AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on, Tally, it’s time to see your friend.”
And it’s time for me to say goodbye and walk away from the best thing to ever happen to me.
TWENTY-THREE
TALIA
The meeting is in what used to be a small park not far from Cato’s territory. Still, we have to gather some warriors, which takes time, and then make our way through the city. He insists on carrying me, and when they start to run, I realise why. They are at least double my max speed, and something that would have taken me an hour only takes about thirty minutes.
The moon is high in the sky when we stop just beyond the meeting. I turn to ask Cato why, and he presses his finger to my lips and leans down. With his mouth to my ear, he whispers, “I just sent a warrior to check the area and make sure there are no traps or anything. You never know. When it’s clear, he will alert us, and we will go in, but I need you to promise to stay behind me until I say okay, no matter what you see, okay?” He pulls away and gives me a very serious look. “Please, Tally.”
That’s what has me promising. My heart is beating so fast, I feel sick, knowing Aria is close. Part of me is relieved, knowing that she’s okay, but the other half is sad this will probably be goodbye between Cato and me. He has come to mean a lot to me, even if I can’t really understand how or why.
When his warrior comes back, we move through the building we were hiding behind. They take the stairs in massive leaps that has me closing my eyes, and once on the roof, I look down to the park. There is a big red alien sprawled on some grass, his eyes closed and mouth moving as he talks to…Aria!
I want to shout, but then we start to jump over the edge of the building. I almost scream but manage to swallow it just as we land. Well, Cato does, cushioning the blow as his warriors spread out, meeting the other red aliens. They are big and clearly warriors, judging by their scars and weapons, but they are not all that different from Cato’s people.
I don’t spend time analysing them, though, because my eyes go to Aria. I slip from Cato’s arms, and his hand wraps around the nape of my neck, comforting me and reminding me of my promise. Her eyes drink me in the same way I am her, noticing she is uninjured.
She looks great, like she’s thriving here. Her skin is glowing, her eyes are bright, her hair is braided back ornately, and her clothes… She looks like one of the warriors, almost like the one who scoops her into his arms. I stiffen, but she just grins up at him.
He’s a big bastard, bigger than even Cato, and covered in scars with more weapons strapped to him than I can count. “Akuji,” Cato whispers to me, and I nod, watching Aria worriedly. Akuji straightens, and I move back, suddenly scared at the imposing sight he makes. Of course Cato catches me and shelters me in his arms, and I soften like the wimp I am. Aria grins at me suddenly, and I grin back, unable to stop myself.
The relief inside of me is so profound, I almost cry, my hands itching to pull her into a hug she would probably hate. I barely hear the words exchanged by Cato and Akuji, keeping my eyes on her. Aria is obviously following along, because she smacks her monster, then more words are exchanged before Akuji suddenly looks ready to attack Cato, and I almost scream. Cato seems unbothered, stroking every inch of skin he can to settle me, and I force myself back into the conversation.
“I meant no offence,” Cato rumbles, and my whole body lights up, remembering the way he rumbled between my legs.
Aria slides before Akuji, scolding him like a child before looking at me. Something gleams in her eyes before her chin goes up with a defiant expression. “Fuck this,” she mutters, and using her impressive speed and muscles, she slips away from Akuji. I do the same to Cato, who snarls after me as I meet her halfway. We embrace, our limbs tangling as she holds me tightly and tears form in my eyes.
I thought I had lost her. I thought I was all alone.
I want to tell her everything, but I’m choking my words back, not wanting to cry on her. She would hate that. When she pulls back, she notices the tears in my eyes but doesn’t comment.
“I thought you were dead,” I murmur, her eyes searching my face as I search hers.
“Nah. I did adopt a monster and a tiger though.” She laughs, and we both glance over when there’s a purr. I spot a tiger moving through the other monsters and swallow hard, not willing to look at it further after what happened with the last tiger.
“Of course you did.”
“And you?” she questions, her voice stern and scary. “Do I need to kill them?”
I hear Cato, but I ignore him for now. “No, no, they have been…nice,” I hedge, wanting to tell her everything but unsure where to start. I smile, unable to help it, knowing she’ll get a kick out of it as much as I will. “I promise I’m okay. I’m working, actually.”
“Of course you are,” she repeats, making us both grin at each other.
We’re just two women from completely different walks of life brought together by chance and bonded by pain and trauma. I never knew how important it was for me to see that she was okay, but now I’m almost crying in relief, so happy to see a friendly face.
“You have a brave human there, Akuji. I truly meant no offence. I know names are important to warriors and their mates. I did not know,” Cato calls from behind me, interrupting my and Aria’s moment.
The big monster, Akuji, comes up behind Aria, and I gulp. “Well, now you do,” Akuji replies, winding his arms around Aria and pulling her away from me, leaving me unsure, so I step back to Cato, needing his strength. “You are my human’s friend. I am glad you are not dead. She’s quite crazy, so I feared she might have killed them.”
When Aria softens, I look at the big monster to see the same love I see in hers reflected back in his eyes. That has me smiling at him, and all fear I felt for him leaves me. No one could be bad if they love her and her him.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that about her. The same goes for her though. I might not be as strong or as capable as her—”
There’s a growl coming from Cato, which I roll my eyes at.
“But I care for her. If you hurt her, then I will try my hardest to do some damage.”
