Protected by the Alien Warrior Hope Hart (books that read to you .txt) 📖

I turn. “We will find another route.”

A Voildi drops out of a tree, and I growl. I’m suddenly surrounded.

“GO!” I roar at Ivy. I whistle at the mishua, and she turns, racing back through the forest, Ivy holding on tight. The Voildi curse, a few of them giving chase while the rest of them attack.

Ivy

Five minutes after declaring himself a villain, Vrex made his mishua take me to safety while surrounded by a pack of mishua.

I don’t think so.

Now I’m hiding in a bush after bailing from the mishua, who was running through the forest like her ass was on fire.

I creep back toward the Voildi. Vrex is swinging his sword like a wild man, but there are too many of them.

I run through options in my mind. If I had a gun, I could take them all out. Unfortunately, all I have is a large knife, and while I’d probably do okay up against one Voildi, I’d be sure to die if I attempted to take on them all.

They’re going to kill him.

I flinch as Vrex’s giant sword slides through one of the Voildi just as another one darts forward and slices his own sword along Vrex’s side. Vrex roars, whirling around and beheading the guy, but another is quick to replace him, slashing his sword across Vrex’s ribs.

I sprint toward them.

Vrex swings his arm, the sunlight glinting off his sword as he smoothly steps away from the Voildi, sliding under his guard and cutting his head off his shoulders. He lifts his own head, baring his teeth at me in fury.

Yeah, yeah, I didn’t listen. Sue me.

I leap into the air, landing on the back of one of the Voildi and driving him into the ground. I slam the back of my knife into his head, and he doesn’t get up.

“Move,” Vrex roars, and I glance behind me, my mouth going dry at the sound of hooves thundering on the ground as Nari charges toward us. I roll aside, and she lowers her head like a bull, driving into the fray. Her horns pierce and stab, while Vrex takes advantage of the chaos, swinging his sword like he’s possessed.

I jump to my feet, and then I’m falling as my foot gets caught on something. I try to get up, but whatever has me isn’t letting go, and I flip onto my back, staring at a Voildi who holds the rope that’s tied tightly around my ankle.

A trap. And I fell for it.

I try to crawl away, a frustrated sob leaving my throat as he laughs, stepping closer.

“Ivy!” Vrex’s voice is thick with what sounds like panic.

And then everything goes black.

Vrex

The world turns red as I slash my sword across a Voildi’s throat and blood sprays across my face. The creature slashes at me with its sword, and I duck, kicking out as I turn, plunging my own sword into its gut.

The Voildi thought it could sneak up behind me. That I wouldn’t smell its stench as it approached.

I shy left, ducking as another Voildi swings, and cut across its arm, the limb falling to the ground. It screams, and I ignore it, turning my head as I frantically search for Ivy.

The flame-haired female is quiet. Too quiet.

A Voildi leaps at my back, the tip of its knife carving through my shirt and into my shoulder. I spin, slicing as it falls, and it collapses, blood pouring from its throat.

There. Ivy is fighting with a Voildi. He has her ankle caught in a rope on the edge of the clearing, and I roar her name as he leans over, picking up a rock before slamming it into her head. She instantly goes limp, and I barely dodge a blade as it slices toward me. I fight to get to her, but the Voildi disappears with her slumped over his shoulder, melting into the trees with several of his pack members.

Another Voildi lunges desperately at me, and I crouch, slicing along its thigh. I move as he falls before stomping on the back of his neck.

I pant, wiping blood off my face.

Nari steps close, lowering her head and almost poking me in my eye with one of her horns as she attempts to nuzzle me.

I stroke her nose before pushing her gently away.

I count eight Voildi already dead, but one of them is twitching. I stalk over to him, and his face pales.

“Where did they take her?”

“To the Zintas. Don’t kill me. Please.”

I ignore that. This Voildi would have laughed as I was slaughtered and likely eaten my body.

“Where?”

He begins to babble, and I put a picture together. We are close to the Great Water. The Zintas traveled here from across the water, and if they take Ivy with them, I may never see her again.

“Don’t kill me,” he begs again.

I return my attention to the Voildi, raising an eyebrow as blood bubbles between his lips. And then I run my eyes over the huge wound in his chest.

“I don’t need to.”

Nari clomps toward me, then nudges me with her nose.

“Yes,” I say. “We’re going to find her. Now.”

Ivy

When I pictured Vrex rescuing me, I imagined it happening before I ended up on a rickety, shabby boat.

It looks like a bunch of logs have been tied together and a hut built on top. What it doesn’t look like is a seaworthy vessel. Even if the Zintas did use it to cross the water to get here.

“Nuh-uh,” I say, but the Zintas ignore me as they drag me closer to the boat, and small rocks and stones shift beneath my feet as I struggle.

I’m no match for the two Zintas holding me, each with a hand clamped around one of my arms. The waves lap against the shore, and the sound would be relaxing if I weren’t staring at a small vessel that looks like it’s guaranteed to flip or sink. I’m a strong swimmer, but who even knows what creatures are waiting for