Her Immortal Love (Brides of the Vrakken #2)

3. Alexei

3

ALEXEI

I survey our rapidly developing settlement, marveling at how quickly we've transformed this alien landscape. Nyx's newfound magic pulses through the air, a tangible force that sets my teeth on edge and makes my skin prickle. It's exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

"Alexei, we need more support beams for the eastern wall," Brinda calls out, her voice strained as she manipulates a massive stone block into place.

I nod, focusing my own magic to shape the raw materials around us. The power flows through me, an intoxicating rush that threatens to overwhelm my senses. I grit my teeth, forcing it to bend to my will. A series of thick, crystalline pillars burst from the ground, twisting and growing until they reach the desired height.

"Impressive," Nyx murmurs as she glides past, her wings casting flickering shadows in the eerie light of Protheka's twin moons. "But don't lose focus. We're far from safe here."

Her words send a chill down my spine. The memory of those distant, godlike figures looms large in my mind. What are their intentions? And those gray-skinned beings... potential allies or enemies?

I shake off the distracting thoughts and return to the task at hand. All around me, my fellow vrakken work tirelessly. Some are constructing elaborate defenses, others are fashioning weapons from the strange materials of this world. The air crackles with magic and purpose.

In a secluded area, I catch glimpses of the human enclosure. Their fear is palpable, even from this distance. A pang of... something... flashes through me. Guilt? Sympathy? I push it aside. We need them. For sustenance, for potential new vrakken. It's the way it's always been.

But as I watch a young woman with fiery red hair comfort a terrified child, I can't help but wonder: is this truly who we are? What we're meant to be?

"Less daydreaming, more building," Viktor growls, shoving past me with an armful of shimmering metal spears. "Those gray-skins could attack at any moment."

I nod curtly and throw myself back into the work. The base takes shape around us, a fortress born of magic and desperation. It's nothing like the grand cities we left behind on Earth, but it's a start. A foothold in this strange new world.

As the first hints of dawn begin to color the alien sky, I allow myself a moment of quiet reflection. Everything has changed in the span of a few hours. The vrakken, once hunters in the shadows, now stand exposed in the harsh light of a new reality. And I can't shake the feeling that this is only the beginning.

I'm jolted from my thoughts by a deafening roar that shakes the very ground beneath our feet. The air crackles with malevolent energy, and I watch in horror as massive bolts of lightning streak across the sky, slamming into our hastily constructed defenses.

"We're under attack!" I shout, my voice barely audible over the chaos erupting around us.

Nyx materializes beside me, her eyes blazing with fury. "The gods and goddesses," she hisses. "And those gray-skinned bastards. They're coming after us after Akeldama promised us a safehaven."

I scan the battlefield, my mind racing. Our settlement is in disarray, vrakken scrambling to mount a defense against an enemy we barely understand. The magic we've only just begun to harness turns against us, warping and twisting under the onslaught of our attackers' power.

I snap into action, my diplomatic training kicking in alongside newfound vrakken instincts. "Brinda!" I shout. "Take a squad and reinforce the eastern wall. Raziel, gather our strongest magic users and focus on shielding the northern approach."

They nod, springing into action without hesitation. I turn to Nyx, who's already summoning swirling vortexes of dark energy. "We need to buy time," I say. "Let me lead a counterattack."

She fixes me with those swirling silver-black eyes. "Do it."

I gather a group of our fiercest warriors, their faces set in grim determination. "Follow me," I growl, letting my wings unfurl. We take to the sky, magic crackling around us.

The battlefield is chaos. Grey-skinned figures – dark elves, as Akeldama called them – clash with our forces on the ground. Their magic is different from ours, chaotic and unpredictable. But we have the advantage of flight.

"Hit and run!" I shout to my squad. "Don't let them pin you down!"

We dive, raining bolts of vrakken magic on the enemy lines. I feel a surge of pride as our attacks sow confusion in their ranks. But it's short-lived. A massive bolt of lightning arcs towards us, and I barely manage to throw up a shield in time.

"Regroup!" I order, leading my team back to our defenses. The dark elves press their advantage, their magic tearing into our hastily constructed walls.

I land beside Nyx, panting. "We can't hold them off forever," I admit.

She nods grimly. "We don't need to. Just long enough to –"

A deafening crack splits the air. The ground beneath us trembles, and suddenly, a chasm opens between our forces and the attacking dark elves. Writhing tendrils of pure magical energy erupt from the depths, forcing our enemies back.

I stare in awe as Nyx lowers her hands, sweat beading on her brow. "A wildspont," she gasps. "I've tapped into it. It won't hold forever, but it gives us time to regroup."

The dark elves fall back, clearly wary of the pulsing magical barrier. I survey our battered defenses, already formulating plans for fortification.

"Well done, Alexei," Nyx says, her voice carrying a note of respect I've never heard before. "Your quick thinking saved lives today."

I nod, allowing myself a moment of pride. But as I watch the dark elves regroup in the distance, I know this is far from over. We've survived our first battle on Protheka, but the war has only just begun.

I'm not sure where Akeldama has gone. But he has disappeared, and I try to swallow down the disappointment. The only thing keeping from overwhelming me is that the dark elves' gods didn't intervene either.

Like they'd rather watch their creations war.

Nyx quickly gathers a small group of us, ushering us away from the crowd. I follow quickly, my muscles aching from the recent battle. The air is thick with tension as our small group assembles. Brinda's fiery hair is singed at the edges, while Raziel's usually immaculate appearance is marred by dirt and blood.

Nyx's voice cuts through the murmurs. "We need a plan, and we need it now."

All eyes turn to me as I clear my throat. "We're facing a two-front war," I begin, drawing on my diplomatic training. "The dark elves on one side, and our own survival on the other. We can't afford to lose a single vrakken in battle, but we also can't sustain ourselves without..." I hesitate, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. "Without the humans."

Brinda scoffs. "They're food, nothing more."

I shake my head. "They're a resource, yes, and as such, the dark elves will target them as a weak spot. They will keep us going, and more importantly, they're our only source of new vrakken."

Raziel nods slowly. "He's right. We need to protect them, not just as food, but as our future."

Nyx's eyes narrow as she considers this. "What do you propose, Alexei?"

I take a deep breath. "We fortify the human encampment. Make it our most defensible position. It serves two purposes – protecting our... food supply, and creating a buffer zone between us and any future attacks."

"And who's going to oversee this?" Brinda asks, her tone challenging.

Nyx's gaze locks onto mine. "Alexei will. You understand them better than any of us. You'll guard the encampment and... manage our resources."

I feel a knot form in my stomach. The thought of being so close to humans, of being responsible for their lives while also seeing them as food... It's almost too much. But I nod, accepting the assignment.

As the meeting concludes and we file out, I can't shake the conflicting emotions roiling within me. I'm a vrakken now, but the memory of my humanity lingers. How will I balance the need to protect these humans with the instinct to feed on them?

I make my way towards the human encampment, steeling myself for what's to come. The responsibility weighs heavily on my shoulders, but I know it's crucial for our survival. As I approach, their eyes flicker to me, fear and hope warring on their faces.

This isn't going to be easy.