Alien Attachments by Sabine Priestley Read Free Book Online

pointed to another screen, displaying a large wooden door. Flowers in pots adorned either side, and vines hung from an arbor around the area she assumed was the front entrance.
    Seven Torogs lurked ten feet from the entrance as one of them pointed a small device at the door. Another ear splintering crash reverberated from farther inside the villa.
    Marco turned to Ian. “Whatever that weapon is, there’s a delay before they can fire again.”
    Ian leaned closer to the monitor. “We need to get our hands on one of those.”
    “I’m on it,” Marco said. “The empire is going to decimate them for this.”
    “The empire is going to hell in a hand basket, as our human friends would say.” Ian leaned closer to the monitor. “They wouldn’t have tried this, even a few years ago.” The images on the screens changed, showing different rooms and exterior views.
    “They’re inside the shield range,” Marco said, studying his phone. “Should we activate the perimeter to keep more from getting in?”
    Ian shook his head. “We do that, they can’t leave.”
    The sound of shattering glass came from some place close. One of the monitors showed a large dining room. And Torogs. They were climbing, or more accurately, falling through a shattered window. They weren’t built for climbing, so the whole thing was almost comical.
    “Marco”—Ian pushed out of the chair—“we’re compromised, clear the tunnel, now.”
    Marco typed something on a keyboard and hit enter. “Ready, boss.”
    Ian nodded and concentrated on his phone.
    Less than a second later came another boom, this one different. An odd vibration tingled her bare feet and she grimaced as pressure swelled inside her ears.
    On the monitor, the Torogs in the tunnel flew impossibly fast down the steep incline, away from the villa.
    “Move,” Ian growled.
    Marco grabbed Dani by the upper arm and they ran back to the tunnel entrance. She glanced back. Ian held his right palm a few inches from the door to the room with the monitors. A solid wall took its place.
    Guess they don’t need an X.
    Marco opened the door to the tunnel and she and Jared hurried through after him.
    Dani waited for the Torogs to reappear. Her feet twinged with more of the muffled booms that had sent the zomboids fleeing in the first place. They must be herding them back to the bar. The next explosion created a hot blast of air.
    Ian sprinted down the hall. Steps away from the tunnel entrance, a red beam tore though his upper arm. Blood sprayed in all directions as he pivoted through the door, landing hard on his back.
    Dani’s heart slammed into her chest as time slowed to a crawl.
    Marco sealed the door. Both he and Jared were next to Ian before Dani fully registered what happened.
    She stepped forward, half afraid of what she’d find. “Is he okay?” A thick trail of blood oozed from the closed door to Ian. The smell of burnt flesh made her nauseous. Of course, he wasn’t okay. Stupid question. So much blood. The laser must have hit an artery. A wave of concern bordering on panic enveloped her. She held her stomach and leaned against the wall to stabilize herself. She’d seen her share of nasty injuries from mixed fights, but nothing like this.
    Marco lay one hand on Ian’s chest and the other on the shoulder above the wound. He spoke in hushed tones, then closed his eyes and fell silent.
    Jared got up and came over to Dani. “He’s going to be okay. Marco needs a few minutes with him before we go.”
    “How could he be okay? Look around, there’s blood everywhere.”
    Jared squeezed her arm. “He’s going to be fine. Remember your wrist and the voodoo? Marco can heal too. He’s not as powerful, can’t completely heal him, but he can make it safe for Ian to travel.”
    Marco’s body weaved slightly as he hovered over Ian.
    Something tugged at the corner of her mind. She had an unreasonable urge to kneel next to Marco and help, which was insane. She couldn’t do