Chapter 8
(Ella)
“You sure you can fly this thing?” I asked, emerging from the back compartment where Dad had fallen asleep. My pulse was thudding too loudly for me to take stock of my emotions, but amid the darkness, happiness swept over me at finding my father. I never thought I would and had given up hope so many years ago. Even held my own farewell ceremony for him and mom… but I should have known he was kidnapped by the aliens on Earth along with so many others that went missing for years. So many had vanished, but where were they all now? I don’t think anyone on Earth knew that the Khonsu had invaded Earth along with the Vepar.
Through all these dangers and impossible foe, to have my father here with me, to know I wasn’t alone on this strange planet...it lifted the weight off my shoulders.
Thane was swaying in his seat. He shook his head and blinked to keep his eyes open. Except his gaze looked hazed over like he might pass out at any moment, and my stomach clenched.
I moved closer and stared outside through the front window to the acrid and dried land where we’d landed. Desert and dunes in every direction, the dual suns burning strong.
In front of us, the other ship with Corran and Derrial landed. Thane looked so close to passing out… he was really sick. He couldn’t take my blood and he was fading so fast, it terrified me.
I rushed to the door and hit the button. The door slid open just as Corran and Derrial emerged from their ship, walking like drunk friends leaving a bar. Their faces were pasty white, eyes half closed, and the same sickness consumed them.
“Hurry up,” I called out and shut the door once they stumbled into our ship. I threw myself into their arms for risking so much. Despite everything, I worried for them as well, and now as their arms wrapped around me, I was lost to the emotions they always stirred within me. It seemed we always ran from something or someone, but just having small pockets of time so close reminded me why I kept fighting and why I wasn’t alone in this huge mess I’d landed in. If we ever survived somehow, I wanted to live somewhere peaceful, where the only concern was what to wear that day and what the weather would be like. I’d had my share of danger and adventure to last a lifetime.
“Don’t ever do that again,” Derrial growled his threat in my ear, while Corran seemed to lose his balance and stumbled free from us before hitting the wall with his back.
I charged after him, a hand grabbing his. “Steady there.”
Looking over at Derrial, his brow furrowed in a dozen lines, and with his blood red horns, and the shadows under his eyes, he reminded me of the devil.
“I wouldn’t leave my father there. And now he’s back there sleeping, and as far as I’m concerned, it was worth it.”
“What you could have done was talk to us, not drug us,” Derrial spat. “You don’t go off on your own ever again, understand?” his voice boomed, his lips twisted with fury.
I gritted my teeth and held his stare. Anger pushed through me as he reprimanded me when I had never asked for any of this. The words flew past my lips before I could tame them.
“Your kind invaded Earth and drew us into this huge mess. All I ever wanted was to have my parents back and have a normal life.”
Nothing would ever be normal for me again. Never.
The three of them watched me, and my arms trembled by my side. Derrial’s mouth twitched, and I swallowed hard.
“You three can’t even stand, let alone fly us out of here. I’m taking the helm, so where are we going?”
“No,” Derrial chided. “Thane will take us to the Council, then we’ll get our blood connection corrected.” He stared at me with intensity, and I clenched my fists. I’d been through so much lately, I was moving on pure adrenaline, and patience wasn’t something I had right now.
“Does that even make logical sense to you?”
He ran the back of his hand over his mouth, pulling against the pouty flesh of his lips like he could barely control himself from drawing me to him, sinking his teeth into my veins.
“Pet, once we make a blood bond, our bodies change and rejects any other blood. So, we’re getting this corrected, and then...” He paused, staring into my soul it seemed. “Then, we’ll address this properly.”
The warning behind his words pressed in around me like an invisible vice around my chest.
Thump.
I flinched around to find Thane had fallen out of his driver’s seat and was on his knees, pulling himself up, groaning in pain.
“Yeah, he’s going to get us killed, flying this thing,” I blurted, meeting Derrial’s glare. “Tell me where we’re going and I’ll take us there, okay?” I wasn’t taking no for an answer. Technically the space ship was easier to fly than driving a car, so I had this in the bag.
“She has a point,” Corran added. “We reserve our energy for once we arrive at the Council quarters. We’ll need it.”
Derrial huffed, staring at me with uncertainty. He didn’t trust his life in my hands, I saw it in his shifting expression, but I’d prove him wrong.
“What have you got to lose?” I pivoted on the balls of my feet and headed to the front where Derrial stepped aside from the driver’s seat.