Argurma Monster (The Argurma Chronicles #2)

Chapter 21

Talech peered over at his mate and allowed himself a brief moment to purr happily. He was glad that Beverly’s mood had improved. Although she was quiet as if brooding over something, she no longer was weighed down by the sadness that had filled her the night before. Zoreth’s decision to show her how to use the blaster had noticeably renewed her self-confidence. That, in turn, made him ache for her even more. He was desperate to finally claim Beverly for his mate.

For their mate.

He looked from his female to Zoreth at the lead. He had initially very much disliked that another Argurma had felt the same mating compatibility. At first, he had even resented the fact that it was Zoreth who made it possible for them to leave Earth... or that Beverly seemed to enjoy conversing with the male about things that Talech could no longer recall. His sense of rivalry with the male only increased in response to the situation on the ship, even though he had gradually come to respect and like the other male.

Crashing on this planet had changed everything. They worked well together as a unit—as a family. Talech liked this. It was like he was re-establishing a connection that he did not even know was missing by bonding with another of his kind. Just being with Zoreth gave him a sense of stability and settled the confusion that had rushed constantly through his mind since he awakened. As a result, although he loved Beverly, he was also developing a different sort of affection for the other male that he now clung to as well. Perhaps it was only his struggle with confusion within his system that made him attach so strongly, but it did not matter. He wanted the three of them to be so united that he was never parted from either of them.

Naturally, when they had lain down for the night, he had put it to the test. Inviting the other male to touch Beverly with him as he touched her had been his own personal challenge to prod his own instincts and emotions, even as it challenged the other male. It was something new, and from Zoreth’s hesitation and Talech’s earlier feelings on the matter he knew it was also something that was not commonly welcome among their species. Initially, having another male sleeping together with them and so close to Beverly had been uncomfortable enough that his systems had rebelled. It had taken time for him to become accustomed to other male’s body so close and the way his arm often curled around her. But they never had intentionally touched her together in the same spot with common intent before.

He still felt the aftereffects of relief rippling through him that he experienced when Zoreth’s hand rested just above his as they soothed their mate together. The male had been surprised but they both relaxed into it quickly, working together as two parts of a single unit. For Talech, it was encouraging. It could work. He was certain that they would both be able to mate with her without more than an initial discomfort at most.

Talech considered how he might react to other male’s civix breaching and driving into their female. Zoreth would likely pin in her in place to mount her once he earned the privilege, the inky length of his civix burrowing into her cunt. Talech’s mandibles clicked at the image his mind conjured, but he did not feel any hostility or even a hint of aggression. Instead, arousal swept through him, making his civix swell and twist within its sheath in an attempt to escape as his processors created and image of the pleasure on Beverly’s face as Zoreth rutted her. Perhaps they would even take her together. Zoreth might hold her locked in place while Talech planted himself deep within her, their civixes plunging into her with the same accord he experienced when they worked together to soothe her. The possibilities made his civix press forward harder and Talech’s mandibles flared wide, and he struggled to contain his breach.

He could not breach now, not when he could not rut her where they would be vulnerable to attack. He stood in place, fighting the sensation off, when Zoreth paused and turned to look back at him. The male appeared in control of himself, but Talech knew it was an illusion for he had noted before the way Zoreth’s civix often swelled and shifted as it pressed forward, though it was subtle beneath his armored flight suit. He also knew the moment that Zoreth caught a hint of his arousal within the pheromones he released on the air because the male’s mandibles widened as if drawing the scent over his palate rather than in an expression of aggression.

Zoreth’s vibrissae writhed with interest, his eyes shifting over to where their female had strayed over to a display flickering with images over screens. Although there was no power in much of the city, Talech had noted that it still ran in some places such as this one that stank of rotten food that was left to spoil. The entire street they walked down was lined with various interconnected buildings filled with supplies rather than dwellings. Amid the dust and dirt that coated everything, there were hints of the bright colors that once filled the area.

“This must be a market area,” Beverly observed as she inched closer to the display in one of the windows, completely unaware of the aroused state of the males standing behind her. “It’s possibly why it still has some power if residential and business areas were kept on different power grids. The worst of the destruction didn’t seem to make it over here either.”

Talech twitched apprehensively as she reached into the display, her fingers grazing along a small screen. Nothing jumped out at her. Instead, the fuzzy image bounced as she seemed to move something and then it suddenly cleared, though the image filling the screen continued to waver. The male staring out from the screen addressed the viewer solemnly, his voice crackling in and out.

“Evacuate immediately. Due to a deadly parasite infestation that has been introduced into our city from the vast swamplands, a mandatory evacuation alert has been issued. Please head to the nearest collection center. All those who are not showing signs of infestation will be transported to the spaceport. This message will continue to be looped with the hope that we can save as many colonists as possible.” The male’s eyes dropped with an expression of sadness crossing his face. “May the gods have pity on us all.”

Beverly shook her head morosely. “Poor bastards. I wonder how many people were turned away and how many even made it off the planet.” She glanced over at Zoreth. “The spaceport should have a strong enough relay to boost the beacon’s transmission, right?”

Zoreth nodded. “It is the most logical solution.”

Another image replaced that of the Kaze, and Beverly smiled as she trailed her finger over a bold red line that ran along several other intersecting lines. Something about it teased Talech’s memory as if he should know what it was. He squinted at it and his memory begrudgingly identified roads for him.

“Look, we’re just a couple of streets down from one of the collection centers. The red line marks the collection route. This would have been the last stop, and then it’s straight on to here.” She tapped the red dot at the top of the red line. “The spaceport. It has to be. We could walk this in about an hour.”

“Or less,” Zoreth rumbled as he made a quick inspection of his blaster. He glanced up and met Talech’s eyes. “Prepare yourself. I calculate that there is a high probability of infestation—of zombies—on that route.” His eyes flicked over to Beverly. “Be prepared, anastha.”

Beverly nodded as Talech dipped his head in agreement and stretched his spinal limbs out. They had been curled inward and at rest for the most part, only occasionally stretching out to tap along a wall or push something out of the way. Now they spread around him defensively, the extensive reach providing extra protection for his family. They were not his only defense, however, just the most suitable for any that might get close to them. Otherwise, he had the blaster that Zoreth gave him, and Talech pulled it out of its holster with a practiced ease that he did not remember acquiring.

Lips thinning anxiously, Beverly pushed up from where she kneeled in front of the display. Concern flared through Talech as she began to stand. She reached out instinctively to steady herself, resting her hand at the top of the screen only for it to go careening out from under her. The screen fell back with a crash as Beverly toppled forward, taking down several more screens as she fell into the display.

The resounding crash echoed down the street, and Talech bristled warily, his vibrissae flaring out around him as he slowly turned. Zoreth likewise rotated slowly where he stood, his blaster held out in front of him.

“Fuck!” Beverly hissed as she backed away from the display, her own blaster raised.

It was the gurgling moan of air pushed uselessly past vocal cords that made his vibrissae coil and lash furiously as a zombie suddenly rushed forward from the back of the building, its vacant eyes latched onto their mate. Its fingers were black from scraping against filth and gore that had long since dried, its mouth gaping wide in its frenzy as its throat worked and produced a feverish series of gurgling moans and higher-pitched shrieks as it lunged for Beverly.

Without even drawing a breath, Talech raised his blaster and fired. He took satisfaction in the mangled destruction of the zombie’s head and the wet plop as it dropped to the ground. That satisfaction did not last for long before another appeared and another, all of them streaming from the same street that Beverly called the collection route. Growling, Talech spun on them as Beverly raised her own blaster and took aim.

The sounds of their shots mingled with the creatures’ vocalizations and the wet sounds of flesh hitting the ground and the spray of blood. But it was just the beginning.