10
Karen
—
“No!” Karen cried out in horror.
Kess’ body thudded to the floor. Outrage replaced the fear that kept her rigid. She fought the man who held her at gun point. The man Kess had referred to as Varrack.
She didn’t understand what they’d said to each other, but she knew Varrack’s name. This monster had harmed Megan and tried to kill Jillian and Jonnar. Now he’d shot Kess. The father of her baby and the man with whom she’d fallen in love.
She ducked from the gun point and surged her elbow back, slamming it as hard as she could into the bastard’s side. With a grunt he released her. But his strength and speed outmatched her own. Before she could make an escape toward Kess, his heavy hand descended, backhanding her.
She cried out, involuntary tears springing to her eyes as her head throbbed. Her lip split and bleeding, a residual stinging heat persisted where he’d hit her.
“Stupid human bitch,” Varrack snarled in words she understood. “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill your sisters. I’m going to kill that bastard Klar who took what’s mine!”
Karen breathed hard, gaping at the Dava male whose dark violet eyes glistened with unrestrained fury. The insanity lurking there amazed her. How could one individual possess so much hate? Clearly that much negative emotion encased within him had taken a toll on his mental state.
Karen scrabbled from him as he reached for her. She wrestled against his grip, but he overpowered her, hauling her to stand. He shoved her against a wall, leaning into her. Baring his teeth viciously, he wrapped his long fingers around her throat and squeezed tight so she couldn’t breathe.
She slapped his arm, clawed at his grip, knowing it was all futile. But it was her body’s response to something threatening her life. Even as the darkness edged her vision, she worried about Kess. Her heart was crushed under the weight of sorrow that he’d been mortally wounded. She would never see him again, never hear his voice again, never feel his touch…
As her consciousness faded, Varrack abruptly released her as he and the other green were flung back. Karen sank to the floor, struggling for air and to beat away the darkness threatening to steal her awareness.
Her heart leapt to her throat when she saw Kess standing, clutching his bleeding side as he marched forward. Gun in hand, he fired off a round of laser blasts, the sound loud as it bounced off the walls. Varrack dodged the blasts, shoving the lizard forward as a shield.
Karen covered her mouth to stifle her horrified cry at the close up view of the lizard’s demise. The scent of blood and burnt flesh permeated the air. Kess aimed for Varrack again, but Varrack knocked the gun free from Kess’ hand.
With a snarl he charged forward, tackling Kess to the floor. They rolled, trading vicious punches and kicks until Varrack got the upper hand because Kess’ blood loss weakened him.
No. No. Karen’s heart thudded in time with the throbbing in her head. She couldn’t just sit here and watch him die. She had to do whatever was in her power to save him. She’d done it before and she’d do it again in a heartbeat.
So Karen lurched toward the dead lizard and wrenched the laser gun from his body. The gun was heavier than she expected, so she held onto it with both hands and aimed at Varrack who straddled Kess, punching him.
This wasn’t like the movies at all. Time didn’t slow down for her to reason or question anything. As a matter of fact, everything went at warp speed. She’d never fired a gun before, let alone an alien gun, but it had a trigger and she pulled on it.
The shot missed Varrack entirely. Unharmed, he focused his baleful gaze on her. He grabbed hold of her with his telekinetic power, lifted her, and flung her so hard against the wall, her vision went momentarily black. Something cracked. Searing agony raced up her right arm and spread throughout her body.
Her breath was knocked from her and she slumped to the floor.
She’d failed.
She’d failed to save Kess.
He was going to die.
Then Varrack would kill her too.
And her baby… oh god… her baby…
She looked toward Kess, her heart lifting as she saw his knife speeding toward his outstretched hand. His grip tightened around its handle, its lethal edge glinting as Kess arced it down into Varrack’s throat.
Blood.
So much… so much...
But it was over.