Chapter 5

It felt fantastic to be out of the cave and using my lean muscles to walk along the hilly path that bordered the forest. Had I not known better, I would have sworn I was in the Adirondack Mountains enjoying a good excursion. The air was cool and crisp, as it should be for a mid-fall day. The sun seemed a little brighter than on earth. I questioned Sergeant Org about this and he explained that the sun emitted rays on Kurr that were slightly brighter because, unlike people on earth, the residents of Kurr refrained from using inventions that polluted the atmosphere. Earth would consider Kurr behind the times in many ways, but they were merely eco conscious beyond man’s comprehension.

We walked along a well-worn path through a forest of tall pine trees mixed with oak and maple trees. We hadn’t gone more than a half-mile before Jack raised his hand to signal we stop while putting his finger to his lips for silence. I’d been so busy admiring the scenery and filling my lungs with fresh, clean air that I missed his signal and slammed right into him. It felt like I’d slammed into a brick wall. Every muscle on his normally warm and supple body was cold and rigid with tension. Something was amiss. He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me close while Sergeant Org scanned the forest for signs of danger.

Having been raised to be a free spirited and independent person, I would have taken offense by Jack’s possessiveness, had I not felt the vast difference in his body language. There were times to tout your bravado and self-sufficiency and times to seek the protection of others. I knew in my heart of heart this was the latter.

I watched as Sergeant Org moved stealthily from tree to tree while he sniffed the air and cocked his ear closer to the ground. It was clear he was also on the alert for trouble.

But what kind?

I’d no sooner formed that question in my mind when the answer was made abundantly clear.

Out of the blue, to the far west of Sergeant Org, sprung an enormous lion. Not only was it incredibly odd to see a lion in this type of terrain, but the lion itself was strange in appearance. It clearly had the body and head of a lion, but its coloring was all wrong. Its mane was a dark purple-grey and its body was a dark dapple grey. It was a beautiful combination, but just all wrong for a lion. Not far behind it was a lioness. She too was a dapple grey, although the tone was far lighter than the lion.

I watched in wonder as they circled Sergeant Org. Their muscles looked coiled for action, as if they’d spring at him in any second. I held my breath while I waited to see what the lions would do, or what the sergeant would do, or what Jack would do.

No one did anything.

It was as if the world stood still. If the lions hadn’t boasted a loud roar once in a while to declare their presence and dominance, I’d have thought I was looking at a still photograph.

Then everything changed.

I felt Jack’s body begin to do something that resembled a quiver. Sergeant Org glanced our way briefly before running toward the lion full speed. I could see a large knife in his hand, although I haven’t a clue when he’d managed to pull it out from concealment. Jack tossed me on my backside and darted over to the lioness. Before my very eyes, and with lightning speed, he fed. Although she lay still where he left her, I somehow knew he hadn’t killed her and she’d revive shortly.

The lion wasn’t so fortunate. In the most amazing hand to beast battle, Sergeant Org pierced the lion’s heart without earning so much of a scratch. I was speechless with awe.

Jack helped the sergeant drag the beast in my direction. I found myself backing away. This surprised me since I’d been trained for hunting with a bow and arrow and was considered quite skilled at it. Perhaps it was the coloring of the lion or the sheer size of it. I’m not sure. All I knew was that I shook uncontrollably at the thought of being within a few feet of it.

I backed up against a large boulder and flattened my body to create as much space between myself and the beast as I could. If Jack and Sergeant Org noticed my discomfort, they made no move to acknowledge it as they dragged the enormous beast past me and deep into the woods. L’oana reappeared with a smirk on her face as she hovered close to me. Could she actually be acting as my body guard in Jack and Sergeant Org’s absence?

I was really having difficulty keeping up with what was happening. None of it made sense.

I peered over the boulder in the direction Jack and Sergeant Orb had gone. They were barely visible through the thick foliage. I strained to follow their movements. Could they be doing what it looked like they were doing? Were they burying the lion? Yes, that’s exactly what they were doing. They’d dug deep into the thick debris covered forest floor with their bare hands and were now lowering a man into the ground.

A man?

I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was seeing correctly. I strained for a view of the lion, but saw only Jack and Sergeant Org balancing a very large male body as they lowered it into the grave they’d dug.

“You thought that was a real lion didn’t you?” L’oana giggled.

I nodded, but said nothing.

She pointed behind me, “Look.”

I looked in the direction she’d pointed expecting to see the lioness lying there, or possibly reviving. Instead I saw a naked, grayish looking female lying peacefully on the ground. My gasp brought peals of laughter from L’oana.

“This is going to be some trip,” she managed between laughs.

I openly showed my annoyance with a scowl. Once again a wave of sadness swept over me as loneliness set in. I was on an alien planet with a vampire who claimed to be my guardian since childhood, a very large guard who thought me to be his princess, and a wicked shape-shifting tormentor. I longed for the comfort and familiarity of Aunt Jenny and Mark.

“Can you make any more noise?” Jack growled as he stomped back to where we were standing.

“Seriously, L’oana,” Sergeant Org sputtered, “You know better than that.”

Their chastising was enough to subdue my tormentor. She lowered her eyes and looked away like a child wishing to be anywhere than where she was at that time. As she searched for a place to focus, she spotted the woman moving as if to get up.

Happy to take the attention from herself, L’oana directed it toward the woman.

“I thought she was dead!” growled Sergeant Org. “Grab her, quick!”

“I thought she was a beast,” Jack mumbled before following Sergeant to stop the woman from escaping.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, Jack and Sergeant Org captured the woman. Her screams bounced off the trees one by one, each time getting a little louder and longer. It was a fascinating thing to hear.

My awe was short lived. With one clean snap of his powerful wrist Sergeant Org broke her neck. I was overcome with horror.

“And they were worried about me being too loud?” L’oana said, completely ignoring the fact that the woman had just been murdered.

Jack returned to me with lightning speed, while Sergeant Org continued on to the grave where he and Jack and had buried the man. Jack held me close, as if to shelter me from the view, but it was too late. The damage was done. I peered as best I could past him and watched with disgust as the Sergeant’s bare hands dug the grave open and placed the dead woman next to the dead man. He covered the bodies as quickly as he could and rejoined us, wiping his hands on his tunic as he did.

“Who are you people?” I asked as I slowly pushed myself free from Jack.

“Oh, princess, don’t be so dramatic,” L’oana hissed.

“They were the enemy,” Jack explained. “We had to do it, Jessica.”

“Her name is Jessica? That’s not a royal name,” L’oana bellowed.

“Keep your voice down, L’oana, I’m not telling you again,” said Sergeant Org through clenched teeth.

“Someone with the name L’oana is criticizing Jessica?” I chuckled sarcastically. “Now that’s funny.”

“Jessica isn’t your real name, stupid,” L’oana insisted. She turned to Jack, “Tell me her real name.”

“Let’s get moving,” he said without looking at her.

“Tell me or I’ll go on ahead and announce your arrival!” she threatened.

“I was never told her real name for security purposes,” Jack explained resentfully.

“Then you,” she looked at Sergeant Org, “You must know.”

“We’re moving on now and I’ll hear no more nonsense about warning anyone of our whereabouts,” the sergeant said firmly. “If you even think it, I’ll know and I guarantee it’ll be the last thing you think.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Org,” she spat.

“Then maybe you’ll be afraid of me,” Jack said quietly.

“Remember the week we shared last year?” L’oana cooed.

She may have cooed seductively with her voice, but her body clearly showed signs of unease. She was afraid of Jack.

“You spent a week with her?” I gasped, doing my best to control the unexpected and very surprising surge of jealousy that rose up in me upon hearing that bit of news. “How could you guard me while occupied with … that?”

“He has a life, dearie,” she stressed with a chuckle.

“It’s no wonder I was abducted. I have a guard who’d rather run with slutty galactic freaks than do his job,” I blurted before I’d realized what I’d said.

I don’t know who I shocked more with that comment that reeked of jealousy, them or me. It was Sergeant Org who broke the silence by clearing his throat and suggesting we continue moving. Apparently we had a two-day trip on foot. I thought about asking why we weren’t traveling in a vehicle or on horseback, but before I could form the words on my lips we had yet another signal to be still and quiet from Jack, whose hearing was far more acute than mine or Sergeant Org’s. Whether his hearing was superior to that of L’oana I couldn’t say, since she was an inherent trickster and may have easily been aware of the threat and chosen not to divulge it.