Feral Flaw Read online

  She was danger.

  My dangerous secret weapon against Voldon. My advantage over the bastard. Bait. My key to staring into the eyes of unrestricted boundaries, pure irrationality, and walking away with the score settled for decimated planets, genocide, and conversion of populations into thought-less zombies. Darla is the face of fear. And only a foolish warrior cowered in fear's shadow. Bless Devros fear loved in return. "Stay with Darla's pod fighter, computer."

  "Darla's pod fighter is aft, commander."

  A strong burst of energy forced my fighter to ram my body against the pod's hard starboard interior where most of my body lay buried from view, deep in darkness.

  So much for shadows being mass-less. "Is there a problem, computer?"

  "The Mawshwuc ship is firing on our survivors, commander."

  As if my aching elbow didn't express those same disturbing details. But my powers are limited to telepathy like most higher-evolved psychics, not reading pain.

  The ship yawed again.

  "Matching Darla's movements, commander."

  Another round of the grand dance of soul-mate survival within the eerie quiet of the telepathic world of psychics. How strange that we die in peaceful silence. Alone. When it was so easy to listen to everyone passing by aboard the ship. But the cries for help silenced as everyone struggled to stay afloat now. Nobody had time to struggle to keep their link to the communication line open. And not listening might be a commander's safest strategy.

  Radar blips moved chaotically on the radar panel.

  Beacons indicating how each vessel's occupants fought for one last heartbeat. One more chance at life. Or a desperate plea for help.

  The game of Blood War.

  Wave after wave of energy smacked my body back and forth inside the small dark space where I impatiently reclined.

  How many crew members died in this abysmal attack on unarmed escape pods?

  Disgust mixed with guilt clenched my gut.

  Ashes to ashes. From dusk to dust. Never to live, love, and laugh. Love and light, my friends. They deserved more than a silent prayer. At least their ashes now floated among the stars. No Mawshwuc could desecrate that free-thinking funerary practice. Free thinkers had the final laugh with that point.

  My gut jittered like someone filled it with Earth's favored placating beverage, coffee grounds.

  Guilt.

  If only The Cause had enough pod fighters for each crew member, then guilt wouldn't threaten to haunt as each radar blip teased of lost life. But the luxury of self defense through camouflage and maneuverability were reserved for only were-assassin couples, those who could shape shift into an animal form with minds that couldn't be penetrated by higher-evolved psychics.

  How ironic the silent unyielding seconds ticked by as radar blips.

  Like illuminating fireflies on the hunt for sustenance. And nearby flew a handful of psychic mercenaries tucked safely inside indestructible spacecraft. So much for helping comrades. And The Cause spoke of great fortune since the discovery of these alien pod fighters crafted by extinct beings lost to time. If the majority of them ever flew in my situation, inside a pod fighter, their opinions would quickly change. I snorted.

  Curses come to mind.

  For the triumph of discovery.

  For the yearning of a soul mate.

  For the inability to help anyone.

  Death would snuff those erratic radar heartbeats. One by one. And who would be the hero? Not a man who hid inside protective armor while lives left in his care were sacrificed for his survival. Alas, any leader who drank often from the pool of guilt committed suicide. Now was not the time to shudder and cringe. Now was the time to get the better of Voldon.

  * * * *

  Planet Vek's violet atmosphere swirled on Goro's pod-fighter's view screen like a storm pounded at what he remembered was the largest of the planet's three continents. Nothing but plants and animals thrived within the continent's enormous stretch of tropical vegetation crisscrossed and rimmed with mountains. Not one humanoid.

  A safe haven? Perhaps. Time to conceal Darla among the trees until I knew I completely evaded Voldon's forces. The vegetation just might be our salvation. But if any of Voldon's scouts had followed The Seeker's survivors, Vek would prove anything but a safe haven. "Let's find a place to stretch my cramping legs, computer."

  The pod fighter veered into the planet's upper clouds.

  Down into the unknown wild beauty of a purple monster promising passion's love and lust in its heightened level of seductive redness... To deal with more temptation in the form of a sweet caring female from Earth. The heart of my heart.

  Few women aboard a starship thought of little more than death and survival. Who would with endless the waves of war bombarding into The Seeker? But Darla's humor and spunk had helped me forget the war for a few moments. Tempted me to give into lust and quit the game. Was stopping on Vek dangerous?

  To turn back from the reality meant to run from fear.

  An Xquine warrior faced fear.

  Unfortunately, the way she begged for unification these days meant abstinence would be nearly impossible. Or torture. But Darla was safer a virgin free of incriminating blood lust. The symptoms of blood lust gave away a person who fought for The Cause. Voldon would never know she was part of the free-thinking movement if she hadn't mated. So, celibacy was crucial to her protection.

  Celibacy ultimately helped one prove oneself to Destiny. Regardless of how painful the process was.

  The clouds gave way to a never-ending expanse of leafy canopies.

  Nature in its glorious state of uncontrollable defiance.

  No man could beat nature without cruelly destroying the essence of existence. But that was what life for a humanoid was all about. Balancing reality of the natural order with the unnatural narcissistic reason buried inside each and every individual. Yet, down there, beneath the jungle, awaited an even wilder fight. A battle beyond simple nature verses nurture with the individual. A battle of wills between two people chosen to unite for the greater good. Darla would want to end their celibacy.

  Oh to give into the lust.

  My thoughts drift too often to blood lust.

  Simply lust.

  And how are my needs any different from Darla's or even Voldon's?

  There is no honor in the obsession. A commander must be stronger than others. Am I any better than Voldon where I straddle this crevasse of man verses beast? Certainly, being strong enough to understand the difference had to signify my heightened awareness and make my choices for the greater good. So, the metaphysical attraction between Darla and I indicates more than narcissism is behind our desires.

  Voldon will not succeed. His choice harbors the flaw. Not mine. Nor will his actions force me to make the wrong choice.

  * * * *

  Darla wanted out of the damned pod fighter. Not because of loneliness, she noted. Living in self-induced isolation for almost three years aboard The Seeker while pretending to despise The Cause as well as Goro only proved I supported free-thinking justice. But I spent those years in a large forested starship chamber. This man-sized aerosol can left little room for fidgeting. Twenty-two hours prostrate made my legs ache to stretch. And it wasn't like an ex-florist with a black-belt in karate knew how to command a space-worthy craft in order to locate a tropical paradise.

  Talk about ironic. Daddy would mutter about paradise lost if he caught wind of my latest escapade gone awry. Not to mention, Goro obviously has me right where he wants me. In need of his assistance. That wasn't such a bad thing. But all the waiting to join free-thinking forces as a were-assassin was growing old when a girl just wanted to fight for Earth. For what felt right and made my strange psychic power seem like it had a purpose other than making me a freak.

  The pod fighter shifted, lowering with the sensation of an elevator ride.

  "Prepare to disembark, Darla," the computer stated.

  Where am I? "What's going on? Where is this place?"


  "You're on planet Vek. Commander Goro is waiting for you."

  What about the others? "And the crew?"

  "Two life pods have landed. Three more will arrive within an Earth hour."

  Three's a crowd. So much for ending the madness of waiting to kick alien emperor ass with a big orange-eyed hunk spouting promises of love and amazing sex. There would be too many crew members lurking to allow me to work with the group through sexual unification and blood mating. No. I was going to go solo again. Certainly, Goro would say we needed to postpone consummation of our relationship as were-mates. It almost seemed like he truly preferred abstinence.

  Destiny obviously doesn't care about my feelings.

  Am I wrong or would any other woman than a girl peddling bouquets fall for a man who could coo the most fascinating points to ponder that could make my heart melt but never come through with the promised goods? Maybe it was just my fascination with martial arts that drew me to Goro. He reeked of strength and protection and changed my future from one where I never fit in to one where I lived in a place as anything but an oddball hiding my psychic power. Surrounded by psychics, I am at home. At least somewhat. But waiting to work as a psychic were-mate was just going to have to be enough because it was damned sure better than being back home on Earth. Besides, Goro called the shots. Time to stretch the kinks out of these two legs. "Open the hatch, computer."

  The pod's hatch opened to a purple sky and looming branches loaded with elliptical leaves.

  Not so bad. But a girl accustomed to blue sky might find the fuchsia atmosphere unsettling. Unfamiliar. Like observing Goro's approach to testing his inferiors. An odd strategy that often used many of his mercenaries to sniff out traitors. I just hadn't ever been so manipulative back home. And, yes, Goro was manipulative.

  Little did the crew realize they were the mice being batted around by the cats. Fresh recruits inducted into The Cause became my focus requiring I work the good cop angle, mostly with earthlings brought aboard the ship. Me, the familiar voice pondering choices while hanging around the universe's free-thinking oasis in The Chamber, I feigned the voice of reason in the middle of nowhere where earthlings heard nothing but an eerie silence in a sterile world surrounded by deep space. And they talked to me. Always spilled their guts. I ensured every inductee's motive was straight and true. But here hovered wispy clouds and almost earth-like trees. A bit of comforting familiarity blaring a warning. Was the warning for me?

  Crazy Darla would take note of a warning on The Seeker. That's what she was all about. A warning from earth. Living breathing caution. So put on your party hat, Crazy Darla. Now is the time to learn what the other crew members expected from the Darla they knew. Maybe a little kick ass if anyone got too close? No problem.

  Just maintain Goro's game.

  Strong fingers curled around the straight edge of my cockpit. Goro's bald softening features slid into view. "How's my girl?" he whispered.

  "Bipeds shouldn't lie down as long as I have."

  The corner of his mouth twitched with a fleeting smile. "You can stretch them wrestling with me." He winked. "The others expect a good show."

  Why did that type of exhibition always translate into suggested foreplay with my biker Goth guy? Stop dangling carrots before the miserable rabbit. "How about I kick your butt?" I shoved up until I could drag my boots into a position to ram my heels into the pod fighter's metallic floor board.

  Goro arched a black eyebrow. "I miss that innocent young woman I saved on earth."

  He should have thought about that before he decided to abstain and tuck me into his Eden-like nature chamber. I wasn't pure enough to stash awake like Eve. And Eve eventually led to the fall! "See what happens when you reveal to the girl that the world she knew was a joke." I swung a leg over the pod's side, then the other, and dropped to the ground to face Goro. "The cornered animal strikes back," I snarled, pretending I didn't care for Goro and scanned the group of six white-cloaked humanoids eyeing me with caution at what they had obviously deemed a safe distance from which to stand from the crazy captive who could levitate anything to use as a projectile.

  Talk about more familiarity in what appeared to be a good old football huddle from back home. Although, it would have been more fun to finally see their reactions as she shape shifted. Too bad on that trick. You had to have a blood mate to shape shift.

  Goro turned his swinging black leather cloak toward our audience. "Let's sit down and discuss our future, everyone." His voice rang with authority.

  The crowd paused, shot cautious glances between each other, and slowly lowered to squat.

  The motion was a strange shift from discomfort to downright awkward. And the Darla the crew knew would have pounced on awkward. Better play the game. I stretched my stride toward them in eight monster-biting steps, shrinking the distance between us in a nanosecond.

  One of the two women rose and stepped rearward in nothing more than an instinctual act of self-preservation.

  Nice to see I'm still given the respect I'm due.

  The female crew member's rapid breathing only warned she was ready to bolt.

  So much for the game. I slid my gaze from the wide-eyed stares before me and scanned the dense trees.

  Yes. They'd wonder if I would make a run for freedom. Crazy Darla was all about avoiding were-mate blood fucking. Although, the commander draped in black leather who halted at my side was pretty damned sexy. Worth a lifetime's punishment in the afterlife if that's what mating with him earned a girl. And I damn sure intended on being punished.

  Crazy Darla hadn't missed the commander's undulating musculature and the dimples that melted away his spiritual checkmate exterior while I attacked everyone with all of my Biblical points on gloom and doom blood collecting, fear of vampires, and eternal damnation. Really, would anybody ever expect anything less from the daughter of a southern preacher?

  I definitely had become the black sheep my father claimed I was. How does such a woman behind a counter covered in beautiful blooms incite such terror in her parents? It must have been the martial arts because it certainly wasn't the psychic powers I hid from the rest of planet earth. You really had to hide that kind of thing when your parents were nuts. But at long last, all Mom and Dad's Christian quotes on preserving my soul had finally been put to good use. Here. In the heavens. I regurgitated them to my advantage. Right where Mom and Dad thought souls lived in eternal bliss. Not in the afterlife.

  And everyone is scared as Hell of me.

  Save me from irony beneath this weird purple sky, universe.

  "Join us, Darla," Goro prompted from where he stood at my side.

  Should I cause problems or accommodate him? Problems. No. Accommodation. Oh the madness in this feigned lunacy. I exhaled a tumultuous sigh and met Goro's familiar stoic stare.

  "Please." He waved a palm toward fluffy grass on the ground adopting his typical please-cooperate-stance he managed when standing in front of his crew.

  "I've been locked inside that sardine can for an unbelievably long time. I'd rather die standing up if we're attacked." I shifted my weight in my boots and snaked my arms across my chest in a typical Darla reaction of defiance. "If not just to stretch for a while."

  Goro's stoic gaze never wavered.

  The man was a master at playing mind games. He'd have to be in order to beat evil. How odd I ran from good versus evil on earth and fell right back into it. Wouldn't Daddy be thrilled to know I had somewhat taken up his war against eternal damnation after his twenty-nine years of worrying about what he deemed my not-so-correct focus in life? The abstinence part was the clincher. Goro had no idea how much I intended on making him pay for the longest wait of my life. Sex. Sex. Sex.

  Talk about the bed you make. Especially when you could have sex in it.

  "Darla," Goro insisted I sit.

  Well, after acting like I would attack the refugees, wanted to bolt, and defied the commander, I'd must have gotten my point across. Why not sit? I lowered into a crouch, spre
ading the fingers of one hand into the cool blades of vegetation blanketing the murky forest floor.

  Just to appear ready to spring into the wild wood. That's what Crazy Darla would do. Escape. Or attempt to. And why did playing along with Goro seem so natural? I studied the swirling clouds above the tree tops.

  "Three more escape pods will be arriving shortly," Goro stated aloud instead of using mindspeak. "Until then, I want everyone to remain here. We've got one healer, two navigators, a cook, and two maintenance crewmen. I can't afford to lose anyone."

  Self please note how he gave me no value in referring only to the crew. Excellent poker move. Not that I ever had a gambling problem. The man was on his game.

  The group of refugees nodded in an odd sort of manner as if to include me in their discussions. Weird. But I'd give Goro a good run for his money. "Since Voldon's coming, when do you expect him to show?"

  Goro wagged his head. "Too many of The Seeker's spacecraft are seeking sanctuary. Voldon will be lucky to have a handful of Mawshwuc's ships to follow a fraction of the life pods. We need to remain calm. Keep our wits about us."

  Crazy Darla wouldn't go along with anything dealing with those vampire Mawshwucs. She'd bitch. "You mean like this isn't the end of the universe?" I shoved to my feet, thrust out an index finger, waved at the pink sky, and raised my voice. "The end of the universe I warned everyone connected to blood fucking about?"

  The crowd shot worried glances between each other.

  Goro inhaled deeply, appearing to brace himself. "Sit, Darla. Join us. If we focus upon light in our darkest hour, we will see our way through darkness."

  Oh, nice philosophical comeback. "I've warned you about light and darkness all along. Why mention it now? Has this calamity shown you the evil ways of your choices? Are you blood fuckers repenting your sins?" Daddy would have loved that one.