I still own nothing from Earth Final Conflict. Their ideas and characters
are theirs, I'm just playing with them for a while, and adding my own fun.
(At least they finally gave us Lt. Michaels' first name! They didn't have to kill him though.)
Renee stiffened as she recognized the voice whispering into her ear. The arms about her tightened as she tried to take a step back, bringing her into even closer contact to Howlyn's body. She raised her gaze to glare at him, realizing it was a mistake when his eyes met hers. The satisfied gleam in his eyes was visible even in the darkness of the apartment, making her cringe inwardly as his head lowered towards hers.
"You've missed me." Howlyn purred his breath hot against her cheek as he spoke into her ear.
"No, I haven't." Renee denied, appalled at how shaky her voice sounded.
"You continue to lie to yourself." He replied, bringing his hand up to touch her cheek. "And to me. But I know the truth. I can hear it in the beat of your heart."
His hand came down to rest over where her heart beat madly in her chest. Her attempt to jerk back from his touch was met with an amused chuckle as his other arm tightened around her. Her arms were pinned against her sides and she cursed herself for not being more prepared at home. Her hands balled into useless fists at her sides, her fingers brushing against the handle of her energy knife in the process. She wrapped her fingers around it, waiting for her moment to come.
"I've missed you as much as I miss the Taelons." Renee spit, her eyes blazing with anger.
"You must miss the Taelons very much since you once tried to free Ra'jel." Howlyn said with a grin. "I am honored."
He ran his hand down her side, enjoying the feel of her muscles tensing beneath his touch as she fought not to respond. He'd missed having her challenge him nearly every moment despite the fact that her body wanted him. He paused as his hand encountered the bag strapped to her waist. Before Renee could react he'd pulled it open, pulling out its contents. Howlyn stared down at the syringes in his hand, his eyes narrowing as understanding hit him.
"This is why you haven't come to me." He hissed, his eyes blazing down at her as he tossed them to the floor.
His hands came up to grip her shoulders roughly as his foot crashed down upon the syringes. The new placement of his hands freed her to raise her knife and she leaped at the opportunity, bringing it up in an upward slash that tore open a gash in his arm. Renee stumbled back against the door, groping blindly for the light switch as Howlyn leaped at her. The force of his leap slammed her into the wall, forcing the breath from her lungs and the knife from her hand as his hand came up to grip her throat.
"Your cure is gone, and in a matter of days you will come to me."
"I can get more." Renee said, a derisive laugh escaping her as his fingers tightened. "I will never be yours."
"So you think." Howlyn said in a low voice as his head lowered to hers. "I have plans in motion you can only wonder about…your safe little world is about to explode. You will come to me when you have nothing left."
"What are you talking about?" Renee demanded in a voice far from firm as his lips brushed lightly against hers.
"Have you let him touch you?"
It took a moment for the change in subject to register. It was becoming increasingly hard to focus as his hands kept moving over her body.
"Let who touch me?"
"Michaels."
Her mind cleared in a flash…how did he know about Brent?
"I don't know who you're talking about."
Her answer told him all he needed to know. She was trying to protect the man with a lie. She cared about him, just as he'd suspected all along. The man would have to die.
"You lie to me again." Howlyn growled. "I expected as much. You protect those you care about…a trait that will come in handy when you are my queen."
His lips crushed down on hers and she jerked back, trying to escape the brand he was burning upon her. There was no place to go with the wall behind her, his weight pressed her back against its surface with enough force to crack the plaster. She bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, expecting him to pull away as the taste of his blood filled her mouth. Too late she remembered he liked it when she fought, as he raised his head and grinned down at her. Suddenly the door beside them blew open, and Brent stood outlined in the light from the hallway with his rifle raised and pointed directly at Howlyn. Renee sagged with relief between Howlyn and the wall, his arms the only thing keeping her from sliding to the floor.
"Let her go." Brent ordered the expression on his face impassive as his gaze flickered over Renee's face.
"I will kill you for your interference." Howlyn growled, pulling Renee with him as he stepped toward the doorway.
Renee twisted, digging her elbow into his side as she dropped to the floor. Brent fired and the power of the blast sent Howlyn flying back into the wall…through it and into the room beyond. Renee took the gun Brent shoved into her hand, crouching low to the ground as he hit the lights. Together they searched the rooms of her apartment, finding nothing but a portal set up in her bedroom that still showed the glow of someone using it to exit.
"He's gone." Renee said, wiping her hand across her mouth unconsciously. "Again."
"I'm glad I got here when I did." Brent said as he took her face in his hands, examining for damage and not liking what he saw. "It was a good move you turning on your global."
"I had to drop it on the floor. I was afraid it wouldn't work." Renee said. "I owe you one."
"I'll be sure to collect." He replied grimly. "But first we're getting you out of here. You can't stay here any more."
Later that week:
Street was gone.
Renee sat on her bunk in the lair, alone in the dark. It was quiet with Street gone. Even the computers were silent, almost as if they missed her. Heaven knows she did. She wasn't going to risk losing her friend again. Not after what Howlyn had done. He'd turned her into a hybrid, and then used her to destroy the only chance they had at curing the hybrid population. If it hadn't been for Sandoval wanting to save his own skin again they'd have nothing. This setback had been nearly fatal to their quest of curing the hybrids.
She glanced at her watch. Brenton should be arriving soon. He'd promised to bring takeout, hopefully Chinese. Life had been hectic the past week; she was looking forward to a little time with him that didn't involve Atavus.
The portal flared to life, washing the dark room with an eerie blue light as Brent stepped forward into the room. His arms were filled with brown bags, flowers, a candle and a bottle of wine. Renee stepped forward with a grin, reaching for the bags he held. Before she knew it she was swept up in his arms, bags wine flowers and all…being thoroughly kissed despite everything he held.
"You would reach for the food first." He teased, setting on her feet and shoving the flowers into her arms. "Most women would go for the flowers."
'I'm not like most women." Renee replied, giving in and burying her nose in the blooms.
"I've noticed." He replied as she busied herself finding something to put the flowers in. The lair didn't sport anything as mundane as a vase. She settled for a pitcher instead "How hungry are you?"
"Starving." Renee answered, reaching for one of the bags and tearing it open. "Why?"
"I was thinking dinner could wait." He suggested with one eyebrow raised as she looked up at him.
"Oh." Renee replied knowingly as she slowly set the bag down. "I guess dinner can wait then."
Then later, his global went off…so much for a nice quiet evening…
…She spent hers with Ra'jel. He spent his fighting for his life. She hadn't even known until it was too late to save him. He'd called, and she'd come, but she'd been too late. His life was already draining away when she arrived. Now he was dead, and she was alone…Boone was dead, Liam was dead, and Street was gone. The hybrid cure had been contaminated with Atavan DNA and was of no use to them now. Everything she'd worked for was lying at her feet in ruins…and it was all Howlyn's fault.
Ra'jel had told her that her destiny was aboard the mother ship. Renee had vehemently denied that statement, but it was beginning to look as if it were true.
Howlyn wouldn't know what hit him.
(At least they finally gave us Lt. Michaels' first name! They didn't have to kill him though.)
Renee stiffened as she recognized the voice whispering into her ear. The arms about her tightened as she tried to take a step back, bringing her into even closer contact to Howlyn's body. She raised her gaze to glare at him, realizing it was a mistake when his eyes met hers. The satisfied gleam in his eyes was visible even in the darkness of the apartment, making her cringe inwardly as his head lowered towards hers.
"You've missed me." Howlyn purred his breath hot against her cheek as he spoke into her ear.
"No, I haven't." Renee denied, appalled at how shaky her voice sounded.
"You continue to lie to yourself." He replied, bringing his hand up to touch her cheek. "And to me. But I know the truth. I can hear it in the beat of your heart."
His hand came down to rest over where her heart beat madly in her chest. Her attempt to jerk back from his touch was met with an amused chuckle as his other arm tightened around her. Her arms were pinned against her sides and she cursed herself for not being more prepared at home. Her hands balled into useless fists at her sides, her fingers brushing against the handle of her energy knife in the process. She wrapped her fingers around it, waiting for her moment to come.
"I've missed you as much as I miss the Taelons." Renee spit, her eyes blazing with anger.
"You must miss the Taelons very much since you once tried to free Ra'jel." Howlyn said with a grin. "I am honored."
He ran his hand down her side, enjoying the feel of her muscles tensing beneath his touch as she fought not to respond. He'd missed having her challenge him nearly every moment despite the fact that her body wanted him. He paused as his hand encountered the bag strapped to her waist. Before Renee could react he'd pulled it open, pulling out its contents. Howlyn stared down at the syringes in his hand, his eyes narrowing as understanding hit him.
"This is why you haven't come to me." He hissed, his eyes blazing down at her as he tossed them to the floor.
His hands came up to grip her shoulders roughly as his foot crashed down upon the syringes. The new placement of his hands freed her to raise her knife and she leaped at the opportunity, bringing it up in an upward slash that tore open a gash in his arm. Renee stumbled back against the door, groping blindly for the light switch as Howlyn leaped at her. The force of his leap slammed her into the wall, forcing the breath from her lungs and the knife from her hand as his hand came up to grip her throat.
"Your cure is gone, and in a matter of days you will come to me."
"I can get more." Renee said, a derisive laugh escaping her as his fingers tightened. "I will never be yours."
"So you think." Howlyn said in a low voice as his head lowered to hers. "I have plans in motion you can only wonder about…your safe little world is about to explode. You will come to me when you have nothing left."
"What are you talking about?" Renee demanded in a voice far from firm as his lips brushed lightly against hers.
"Have you let him touch you?"
It took a moment for the change in subject to register. It was becoming increasingly hard to focus as his hands kept moving over her body.
"Let who touch me?"
"Michaels."
Her mind cleared in a flash…how did he know about Brent?
"I don't know who you're talking about."
Her answer told him all he needed to know. She was trying to protect the man with a lie. She cared about him, just as he'd suspected all along. The man would have to die.
"You lie to me again." Howlyn growled. "I expected as much. You protect those you care about…a trait that will come in handy when you are my queen."
His lips crushed down on hers and she jerked back, trying to escape the brand he was burning upon her. There was no place to go with the wall behind her, his weight pressed her back against its surface with enough force to crack the plaster. She bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, expecting him to pull away as the taste of his blood filled her mouth. Too late she remembered he liked it when she fought, as he raised his head and grinned down at her. Suddenly the door beside them blew open, and Brent stood outlined in the light from the hallway with his rifle raised and pointed directly at Howlyn. Renee sagged with relief between Howlyn and the wall, his arms the only thing keeping her from sliding to the floor.
"Let her go." Brent ordered the expression on his face impassive as his gaze flickered over Renee's face.
"I will kill you for your interference." Howlyn growled, pulling Renee with him as he stepped toward the doorway.
Renee twisted, digging her elbow into his side as she dropped to the floor. Brent fired and the power of the blast sent Howlyn flying back into the wall…through it and into the room beyond. Renee took the gun Brent shoved into her hand, crouching low to the ground as he hit the lights. Together they searched the rooms of her apartment, finding nothing but a portal set up in her bedroom that still showed the glow of someone using it to exit.
"He's gone." Renee said, wiping her hand across her mouth unconsciously. "Again."
"I'm glad I got here when I did." Brent said as he took her face in his hands, examining for damage and not liking what he saw. "It was a good move you turning on your global."
"I had to drop it on the floor. I was afraid it wouldn't work." Renee said. "I owe you one."
"I'll be sure to collect." He replied grimly. "But first we're getting you out of here. You can't stay here any more."
Later that week:
Street was gone.
Renee sat on her bunk in the lair, alone in the dark. It was quiet with Street gone. Even the computers were silent, almost as if they missed her. Heaven knows she did. She wasn't going to risk losing her friend again. Not after what Howlyn had done. He'd turned her into a hybrid, and then used her to destroy the only chance they had at curing the hybrid population. If it hadn't been for Sandoval wanting to save his own skin again they'd have nothing. This setback had been nearly fatal to their quest of curing the hybrids.
She glanced at her watch. Brenton should be arriving soon. He'd promised to bring takeout, hopefully Chinese. Life had been hectic the past week; she was looking forward to a little time with him that didn't involve Atavus.
The portal flared to life, washing the dark room with an eerie blue light as Brent stepped forward into the room. His arms were filled with brown bags, flowers, a candle and a bottle of wine. Renee stepped forward with a grin, reaching for the bags he held. Before she knew it she was swept up in his arms, bags wine flowers and all…being thoroughly kissed despite everything he held.
"You would reach for the food first." He teased, setting on her feet and shoving the flowers into her arms. "Most women would go for the flowers."
'I'm not like most women." Renee replied, giving in and burying her nose in the blooms.
"I've noticed." He replied as she busied herself finding something to put the flowers in. The lair didn't sport anything as mundane as a vase. She settled for a pitcher instead "How hungry are you?"
"Starving." Renee answered, reaching for one of the bags and tearing it open. "Why?"
"I was thinking dinner could wait." He suggested with one eyebrow raised as she looked up at him.
"Oh." Renee replied knowingly as she slowly set the bag down. "I guess dinner can wait then."
Then later, his global went off…so much for a nice quiet evening…
…She spent hers with Ra'jel. He spent his fighting for his life. She hadn't even known until it was too late to save him. He'd called, and she'd come, but she'd been too late. His life was already draining away when she arrived. Now he was dead, and she was alone…Boone was dead, Liam was dead, and Street was gone. The hybrid cure had been contaminated with Atavan DNA and was of no use to them now. Everything she'd worked for was lying at her feet in ruins…and it was all Howlyn's fault.
Ra'jel had told her that her destiny was aboard the mother ship. Renee had vehemently denied that statement, but it was beginning to look as if it were true.
Howlyn wouldn't know what hit him.
