To Catch A Warrior [Unearthly World Book 5] (16 page)

“You can’t kill,” he gasped as he collapsed onto the ground wheezing, struggling to rise.

“I don’t need to.”

“Zabbie?”

Titus appeared, he glanced around, looking startled, taking in the scene. Zabbie stood with her fists clenched, she gazed from Titus to Damon.

“The Gorgano sent him to kill me,” she said. “I remember everything. Every cruel inhumane hurtful thing. Titus, this is Damon, a Tonan, an evil vile Tonan. He helped kill all of the other humans. I was their little experiment that backfired, big time. Damon, this is my mate. He is way better looking than you and he knows what a mate needs.”

“Oh, I know,” Titus said growling. His enraged gaze locked onto Damon.

Titus strode forward with a deep growl and wasted no time in bashing Damon’s brains to mush. Zabbie lowered to sit as she watched, feeling detached. The shield squeaked and squealed as it separated from Damon’s body. It hovered for a moment then faded to dust and rolled away on a tiny breeze from an air vent.

“Zabbie, how did I get here?”

Titus had her up off her feet in a crushing embrace.

“I think I finally figured out what I’m doing.”

“Can you will us home?”

“I could, but right now I want you to myself. Cy will no doubt be howling the rafters down. I’m tired of his drama,” Zabbie said. She trailed her fingers down the side of his face. “I killed many of the Gorgano after what they did. I grew stronger every time they invaded my mind and they didn’t know until it was too late. I know what I’m capable of, and I know what I’m not capable of. I don’t like to kill, but I am a warrior.”

“It’s hard to catch a warrior.”

“You caught me.”

“You caught me too.”

Titus kissed her.

Zabbie wasn’t surprised when Cy walked into her home without knocking. He was used to coming and going as he pleased. It was still a hard habit for him to break. Zabbie wondered if he ever would. She was glad her abilities didn’t react to every thought anymore. She suppressed the need to transport him back to the other side of the door until he learned manners. There was no doubt he’d spend the rest of his life out there waiting if she did.

“Titus isn’t home,” Zabbie said.

“I know, I just came from seeing him and Finn.” He handed her a vial. “Finn would have brought this by later but I’m headed home so I told him I’d drop it off.”

“What is it?”

“A new vaccine he’s been working on. You have Titus’s seed running through your system but for some reason, humans can’t keep a common cold from affecting them. Another human was found a little while ago, apparently he was infected. A virus is making its way through a few females and Finn came up with a high-tech antidote that will change as the virus changes or mutates. He says you should never get the cold, any type of cold, again. Finn was pretty surprised the virus traveled so fast. He says the common cold isn’t common, it’s a seeker. Once loose, it’s airborne and actually tracks humans down.”

“Well that’s good news. About the vaccine. And I was always suspicious of the common cold. No matter where we would go on Earth there was a virus ‘going around’ somewhere.”

Cy smiled at her; it was a rare smile, but not his first toward her. Zabbie was hopeful their tentative cease fire would grow into a tentative friendship.

“I’m going now. Tell Titus I’ll see him tomorrow.”

Zabbie watched him leave. She sniffed the contents in the clear vial. The odor was pleasant. She took a tiny taste. It wasn’t too bad. She tilted the vial to her lips and drained it. Never having another cold in her life was a pleasant thought. Within seconds Zabbie fell to the floor out cold.

When she woke, Zabbie struggled into a sitting position. She gazed around at her surroundings. She was deep in a part of the jungle she’d never seen. Nothing was familiar—except Cy.

“Cy?”

He had his back to her but turned. “I’m sorry it has to come to this.”

Zabbie felt the panic in her rise. Cy had kidnapped her with a purpose in mind. When Titus found out, she didn’t know what he would do.

“Cy, don’t do this,” Zabbie pleaded. “Take me home and I won’t ever tell Titus. He loves you, but I’m his mate.”

Cy crouched until he was on the balls of his feet before her.

“Don’t you think I know you’re more important to him than I am? It kills me. Titus is all I have. I didn’t plan on this. You’re not carrying, so I won’t be destroying his child. Females always let us down. They give us life and then give us up. Then they never come back, not even to fight for a son’s life. You will disappoint him sooner or later. I have to spare him that kind of pain, it’s unbearable.”

“You are so bitter your emotions have clouded your judgment. If you had let me I would have come to care for you as a friend. You won’t let anyone in, you’re so afraid of being hurt.”

His eyes blazed for a moment and Zabbie wrapped her arms around her legs. Her heart hurt with his pain.

“Why don’t you use a trick on me?” he asked.

“And give you a reason to kill me?”

Cy roared and jumped to his feet, he began pacing. “I don’t want you dead. I want you to go away and promise to stay away.”

“I can’t. I love Titus.”

“You’re not good enough for him.”

“By your standards no one will be. Will you take away everyone who comes close to your best friend?”

“Only you.”

“You think Titus will be so heartbroken when I’m gone he won’t search for another female to love, but that’s not true. Love between a male and female is different than love between a mother and son. You will always grieve your own mother, but when you fall in love you need the emotion to fill your life. Love always finds a way.”

“See, even you know you can be replaced.”

“Search for your own human, Cy. The females on your planet won’t Holiday with you because you’re too dominant. A human female won’t mind as much in the bedroom as long as you can temper your actions. If you chose to love instead of holding onto the bitterness, you would make a wonderful mate.”

“Females leave.”

Zabbie winced when he bellowed. He turned toward her. She would have no choice but to fight him if he tried to kill her. Zabbie didn’t want to fight him. She couldn’t transfer him somewhere else, she found out she needed deep emotion to perform that ability; it had been a long shuttle ride home with Titus. One she hadn’t minded, but Cy was livid when they finally arrived home. Weeks later, Zabbie was certain Cy was warming to her; he had been planning instead. She began sobbing. She loved Titus, and Cy was his best friend.

“Cy.”

“Why won’t you just go? Please.”

“Where, Cy? I don’t want to be anywhere Titus isn’t. Don’t you see I make him happy?”

Zabbie could see he was aching. He stayed where he was, unmoving, torn. A sound from the lush foliage made her turn her head. They were in cyron territory, they had to be if Titus had never brought her here. Zabbie jumped to her feet. To her surprise Cy moved in front of her, fists balled. All around them, the brush parted as female Zargonnii surrounded them. All angry and growling. All eyes were on their target. Zabbie realized it was Cy they were after.

“Can you understand me, human?” a female asked.

Zabbie stood for a moment eyes wide. Almost all of the females were bigger than Cy, some as tall as nine feet.

These creatures are afraid of Cy?

She gazed at Cy, wondering if she should be scared shitless
of
him or
for
him. The females were advancing. Cy spun in a slow circle keeping Zabbie at his back, she didn’t know why he tried, they were surrounded. She wondered if she concentrated hard enough if she could be at home in a second. Her curiosity was overwhelming. And when she made Titus appear on the shuttle she was emotionally charged with fury. She wasn’t angry, only hurt by Cy’s actions. Her disappearing ability needed more than a spark of adrenalin. She was as stranded as Cy.

“I understand you,” Zabbie said.

“Do you know what they want?” Cy asked.

“There is rumor through the vines this pathetic warrior is trying to lose you in the jungle, is this true?”

The female who spoke was eight feet high, older, powerful. She seemed to be in charge.

“He’s confused,” Zabbie said.

“You have nothing to fear from us, human. It is this vile beast we want.”

“Holy hell, Cy, what did you do to piss them off?”

“They’re angry because I can dominate during a Holiday. So they figure they can come at me at once.” Cy was snarling, spitting his words.

Zabbie confronted the leader. “He thinks you’re angry he can dominate during the Holiday.”

The female growled. “Of course he would think that. His arrogance knows no limits. This goes deeper. He had no right to enter the females’ domain thinking to leave you with us, but he has. You will both come with us.”

Zabbie turned to Cy and scowled. “You brought me to the female area and violated the rules. You really are a dumbass.”

They were ushered deeper into the foliage.

“Once again failed by my mother,” Zabbie heard Cy mutter.

“What does he say?” the head female asked. Zabbie told her. The female shook her head and glared at Cy with loathing. “Your mother was injured when she was taking you to live with your father. A cyron attacked and your mother and the cyron were well matched. You are her first and only child. It was the first time she battled a cyron, she was young her first Holiday she conceived you.”

“So she does live. She never bothered to help me and my father died.” Cy was growling, fists balled.

Zabbie translated. The females were speaking. The leader shushed them and spoke.

“No, Cy. She tried. The cyron was the one who tried to kill you and her when you were a baby. It crushed your mother’s legs. But its leg was crushed. Both ended the battle to fight another day. Your mother dragged her way to your father on her hands, her legs trailing behind. The other females found her and took her home after you were delivered.”

“The cyron that killed my father was the one who tried to kill us when I was a baby? My mother never came to help me.” Cy looked incredulous and sad while Zabbie spoke for him. When she finished the leader began again. The females were whispering, some saying it was no wonder he was so cruel.

“She wanted to go to you. Your mother tried to crawl to you, knowing you were in danger, sensing it. But she was too late, your father was dead and the other mothers killed the cyron. She was found on the ground with her arm reaching in your direction. Again the females carried her home.”

Zabbie’s tears were dripping with the image in her mind. A defenseless female dragging her body through the woods to get to her only child. She would have been killed; she would know that and not care. She would occupy the beast long enough for her child to escape.

Unconditional love knew no bounds. A mother would never give up the fight against the enemy who would dare harm her baby. The phrase, “when all is lost” didn’t apply to Cy’s mother, she would fight to her last breath and something told Zabbie she would have taken a good sized chunk of the filthy beast.

“Have they come to kill me?” Cy asked.

“Cy has asked if you intend to kill him.”

“He was more than dominant when he Holidayed last. The female was beaten to the point of submission which is rare. But to beat a female after she has submitted is unheard of. A warrior usually knows when to stop, he knows the battle is done, a side has won and the Holiday begins. But Cy didn’t stop battling, and he didn’t Holiday with her. In a rage he tossed her away. Broken and rejected she stumbled home. She remains injured.”

“You maimed the last female you Holidayed with. Oh Cy, how could you?” Zabbie gaped at him aghast. Titus explained their ritual of domination. Only one could be victor, but each wanted a coveted child. There was never supposed to be any severe injury done to either.

“We battled, we always battle. She was young but strong. I had no idea she was injured so badly.”

“Titus has explained some of your Holiday,” Zabbie said to the leader. “I know you fight.”

“It’s more than that. She can’t Holiday again, she would always be dominated because of her injury—if a male even wanted her. A male warrior would be too worried to Holiday with her, he wants his son protected. She can’t battle the way she would need to if a son was born. It’s treacherous to take a son to their father when you have two strong arms. Cyrons are formidable beasts. She would never risk becoming pregnant when she knows she can’t defend her son. She says you took away any chance at a daughter and she wants revenge,” the older female said.

Cy nodded. “A male should never go that far. It’s her right.” Cy hung his head as he said this.

They approached the home of the female Zargonni, an area filled with pods and Zabbie glanced about in wonder. Vibrant colors of the rounded pods graced each corner of a tiny village. They were taken further into the fold and Zabbie was told it was where their most vulnerable were kept. There were female children of all ages who gaped at them, at Cy. The mothers were snarling and growling. Zabbie could smell the tension. They were led to a female who glared daggers at Cy. The female was almost as large as Cy, her arm hung at an odd angle. It was apparent she was in pain and had been for some time. Zabbie was overcome with pity.

“Ask them why they haven’t fixed her,” Cy said.

Zabbie asked and listened to the response. “They can’t, they don’t have the medical knowledge. Injury that bad is rare in females, the first they’ve seen since your mother. Cy, they think you’re bad luck. Evil. This is not good. Cy, she’s in agony.”

“Finn can fix her,” Cy said. “Tell them their males have the knowledge and a healer.”

Zabbie relayed the message. Their response was less than positive.

“They say she can’t go into a group of males, she would be hurt further.”

“No,” Cy yelled. “Zabbie, tell her I’m sorry. I mean that with all my heart. She would be with me under my protection. I swear on my life no one will hurt her. I never should have hurt her. She should be here playing with a daughter, my daughter or another’s. I never knew; I thought she would be fine. Females are always fine—except my mother. I remember being pushed along the ground; I remember being afraid and my mother crooning. How could I have not put the situation together? Tell her, Zabbie, I swear; I need to fix this.”