Shield [New World Book 1] Read online

  “You’re a cruel man,” Grace said.

  “I’m a very strong man,” he countered. “I’m thinking you’re going to be very pleased when I keep you safe from the dangerous things around here. And it looks like there may be a lot of them.”

  “I doubt it,” she countered back. “The only dangerous thing I see is you.”

  Chase pulled her to her feet. “You better get used to it.”

  “We need to make a shelter of some kind,” Adams said, looking around at their surroundings. “Who knows what’s out there.”

  As if on cue, Grace screamed when something appeared behind them from the bush. It was huge. It took a step toward her and Chase. Grace screamed again.

  Adams struck at it, then howled and gripped his hand tightly when he connected with the creature. It picked Adams up and tossed him against a tree like he weighed no more than a child.

  Grace’s eyes widened when she heard a sharp snap as his back bowed connecting with the trunk. With a hard thump he landed on the ground, bounced then settled, the side of his face resting against the spongy turf. His eyes remained open and fixed. Adams stayed down.

  Chase bellowed like a bull in full charge and attacked the creature. Chase was a large man, but even he was dwarfed by it. Grace cried out when the creature punched Chase in the face. She heard a sickening crunching sound as bones broke. Chase went down; the solid blow had killed him instantly. The creature had literally smashed his face in. Grace choked on her vomit then gasped in air.

  The being turned and looked at Grace standing there shaking and whimpering. It was at least six and a half feet. It looked like some mutant man-beast or man-machine. Its skin was ebony black and looked hard and shiny like solid armor. The eyes were nonexistent, only black protruding bumps. If Grace had thought Chase had the body of a machine, she was mistaken. This man-beast was broad and powerful. Muscles bulged and flexed. Its fingers were long and thick and curled into sharp talons. One slice across her delicate flesh and she would be disemboweled.

  On the ground where it stepped, huge bare feet sank a small way into the spongy ground. The sharp claws on the ends of its toes dug into the yielding turf. Except for one that tapped in wait. The thing before her used the ground to get a strong grip. Instinctively she knew nothing would ever knock over this creature. It stalked her. Its movements were those of a predator’s. Imprints of its talons made an impression in the ground for a brief second which then sprang back into place.

  The closer it came, the more distinct its features became. Two white inch-long fangs hung down past its lips like a vampire. There were strange green glowing intricate markings across its forehead and cheeks that pulsed with color as they dimmed and brightened. Its nose was thicker and broader than a man of her planet. The nostrils flared and she knew it smelled her as it breathed in deeply. It blinked at her and cocked its head. It growled low in its throat. It then threw back its head and howled the most god-awful noise she had ever heard. Goose bumps dotted her arms. Her hair stood on end. She thought her heart stopped. Grace screamed and fled for her life.

  Chapter 2

  So the little being had seen enough? Did it really think it could escape from him? Rask chuckled low in his throat and gave pursuit. His claws dug into the ground and he jumped to a tree. Talons and feet gripped the massive spongy trunk for a moment studying the direction the being fled and he jumped again quick as lightning, cutting off the creature’s path, and crouching before it on all fours. He growled as menacingly as he could, spoiling for a fight. The small creature howled and raced in a different direction. Rask leaped to a high moss-covered stone and was again before the wailing little being. Its arms were raised high over its head then flailing, as though it didn’t know what to do with its limbs. The being stopped, its mouth gaped wide and it spun again, racing for safety.

  The creature wouldn’t get far. It wasn’t very fast or graceful. Obviously stealth wasn’t its strong point. How dare they try to storm his planet? Their invasion was thwarted by Rask’s security beams. Their cloaking device on the craft was nonexistent. Their shield was pitiful. Now they thought to fight him on land? A full-blooded warrior Castian. A Castian warrior who had just hit his prime moons ago. Foolish beings.

  Rask could hear it up ahead. It wasn’t very quiet. It had no flight pattern. It was crashing pell-mell in different directions. It bumped off a tree and skidded over a rock. Then it stumbled and fell face first before him when it changed direction. It looked up from his feet, its mouth a wide ‘O’, screamed then jumped up and ran again. Rask scratched at his head, his talons clicking against his armor. The action was his ‘baffled habit’ normally when unarmored. He dropped his hand.

  Strange little being.

  Why wasn’t it fighting like the others? It was much smaller than its litter mates. Perhaps part of its defense was to wear him out while he watched it blunder an escape. Rask slowed his pursuit. The creature was crawling before him. It was gasping for air. It turned and crawled backwards. Now that was a different tactical maneuver. Perhaps it would jump for his throat. It seemed in possession of claws. White dirty claws. What an odd color for a creature. Do they have no sun where they come from? And what the hell does it have for feet? Small objects encased them. Rask could see they were tied on. How is it supposed to get leverage on the spongy turf?

  The creature banged into a tree and rose slowly. Its little claws splayed before it. They were hands really, but with long nails. Rask cocked his head to the side in interest; it certainly was a curious little thing and he thought to study it before he would kill it. It was so small. The material it wore was odd. The thing’s hair was white. It flowed down its back. The eyes were strange, paler than the sky. Never had he seen this color of blue. In their depth was mirrored hopelessness and aloneness and it was strangely haunting to see such desolation. The face, upturned to meet his gaze, had slender bones. It wasn’t unpleasant to look upon and Rask decided it was a pretty species. Rask stepped closer.

  “Please don’t hurt me.”

  Rask stopped. It had been years since he had heard words spoken in the ancient tongue. From his studies he had learned the language, but it was centuries old, taught by a few of the older males. He knew for certain this creature wasn’t Castian. It was way too small; there was no such thing as a puny male Castian. Perhaps a subspecies? It has to be a lower life form. There wasn’t much bone mass under its white shield. Rask took a good look at the being then growled. Two large rounded bumps were outlined under the being’s clothing. It had to be two concealed bombs under its shirt front. Suicide mission? It didn’t matter, since Rask had his armor on, and his shield was up; he was indestructible.

  “Go ahead and blow,” Rask taunted in the ancient language.

  “Blow what?” it said.

  How soft its voice sounded. Rask breathed in deeply, his nostrils flaring. He smelt its fear. His ears detected a soft clicking sound. Perhaps the bombs were charging.

  “I see your bombs. You have not concealed them well. Or did they move when you ran?”

  “What?”

  It sounded confused.

  When it spoke, Rask saw even white teeth. It really should not have retracted its fangs. It made it look vulnerable—or even more vulnerable than it already appeared. The harder he looked the more he realized the soft clicking was coming from the teeth. That is odd, it couldn’t generate a charge to the bombs with its teeth…could it? Its jaw trembled. Rask frowned. Perhaps it was a young raider. It looked young; it smelt young. There was another strange odor to it that tugged at his memory.

  Rask stepped forward and gripped one of the bombs high on its chest. When he squeezed to set off the explosion, the creature cried out and swatted at his hand, then cried out again when its hand connected and clanked with his hard armor. Rask squeezed again. He was careful not to pierce the bomb with his talon. The creature gasped and gripped his wrists. It felt like normal flesh. Rask moved his talons across the creature’s bare arms. How odd, this was no s
hield; it was firm but too soft. If he chose to, his talons could rip it to shreds. Rask removed his hand to grip the creature’s throat. He was able to wrap his talons right around until his claws clicked together on the other side. It gurgled, the eyes widened and it released a heady musky scent of fear. The little being was terrified of him. He could feel its pulse pounding under his hand. He released some of his pressure. He was certain he could have crushed it to death. It was obvious to them both that Rask was the superior being; the little thing had opted for submission. Perhaps that was the other strange odor. Castians never surrendered in submission; he had no idea what the smell of it would be.

  “Put up your armor, I wish to test your strength,” Rask demanded.

  “My what?”

  The creature was making strange sounds in the back of its throat. It wasn’t growling at him, and it seemed distressed. It should have known if Rask wanted it dead, it would be already. Couldn’t it sense that?

  “Your shield, put it up,” Rask demanded.

  “I don’t have one,” it replied in a shaky voice.

  Rask frowned. Their ship had a shield. The others must not have had time to raise their shields when he caught them off-guard. Or perhaps like the vessel they were in, their body shield was too flimsy to be of any use against Castians. Rask was being more than fair with this little one. It was old enough to have a shield; perhaps it was too embarrassed to show it. He put more pressure onto its neck. The creature gurgled again. Rask bent low giving it a good long look at his razor-sharp fangs. He could smell the creature’s desperate tiny intakes for breath. Still it refused to raise its armor. He squeezed harder cutting off its air supply entirely. Then Rask raised his eyes in surprise. The creature’s eyes were leaking. Great God of Dargon, he was squeezing its fluid out! The wetness dripped down its face and chin toward his talons. Rask released his hold. It had to be a trick. The creature gasped in air.

  “Your trick won’t work with me,” Rask said and grinned. “This fluid is some type of shield-melting substance. Isn’t it?” he demanded.

  “Please let me go.”

  Rask frowned. The tone of its voice was pitiful and raspy. “Tell me what the fluid is,” he demanded again.

  “Tears. I’m crying because I’m afraid of you. I can’t help it.”

  Tears? Rask had never heard of such a word. “What is the substance?”

  “Water and salt.”

  Its fear created tears as a weapon? Rask’s armor acted on its own to protect him at times so it was plausible. Rask knew it was afraid. Rask’s armor detected no threat when he lifted a talon finger to the moisture on the creature’s face. A sharp claw scooped one up. The substance felt like water, it smelt like water and it was warm. This wasn’t dangerous. What the hell are the creature’s defenses? It has to have something, anything. The being’s tears were falling faster. It looked so weak and fragile. It was shaking before him and Rask had an idea. His hand rose to its throat and he squeezed once more.

  “No please, no,” it gasped.

  The musky odor of terror reached his nostrils.

  Ah, he got it now. Rask loosened his grip. It was a shame he had killed the other two. Their form of defense was their helplessness. Yet he had seen the larger creature kill its own litter mate. That alone made him think they were dangerous. What odd creatures to use helplessness as a weapon. But it worked. He suddenly felt no need to harm it. It would appear the defense suited it. His men would find this little thing amusing. They wouldn’t hurt it once he told them it was helpless—a new pet. Still he wanted to be certain it carried no tricks. Rask wrapped his arm around the being’s arms, holding it still. His hand went down into the back of its pants. The little creature screamed it would be ripped apart with his sharp claws but he dropped the shield on his talons so only fingers touched it. Still it struggled. It was laughable really. His finger searched inside its behind for weapons. As he went deeper its screaming stopped and it pleaded louder. It was too tight, no weapons would fit there.

  When Rask removed his finger and released it, the being slumped to the ground. It was hysterical and crying out something. Rask pulled it up and cocked his head. Rape? What is that? It didn’t want him to rape it.

  “I don’t understand that word,” Rask said.

  There was something else he needed to search. The creature was practically limp in his grasp now. It hardly weighed anything. Rask held it firmly again. His hand went down the front of its pants to check behind the creature’s male sex. Once more he dropped the shield on only his fingers and hand not wanting to rip its organs apart with his claws. It began struggling wildly. Rask determined now it must be hiding something. His fingers probed faster for a weapon. He found nothing and was stunned. There was nothing there, absolutely nothing. Where does its sex go? A finger then found its way up into another hole. Two holes?

  What the hell kind of thing is this?

  “What are you?” Rask demanded.

  The creature was gasping and whimpering and the tears flowed faster than some of the rivers Rask had seen. It was warm inside the little being’s body and moist. The insides squeezed around his finger and released. It was a pleasant though strange feeling. The strange scent of the creature was stronger and Rask felt an odd sense of predatory need. The sensation increased as the creature became hotter and moister. Rask removed his fingers and gave his head a shake. He could smell a unique odor on his finger and damned if it didn’t invade his senses. Another form of defense?

  “I’m human,” it cried out.

  Rask had heard of humans. They were said to be ghastly creatures with no social skills and bloodthirsty with no real leadership. His people tended to stay far away from that corner of the galaxy.

  “Where is your human sex?” Rask asked curiously.

  “Where you touched me,” the human replied.

  Little arms crossed over the things he had thought were bombs. It was cowering and shaking pitifully. This being was no threat. It looked so cute he couldn’t be annoyed.

  “But there was nothing there,” he said with exasperation.

  “My sex is inside like any other female’s,” it cried out with seeming irritation. It swiped at its eyes with the back of a hand.

  Rask’s eyes widened in surprise; he stumbled back as though struck, stunned. Female? The female race was extinct; it had been for almost four hundred years. Rask didn’t even remember his mother. It wasn’t possible. Is it possible? But it had to be telling the truth, the sex was either removed or up inside. No creature would remove its sex for battle and if it did there wouldn’t be a hole, just smoothness. Rask could feel his heart begin to race until his shield controlled it. Extra oxygen flooded his nostrils and he calmed. The ramifications alone would be astronomically beneficial if humans and Castians could mate. If this really was a female creature. Maybe that’s why it was so small, so defenseless. Great Lord of Dargon, it is utterly defenseless!

  “Those other creatures I killed, were they female?” Rask asked with sudden horror.

  “No they were men, the male of my species.”

  They were protecting their female. That’s why they fought him. She had screamed in fear and the males reacted. “Did I kill your mate?” he asked. He remembered that much about females.

  “No. They were the captain and co-pilot. We crashed on your planet. We mean no harm. Earth is destroyed and we were just going to a new planet.”

  “What planet?”

  “We call it Ulsy. It was given that name as a nickname but it stuck. They shortened it from ‘you’ll see’. No one knew what to expect.”

  “You are on Dargon now. What are you called?”

  “Grace.”

  “My name is Rask. I have never met a female. At least not any I remember.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  Her hidden gaze then glanced up with trepidation at him. Thankfully her disturbing tears were slowing…he had been wrong—tears can melt shields. Her puddle-filled eyes made his heart flip. Once he
understood her smell, he remembered it. Something in his blood was taking over. He grew tired of her cowering away from him when she smelt so good. Its headiness was like a drug. What was happening to him? Rask’s armor lowered when he felt all threat of assault pass. He wasn’t certain if the drug in her scent was safe and right now he didn’t care.

  Rask heard her gasp of surprise and he chuckled. When his shield was up he was very dark black and his fangs protruded. The white fangs against the darkness of his shield was a stunning contrast and very impressive. A mask of impenetrable tattoos shielded his face. The armor covered him from head to toe—encasing him from toenail to the hair on his head. All came down now.

  Grace’s lips were trembling. Her hand tentatively reached out to touch his chest. It was like being struck with a jolt of emotion. Her hand looked so white and small next to his darker skin. She felt so soft he wanted the rest of her body pressed against him. His head was reeling. He could feel her fear now, not just sense it and for some odd reason he began to sweat. Droplets of his moisture seeped into her skin as he watched. It was as though his body fluid was drawn to her.

  She blinked. Her fear dissipated and Rask stepped closer.

  “Why, you’re not ugly at all,” she whispered and blinked again in confusion. “You aren’t a beast. You’re very handsome.”

  Her breathing had increased and her look was amazed when she revealed her information. It was as though she had no control over what she had said.

  Rask’s face split into a smile of delight. For some reason her statement made him very happy. He felt his heart rate increase and oddly enough his shield remained lowered and made no attempt to regulate it.

  * * * *

  Grace couldn’t believe the transformation of the creature. She also couldn’t believe she had just said what she was thinking. She had no control over her words; they just tumbled out of her mouth. It was so strange. He looked like a man, albeit a very large man. Whatever had covered him had disappeared, absorbed into his skin. She had been so amazed her hand had lifted of its own accord. When skin touched skin she felt his moisture invade her body. The being before her was tan, and its long, thick, black hair hung to his shoulders. His eyes were no longer bulging black domes but dark brown. His shield had hugged his body because all of his muscles were still prominent. When his hand reached for hers it was void of the long talons. His touch was gentle yet firm. Openly he examined her fingers, her fingernails.