the death of one of their own. “How can you—do this?”

The scientist who spoke before moved forward. “We are fighting to save ourselves.”

“By murdering innocents.”

“This barbaric race? They destroyed their own planet, and would do the same here if given the chance! They are good for one thing. Giving us the information we need to save our people.”

“We have no—right.”

“Take him out of here, Rell. He is upsetting my specimens.”

Rell yanked Kiele up before he could say anything else. The movement shot breath-robbing pain through him, and he knew his gills had been damaged. His body would need immersion soon, or the damage would be permanent.

“Time for an unfortunate death, Commander.”

Kiele lifted his head—and swore he saw Melissa slide off her table. Rell dragged him away before he could be certain.

***

Horrified, Anji watched
the T’An drag Kiele toward a door. Away from her.

Blood stained the left side of his white shirt, which explained why he wasn’t fighting back. The bastards hurt him.

She had to get to him—but how? Lowering herself, she scanned the small tunnel—and spotted a corridor, that curved around. Just like the wall of the room.

Using the wall to guide her in the dark, she moved as fast as she dared, halting when the corridor lightened. Voices filtered to her. One of them was Kiele’s, edged with such pain her hands clenched. They would pay—for all of this.

She followed them, not sure what she’d do, only knowing she couldn’t lose track of Kiele. He was their enemy, determined to stop their horrific experiments.

They moved deeper into the complex hewn out of rock, and stopped near a hole in the stone floor. Water lapped at the edge.

They couldn’t drown him, so what…

Her heart skipped when she saw the shackles bolted into the floor.

The T’An holding Kiele dropped him, crouching to remove the thick guards off each wrist before he replaced them with thick steel bracelets. “You are not the first to try and expose us, Commander. Those who are human are sent below.” He gestured to the hole. “Our kind are left here, close to the very water than will save them, and unable to reach it.” He checked the locks, then picked up Kiele’s wrist guards. “I am sorry it has come to this, for your brother’s sake. But we are fighting for our survival, and your sentimental leanings have no place here.”

“They are not lab animals, Rell. What you are doing here is murder.”

Rell leaned over him—and Anji clutched the wall as Kiele cried out in pain.

“What we are doing will relieve us forever of our weakness. The weakness that is going to kill you, slowly.” He stood, looking down at Kiele. “I wish I could say it has been a pleasure, Commander.”

Anji panicked when he turned, but he headed down a separate corridor, leaving them alone. She waited as long as she could stand it before she bolted across the open space and dropped to her knees.

“Kiele.”

He jerked and opened his eyes. “No, Anji. You must go, before they find you—”

“I’m not leaving without you.” She leaned over him and gently lifted his blood soaked shirt, sucking in her breath at the damage. “How long before you have to find water?”

“Not long,” he whispered. “If you can find a way to free me, the water behind you will suffice.”

“I have a couple tools with me.”

“Of course you do.”

She smiled at him, and examined the lock. “It’s a simple tumbler. Let me see what I can do.” She pulled her laser screwdriver out of her pocket, glad that she had unconsciously slipped it and her multi tool in her pocket before they left the ship. “Hold still.”

“Not—going anywhere.”

“Aren’t you funny.” She kept up the humor, even though his breathless voice, and the way his breathing sounded scared the hell out of her. She flicked on the tiny light, used it to study the lock, and froze. “Oh, God.”

“What is it? Tell me, Anji.”

“There’s a bio lock. I’m pretty sure I won’t be one of the approved thumbs.”

“Go, Anji.”

“Kiele—”

“Please. Only you can find my crew, tell them what has happened.”

“Okay.” She was terrified at the thought of leaving him. He was so weak already. “Stay alive, Kiele.”

“Not going—anywhere without you,
t’anling
.”

She kissed him, his lips cool against hers. Too cool.

“I’ll be back soon.”

After another short kiss she pushed to her feet—and ran into a solid chest.

“You should have gone when he implored you the first time.
T’anling
.” Rell grabbed her arm and spun her. “I would throw you to my scientists, but I want the Commander to watch his beloved human die on front of him. Or more specifically, drown.”

He picked her up and carried her to the hole. Anji kicked and fought him every step, but she was no match for his strength. He dropped her and had her hands tied behind her before she could catch her breath.

“Rell—there is no—”

“You chose an inferior species over
your own people
.” The rage in his low voice chilled her. His hand wrapped around her throat. “Kneel, human.” She did, afraid he might strangle her if she didn’t move fast enough. A heavy belt slipped around her waist, and she looked down, her throat dry. Weights were attached to it. Weights that would take her straight to the bottom. He buckled it on, tight, then stood. “Say goodbye, before I change my mind.”

Kiele levered himself up, pain etched on his face. “Forgive me, my heart.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, ever. I’m proud of you, Kiele Suun. I love you.”

“I love you, Anji.”

Her name was the last thing Anji heard before Rell shoved her into the water.

***

“No!”
Kiele fought
to free himself, even as he knew it was impossible. “There is no need to punish her for what I have done—”

“She saw the lab.” Rell stalked over to him and pressed the barrel of his laser rifle against Kiele’s chest. “As far as my superiors are concerned, that equals a death sentence.”

Kiele lowered his head, his injured gills on fire, his body already aching for the water just out of reach. He walked into this knowing he could be caught, but Anji—she loved him, and that love had killed her.

He looked at Rell, the pressure of the rifle over his heart a reminder, and a warning. “Are you staying with me, until the end?”

“I am, Commander. We have to be certain there is no chance for you to escape. Your insistence that we can just go on as we are will condemn us.”

“I understand the fear—just not the method you chose.”

Rell sneered. “You will not live to see our success, and for that I pity you, Commander. Your brother had the real vision, and the money, allowing us to establish these labs across the human galaxy.”

Anguish drove through Kiele. “Lian is responsible for this?”

“He never told you?” A smile flashed across Rell’s face. A smug, satisfied smile. “He will be even more revered among our people, as the savior. It is appropriate for one of the First to save us again. Your ancestors took us below the water, and now they will raise us up.”

Kiele swallowed, his throat already dry, from fighting, from blood loss. He had never told Anji of his status. Not that she would have cared, but he wanted her to know that the man she loved, the man she chose, was worthy of her.

He would die with more regrets on his heart. But he would die fighting, not scrabbling on the floor, struggling for every last breath.

Letting out a groan, he let himself sink to the floor, relaxing his body. He knew Rell would be suspicious, but he had few options. After bracing himself for the pain, he put his weight on his injured gills. A raw scream escaped him, fresh blood pooling under his back. He curled around his left side, and waited, shaking from the effort to keep himself still.

Rell leaned over him. “Giving up already, Commander? I thought you would have more—”

He choked off when Kiele’s foot slammed into his throat.

Pain darkened the edge of Kiele’s vision, but he followed through, wrapping his legs around Rell’s throat and crossing his ankles. The soldier fought him, pounding his fists against Kiele’s legs. But he held his grip, until Rell collapsed, unconscious. It took the last of Kiele’s strength to untangle himself.

He clutched the floor, panting, his back on fire. There was no time to recover. He needed to free himself and get to Anji before it was too late.

As he forced himself to his knees, he shoved down the thought, and the desperate grief threatening to drown him, that it was already too late.

~ * ~

Thank you for sharing Anji and Kiele’s journey.
Alien Love
, Book 2 of
The T’An Chronicles
, is coming soon.

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Alien Heart
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