Bethany's Heart (Unearthly World Book 3) (12 page)

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“You have to let me out,” Bethany shouted.

Her hands gripped the bars to her cell so tightly her knuckles were white. The water was around her waist.

“Stop your strange babbling. The water stinks but will offer relief.”

The words were to her left from another cell. “I’ll drown.”

“Nonsense.”

The being wasn’t speaking Arax’s language. Bethany had never heard it before but after a few words she understood the being. “I’m an air breather. I can only last a few minutes underwater. I need air.”

“Then you have a serious problem.”

“You think?” Bethany howled.

“It was nice talking to you. But since you will die there is no point in us conversing further.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Bethany muttered. “Let me out,” she screamed.

“Can you not die quietly? I mean, really, where is your honor, man?”

“I’m female and I will scream until there is no more breath in me.”

“Arax is killing a female?” The voice was subdued.

“If I drown, then yes, he is killing a female.”

“But that’s impossible.”

“I know the gender between my legs, you idiot. I see it every day when I take a piss.”

“This will lead to global annihilation. Murder of a female, any female is against the laws of nature. Even Arax wouldn’t risk such a venture. Why would any creature kill something that brings life? It could lead to the non-existence of a great leader. You are not of my species or Tiger Shark. You speak my words, but what are you?”

“A human.”

“Oh, I am sorry, then there is no problem, although this still saddens me. Humans are almost extinct. There will be no repercussions; you will produce no offspring of your kind. Your race has been chosen for extinction—it’s news all over the galaxies. Still, Arax has never been this cruel. Perhaps your demise is a blessing. You are all alone; there are no humans on this planet. Poor little lost, alone female. If it makes your transition to death easier, I will continue to converse with you until your demise. It’s the least I can do; your kind has never harmed mine.”

“I’m mated to a Zargonnii.” Bethany wasn’t altogether positive she was, but she felt smug saying it—until the creature screamed in a way her hair stood on end and her flesh dotted with goose bumps. She almost screamed back in terror, but the creature began to yell at the top of its lungs.

“Annihilation, eradication. The Zargonnii will kill us all. Let the female go before we all die.”

Bethany heard numerous howls from the cells. Too many words in too many different languages were making her head reel. The more languages spoken, the harder her head began to pound. If she could have, Bethany would have fallen onto her ass, but the water was past her waist and steadily rising. Her hands clamped over her ears as the howls and screams rose to a fevered pitch.

“Zargonnii. Death. Eradication. Annihilation. No mercy.”

Voices of doom resounded around the flooding area. One thing became apparent to Bethany, Finn’s kind was known. The cell dwellers seemed to be under a different impression than she. They thought of the Zargonnii as soulless warrior monsters. She supposed mercenaries could be, but her hard-ass, not-warrior was a cupcake—with sprinkles.

The swirling water lapped at her breasts. The stink was the least of her worries as she wrinkled her nose in distaste. The floor beneath her feet was slippery and only her vise grip on the cell bars kept her upright. There was two feet of space above her that was disappearing fast. She would have to let go soon and swim.

“Arax, you bastard, let me out,” Bethany screamed.

“Arax, please save her,” the being in the next cell cried out.

“What are you so afraid of?” Bethany demanded.

“My species was eradicated on another planet. A Zargonnii named Zane spared my life when he saw the material the inhabitants had sought to hide. He left me there unharmed but swore if he saw me again he would finish the job. He took the material I had…um…found, and left me. I ran and fell into a water portal Arax had opened. I’m a prisoner, but it amuses Arax to let me live. He allows no one to hurt me, he feeds me well.”

“You’re his toy,” Bethany said in disgust.

“I’d rather be a toy, a well-liked toy, than dead.”

The water seeped through Bethany’s fingers. She pulled herself up and tried to slip her toes through the bars to hold on. The water had formed waves which rocked her back and forth. Her arms pin-wheeled back while she tried to keep her balance. The spray soaked her face and she couldn’t see.

“Arax,” she bellowed, and then gasped as her mouth filled with putrid water.

“He’ll never come now. The river water is bad enough but this water carries the filth the creatures below have accumulated during the day. There are amphibians who feed off waste. Arax would never swim in waste.”

Bethany threw up. She choked for a moment on her vomit as it was thrown back at her. The creatures words were so desolate she believed him. Her head banged the ceiling of her cell. Bethany turned her face sideways. Her toes released the meager hold they had on the bars and Bethany pawed at the water and ceiling. Tiny amounts of water trickled down her throat as her lips skimmed the ceiling.

“Finn,” she gave in and whimpered.

The water closed over her. Terrified, Bethany put her hands over her face. She curled into the fetal position and felt her body sink to the floor as her shoulders bounced against the sides. She would have to release her last breath soon. Sounds invaded her final thoughts. The being in the next cell was still screaming for Arax uselessly. It was no use, Bethany could hold her breath no longer, her lungs were in agony.

Her hands slipped from her face, her body went limp. She rolled with the undercurrent. Her eyes formed slits and Bethany saw the creatures coming. The light glowing green beings with fanged teeth. One hovered in front of her for a moment. It came closer as Bethany released the air from her spent lungs. She hoped to drown before being feasted on. Her air bubbles popped and floated away. The slimy leech-creature pressed its rounded belly against her mouth and nose as her breath expelled the last of her air. It clung tight forming a seal. Bethany blinked as the leech-creature applied pressure Bethany assumed would suck blood from her. It didn’t matter she surmised, she was already history.

Bethany gasped for air knowing there was none. Her hands flailed trying to grip the leech from her face but it was too slimy to get a grip on. It was then Bethany realized she was breathing. Sweet air filled her lungs. The leech settled further when Bethany exhaled. It was feeding on her expelled breaths. Bethany shuddered as she floated. She would go insane if the creature continued. She was in limbo.

Bethany didn’t know how long she lay on the bottom of her water grave. The creatures ate from her one at a time, sucking her expelled air into their expanding bodies. When they had feasted they simply dropped off to allow another to take a turn.

Water began to swirl furiously around her. The leech was pulled away with a sickening sucking sound and Bethany heard Arax’s angry voice. She was pulled into his arms, his air bubbles circled her head and she could breathe normally without the pressure of the leech creatures.

“Damn. Damn. Damn.”

Bethany heard Arax swear before she slipped into unconsciousness.

“I’m going to kill you.”

From the fast uneasy look on Arax’s face before he masked his emotions, Finn knew he understood. Finn took in Bethany’s sodden pitiful appearance as she lay on a huge bed unmoving. He strode over to her and when one of Arax’s men came too close Finn gripped the beings shoulders and tossed him across the room.

“Arax, how could you?” Trex said. “She’s just a tiny human female.”

“I thought she was lying about not being able to breathe. I’ve heard stories of humans being underwater for hours. I planned on retrieving her before the water rose too high but was distracted. I had a failsafe plan. Our leechins breathe out oxygen in much the same way our trees did at one time. You see, a disease has overtaken much of our plant life in many areas. The pathetic shells of what once was tree life is all that is left. If not for our leechins, our society would be in danger.”

“Father told me of humans,” Trex said, he was glaring at his older brother. “This human would have been terrified of the leechins.”

“This human shouldn’t be on our planet,” Arax thundered.

“We crashed, you ass,” Finn shouted.

Finn carefully scooped Bethany into his arms. Her breathing was shallow, but she was breathing.

“She stinks,” Finn yelled. “Where is your washing room?”

“You are both prisoners,” Arax reminded him.

Finn set Bethany down and pulled a fluffy white pillow under her head. He then rose and stalked Arax.

“Guards,” Arax bellowed.

The twelve guards that raced in were immediately tossed back out. Finn was in a rage. Not one guard moved after tangling with him. Only Trex stood between Finn and Arax.

“She may never wake because of you.” Finn growled. The ominous rumbling deep within his chest gave testimony to the warrior beneath the healer. “How much of that filth did she ingest?”

“Not much,” Arax said. If he was worried about Finn’s animosity, it didn’t show, but Finn saw the beings gills flutter at his throat. “The leechins would have sucked the water out of her lungs. Our healer has looked at her. He won’t chance putting her in our healing machine; it’s never been used on a human and we have no idea what the effects would be. He suggested waiting it out until we have no other choice. She should wake soon. I don’t know why she hasn’t woken yet.”

“Maybe because some big fucking slimy things were playing suck-face with her,” Finn roared. “I went to your cell where she was kept, looking for her. I saw those creatures. No wonder she’s unconscious. First, she’s faced with drowning, then attacked by things you used as a failsafe? Just how fucking stupid are you? Wait, never mind, because I already know,” Finn bellowed. “Your cruelty is only surpassed by the Gorgano.”

“Arax,” Trex whispered urgently. “There is talk of the Zargonnii making an alliance over this with Tiger Sharks. Make this right. Swallow your pride, brother, before we all die.”

Arax sighed dramatically. “It was never my intention to kill the human. I had no idea how fragile they are. I would never intentionally kill a female of any species.”

“Finn?”

They all turned as Bethany began sitting up. She lifted her hands and sniffed the air in disgust. Finn raced to her.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. I’m here.” Finn turned to Arax. “She needs a washing area before this shit makes her ill.”

“Very well.” Tightlipped, Arax strode to a door he opened to reveal a huge pool filled with clear water. “I trust this will do.”

“Finn, help me stand,” Bethany said. Finn scooped her up. “No, let me walk,” she insisted.

Finn helped Bethany towards the door. As they passed, she stopped and gazed at Arax. His return gaze was cool. Bethany smiled, barely lifting the edges of her lips at the sides. Finn admired her courage. He admired her more when she balled a tiny fist and smashed it into Arax’s surprised face.

Arax chuckled at Bethany’s angry expression. She hadn’t budged him; he was too powerful for one so small.

“No hard feelings?” Arax smugly asked.

Finn tucked Bethany into the crook of his arm. The blow he sent into Arax’s smug expression not only moved him—it sent him ten feet to crash into a wall. Arax was out cold. Finn gazed over at Trex.

“When he wakes up, tell him no hard feelings.”

Trex looked relieved.

The washing area was huge, surrounded in brilliant glowing multi colored lights from an array of stalactites and stalagmites. The pool was filled with the anomaly. Finn settled Bethany into the steaming water. She gazed up at the multitude of glowworms lighting the darkened room.

“The ass has good taste,” Bethany muttered. “This is beautiful.”

“You are beautiful. If the ass had good taste, he wouldn’t have allowed someone as breathtaking as you out of his sight.”

“I missed you.”

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to save you.”

“You’re here now.”

Bethany leaned over to kiss him, but he held her at arm’s length. “Normally I’d ravish you at the invitation but we need to get this filth off of you before you get sick. I couldn’t care less what you look like at the moment or your, interesting, odor. But for health reasons, this crap is coming off.”

Finn scooped up water to trickle over her head; his hand scooped each drop with loving care. The moisture drizzled between her breasts after he rid her of all clothing. Bethany leaned back and let him take care of her. Finn’s thumbs washed her face; her sweet cheeks were satiny soft. Dark eyes blinked as he laid her back across his arm to wash her hair. There wasn’t a single second his hands were off her body.

With tenderness Finn lifted each leg for inspection. His huge fingers made her giggle as he washed between each toe. When there was only one place to cleanse Bethany sighed as Finn traced her mound under the water. Her softness welcomed him as he spread her lower lips. A finger delved deep. Her back arched accepting more of his careful exploration.

“I want to look at you,” Finn said.

“I want to taste you.”

She confused the hell out of him. This one tiny human caused so many huge emotions. Bethany pulled herself onto the pool side and tugged him against her. Finn straddled her face with his thighs as she spread her legs for him to gaze at her. Female Zargonnii would never allow this position. They’d kill him for sure. Finn jumped when Bethany took his hard cock into her hands. He groaned when she pulled him lower. When her lips settled over him he could have roared in response.

Finn tried to concentrate; after all, it was he who suggested he wanted to look at her. It was hard to explore with his eyes when half of him was buried deep in her mouth. Tiny fingers rubbed his balls in an exquisite circular motion. Her mouth was warm, her tongue wet and smooth. There was so much of him her teeth grazed over his hardness. Blunt little teeth against his manhood were driving him wild.