small creature. Killer had attitude enough for three, and if anything happened to her, she’d never forgive herself.
“I’ll be fine. Stand back.” Richard pushed her behind his larger frame.
Hinekiri wasn’t particularly fond of orders, which was why she was so firm with Janaya. But it wasn’t entirely Richard’s fault. She’d have to watch herself when it came to talking to the dog in front of Richard. He seemed to be doing okay with aliens but a talking dog might be one push too many. “Let Killer do it.”
Richard muttered under his breath. “Stay out of range.”
“How pop?” Killer yipped after a futile snap at the Torgon’s chest.
“Jump up and down on its belly,” Hinekiri shouted. “Bite at the same time.”
Killer leapt on the downed Torgon. Her fierce growl raised the hackles at the back of the Hinekiri’s neck. She wouldn’t like to be on the wrong side of that dog. Killer bounced again, digging in her claws before seizing the Torgon’s chest with her teeth. The alien let out a series of distressed clicks. Killer bounced a third time and the Torgon exploded in a huge geyser of sparkling purple spray that shrouded everything in sight. They both stepped back and held their hands up to shield their eyes. When the air cleared, all that remained was a large pile of purple goo.
“Where’s the dog?” Richard demanded.
Hinekiri stared, her heart thundering with alarm. She ran toward the steaming purple pile with Richard right behind her. Killer wasn’t there, just the pile of Torgon remains.
“Oh goddess! I’ll never forgive myself,” she murmured, tears of grief forming at the back of her eyes. The creature had burrowed into her heart and now she’d died saving them from the Torgon.
Chapter Four
Richard wrapped his arm around Hinekiri’s waist and tugged her against his side. Hinekiri sounded as though she was going to start crying and damn if he didn’t have a lump in his throat himself. The dog had borne a peculiar charm that was endearing. How the hell was he going to explain this to Luke? And Janaya?
Hinekiri started to shake and he drew her against his chest, patting her back in an awkward fashion. He’d never been too good in the comforting department. Hopefully, he scored points for the attempt even if it was a bit lacking.
“I’m sorry about Killer, Hinekiri.” His chest ached with sorrow and he had to blink rapidly to hold back his own tears.
“I liked the creature,” she murmured. “Full of attitude and a smart mouth. She was very brave. I don’t understand why the Torgon exploded that way. I’ve never seen that happen before.”
Huh? Richard frowned at her. “A smart mouth?”
“Ah, yeah.” Hinekiri sniffed loudly, picked up the metal parts she’d dropped when the Torgon had arrived and headed up the track. She didn’t spare another look for the remains of the Torgon and Killer.
Richard shook his head, wondering at her state of mind, but picked up the rest of the parts and followed. They navigated a steep incline before the hilltop leveled out. An old, dilapidated barn stood drunkenly on the far edge of the clearing. He glanced around and couldn’t see anything remotely resembling a spaceship. “Where’s your ship?” The crystal image of a Sloan youngster joyriding through the skies in a UFO popped into his mind and brought an intense shudder of horror. His gaze snapped to Hinekiri. “Please tell me it hasn’t been stolen.”
Hinekiri dumped the parts on the ground and pulled a small square device from her pocket. She clicked on a black button. The air in front of Richard shimmered and gradually coalesced into a shiny silver disc.
“Wow, it’s there.”
“Of course it’s there. Why wouldn’t it be?” She pushed another button and a set of stairs dropped down from the underbelly of the disc. Without waiting for him, she climbed the stairs, her posture dejected and sad. It was obvious Hinekiri was more upset about Killer than she’d let
“I’ll be fine. Stand back.” Richard pushed her behind his larger frame.
Hinekiri wasn’t particularly fond of orders, which was why she was so firm with Janaya. But it wasn’t entirely Richard’s fault. She’d have to watch herself when it came to talking to the dog in front of Richard. He seemed to be doing okay with aliens but a talking dog might be one push too many. “Let Killer do it.”
Richard muttered under his breath. “Stay out of range.”
“How pop?” Killer yipped after a futile snap at the Torgon’s chest.
“Jump up and down on its belly,” Hinekiri shouted. “Bite at the same time.”
Killer leapt on the downed Torgon. Her fierce growl raised the hackles at the back of the Hinekiri’s neck. She wouldn’t like to be on the wrong side of that dog. Killer bounced again, digging in her claws before seizing the Torgon’s chest with her teeth. The alien let out a series of distressed clicks. Killer bounced a third time and the Torgon exploded in a huge geyser of sparkling purple spray that shrouded everything in sight. They both stepped back and held their hands up to shield their eyes. When the air cleared, all that remained was a large pile of purple goo.
“Where’s the dog?” Richard demanded.
Hinekiri stared, her heart thundering with alarm. She ran toward the steaming purple pile with Richard right behind her. Killer wasn’t there, just the pile of Torgon remains.
“Oh goddess! I’ll never forgive myself,” she murmured, tears of grief forming at the back of her eyes. The creature had burrowed into her heart and now she’d died saving them from the Torgon.
Chapter Four
Richard wrapped his arm around Hinekiri’s waist and tugged her against his side. Hinekiri sounded as though she was going to start crying and damn if he didn’t have a lump in his throat himself. The dog had borne a peculiar charm that was endearing. How the hell was he going to explain this to Luke? And Janaya?
Hinekiri started to shake and he drew her against his chest, patting her back in an awkward fashion. He’d never been too good in the comforting department. Hopefully, he scored points for the attempt even if it was a bit lacking.
“I’m sorry about Killer, Hinekiri.” His chest ached with sorrow and he had to blink rapidly to hold back his own tears.
“I liked the creature,” she murmured. “Full of attitude and a smart mouth. She was very brave. I don’t understand why the Torgon exploded that way. I’ve never seen that happen before.”
Huh? Richard frowned at her. “A smart mouth?”
“Ah, yeah.” Hinekiri sniffed loudly, picked up the metal parts she’d dropped when the Torgon had arrived and headed up the track. She didn’t spare another look for the remains of the Torgon and Killer.
Richard shook his head, wondering at her state of mind, but picked up the rest of the parts and followed. They navigated a steep incline before the hilltop leveled out. An old, dilapidated barn stood drunkenly on the far edge of the clearing. He glanced around and couldn’t see anything remotely resembling a spaceship. “Where’s your ship?” The crystal image of a Sloan youngster joyriding through the skies in a UFO popped into his mind and brought an intense shudder of horror. His gaze snapped to Hinekiri. “Please tell me it hasn’t been stolen.”
Hinekiri dumped the parts on the ground and pulled a small square device from her pocket. She clicked on a black button. The air in front of Richard shimmered and gradually coalesced into a shiny silver disc.
“Wow, it’s there.”
“Of course it’s there. Why wouldn’t it be?” She pushed another button and a set of stairs dropped down from the underbelly of the disc. Without waiting for him, she climbed the stairs, her posture dejected and sad. It was obvious Hinekiri was more upset about Killer than she’d let
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