C.L. Scholey - Zuri's Zargonnii Warrior (Unearthly World # 2) (10 page)

After spending so much time sequestered in Kobe’s room, Zuri was curious about her surroundings. As she slunk through the darkness of each corridor, she peeked at the large warriors oblivious to her presence. Kobe said they would scent her if she was allowed to roam free; she kept that in mind and moved quickly. None were in battle mode; Kobe had mentioned their senses heightened during an altercation. As long as she was quiet, she should remain undetected for the time she needed to get to the loading bay.

The corridors were dark except for a blue light running along the middle of the wall. The light branched out down each corridor changing color; Zuri looked for the green light. It wasn’t far from Kobe’s room. Crouching she made her way along the empty hall, glancing in a few rooms to her left and right. The rooms were abuzz with rowdy, rambunctious, massive warriors. She stiffened when she saw Kobe in one room, laughing. He was talking about her.

“She isn’t as mouthy when she’s eating,” Kobe said and smiled. The others chuckled. Zuri stiffened.

Moron.

“It won’t be long, and you’ll be free of your little burden,” a warrior said in a teasing fashion.

“I’ll bet you’ll be happy when you can stop making baby food,” said another.

“A weak female isn’t natural.” This came from an angry looking warrior.

“You’re just mad because you’ve had a hard on all week,” said the teasing warrior. “Maybe if you ask Kobe nicely he’ll let you babysit.”

It was Kobe’s turn to look angry. “No one goes near
my
female.”

“Yours? Kobe, she belongs to no one and everyone. You heard what Citun said. I bet he’s going to pick who she mates with. And I’m guessing it won’t be you. All Citun really wants is her child to see if it will affect his own warriors. Titus can’t have all the advantages.”

Kobe growled, spun on his heels and strode from the room, his back ramrod straight. Zuri could almost smell him fuming. Thankfully, he was headed in a different direction or he might have stumbled over her. Saddened Zuri now realized there
was
a reason Citun wanted human females. To learn it was to give an advantage to his warriors with a child she might bear enraged her. Kobe knew this and had said nothing. There was always something that bothered him, especially when she felt they started getting close; he seemed to take a step back and keep his distance. And here she thought he was being respectful. Zuri had actually started to care for him and his gentle ways. He really was a dumb ass moron.

Feeling even more determined to get away Zuri hurried on. The large loading bay was just as she remembered—open, dark in some areas, bright in others. As Kobe had said, the smaller vessels were located in various hangers. It didn’t take long for her to open a shuttle door and start playing with the buttons she presumed were for flight. When the vessel’s engines caught, she smiled to herself and maneuvered the hovering craft toward the massive hanger door.

With the push of a button on a console in front of her, she crossed her fingers, wanting the hanger door to open. The shuttle suddenly veered sharply, aimed for a partition. She crashed into a few cylinders lining the wall.

“Oh shit.”

A large red button was to her left. She smashed her finger into it. The nose of the shuttle began to point skyward. The vessel backed up into the middle of the hanger.

“Damn it.”

Another button and the nose of the shuttle dragged across the ground, ass up. Sparks flew.

“Bloody hell.”

Concentrating, she flipped a switch hoping she wouldn’t send the thrusters into hyper drive and fling her against the door. From inside she could hear the sound of hissing air as the large door began to open. Zuri breathed a sigh of relief. By inching it forward, she managed to straighten the vessel out. Carefully, she maneuvered the shuttle to the opening so she could look out and slipped halfway through the door to gaze at her surroundings. Below, Zuri saw a massive amount of foliage. The space ship was moving slowly over a planet, its sheer mass darkening the jungle with its shadow. The sky was pastel in places; dark black holes dotted the atmosphere. There were no clouds. A light shone onto various areas.

This was it; she had done it and was on the verge of escape. As Zuri was about to urge the shuttle forward, she heard a large thump. She screamed when Kobe’s angry face was suddenly in the window before her.

Zuri was so startled, she fell from her seat and bashed against the shuttle door, hitting the handle. Half of the craft remained hovering inside the large loading deck, the other half hung over open air. With a loud whoosh the shuttle door opened, knocking her to the ground, and Zuri’s fingernails made a squealing sound as she dragged them across the floor trying desperately to stay inside. The floor was too slick; soon, she was staring down at the far distant ground. She screamed. The shuttle tipped as Kobe reached for her hand, calling to her. The entire shuttle slipped sideways with his weight.

A box of equipment inside the shuttle shifted and went flying toward Zuri. She would be smashed to pieces if she didn’t let go. She shoved herself away from the black box, seconds before it would have struck her in the face. Her one arm went straight up as she dangled by four fingers. She screamed again as her fingers lost their grip. Zuri felt a hand grasp her flailing wrist. As the box went flying, it clipped Zuri’s shoulder. The force of the blow was enough for Kobe to lose his hold on her. Zuri fell. The ground was suddenly the most important thing on her mind, as she spiraled into the open air.

Zuri’s breath was knocked from her lungs when something smashed into her, midflight. It was Kobe, he had jumped after her. Zuri was certain they were falling to their death.

Chapter 6

Zuri screamed as they fell. Kobe had her pressed tight to his chest but they were so far from the ground. His body curled around hers; his hair wrapped its way across her back and behind, holding her still. Kobe’s large tree-trunk arms cocooned her body, his legs pulled up. They fell, moving as would a bullet. Flashes of sky seeped through his thick hair to offer glimpses of their rapid descent. The breeze made it hard to breathe at times. Falling was too surreal, she knew they were falling, knew they would eventually hit the ground and yet she could still hear and think—ponder her demise.

Was death better? Zuri had felt caged while in Kobe’s cabin; knowing hundreds of aliens wanted to gawk at her was frightening, hurtful. Then to learn she was wanted for a tactical maneuver. All she had wanted was her freedom. This was so unfair. Kobe should have let her leave; now, they would die. Zuri winced when they hit something. From the corners of her eyes, she saw thick, hunter green vegetation zipping by. The snapping sound of branches being broken reached her ears, and she was hopeful it wasn’t Kobe’s limbs shattering.

When Kobe made impact with the ground, vibrations rattled every single one of Zuri’s bones. Dirt surrounded them as the collision sent them deeply into the planet’s earth. When Kobe finally settled, Zuri estimated they had sunk at least seven feet into the black soil. They had literally dug their own grave. But they weren’t dead. At least, she wasn’t.

Zuri shook the dirt from her head, arms and chest. The inky black flakes fell onto Kobe’s chest where he lay, unmoving.

“Kobe?”

He groaned in response. They lay there with the warm air from the sun clashing with the cold dampness of the soil.

“Are you hurt?” she managed to say.

“I just fell from a space ship, what the hell do you think?”

Zuri didn’t know what to think. Kobe was cranky but no doubt fine. It was his own damned fault for trying to stop her and scaring her half to death. She assessed her own body and determined there was no damage. He groaned again as she tried to stand, but the only place for her feet was on his chest or thighs. Grabbing the top of the hole, Zuri was able to scramble up with Kobe’s hands pushing her feet. Her hair fell forward as she peered down at him.

“I thought you were indestructible?”

“I said virtually indestructible; I didn’t say I was immune to pain. I have mentioned we have healers.”

“Can you move?”

“I can, but I’m not sure I want to,” was his mumbled response.

“Well, you can’t just lay there. It’s creeping me out with you lying in a grave.”

“What’s a grave?”

“The place you bury your dead.”

“You bury your dead?”

“Don’t you?”

Kobe rolled to his side, again groaning. He used his hands to push himself to his knees, his back bowed for a second. Zuri winced when she heard a crack. Kobe’s backbone popped back into place, his muscles filled out from their squished look. His flat ass cheeks expanded like inflated balloons.

“Ah,
ew
,” she said.

He looked up at her. “I just saved you from death and all you got for me is ‘ah, ew’? Thanks.”

“Thanks for saving me.” Her tone may have been demur, and she was itching to tell him off, but he looked a bit broken.

Kobe rose to his feet. With a twist of his neck and a few cracks he looked normal again. Zuri had to admit she was impressed. Crouching only a little, he jumped and landed to her left. When Kobe stood beside her he gazed around, frowning.

“What did you think you were doing?” he demanded.

“I was trying to get away.”

“We weren’t hurting you.”

“Kobe, don’t you get it? There isn’t just physical pain. And what the hell did that warrior mean when he said Citun wants to breed me for my kid? You’re a real bastard, you know.”

“No one would force you to do anything. Yes, Citun would like you to have a babe with a warrior of his choice, but after getting to know you and explaining you to him, we both know it’s not an option. The warriors were teasing me; I had no idea you were listening, or I would have shut them up. I never meant for you to have your feelings hurt. You should have asked me before taking off like an unthinking female.”

“Unthinking female?” she screeched. “Get off your high horse. I’m just as smart if not smarter than you.”

“Really? You have no idea what you’ve done. No one knows we’re out here. I came to check on you, noticed you missing and remembered how interested you were in our shuttles. We need to get moving; we shouldn’t be here.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to say ‘duh,’ as the space vessel was no longer in sight, but she noticed his concerned expression. Zuri realized he was apprehensive. That he had just fallen miles and now looked worried soon made her nervous.

“Kobe? What’s wrong? I mean, besides the obvious.”

Kobe gazed at her. “This is the females’ place. Males are forbidden. Even male offspring have a section when a female Zargonnii gives birth. Females are vicious when protecting their young, but to be caught in an area where no doubt many female young are is certain death.”

“How can you tell?”

“I can smell them, a lot of them. Which means they can smell me, or will soon be able to. They will be able to tell I’m not a warrior past my prime looking to battle a cyron to the death.”

Zuri had been certain Kobe had been in battle mode when they had fallen, but watching him now, he looked larger, more powerful. There was something else bothering him.

“Kobe?”

“Our females keep cyrons from our area; a Zargonnii female is capable of defeating the beasts.”

“You can’t?” The idea alone was frightening, Kobe was massive.

“I’ve never fought one before. They are on my avoid list.” He glanced about. “Come on.”

For only a second, Zuri watched him as he took off; she was soon hot on his heels. Kobe’s pace was merciless. He may have just fallen a great distance, but it didn’t seem to slow him down. Zuri was soon panting and sweating like she had gotten trapped in a sauna. The air was warm, heavy, and she grumbled. It wasn’t fair; with all Kobe’s fur, he wasn’t sweating like she was. He explained offhandedly that his skin could ‘breathe’ through his fur, whatever that meant.

For some time, all Zuri could think of was to keep pace with him, until she began to notice the strange foliage. Unearthly wouldn’t begin to describe Kobe’s planet. They battled their way through underbrush. Her clothing was tugged at.

The plant life’s alive.

Zuri knew that was an odd thought—of course foliage was alive, but this was different. Thick vines crept around the solid bark of immense trees. There didn’t seem to be any end or beginning to the creeping brown oddities. The strange, bright, beautiful plant life seemed out of place at first, but Zuri realized it matched the colorful sky. Blues, yellows, pastel mixtures. The smells in the air were so vibrant, she could almost taste them. She felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, wandering a path Kobe made. Everything was so open and welcoming, until a razor sharp plant snapped open as they went by, almost taking her leg off. Kobe snatched her from harm’s way at the last second.

“Stay close,” he said, snapping at her.

It was on the tip of her tongue to snap back, but the shrill scream of a creature made her freeze where she stood. Kobe hauled her into his arms with a shake of his head. His gaze was condescending.

“It’s just a little murdermoy, it’s harmless.”

“Murdermoy? Yeah sounds completely harmless to me,” she muttered. As she crept forward, her hand latched onto a bare spot on Kobe’s arm, between one of the three horizontal, separate, fur patches.