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Evangeline shrieked when the door to her room slammed open, one of the hinges giving way. A huge figure filled the doorway.
“Evangeline?” asked a voice she recalled from the meet-and-greet.
“Sarus?” she whimpered, eyes wide with dread as she clutched the carrier on her lap. “What’s going on?”
“Sabotage,” he replied tersely, his narrowed gaze sweeping the room. “We must go.”
She hesitated, unsure what she was more afraid of: him or the chaos beyond her guest room door.
“Come with me now, Evangeline,” he ordered, his voice low and sibilant.
A whimper escaped her lips. Realizing the human woman was frozen in fear, Sarus stepped inside the room. Another large form filled the doorway. Evangeline cringed.
“Commander, we can’t hold them off much longer.” That was another recently familiar voice, but clipped and hard rather than coaxing.
Sarus cast aside his people’s honor and entered the sleeping quarters of an unmated female. He scooped her into his arms, bulky container included, for she clung to it as though her life depended on it and there was no time to argue with her about leaving it behind. He blinked in surprise when an unholy yowl erupted from within the container as the woman pressed her face into his shoulder.
“What’s in there?” he asked, pitching his voice below the din as he carried her from the room and fell into step behind the imperial guard who brandished his sword with wicked accuracy and unflagging strength.
“Halt!” Sarus called out as they passed another closed door.
Horas decapitated a Sivuul invader and demanded, “What?”
“There’s another human woman behind that door.”
The big male nodded, sheathed his sword, and rammed his bulk against the door. It imploded. A shrill scream poured from the room. Without hesitation, Horas darted into the room and grabbed its occupant’s hand.
“Human Elodie?” Horas said.
Elodie nodded and jerked on her hand, but Horas did not release it. Instead he leaned toward her and ordered, “We’re under attack, Elodie. You must follow me if you want to get out alive.”
Her jaw firming, she nodded. He released her hand.
“The others?” Evangeline asked, turning her head to look at the other bride.
“They may yet live,” Sarus replied, glad that she appeared to be coming out of her frozen state. “Can you walk?”
Swallowing, she nodded. He set her down as Horas moved forward and Elodie followed. Evangeline was gratified to see that the other bride had acted on the same pragmatic impulse as she had, donning the most practical of the frivolous garb available to them. She heard a steely hiss and looked back to see Sarus had turned around to stab a hideous insectoid being. The sword crunched through the chitin exoskeleton. The enormous insect’s mandibles clacked rapidly as four of its six limbs vibrated.
“They’re swarming! Follow Horas!” Sarus shouted at her as he yanked his weapon from the chitin and thick, yellow ichor oozed from the gaping hole.
Evangeline tightened her grip on Poppet’s carrier and hurried after Horas whose blades rose and fell with savage precision. She choked on the black smoke, the heat from the crackling fire, and the stench of sticky ichor and coppery smelling blood. War cries, the blast of automatic weapons fire, and shouts of pain combined with gorey sights and putrid smells into a hellish environment that would haunt her nightmares forever. She had no idea where Horas led them, and the not knowing terrified her almost as much as what she saw.
“This way!” Horas shouted.
He abruptly turned a corner and they followed. Coughing and shivering, Elodie reached back to grasp Evangeline’s hand. Evangeline saw the gesture and transferred Poppet’s carrier to her other hand. She grasped Elodie’s hand. The woman turned to flash a small smile at her. The human touch gave Evangeline a small amount of comfort and reassurance.
With a crash, Horas kicked open a door and they stumbled outside into chaos. He broke into a jog. The women raced after him as best they could in their impractical shoes. Poppet continued yowling his anger and fright, adding to the overwhelming noise.
Horas led them down what appeared to be the equivalent of two or three city blocks, decapitating any insects that dared venture close. Behind them, Evangeline could hear the crack and grunt and wordless shrieks of the pursuers who followed them as Sarus systematically killed them. She heard other cracks and weird noises she didn’t recognize, but still feared. She glanced back, glad Sarus had caught up to them and defended them from behind.
Evangeline gasped for air then hissed at the crippling agony in her right side, a pain which had recently joined the stitch in her left side. She wasn’t used to running and cursed herself for being so negligent with her fitness. She released Elodie’s hand and clutched her side. She felt warmth and wetness. Fearing the worst, she looked at her hand and gasped at the blood staining her palm. Knowing that her wound would alter any escape plans the big males had, she pressed her hand against her side and hurried along.
Horas took another sharp corner, then bashed open a door in a building. He ushered the women through.
“Commander, take the females to the roof. I’ll prevent the Sivuul from following.”
Sarus nodded and followed the women indoors, knowing the imperial guard would follow if he could. He passed the two brides and grunted, “Follow me.”
