Bethany's Heart (Unearthly World Book 3) (2 page)

Human females were certainly making an impact in his world. Finn adored his tiny little niece, Unna. She was named after Finn and Kobe’s mother. Half human and half Zargonnii she was gorgeous. Her mother Zuri was breathtaking, but the baby was a mixture of both parents with their better attributes. Zuri had tangled once with the feared and hated mind-battling Gorgano which caused stunning capabilities in Unna. Her powers had yet to be tested as she was just an infant and being female her father guarded her closely. Zuri had once referred to Kobe as a rabid grizzly—whatever that was—when any warrior came near the babe.

It was time Finn found his own female human. Earth was still suffering from Mother Nature’s assaults, so he was told by his sister-in-law. He now experienced the devastation firsthand. Granted, the weather wasn’t as volatile as it once was explained, but as their ship glided over the planet Finn was astounded with all the water. So were the other Zargonnii and many asked Finn if human females had gills for survival. Finn had scoffed at the warriors and told them females could swim but weren’t adapted to be aquatic, much like he repeated to Blu. They had many shades of hair and a few had different color eyes but their bodies were pinkish white, soft and delicate.

If exposed to water too long, their human flesh would wrinkle. After careful research, Finn discovered prolonged exposure to water would lead to health problems; humans suffered from hypothermia when exposed to cold. Too much heat and dehydration would kill them. As much as they needed water to ingest to survive internally, too much externally was deadly. They were somewhat odd fragile beings.

The humans had tried to escape the planet’s wrath when storms hit with a vengeance five years prior, by heading out into the universe. Some hadn’t been lucky. Many were spread over the galaxies and many species were in a race to hunt them down. There was a rumor the fierce Dalanee warriors were after human slaves, both male and female. Woe be to any human caught by those warriors. With any luck the merciless, dark-winged warriors of Dalanee would stay in their own universe. Humans had become an endangered species. After witnessing the destruction of the planet firsthand, Finn was feeling a bit grim. Earth was a wasteland; it was a shame an entire planet had to die. Any human left would be desperate for a reprieve, even it was from an alien; it was Finn’s ace in the hole.

Hopefully his mission would be a success and he wouldn’t head home empty handed. Finn and Blu were given one week by Titus, a day had already passed. Each area of a known heat source in the frigid weather was being examined by a number of warriors. When they first orbited Earth, Titus found a highly populated area where fifty human men had set up. The Zargonnii were only interested in the females. The human men were fearful and didn’t understand the Zargonnii meant them no harm. They attacked with pointed sticks and rocks and a few weapons that sounded like the ice popping after discharge. Tiny little pelts bounced harmlessly off of the Zargonnii ’s hard flesh. Titus merely raised his eyebrow and told his men never mind. It would be cruel to slaughter them when they were defenseless; all looked small and hungry, too pitiful to engage in an honorable battle. The warriors wouldn’t waste their time.

The human men would discover the Tonans or Gorgano eventually; may the universe help them when they did. Perhaps the Castians would take pity on them. A Castian warrior could scent honesty and loyalty. Some of the human men might be spared. Castian leader Cobra wanted to increase their numbers. With the exchange of a blood bite a human male could be turned Castian. Titus had sent a quick message to the Castian leader with the males’ whereabouts; it was up to Cobra if he wanted to investigate. But the skies were volatile with the enemy near Bagron, the Castians main planet. Cobra might not want to risk such a venture after his warriors’ recent battle.

Finn dismissed his thoughts of Castians, he was after a tastier venture. Finn’s long white hair was molded to his back for warmth, he didn’t need a shirt. His white fur-covered chest kept him warm enough. Finn had always wondered at his hair’s ability to cocoon around him. When in battle, a warrior’s hair could whip wildly around making him appear larger than life. Normally that’s all it did. Learning the trait had come from his northern mother was a revelation. In the frigid cold his hair cocooned his back as well as flying about eerily. He always seemed to have more than his fair share of hair than his southern brothers, now he understood why. Though when he cast a glance to Blu, it didn’t seem his partner was suffering.

“We need to split up,” Finn whispered to Blu. “Go around back and make certain there are no hidden escape routes. I’ll go around this way to check this side. I see the one entrance low to the ground up here.”

Stealthily, both warriors searched their perimeters. Finn studied each large mound, what he saw indicated a lodging. Smoke spiraled up from two, suggesting some type of warmth. The third appeared broken, the top had caved in and it was empty. He decided to wait and see if anyone would exit from the other two structures. Finn didn’t like the idea of smashing into a home. The way the broken mound had caved in, Finn knew the walls wouldn’t stand an assault by a Zargonnii warrior. If he crashed into the structure, he might inadvertently harm a human. The ice lodgings were too flimsy, obviously made up of the substances surrounding him, but the chunks could cause damage if falling from that height and landing on an unsuspecting human. Killing a future mate wasn’t an option.

Through a hazy fog of misty snow, Finn peered. Grunting sounds caught his attention. A large, lumbering figure was ambling towards him. The creature, which had been walking on all fours, stood. It matched Finn in height. The creature was covered in a mass of white fur. Except for the long snout and ears it might have resembled a Zargonnii female, except females weren’t so portly, or as furry.

“Are you in battle form, female?” Finn asked, though he realized once spoken his sentence made no sense, females didn’t need a battle form, they were formidable enough. At least on Finn’s planet. Finn stepped closer.

The creature roared and swung at him. When it made contact Finn was shoved a little to the right. He laughed. He realized it must be an animal of sorts, perhaps like a pet toff only a little larger. The creature wrapped massive arms around Finn and squeezed. Finn shoved it away.

“I have no time to play with you.”

The creature was again after him, large white teeth settled onto an arm. Finn sighed. What could it hurt to humor the creature? Perhaps it was feeling lonely, or maybe it was in search of a mate and was confused. Finn disengaged its teeth and shoved the being. It toppled over into the snow, paws flailing. Once upright, it studied Finn.

“Second thoughts?” Finn laughed. “Come now, I won’t hurt you.”

The creature roared and lunged at him, knocking him down. Finn laughed as he was mauled. Using two hands he pushed the animal off his chest. The beast took wild swipes at his face causing no damage. Finn made certain to keep his touch gentle or he might disembowel the being by accident. Suddenly the animal was tossed back off of him. The creature landed harmlessly on all four feet ten feet away.

“Will you quit fooling around?” Blu said, and growled.

The white creature gazed at both warriors. Blu stomped his foot at it and waved his arms. The beast turned tail and ran. Finn stood up and brushed the snow off his pants and furry chest. A tiny sound caught both warriors’ attention. A set of startling dark eyes peered out of a surprised face from the entrance of one of the ice homes.

The human was crouched on all fours near the small opening, gazing up at the warriors. A flap of fur on the human’s head fell back exposing long, inky dark hair and a beautiful, tanned roundish face. The expression was shocked to say the least. It was a human female, Finn was certain. Finn was tempted to grin at her but knew the sight of his jagged fangs would scare her. Instead, he splayed his hands and approached, stopping after a few feet; he was afraid of chasing her off back into her home. The female did disappear for a moment but soon reappeared carrying a long pointed stick. There were frightened shouts coming from inside the home as she exited and stood gazing at the strangers.

No more than fifteen feet away, the human waved the stick and shouted at them. Blu snorted. Then laughed. Finn stood still wondering what the little human hoped to accomplish. She looked so delicate she couldn’t really think to take on two warriors. Apparently he was mistaken.

The human threw back her head and belted out a battle cry that might have scared a two-year-old Zargonnii male—maybe—no not really. She ran forward looking formidable—or as formidable as she could, shaking her stick, yelling, slipping, stumbling, falling…Up again, covered in snow, running, slipping, falling…Up again. Falling…Up again. Finn watched her approach with amusement and dread. Each time she fell, she got up again. He hoped she wouldn’t impale herself.

An accident-prone female and a healer, no better combination.

The stick she was holding jabbed into Finn’s midsection, an oval bald patch of skin. Her momentum propelled her forward as the stick splintered right down the middle, shattering it until she was in his embrace.

Boy, that was easy.

Finn never thought a human female would simply race into his waiting arms. Setting her back a little, he studied her. She was struggling wildly; her hair was whipping around her head. Finn was surprised; Kobe’s mate’s hair didn’t do that. Easily enough he hefted her higher from under her arms while she continued to wiggle and kick. She resembled an air dancer, except she was human; an air dancer was a bird Finn had seen on a different planet.

Hairy little thing.

Finn had thought humans were bald. This human was covered in a pelt. Perhaps it was because she was in the freezing cold. A bald female wouldn’t last long out here. Finn knew there were bald creatures who survived out here; he had been given a brief lesson while onboard the ship. Humans didn’t have the capacity to store massive amounts of blubber healthily, besides their skin was too sensitive regardless of their weight. Finn had added new words to his vocabulary and increased knowledge to his capabilities when he learned about frostbite and sunburns.

“Look,” Blu said with excitement.

Finn tore his gaze from his female and noticed more humans had emerged with sticks. All were covered in pelts carrying sticks. A stick was tossed to Blu, he caught it in one hand. The pointed tip broke when it made contact.

“We keep breaking their gifts,” Blu complained.

Finn chuckled. “I think they’re attacking us.”

Blu held the flimsy stick up for a closer examination. “This is a weapon? I could use it to clean my teeth. My nephew Draven would think it was a toy.”

The human Finn was holding had worn herself out. She hung limply, suspended. Her defiant gaze was settled onto his face. Beautiful depth-filled, dark brown eyes, slanted gracefully, glared back at him. Her features were different from the many human females he had seen. This human wasn’t pinkish white. She more resembled a few of the human females on Bagron who tanned in their planet’s two suns, except there was still something different. She was stunning. Finn set her down and released her. The human looked surprised. She backed away, her steps cautious lest she fell again.

“Uh, Finn. Your human female is getting away.”

“It would appear so.”

“I thought females were bald. My brother gave his mate material to wear but it wasn’t fur. Do you suppose these ice humans molt in heat and grow winter pelts in colder weather? Maybe there are southern humans and northern humans,” Blu said, his look was of sheer puzzlement. “And what’s flapping at the back of her neck? Did she just shed her hair into a hood? Or perhaps it’s a pouch of sorts humans grow in cold weather. I hear they had odd creatures on this planet with pouches, a kangaroo I think someone said it was named. Also a few others, so it might be common. Except the humans don’t look like the images of a koala, definitely don’t resemble wombats. Human females are cuter than possums. There’s more I think, I didn’t really pay attention to the Earth lessons we got daily. I don’t want a human female.”

“It looks attached. Maybe it’s some strange article of clothing. And you should have been paying attention regardless. Or do I bore you?”

Blu scoffed. “Yeah sometimes. Your gums flap like her hood when you get all animated. Females don’t wear fur, the Zargonnii have their own, and I’ve only ever seen them naked.”

“Our females are in a different element. My brother had worried over his mate when she was cold. But you are right, Zuri didn’t grow fur. Kobe kept her warm. We’ll have to get closer to study them.”

“If they let us.”

“Give it some time.”

The little female was soon in the embrace of an older, much taller looking female. The humans, six in all, were of various heights and weights, clumped together. They were all chattering at once.

“Now that’s something I remember,” Blu complained.

“What?”

“Humans capacity for never-ending yack-yack. Zargonnii females are blessedly quiet unless battling. Now what do we do?”

“We wait.”

Finn crouched low to the ground. The humans weren’t running and hiding. Some seemed curious. His little female was watching him. Her defiant gaze had turned to that of perplexed. She knew he was an alien, he hadn’t harmed her. The next move was hers. Finn grinned at her, his eyes blazed far enough to warm her face. Her eyes narrowed as his gaze ran the length of her, claiming her. Now she knew he wanted her.

Bethany stood with her arms wrapped around Tasia, her best friend. She had been her college roommate and having no family had followed Bethany to her homeland when disaster struck.

“What the hell are those things?” Bethany whispered.

“Looks like a big foot and a yeti got up close and personal and had babies. Big fucking monster babies.”

Bethany thought Tasia could be right. “I wonder what they want.”

“From the way that big one is staring at you, I think it’s obvious,” Tasia replied.