Xilon (Aliens of Renjer Book 3) Read online

  The man flicked his middle finger at Xilon, then his metal box on wheels he sat inside rumbled down the road, a cloud of smoke in his trail.

  “Thanks!” Xilon called out and gave the middle finger sign back. That must be how they said goodbye now. All he needed was a bit of time to acclimate to the new Earth's customs, then he could pass along the information to everyone on Renjer.

  “All right buddy,” a man in a blue shirt and pants said. “We don't allow any nudity here. Is there someone we can call to bring your clothes and pick you up?”

  “Yes, Ash's Grams.” Xilon smiled, but maybe he’d shown too many teeth or because the man drew a weapon.

  “I fear I must say goodbye.” Xilon lifted his middle finger as he'd seen the first man do.

  “Easy there.” The man pointed a small metal pipe at Xilon. “Let's get you to the station.”

  “Is Grams at the station?”

  “We'll let you call her there, okay? But we can have you on the street like this.” The man waved silver bracelets at him. “Don't give us any trouble and give us your hands.”

  Xilon held out his hands and the man locked the silver bands on his wrist.

  “You've the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do…” the man's voice droned on as though he'd said this a thousand times. He led Xilon to a black and white metal box.

  After he climbed into the back, the man pulled a stick and the car lurched forward.

  The buildings flashed pass as if he were running. This contraption was faster than a carriage.

  “You have an amazing carriage.” Xilon leaned forward against the metal mesh separating him and the man. “Where may I procure one?”

  The man didn’t look at him, but clicked a black box in front of him. “Dispatch, we got a 1096 that I'm bringing in and he needs a set of clothes to borrow.”

  “Copy that,” a woman’s voice echoed back.

  “What was that?” Xilon asked, pointing with his chin. “Is dispatch in there?”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll get you help, buddy. Okay?” The man turned the wheel and pulled up to a large building.

  Then he helped take Xilon out and walked him inside. Whistles sounded from both men and women dressed in colorful clothes as Xilon strode down the open chamber. A woman with a crooked nose handed him bright orange clothes.

  “Here.” The man that brought him here unlocked the bands on Xilon’s wrists. “Change.”

  After he was dressed, two men led Xilon to a tiny room with a table and three chairs. His silver bracelets were back. One of the men pushed down on his shoulder, but couldn’t make Xilon move.

  “Sit down,” he ordered.

  “I’d rather stand.” Xilon smiled and the man put a hand on his weapon and backed up several steps. “Now, thank you for the clothes and strange jewelry, but I need to get to Grams.”

  “I’m Officer Simpson. Got a last name for this Grams?” The officer across the table from him asked. “Want anything to drink? We got coffee or water.”

  “Coffee...is that from Kaldi the goat herder’s drink?”

  Both officers looked at each other and Simpson shrugged. “Why don’t we get you some and you can try it out.”

  Simpson motioned to the other officer who disappeared out the door. “Now, can you tell us where you’re from and your name?”

  “I’m Xilon…” he paused. Ash had said his name was a mouthful. Did humans only go by short names? As far as where he was from, the human wouldn’t believe him. And he didn’t have time to prove the truth to these people. “I’m from out of town.”

  “Where, exactly?” Simpson took out a pen and paper from his pocket and scribbled something down.

  “Far away.” Xilon scratched his chin.

  “Look, I want to help you find your family, but I can’t if you’re not honest with me.” Simpson set the pen down and leaned back in the chair.

  The door opened and the other officer entered with a white cup. He set the steaming liquid in front of Xilon.

  He sniffed, detecting a sharp, acrid smell. Slightly different than Kaldi’s drink. He took a sip and then gulped down the liquid. Both men stared at him open-mouthed.

  “Thank you. The coffee was bitter, but nice.”

  The officer stammered, “Didn’t you burn your mouth?”

  “No.” Xilon frowned. “Now, if you’ll remove your silver bracelets, I’d like to find Grams now.” None of the other men he’d seen in the matching blue shirts and pants as these two had bracelets. Xilon’s skin was irritatingly itchy underneath the bands.

  Simpson placed a hand on the other officer’s arm and the man sat down on the edge of his chair. “Sorry, but we can’t let you go out on the streets. Not until someone comes to pick you up. Do you have anything else we can go on that would help us locate this Grams for you?”

  “Ash. She’s Ash’s Grams.”

  “Again, do you have a last name? Or address or phone number?” Simpson asked.

  “Ash short for Ashley. That’s what she told me.” He rubbed his wrists, the metal cutting into his skin. “Take these off, I’m not fond of them.”

  “This isn’t helping.” The officer beside Simpson shook his head. “Let’s call the asylum and see if they’ve lost a patient recently. Or we can have one of their doctors come and talk with him.”

  Doctor. Tuarian’s woman was a doctor. “Find Doctor Dena. She can help me.”

  Simpson leaned forward and wrote on the notepad. “You don’t happen to have a last name or anything else that can help us track her down?”

  “Yes. Tell her Taurian’s brother is here. She’ll know who I am and how to help me.” Xilon sat down in the chair. How long before she got here?

  “Fine.” Simpson clicked his tongue. “Is she a psychiatrist?”

  “No, she’s an animal doctor.” He snapped his arms apart, breaking the silver chain linking his hands together.

  Both men drew their weapons.

  Chapter 10

  Ash choked on an inhale. Her throat dry and raw as she pushed to stand against the boulder that had saved her life. Her lungs felt like she'd poured acid in them. Every breath hurt, but she was alive.

  Around her, the forest had become blackened twigs. She'd leaped over the boulder before blacking out. The rock that protected her was charred black on the front side.

  Damn dragons.

  Now that she'd seen one and lived through two others fire-breath, she'd rather never see another one again. But what of Xilon? Last she'd spotted his emerald scales, he was outside the ring of fire. Was he okay? He had sounded almost panicked in her mind when he warned her to get out of the woods.

  She pushed her sword through the holder hidden in her jacket along the back and took a step forward. Pain snapped up her leg.

  “Shit!” She picked her way forward, mostly hopping on one leg.

  When she reached the spot where Xilon had been shot down, remorse squeezed her heart. Maybe she should've taken a chance and hopped on his back when he had asked rather than question him. Damn, she could've ridden on a freaking dragon!

  Was he okay? Would he come looking for her?

  Thunder rumbled in the distance as a storm moved away from her. Parts of the forest sizzling from a recent rain.

  Hopefully, Xilon's people would heal him. For now, she had to figure out how to get home. Her Grams had cancer! Why hadn’t the woman told her? She had to take care of her, do anything to help her heal. Brice, Ash’s brother had lost his football scholarship, too according to the letters. He had to be crushed. If Ash had money, she could pay for the best treatment for her grandma and help her brother stay in college and playing football. That had been his dream since their dad gave him his first football when he was three. For years, he slept with it instead of a teddy bear.

  Finding an unburned tree branch, Ash unsheathed her sword from her back. She hated using the blade on wood, but she had to be able to move faster and limping across an unknown world was not helping her goal of finding a
way off this planet. And if she stayed too long in one spot, she was pretty sure the demons would find her. Besides, sitting there wasn’t going to get her home any sooner. A trickle of fear and doubt wormed its way into her heart. What if she never escaped this place? What if the demons overpowered her and killed her before she could get back home. Stop it! Concentrate on one thing at a time. She focused on the branch on her lap.

  Carefully, she hacked off the excess limbs to make a twisted cane. Once she’d got home, she’d sharpen her sword and re-bless it in holy water so it would be ready to slice through demons. After she put her sword away, she tested the strength of her makeshift staff. Not bad. It held her weight enough for her to walk with only a slight delay.

  Now that it was full daylight, and she wasn’t chopping down demons, Ash marveled at Xilon’s world. White-peaked mountains rose against the horizon. They looked big enough to house giants. And maybe they did since Xilon had to have a home somewhere.

  The yellow grass was softer than Earth’s. Birds with double wings whistled rather than sang as they flitted from tree to tree. None of the trees resembled anything she’d seen before. Trunks were closer to a birch, but their tops were long and hanging like a willow. Their leaves red and orange, but the weather here was warm like springtime.

  She kept walking, heading to the mountains. Once she got closer, she’d hunt for clues to figure out if Xilon was there or anyone. If not, then she’d skirt around them to the next valley. How long before she could figure a way home? What if she didn’t? Terror froze the air in her lungs. What if she was stuck on this world filled with demons and dragons forever?

  What did Grams think when Ash didn’t show up for dinner? Her Grams probably had the entire town out looking for her. A pain hit Ash’s chest in despair. Her Grams was getting chemo treatments and yet more concerned about her great-niece and feeding the homeless than about her own health. Ash hiked up a hill. If she got home, she and her Grams were going to have a nice long talk. Then Ash would rip into Brice about jeopardizing his scholarship.

  Her leg screamed as she walked, but she pushed aside the pain until her ankle gave way. She cursed as she fell down, jagged rocks cutting into her knee. Was the universe bitch-slapping her or what?

  Groaning, she rose, using her cane as support. She needed to wrap her ankle up, but all she had on her to use was her jacket. No way was she cutting up the leather. It had taken her forever to hand-stitch the sword’s sheath in the lining along the back. No, there had to be other beings on this planet that could help her. Ones that weren’t demons or dragons. Though if Xilon showed up right now, she’d hug his scaly neck. A chuckle broke through her lips. She could imagine his serpentine emerald eyes widening in shock.

  Dude was massive and everything she’d imagined a dragon would be and more since she was a little girl. How foolish she’d been not to believe Grams. She owed the woman an apology.

  Ash trekked along a dirt path that wound toward the mountains, praying that it wasn’t any demons hunting trail. And Xilon hadn’t been surprised at seeing the devils or that there were so many of them. How long had the demons been here? And why?

  Was Xilon one of few dragons left? If so, what had happened? Why hadn’t they blasted the demons like they did in the forest? Was it because of the weapon they’d shot Xilon with? Were the dragons at a disadvantage despite their fire-breathing?

  Questions swirled in her mind and she trudged forward.

  How would other dragons react to her? Would they be arrogant but kind as Xilon had been? Or would they rather have nothing to do with her and crush her under their feet?

  Her stomach knotted and she glanced back over her shoulder. Maybe the mountains weren’t the best place to start looking for help. But the two forests she’d been in since landing here, demons seemed to thrive in. She heaved out a breath, then continued forward. Her stomach growling that she hadn’t eaten anything in... God, she couldn’t even remember when. She’d woken up in the hospital then had found Grams’ bills and Brice’s letters. Then the demon came and wham, she was here.

  And she still didn’t even know where in the cosmos, here was. Much less how to get home. What if she was stuck here forever? Her stomach clenched and she placed an arm against herself to ease the pain. Her mind racing with terrors of dying here. Of Grams and her brother never knowing what had happened to her.

  Swallowing down the rock that pressed into her throat, she forced herself to keep moving. There had to be a way off this planet. She just had to figure it out.

  Several steps ahead, a purple bush with big black berries that looked almost like strawberries tantalized her. She swallowed hard. No, she couldn’t eat unless she knew for a certainty the fruit wasn’t poisonous. Even if the birds ate them, she couldn’t count on that. On Earth, birds ate certain berries that were toxic to humans. And these birds were different from any species she’d ever seen before. Her mouth watered and hunger slammed into her.

  No. First rule of Girl Scouts that stuck in her mind more than anything else: Never eat anything in nature unless it’s safe. What she wouldn’t give for some jambalaya or some étouffée. Or her Gram’s special boudin. Another hunger pain shot through her. Damn, probably should stop thinking about food.

  She passed the berry bush, wincing as the enticing aroma tickled her nostrils. A person can survive days without food. Her main concern should be finding drinkable water. Another reason to head to the mountains as streams and water sources should be found there. Then she needed to find Xilon and make him keep his promise and get her off this planet so she could gorge on bread pudding until she popped. Nothing beat eating the sweet dessert.

  With a groan, Ash climbed uphill as the land grew bumpier the closer she got to the mountains.

  A shadow flew overhead and Ash shielded her eyes to see what made it. Had to have been bigger than any of the birds she’d seen. She gripped her makeshift cane in both hands. What if demons here could fly? They couldn’t on Earth and none so far had been able to that she’d seen, but she’d learned not to count on odds.

  “Get her!” a gravelly voice shouted.

  Ash whipped around and her heart lunged into her throat. There was an eight-foot-tall demon with arms as big as tree trunks. Its red eyes glowing inside its dark furry head complete with horns.

  Fuck! She tossed down the cane and unsheathed her sword.

  God, I hate it when I’m right.

  Chapter 11

  The chain holding Xilon's wrists together snapped. A link popped across the table toward both officers who jumped up, drawing their guns.

  “Whoa! Hold it,” Simpson yelled.

  “Hands up!” the other officer screamed.

  Xilon frowned. Why were they so aggravated? “Sorry I broke your bracelets, but I asked you to remove them.”

  “Okay, okay. Nice and easy, raise your hands over your head.” Simpson swallowed audibly, but kept his weapon raised. “No one is going to hurt you if you do what we say.”

  Xilon snorted. As if human weapons could harm a Renjerian. But then he wasn't Renjerian quite anymore. He was human and had no idea how he'd be affected. Arguing might delay his stay here and he needed to ride a storm back. The muscle in his jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth, but raised his hands.

  Simpson holstered his weapon, but the other officer kept his drawn and pointed at Xilon's chest.

  Xilon was given black ink on his fingertips and pressed onto paper, his photo taken, and led to a metal jail cell. He paced in the small confinement, the walls closing in on him. Time wasted while he waited for Dena to show up. How far did she live anyway? The travel in these modern times was faster than when he was here last so where was she?

  Sweat broke out across his forehead when night fell, a darkened skylight above him. He'd stayed here too long. It was time to leave.

  He inhaled, remembered his real body, and called his dragon forth. But silence answered him. He tried again, closing his eyes and concentrating as Taurian told him.

&
nbsp; Nothing.

  Where the fuck is my true form? He was going to strangle Taurian when he saw his brother. Okay, maybe Taurian had said something about it would take time to shift now that Xilon thought about it. But how long?

  All night, Xilon tried to shift to no avail. Panic welled inside his chest. What if he was stuck like this forever? Never to taste the wind inside a cloud. Never to feel the heat of his fire or the strength of his wings.

  The metal door opened and three men were led inside his small cage. Considering they were locked inside the cell with Xilon and wore the same orange suit, he decided they must be under arrest too. That was what the officer had told him.

  “Whatcha in for?” one with a long beard asked Xilon.

  “Nudity.” That was the word, right.

  The two men with the bearded man laughed as the officer disappeared down the hallway.

  “How about you and your friends?” Xilon asked.

  “Well, we robbed a convenience store and had fun with the store clerk.” Bearded man waggled his eyebrows. “She never had three real men before.”

  “And she smelled good too.” The second man inhaled his hand, then grabbed his sex. “Loved the way she screamed. Gets my dick hard just thinking about it.”

  Rage boiled in Xilon's veins. “And you?” he asked the third man.

  The man had tattoos on his arms, neck, and half his face. “What can I say, I like it rough and a challenge.”

  “Want to know why I was naked?” Xilon leaned forward, keeping his voice low and calm when he really wanted to roar at these vile men.

  “You raped someone too?”

  “No, never. I'm a dragon and have come here from another planet.”

  Tattoo guy burst into laughter. “What drugs you on, man?” He wiped his eyes. “Cause I want in on that shit.”

  “Maybe he's gay and couldn't get it up.” Bearded guy circled Xilon.

  “Keep it down in there,” an officer shouted from the hallway.

  When bearded guy threw a punch, Xilon caught it with his hand. The man's eyes widened. Then tattoo guy rushed him and Xilon kicked him in the stomach. He shoved bearded guy into the metal bars and the man crumpled to the floor.