Chapter 3: Another Player

Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.

WARNING: Rated MA for intense and graphic sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised. Read at your own risk!

I opened my eyes back to the present, unaware that I was daydreaming again. I groaned at myself. The heat from the water is affecting me. I thought about getting out of the bath but I was too lazy to move an inch. I turned the volume of the radio down so I wouldn't jump out of surprise. Think about something positive.

I drifted to thinking about contacting friends here on Earth . . . particularly McKenna, Rory, or Brackett. But it hasn't been easy. Other than the target on my back from both sides of the field . . . human and Bad Blood . . . that made moving difficult, I couldn't find any trace of them. The radio I hijacked and modified to pick up the military's conversation was completely useless in that department. I had to resort to going into town disguised as a 'normal' citizen. I found out that I landed somewhere in Colorado but that wasn't the greatest surprise. I learned that twenty years and six months had passed since I left, seeing the newspaper with the year 2038. On Yautja Prime, it felt like only a year or so but I guessed it could be due to my slow aging process and being on a planet thousands of lightyears away.

It felt like bad news to me. With so many years apart, I didn't know if they were alive, let alone if they had moved on or made themselves scarce. It seemed that way when I looked into the internet. It said that they didn't even exist. No phone records . . . no address . . . not even a birth certificate. It's like they . . . vanished.

However, some part of me figured that they had no choice. They were targets of Stargazer so they must have gone into hiding as I was. Still, even with all this Bad Blood and kainde amedha activity, I never saw one soldier from them . . . only government ones. It was unlike them. It made me worried for Rory, McKenna, and Brackett, especially since they should have the Predator Killer with them. I remembered the promise Rory made to keep it safe and use it to protect Earth. I sighed.

I wish you didn't have to use it. I'm sorry . . .

I shook my head in frustration. I thought you were supposed to think about something positive. Idiot. I slumped back and closed my eyes, trying to think of anything else for a change.

At first, it was silent as the dead of night. But then . . . I picked up a voice that broke the silence. It started as a hum but it evolved into a purr that sounded like a Yautja. Wait a minute . . . I recognize it. The purr had a soft tone to it, very unlike any Yautja I've heard. Only one person I know had such a sweet tone.

Anya . . .

The voice called my name, filled with longing. My body immediately relaxed under its spell. It wasn't long before an image showed in the darkness. My heart raced at an unbelievable pace, spreading the warmth to every cell of my being. I looked deep into those golden-amber eyes, traveling down to each mandible that clicked together. The familiar V-shaped mark on the middle of his forehead stood boldly over the rest of his dark skin and scales. I gasped, letting his name travel out of my throat.

"Lar'ja . . ."

There he was . . . He stood strong in his beautiful armor with the golden stripes detailing the chest and gauntlets. But my eyes stopped dead on his face, seeing a small smile on his inner mouth. The scent of sweet spring rain flooded my nostrils as if he was right next to me. He spreads his mandibles and calls out again.

Anya . . .

My body heated up. My heart raced at an unbelievable pace. I had to work hard to gain a few deep breaths. His call was impossible to resist. He affected me so that I simply couldn't pull away . . . or rather I didn't want to. He purrs again and another heatwave envelops me. My mind goes back to the time we were together. Nothing else existed except for him and me. I missed his hands caressing my body . . . his tongue grazing on the crook of my neck . . . and his cock reaching deep inside my core. My lifemate . . . my love . . . I miss you.

My hands moved of their own accord as I imagined them being Lar'ja's. One glides across my chest until it reaches my breast, squeezing it hard. A small, electric charge tingles throughout my chest and I let out a soft moan. It doesn't stop there as my fingers reached my nipple. I twirl and tug it at first, hardening it until becoming unbearable. Lar'ja's voice calls once more. In an instant, I squeezed my nipple hard. I shuddered uncontrollably for a second, gasping in reaction. My other hand travels downward, going underneath the water until it reaches my thigh. It gently strokes it back and forth like Lar'ja had done when we mated. The memory is etched into my soul as if Lar'ja himself was stroking me now.

My hearing becomes impaired to everything around me, only listening to my heartbeat race. My breath catching into my throat every time I squeezed my nipple. Lar'ja's gaze was upon me. His golden eyes burning like the sun at its highest peak. My hand leaves my thigh and goes for the nub between my legs. I rub it slowly before picking up the pace. My body started to tremble as mini electric shocks jolt in pulses, traveling up to my chest and making my heart beat faster. I want more. I couldn't stand it anymore and reached my fingers between my folds. I teased myself in the same way Lar'ja had done with his tongue . . . hot and agonizing. My restraint lasted a few seconds before I plunged my fingers into my core, reaching with all of my might. I moaned as I rubbed my walls, massaging them to increase the pleasure. My eyes tightened shut that it would take a tremendous force to pull them open. I pinched my nipple harder as I pulled my fingers in and out of my core, thrusting faster as minutes passed. The pleasure increased, threatening to explode like a bomb. All I could think about was Lar'ja . . . being with me. That's all I want. In a split second, I threw my head over and screamed with all my might as I cummed hard. It was almost scary when I lost control of my body. I could only ride the wave of ecstasy until it subsided, leaving me struggling to breathe.

Although I was already soaked in hot water, I felt my body was covered in sweat. I slumped against the frame of the bath, looking to the ceiling with clouded eyes. There was a small crack that allowed a window to the outside. The stars shone brightly through it. I felt my heart flutter into the sky, reaching for them. If I could fly, I would do so without hesitation . . . to find everyone I love and ensure they're safe.

My moment was shattered when the radio turned on at a high volume. I growled at it. I thought I turned it down! I reached for it but stopped when I heard the call.

"Bravo 1 to Alpha 5 . . . *static* . . . received new orders from US Command. You are to stay put . . . *static* . . . and not enter Perimeter 3."

My interest peaked. What now? I brought the radio closer and turned the volume higher.

"Alpha 5 to Bravo 1 . . . *static* . . . may ask why?"

"No idea . . . *static* . . . Only been notified that another group will take over."

"Another group? Who is it, sir?"

"Classified . . . *static* . . . Follow orders and stay put . . . *static* . . . Over and out."

"Yes, sir!"

The radio goes silent after that. That small conversation left more questions than answers. Who is that new group? It's . . . unusual. The US Command is secret enough from the public as I remembered it. So to hear that a group classified from the US Command is very special, especially since we're dealing with kainde amedha and Bad Bloods. If they're being sent out after many soldiers had been killed already then . . . My heart dropped to my chest when I realized who could it be.

Is it Stargazer?

I didn't want to believe it could be them but I didn't have proof they're not involved. I don't even know where they are. A cold shill replaced the warm heat inside my body in a second. It only lasted when I remembered the times with Stargazer . . . how they caused so much pain and suffering. I stopped thinking about it.

If they're going to be involved . . . I gripped my fists hard. Then I'll be there to stop them.

Resolved, I got out of the bath and dried myself quickly. Once I got changed into a bra and shorts, I headed to fetch my armor. But once I got close to where they stored, I stopped to debate. The previous one was damaged in the last fight and the mask was completely smashed. I didn't have enough time to make another.

I sighed . . . I have no choice.

I turned to the other cabinet where my Yautja armor is stored. It was a risk to go out there after everything. It will make me an easy target for the soldiers and the Bad Bloods. If they find out that I'm alive, they'll come for me. And if the humans capture me in battle, there's no telling if they'll interrogate me . . . or worse. I don't think they can do worse than Stargazer. That's who I should be afraid of.

Determination swelled inside my chest. I reached my hand to my necklace, bringing it up to get a clear view. I never once took it off. I read the carvings and spoke softly.

"Ta'kasa."

It firmed my resolve in a matter of seconds. I have to do this . . . for everyone. I proceeded to place my armor on, getting ready to battle an unknown player.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I scouted the forest ground as I headed towards Perimeter 3, jumping across treetops. I kept the radio hooked on my belt, keeping it loud enough that I could hear to ensure I didn't miss anything. It wasn't much of a challenge to find it. It was the only perimeter that hasn't been touched yet but the most active. Most of the kainde amedha were created there before spreading. I wasn't sure if a Bad Blood still resided there but I was about to find out.

"All troops . . . *static* . . . remain at your stations . . . *static* . . . Authorized personnel is entering Perimeter 3 . . . *static* . . . Hold your positions until further notice."

My head jerked when I heard the news. They're already there. I better hurry. I pushed my legs to go faster, feeling my muscles strain under the demand. But I kept going, determined to make it there on time.

I knew I was inside when I crossed over the river that separated the perimeter from everything else. What makes it unique is that the mountain standing in the middle is full of natural tunnels underneath. It was only a little afterward that I come to believe the Bad Bloods used this as their starting point. It was safe from prying eyes and had a suitable environment for growing kainde amedha. Not only that, it served as a natural bait to lure hosts inside. Hikers and adventure seekers would come to see the marvel that Earth created so long ago. Little did they know it would be their last trip. You would think the Killer Yautja would keep using this spot for breeding. It was only when they ran out of the room that they forced the creatures to spread. I didn't dare to go in at the time since I was still figuring out their system. But now that a new group to which I believed could be Stargazer are heading over there, I came prepared for a fight. I patted my twin swords strapped to my back, checking that they secured as I headed towards the mountain.

I stopped at the edge of the shadow the trees created from the moon's light. I kept my eyes on the large opening in the mountain. My mask scanned for any entities that might be nearby. So far, nothing showed and some would think it's a good thing. It was far from it. The last time I was here, dozens of kainde amedha crawled all over the place, either searching for food or another host. The Killer Yautja set up a camp nearby that they abandoned later on. I still wonder why they pulled a move like that.

But now . . . there was not a single one in sight. It's quiet . . . too quiet. I struggled to decide if I should go and investigate the tunnels and see if they're hiding or wait a little longer. The first choice won.

I didn't take any chances, switching to my Yautja form since I was heading into a possible death trap. I had to be at my strongest. I crouched to the ground, slowly crawling across the open area to the entrance. I held my hand close to a knife on my belt in case. When I got to the tunnel, I turned my night vision on and stalked inside. As you would expect, it was pitch dark and cold. My skin formed goosebumps when a blast of cold wind came. I kept going and stayed vigilant despite not finding anything. I did find the sticky webbing that the kainde amedha left behind along with a few old corpses but nothing else.

But as I got deeper under the mountain, I noticed something wasn't right. According to the image from my mask, I was close to the heart of the tunnels but haven't seen even one kainde amedha. I should have seen the Queen by now. Everything was off and the reason was beyond me. The tunnels were made like a spider, having a great opening that branched out into several limbs. The Queen would have sensed I was coming and send out others to stop me.

But it all changed when my mask suddenly went off. Huh? I clicked on my wrist gauntlet and realized it was an alert, telling me that someone with a gauntlet of their own was near and in the heart of the tunnels no less.

This isn't good. Another Bad Blood.

There shouldn't be anyone else with one inside so I can only assume it has to be a Killer Yautja. Maybe they're starting over another hive? My senses were on high alert as I hunched close to the wall, inching slowly until I stopped at the corner. I pulled my knife out, wanting to end this quickly. Yautjas prefer close combat but I felt it was best to fight in the shadows. The alarm from my mask quickens its pace as I bent my neck out. My eyes peeked into the room but instead of answers, I was met with more confusion.

There was no one there . . . but there was an immense burning smell that the mask wasn't enough to block it. It caused my eyes to squeeze almost shut as small tears formed in the corners. My nose was also feeling the burn and I thought I was going to lose my sense of smell. It took a minute before I stepped out to make sense of what I was seeing.

The heart was a massive dome-shaped opening with several rock pillars holding the ceiling together. Still unsure, I scanned the room and changed my visuals to every setting. When it came up empty-handed, I decided it was safe despite the alarm that kept going.

I took precarious steps to remain quiet, heading towards the other side of the cave. When I got close enough to see, my body went into shock and surprise. Lying on the ground next to me was the body of a kainde amedha. What the . .? I kneeled to get a closer look. Immediately, I noticed a pool of its acidic blood next to its chest that already burned a few inches off the ground. Looking at the body, it hasn't been decomposing for a long time.

Seems fresh. What had killed you though?

I tilted the body to the side, seeing a gaping hole in the middle of its chest. It was too big to be anything from an ooman but I had seen it once before. This is from a shoulder cannon. There's no mistake. The sides were barely cooling down from the charred flesh so whoever was here recently left or maybe still around. I stood back up, seeing more bodies with the same wound as the first. Something or someone attacked the hive. It couldn't have been a soldier so I assumed that the group sent here hadn't arrived yet. I believed it could be a Bad Blood but it didn't make sense why they choose to kill an entire hive. Maybe one or two who were too wild to control but nothing like this.

A clattering noise jolted my attention and I swiftly turned to the far end of the cave. My mask was still alarming of a wrist gauntlet nearby and in the same direction. My heart escalated in worry and suspicion. I walked slowly towards it, keeping my arm out to ready my wrist blades. It was agonizing as the impulse urged me to jump in and deal with whatever was there. A Young Blood would act the same way but I was an Elite and a Leader no less. I had to restrain myself.

When I got close enough to see, a massive figure was covering the entire wall. Even with my night vision, I couldn't see every detail or distinguish what it was. I switched to every visual my mask could show until it stopped on the alien one. My eyes widened in shock when I realized it was a Queen. She must be for this particular hive. I've seen many of her types but this one was twice bigger than I've ever seen. It was unnatural so I thought the Bad Blood has done something to it. It mattered little though when I saw another gaping wound but instead of one, there were multiples. One went through her skull . . . another in her chest . . . and two more on each side of her abdomen. It must have taken an entire team of Yautjas to cause such damage. But what I noticed later on that all of the wounds were still burning at the same time. I learned to date a time when a corpse has died on my Hunts to track down prey. What got my attention is that this was done at the same time.

What on Earth is going on?

I took a step forward but my foot hits something solid that I was too busy to notice earlier. The object was rounded and scaley, unlike a kainde amedha to which was my initial thought. I looked down and realized it was a dead Yautja. I was so confused by what I was seeing. I leaned down closer, noticing the different wounds compared to the others. The male had deep cuts on his arms and chest, one being a puncture wound that pierced his heart. He did display burn marks that came from a shoulder cannon. I assumed he tried to dodge whoever was attacking him. Using my foot, I turned him on his back and the red X mark on his stomach was revealed.

So he's a Killer Yautja. But why kill him? It's not far fetched for a Bad Blood to kill another of his kind that proved too weak or was in competition for prey. But from the pattern of his wounds, this was overkill . . . as if someone wanted him dead. He didn't look weak at all. This bad boy was packed with muscles on top of muscles. His chest alone could crush an opponent. Nothing's making sense around here.

The alert from my mask went faster when I directed my attention to the wrist gauntlet the Bad Blood was wearing. Well . . . at least he's been taken care of. No sense in hanging out here before I'm spotted. It felt like a waste of energy to come here but I had to be grateful I didn't have to fight. I stood up and stomped my foot on his wrist gauntlet, ensuring that it is useless. It was supposed to stop the alarm from my mask but it kept going. What's wrong with this stupid thing? I tapped on my wrist gauntlet to shut it off. It did as commanded but when I turned around to head out, it came back again. My frustration turned into anger.

It must be broken. I'll have to fix when I get back and—

The alert grew faster and louder than ever before, pointing back forward. It shouldn't be since the last wrist gauntlet from the dead Bad Blood was destroyed. But then, the mask corrected itself and the direction of the signal goes upward. Into the ceiling? If it's still sensing something, then there could be anoth—

I panicked and looked up as fast as I could. It was a split second that I saw a blue flash coming towards me. Oh, c'jit! Reacting fast, I rolled out of the way and the blast hits the ground when I once stood. I didn't come out unscathed. The force pushed me in the far direction, sending me tumbling. I managed to get my feet planted into the ground and stop my body from colliding with the wall. That was a blast from a shoulder cannon! I got into a fighting stance, glaring into the smoke that covered whoever was on the other side. I roared in anger.

"Who are you!? Show yourself!"

I didn't get an answer but I saw something moving in the smoke. I wasted no time and pulled out my twin swords, throwing one into it. I expected that it would get something but a huge vibration rattled across the chain and into my hands. The sound of metal clashing indicated I hit something solid. But I lost focus for a second and the chain suddenly jerks forward. I was tugged to the smoke, much harder than expected. Even in my Yautja form, I struggled to keep myself from being pulled in. This can only be Yautja I'm fighting . . . but this isn't good. If I got into the smoke, I would lose some of my visuals even with my mask. The night vision would be impaired and I had no idea who was attacking me. I let go of my other sword and grabbed a knife from my belt. I threw it blindly into the smoke and it did the trick. I heard a grunt that I couldn't distinguish if it was ooman or Yautja followed by scraping of metal. The chain falls loosely and I managed to pull the chain back to me, bringing my other sword back in my hand.

"This has gone far enough! Either you come out and fight me like a warrior . . . or die a coward! Your choice!"

I decided to mock whoever was hiding from me, thinking it would pauking piss them off enough that they would appear. If there's one thing I learned from Yautja culture, disgracing their honor by calling them a coward would do the trick. Bad Bloods were no exception to this rule but they do get angrier than an honorable Yautja. It works to a warrior's advantage if used correctly.

I waited for a few painstaking minutes until a figure finally emerges from the smoke. However, they were invisible and barely showing an outline of their figure. So it is a Bad Blood . . . but something seems off. The figure was no taller than me, maybe even shorter by a foot of two. They're not bulky as expected. This person seems more like . . . something else.

We stood watching each other as the tension built between us. I didn't know who this person was but it was only a matter of time before someone makes a move. But one thing was clear in the back of my mind.

Another player has joined the game.

Hello Everyone!

Just when Anya had enough problems already and missing Lar'ja and the others so much, she's got a mysterious person after her with the intent to kill. Great . . . what next? Let's all hope she survives this but who knows?

It doesn't help that the Leader killed himself and made her the enemy. Urg!

Chapter 4 (Friend . . . or Brother?) will be posted by the end of the week, depending on if I write a lot and post it early lol.

As for the patron night, I was already hungover when I got that review. I didn't drink the purple one but then again, I couldn't stomach it anymore lol. Don't worry . . . I'm not going to pull a stunt like that again but maybe for another special occasion and with more supervision lol. And thank you for the 'leer' explanation. It's one of those words that get to me so I apologize for that.

As for the title for Respect sequel, it depends on what the general plot is all about. That's how I title my stories. Let me know what you think.

For Nightroad, there will be many characters coming to play. not to spoil too much but there will be familiar faces coming soon. ;)

Thank you for Mariah, Anonymous-E, NeverNeverLady, and Nightroad for the reviews on Chapter 2. They mean so much to me. ;)

Thank you and Good Hunting! :)))

P.S. I recommend reading Mating Seasons and Life of a Hunter by mouth2mandible on Wattpad. It's really good and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Please take a look at it ;)

Reading notes:

Normal = Anya (human form) or any human speaking English (ooman language)

Italic = Anya (human form) or any human speaking Yautja

Bold = Any Yautja speaking English (ooman language)

Bold and Italic = Any Yautja speaking Yautja language