Grai's Game (First Wave) (6 page)

Grai turned to the now standing Tricia and gently took her small, cold hands in his own. He stared for a moment at the difference in their hands, marveling that such a beautiful and delicate person could ever love him. She had been the one thing that had reached into the darkness surrounding his soul and had pulled him into the light, and he would do whatever it took to protect her and his son.

“Go to Tristan
and stay with him and Maggie. I will come for you when it is safe.” He said gruffly, running his thumbs softly across the back of her hand.

Ivint watched the emotions between the Relian and his mate, making a decision he nodded to David and Gibly.

“David, take Gibly and make sure she gets to her son safely. Gibly can help watch for the dark ones. Guard them and the doctor until we can get this situation under control. Grai, I give my word; no harm shall come to your family.” Ivint ordered.

He and Grai stared at each other for a
moment, and Ivint would have sworn that the Relian was judging his honesty. He was not the only one surprised when Grai nodded his head and bowed slightly in respect to him. Then without another word, he left the room.

Moments later he re
appeared on one of the screens showing the dock area, moving swiftly he placed himself in front of the other beast bonded hybrids and the Tezarian’s. Ivint didn’t ignore the glimmer of respect he felt for the young Relian.

Looking around the
room, he could see that the others were not immune to his quiet honor and the respect he showed to his people. And no one could ever look at the way he was with Tricia and doubt for a moment that they were indeed mates.

If it was all an act, it was a carefully planned one.
However, Ivint didn’t think it was an act at all. And he hoped like hell that he was right; he thought as he watched Gibly and David follow a shaken Tricia out of the door.

*****

“I don’t want to hear anymore!” Dare growled dangerously at Maggie, her anger escalating the more she realized how she’d been betrayed.

“Dare, please! You have to know that…” Maggie’s plea choked in her throat, unable to pass the fingers clamped tightly around her
neck.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m really pissed at her too. But I don’t think killing her is a good idea.
Besides, Balduen said that we have something coming called a dark one. We can kill them instead.”
Thorn interrupted in a lazy fashion. As if she didn’t have Maggie pinned eight inches off the floor by her neck.

“Please don’t hurt her. It’s me you’re angry at. Please put her down.”

Dare dropped Maggie and quickly spun around to face the person she was most angry at… most hurt by her betrayal.

“Uh… Dare I can’t let you kill them. Or even hurt them. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why you would want to… can’t say I blame you. But Ivint ordered me and Gibly to protect them. And since you’re here too… well we gotta protect you too. So promise not to kill them.” David said to the enraged woman, trying to hide his nervousness at the swirling amber of her eyes.

Dare stared at the Navy seal that she had helped Jax recruit before she’d been captured and could see his determination to follow his orders. It was one of the things that had impressed her and Jax.

Tricia ran to Maggie to make sure she was alright and Dare
allowed Thorn and the little ones to calm her before nodding her head to David.

“
I’m fine David. Thank you. Balduen is telling me about the dark ones now. Give me a second.” Dare ignored everyone as she listened intently to what Balduen and Dread were explaining to her through the Shengari’.

*****

Koda stared nervously at the Valendran Commander, before clearing his throat.

“Commander Torenson, I
have been informed by my brother Traze that your father has spoken to you. He and Risk should be sending you the information we have on Dagog’s ships. The quick lesson is aim your weapons at the hull on the underside of the ship. You’ll see a large protrusion that stands out from the rest of the hull.”

“It’s a major power center. The crystals he used to power the vessel are very unstable and required them to be
‘vented’ directly into space. If you hit that power center, the entire ship blows.”

“Other areas of weakness are being sent to you. If you have any questions, you better ask them quick, we only have another few
minutes before they arrive.” Koda explained to the High Councilor’s son and commander of the Valendran ship, Adaria.

He would never admit it, especially not to Grai or Traze, but he was nervous. Not about his brother Dagog, he did not fear
death; it was the Valendrans, who worried him. His blessed mother had told him, Grai and Dagog so many stories about her people. About a world where people didn’t enjoy your pain or seek to cause it.

It was a dream world where he would hide within, in his mind, when the pain became too great or when he felt like breaking. He’d never thought to ever be a part of that world.
However, here he was, and he was terrified that he would screw it up.

“You must be Koda. We’ve been getting the information from the kids for several minutes now. Did you notice there is a door, near the dining hall on the plans that they use to eject waste? It looks like another power core is on the other side
, right?” Scaden asked the Relian.

He and most of the ship not currently at battle stations, were watching the Relian curiously on the vid comm. All the people staring at him didn’t seem to
faze the Relian at all and Scaden had to give him a little grudging respect for his steady nerves under the circumstances.

“Damn, I can’t say I’d want to be him right now. His brother is coming at him head on to kill
him, and his eternal enemy is at his back. He’s either brave or seriously stupid.” One of Scaden’s men uttered from behind him causing snickers to erupt among his men.

“I would call it hope. And an unwavering faith in th
e hope that one day we can find a place of peace. The same peace you probably take for granted. And yes Commander, that is one of the locations they should be sending to you.” Koda responded without any anger. He could understand why they would mock and distrust him. He and Grai had known that they would have another fight on their hands just trying to make anyone believe that they were being truthful.

Scaden studied the Relian as he spoke and noted the resignation in his tone and body language. He realized that they expected to be treated badly by them. The cutting words of his crew not only unnecessary, but expected. And he realized he was no better
than those who’d spoken so cruelly.

“You will apologize and you will damn well leave the bridge when you’re done. I will not have an ally treated in this way, especially not when his ship is the one
standing in front of our own!” Scaden said grabbing the man by his neck and making him face the vid screen and the Relian commander who looked stunned that someone had said anything in his defense.

“Uh…,
please don’t punish on my account. I understand his… the concerns of your people. Get prepared, they are approaching!” Koda turned his attention from the puzzling situation with Scaden and his people and focused solely on the approaching ships. And killing his own. He just prayed they would all survive it.

Chapter Five

Grai sensed Balduen coming up behind him but refused to turn around. The swiftly approaching dark ones held all of his attention. Traze had informed them all through the comm moments ago that the number coming down the streets towards them were exceeding forty. Far more than he expected Dagog to send.

Sending up a prayer to his Gods to protect his family, he pulled his swords from the scabbard on his back and stepped farther ahead of the others. He was determined to kill as many as he could before they reached anyone else.

“This would be a good time to remember that you are not alone. We fight this battle together.” Grai was so stunned by Dread’s words that he was momentarily speechless as he watched Dread draw his swords and stand to his right, while Viper did the same on his left.

He was even more surprised when Balduen sent him a glare that promised they were not done with their personal battle,
nodded, then stepped up on Dread’s other side.

Grai was so choked up by the three men standing beside him, as warriors, not enemies, that all he could do was nod his head before standing ready to face the first wave of dark ones.

“Get ready!” He warned through the Shengari’ to all his beast bonded hybrids behind them. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard them draw their bows; the salt soaked arrow heads ready to fly.

He had hoped they could have used the guns and rifles but in the
open, they couldn’t take the chance of drawing human attention to the area. At least, the sound proofing Banatar had installed in the warehouse years ago would allow them to be used in the warehouse if needed. He prayed it wouldn’t be necessary as the first shadows moved quickly down the alley towards them.

*****

Ivint, Banatar, Risk and Traze were all that was left in the conference room. Both boys kept their fingers flying across the comm’s as they pulled up the different screens for the two leaders, showing them the different battle fields that seemed poised to erupt into chaos at any moment.

There was a bizarre silence in the air, a feeling of expectation as old and new enemies and allies faced each other across a dozen different battle fields on the ground and in space.

One moment there was silence and the next there was anything but as the sound of shouting and weapon's fire erupted on the screens and in front of the warehouse.

Ivint’s attention was caught between the screen showing the front of the warehouse an
d the one showing Scaden’s fleet as he feared for his family.

Burning debris littered the area in front of the Grai’s ships
, who were spinning and firing at the oncoming ships in an impressive display of skill and advanced weaponry. It was obvious that Grai had not been exaggerating regarding his brother Koda’s proficiency at weapon and ship design. 

The warships were sleek and fast, outmaneuvering the
Relian ships easily and keeping them far away from the Valendran fleet. The only thing worrying him was the number of ships heading their way. They were badly outnumbered by at least six to one, and he knew Grai’s ships could not do it alone.

“Scaden, send out the fighters! DO NOT let them shoot at the warships!” Ivint ordered through the comm, hoping that adding some of their own fighting force would end the battle quicker.

“Damn we’re glad you said that! We’ve been waiting for that order. Go, go, go!” Ivint heard Scaden order before he saw more than twenty Valendran small fighter craft pour out of the Adaria and begin engaging the oncoming ships.

Ivint almost smiled to himself when he realized his son had the ships and captains on standby, expecting him to order their engagement in the battle.

He noticed that the added ships were making a good dent in the oncoming ships when he saw the screen in front of the warehouse out of the corner of his eye.

The lens he kept on his head allowed him to see the dark ones that had flooded the area, their huge dark shapes towering over Grai, Balduen and the Tezarian’s.

Arrows flew through the air as if by silent command, and since they were beast bonded, the order had probably gone through the Shengari’, Ivint thought.

He watched as the dark shadows began to drop, the a
rrows finding their mark. One of the dark shadows slid to the ground, clutching the arrow that protruded from what looked to be its upper thigh.

The glowing light in its eyes began to dim as it pulled the arrow out,
it's dark skin rapidly becoming a dark-gray color. The lighter the skin became the more Ivint could see its terrible features. The long claw-like hands tipped with deadly talons; the large gaping mouth filled with what looked like several rows of teeth and a small indentation with holes where a nose should be.

It wore a ragged piece of cloth over its genital area, its body completely hairless from what he could see as it quickly mummified in front of his eyes. The salt must draw all
the fluid out of its body; Ivint thought as he saw the dozens of bodies in the same condition scattered around the dock area of the warehouse.

Ivint
couldn’t help but admire the fighting skill of the Relian leader’s son. He again stood several feet in front of the others, his swords flashing quickly through the air as he cut down the shadows that swarmed around him towards the others.

His body was covered in what looked to be cuts and slashes from the talons of the dark ones, the blood slowly dripping from some wounds and flowing freely from a few others.

Looking to the Tezarian’s and Balduen, he noticed that they seemed to be in much better shape than Grai. In fact, it looked more like Grai was the one fighting the hardest. Quickly scanning the scene, Ivint figured out what was wrong.

“They are targeting Grai! You have to help him!” Ivint ordered through the comm built into the headgear that Risk had
electronically tied to the Valendran comm’s.

True to their nature, Balduen and the Tezarian’s had immediately thought to protect the women hybrids, leaving Grai to stand alone against the brunt of the dark ones swarming
towards the warehouse.

Traze looked up in surprise and fear and realized the High Councilor was right. Grai was surrounded by at least a dozen dark ones while the Tezarian’s and Balduen battled that many between them and the hybrid women.

Jax and Reven flew out of the warehouse, using the lens, they bypassed the other battles and came to the side of Grai, both pulling their swords as they went.

Jax could swear she heard Grai sigh in relief when
she, and Reven began engaging some of the figures swarming him. His brother Dagog must really want the poor guy dead to sic all the dark ones on him; Jax thought briefly before throwing herself into the battle with a grin.

*****

Dare paced near the door of the MedLab trying to ignore Tricia, who was fluffing the pillows and telling a story to her small son.

“Beware!” Gibly hissed, his fur standing on end.

Dare and David looked around quickly, searching for whatever had alarmed Gibly. Seeing nothing she was about to ask when the shadow peeled away from the outer wall and flung itself at David.

A large dark hand smacked his rifle across the room as the other hand raked across the man’s stomach, a ribbon of blood appearing through his shirt and tact vest before he dropped to his knees.

Maggie screamed when she saw David jerked off of his knees and thrown into the wall, his body crumpling on the floor motionlessly.

“Get back! Grab as much saline as you can and pour it on the floor around his bed!” Dare screamed at Maggie and Tricia, not bothering to make sure they listened before she turned to face the horrible creature in front of her.

It lunged, faster than Dare had expected and she barely twisted out of the way of the sharp talons that had gone for her stomach.

Gibly launched himself onto the creatures back, clawing at the back of its neck in a flurry of claws and fangs trying to keep it away from the women and child.

“Dare!” Tricia screamed as she slid dozens of scalpels and bags of saline across the floor to her.

Dare watched the creature closely as she looked to the
nearest weapons on the floor. She waited until it began to move to avoid Gibly’s claws before rolling to the right and grabbing the two scalpels that had landed there.

It stood there, mouth hanging open as it
tried to dislodge Gibly and looked between a now armed Dare and the other women. It looked at the saline covered floor in front of the women and obviously decided against it, for the moment, when it threw itself at Dare.

All
the air left Dare’s lungs from the impact of the creature’s weight against her body as she hit the floor. Grabbing the scalpels tightly in her fists she began swinging wildly at the body that was crushing her own. She watched in slow motion as the talon tipped hand descended towards her face when its body jerked violently backwards, its skin turning a sickly gray.

She
was in shock as Maggie helped pull her out from beneath the lessening weight of the drying out body that was on top of her. Dare looked up and saw Tricia standing there, still squeezing the now empty bag of saline that she’d used to douse the dark one and a now soaked and sputtering Gibly with.

“I need help guys! He’s in bad shape!” Maggie yelled, bringing both
Dare and Tricia out of their shock.

The three women ignored the lifeless body of the dark one and managed to get David to a bed. Working together they tried to save his life. And the lives of the others that were beginning to trickle into the MedLab.
Relian and hybrid alike.

*****

Scaden felt like doing a human fist bump as he watched him and Koda’s combined forces kick some serious ass. Their ships had sustained no damage, Koda’s ships taking all the hits for them as the Relian had promised that he would.

The only thing that kept him from that fist bump was the fact that Koda’s ships had sustained and were continuing to sustain heavy damage. Dagog’s lack of updated weapons and ships unnecessary as the sheer numbers managed to inflict the most damage. Yet still they fought on. Not one of the ships asking for help. As if they expected none to be offered or given.

He felt ashamed for not doing more to help, and looking around the room; some of his crew felt the same way. He looked to his friend and second commander Gracus when he squeezed his shoulder.

“My friend, although these are very different times, we still respect honor. The honorable thing to do would be to release the rest of the fighters you’ve had on standby from the start and
get in there and kick some ass.” Gracus said with a half grin on his face.

Scaden was surprised at the chorus of agreement that grew in volume around him. Smiling to
himself, he gave the order.

“Everyone launch!”

“Hell yes!” One of the crew whispered as the area filled with the full fighter force of the Adaria. All two hundred craft that were to be used only for the sake of the ship and its crew.

Scaden figure
d his father would understand. He was honor-bound to help defend those who had been willing to sacrifice all for them. Even though Koda’s forces could probably handle it by themselves eventually, he was still technically using them for the Adaria.

He smiled when the fighters swarmed around Koda’s battered and in some cases, burning ships, offering protection while the rest of them started pushing back the wave of Dagog’s forces.

Maybe he’d fist bump with Koda later; he thought, curious to learn more about the quiet but competent Relian commander.

*****

Ivint watched the cameras in front of the warehouse as Viper took out the last of the dark ones with a sword to the chest before his other arm came down to decapitate it.

He
saw as Grai immediately scanned the battle field doing a quick threat assessment before walking over to his hybrid and Relian forces.

Scanning one of the
women, he immediately sat her down and called over others to help her. Breaking out med packs, they began to treat her wounds right there in the parking lot of the dock area.

He went through each one of his people determining injuries and
relegating them to different treatment areas, effectively turning the parking lot into a triage for his people.

Those who were uninjured or with only minor injuries, started to gather the desiccated bodies of the dark ones into a pile, while another used the light stones to destroy the
remains. Their efficiency was remarkable; Ivint thought.

It took Dread and Viper only moments to realize what Grai was doing before they joined him in helping those that had fallen to their injuries, ignoring their own.

Ivint made a quick check of those in the warehouse and the other two dark ones that had gotten in besides the one killed in MedLab by Dare and Tricia, had been killed. All minor injuries had been treated, and the women were taking care of those that his people had pulled in from outside when they had fallen.

“All med tech’s report to the dock to assist in treatment of the fallen.” Ivint ordered, noting that they must have already been prepared for the order since it only took
them moments to appear on the cameras.