Dont abduct me I'm Welsh!

Crash IV











Crash IV





Louis’s cat nap was rudely interrupted as Agent Boyd smacked him on the upside of the head with a folder as he entered the mobile command centre. “Wake up Baptiste, Starling!” Connor then received the same treatment, making him face plant on the table as his elbow slid from underneath him in shock.



“Oww that really hurt!”



“Ye lazy bastards. You’re supposed to be looking over the footage.”



Connor rubbed the back of his head. “I wasn’t asleep!”



“You might have well have been, you were as slack jawed as the students in a special needs collage.”



As ever the Scots man was just charming. Louis stretched his stiff muscles, and then groaned going back to watching the footage that was streaming in from the road blocks. Boyd was just pissy because the road blocks (his old school idea) hadn’t turned up anything yet, which meant that either the alien’s were still hold up in the perimeter, or the alien’s had slipped past them again. Basically they were as just as in the dark as before but now the agents were speared thin on the ground all over Wales. You would think that seven foot, silver haired aliens would be easy to miss; but according to the soldiers they had moved with the stealth of panthers and were like ghosts here one minuet and gone the next. Louis was not a true clairvoyant, but he occasionally had odd instincts, hunches really; which was why he had been set this task. Louis wondered why he agreed to becoming a felid agent with the British (probably some half formed fantasy of James Bond) his work with American services was always on a more consultant basis. He sighed feeling deeply wronged, seriously he doubted that they were going to spot anything that the teams of agents had missed, they were nothing if not thorough.



Boyd took over from Connor, who began tinkering with his fried equipment trying to salvage something. It would be hours before more scanning equipment could be sent up from London, so Connor wanted to make up something up adhoc at least to see if the ship was still down in the lake. Louis was distracted watching him, admiring the ease that the geek striped down the sensitive electronics working with delicacy and precision on the circuit boards. Louis would have had no idea where to start, it would have been like giving him a scalpel and asking him to take out someone’s appendix.



[I take it that all those years of Warhammer come in handy no?] It was perhaps juvenile, but pushed the thought in to Connor’s mind. It was like passing notes in class. Besides when ever he used his pernatural skills gave the nerd a small thrill, and he needed a bit of a laugh or he was going to go crazy.



Reading Connor’s response was easy enough now that he knew the geeks mind and it’s paths he could translate the signals without much effort. [Your such a cock. Actually I never liked Warhammer, I liked airfix.]



Louis lip twitched in to a lop sided grin. [Figures.]



[I bet you had a poster of the general lee on your wall.] Connor grinned back.



[How old do you think I am?]



[Its well known that you deep south folk are all stuck in the past.]



Louis couldn’t help but choke on a laugh. [For a geek you are very ill-informed my friend. Besides why would I want a picture of a car over my bed even one as awesome as the general lee, when I would have a picture of the lovely Daisy Duke.]



Boyd glared at him, but he put on an innocent front and turned back to the screen watching impassively as he fast forwarded through the footage of men searching cars – god he just needed to go to bed. Suddenly his heart was in his mouth. Had he really seen….. It couldn’t be. Glancing sideways making sure Boyd was not watching he slowed the feed down. The green four by four passed the camera, and he could clearly see a small woman sat in the passengers seat. He paused it for a moment. A cap covered her hair, but he would know that sweet face and those singularly intense sapphire eyes anywhere. It was Mary.



What was she doing there? She came from Wales so perhaps it was innocent, it was a small country after all. A nagging instinct warned him that this was just wishful thinking. His mind raced with the possibilities. He had been brought in to this because of a strange occurrence a few months back in Wales, and Mary’s car had been found abandoned, along with that Mary Elgar had disappeared for two weeks apparently without trace only to reappear just as suddenly. Even with his physic abilities he had been unable to get through her mental barriers. Mental barriers that were arguably some of the strongest that he had ever encountered; he had thought her a natural adept, but what if she was getting help from an other worldly source? He was pretty certain that the alien that had saved the men had been one and the same as the man that Mary had gone home from the club: thinking on it there had defiantly been something odd about the man, but it never would have occurred to Louis that he was not from this world, he had appeared totally human. If the alien’s were capable of disguising themselves as human they were never going to find them. They had to have got clothes, and shelter from somewhere, and he suspected that Mary’s car was the one at the bottom of hill, certainly someone had gone to a lot of trouble destroying anything identifiable, the licence plates had been obliterated. Where ever he looked with these aliens, Mary was right at the heart of the mystery.



He pressed resume trying to maintain his bored façade, hoping that Boyd didn’t notice anything off, wondering why he was trying to protect Mary in the first place; cher had blown him off after all. Still it would not be just her life that was ruined if Mary was implemented, it would hurt all around her. Louis knew all to well the ruthless way government agencies could act when dealing with the paranormal. He thought that he had got away with it, when a soft voice came from him behind him.



“Pause that feed there.” Not many people could sneak up on Louis, but Mr Barkley – Mr Gray like a spectre – their section chef could. Louis jumped as Mr Barkley reached around and paused the image. “Isn’t that the target I assigned to you, Miss Elgar?” He asked. Louis hesitated. “I’m surprised you missed her. It’s hard to forget an attractive face like that.”



Louis met the section chiefs hard grey gaze then shrugged carelessly, thickening his creol drawl. Better the man think him an incompetent lay about then suspect him of hiding something. “How am I supposed to just remember one of them there are so many pretty woman of my acquaintance?” He said flippantly.



“Indeed.” Mr Barkley replied blandly.



“Urgh, I’m so tired.” Louis offered as an explanation and for effect let his eyes unfocus before making a play on rubbing them, and blinking. Well it wasn’t entirely an act, he was ready to drop.



Mr Barkley gave a dismissive sigh, then wound back the footage and called Boyd over to look. The Scots man recognised Mary at a glance.



“Do you think it a coincidence that Miss Elgar is in this place and at such a time?” The section chief asked.



“Sir, I don’t believe in coincidences.”



“No, nether do I.” Mr Barkley replied. “I want them found. Get that license plate number. I think its time that we bring her in. I think that that woman is somehow at the heart of this. If we get her, then perhaps she will be just the bait to bring the aliens in to us.”








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They had stopped at a small road side cafe to get food, warm up, and kill some time with little to do but wait until night fell and the ship could come and get them under the cover of darkness. Mary had been sleeping fitfully in the back of the landrover. Her whole body had been aching for days but now the pain seemed to rise in a crescendo of agony passing through her body like a wave. Stifling a gasp she clutched her stomach feeling as if her insides were twisting, fighting off the dizziness as little white spots danced before her eyes and sweat broke out over her skin. She was sure she would have been sick if she had anything left to vomit up.



“Are you alright?” Val asked laying a hand on her shoulder, acutely aware of the gasp that passed through her clenched teeth.



Mary could not answer for a moment, closing her eyes tightly until the pain receded and she could catch her breath. She felt Val’s concerned silver gaze upon her, holding his breath and waiting it out along with her, he was in her mind a gentle seeking as he assessed her discomfort. Val shifted closer and his strong hands began to rub in smooth circles over her back massaging out the tension. It was one of the things that she liked about Val, there was no sympathy, no pointless questions, he just got on and solved problems rather then just worrying over them. She looked over her shoulder at his serious expression but was unable to hold his gaze, the concern she saw there making her uncomfortable.



“Better?” He asked gently.



“Much. Your hands work magic.”



His lips slowly curved in to a half smile, but his tone was sober. “I have a magic staff as well you know.”




Mary couldn’t help but appreciate the elf’s attempt to cheer her up. “I believe that I am intimately acquainted with that particular part of your anatomy, but it can’t give me a back massage.”



He let out a small chuff of male amusement as he pulled her up on to his lap. “Are you sure about that?”



“Less talking, more petting.” Mary groused. The elf dutifully did as he was told, kneading her sore muscles until she had to bite back a moan, and stroking her hair. She was too hot, but could not find the strength to move off Val’s lap. Stupid as it was being in his arms made her feel safer, that everything was going to be ok even if he couldn’t help her. Even if he was just as worried as she was, Val was doing his best to hide his anxiety from her, wanting to be strong for her; and pressed so closely to the mass of his solid muscles he was so very reassuringly strong.



Mary had never really suffered from more then seasonal colds and tummy bugs, and though she had been hoping that her illness was just a particularly virulent flu with the development of more sinister symptoms then nausea and aches it was clear that there was something very seriously wrong with her. She had considered everything from radiation poisoning (well she had been in space and through a dimensional gate so who knew what kind of effect that might have on a girl) to some kind of meningitis, and though her mind shied away from it some forms of brain tumour could be causing all her symptoms.



Val kissed her forehead and then sighed deeply. “You’re worrying again.”



There was no point in denying it, in such close proximity Val could read her emotions like a book, she was far to tired to even try to hide them . “Given the circumstances I think worrying is appropriate.”



“Then tell me Mary, share your burden, perhaps I can assuage some of your fears. I want to help.



“I know.” Early in their relationship Val would have just read her mind, taken what he wanted to know. Mary felt her heart warm with the knowledge that he respected her need for privacy enough to ask rather then just acting on his own prerogatives, valuing her feelings over elvish expedience. If there was anyone she could trust with her deepest fears it was Val. Mary bit her lip wondering how to ask her first question. “Val?”



“Hm?” His voice was a low husky burr as it always was when he was touching her, hand slipped down to rub her neck comfortingly.



“Has there ever been a case of a human getting pregnant by an elf?”



His brows twitched down in a puzzled frown. “Pregnant, as in with child?”



Mary shrugged her shoulder trying to be nonchalant. “It fits some of the symptoms.”



She wasn’t sure what she had expected to be, but with her tummy doing little nervous flips his calm thoughtful expression was reassuring. “Elvish embryos have been implanted in to human wombs to incubate. But I have never heard of a human and elf cross breading. I don’t even know if it is possible.”



“Because we are different species.” She nodded, Mary had expected the answer but was surprised the twinge of disappointment she felt. Pushing it aside quickly she decided that she was going to have to look at that odd reaction another time.



“Mary….” He breathed after a moment hesitating, in an unconscious gesture his hand had slid down to splay across her stomach possessive and tender.



“Val.” Mary interrupted him; she was not ready for that particular conversation. Deftly she changed the topic, dropping what she knew was another bombshell. “What about cancer, do you elf’s know much about cancer?”



“Cancer?”



“Tumours, formed by abnormal cells that replicate uncontrollably.” Mary explained. “Brain tumours in particular can cause seizures. My headaches, tiredness, my sudden blindness, sickness, the aches, all of my symptoms point to a brain tumour of some kind. And it’s not that uncommon in humans.” Mary twisted her fingers in to the elf’s hair trying still their tremors, trying to be brave and impassive while she revealed her greatest fears for her health to him, she carried on helplessly, knowing that she was rabbiting on and making a poor job of explaining what it meant.



“I understand what cancer is, we just have another name for it.” Val interrupted gently, he seemed perplexed.



Mary knew that elf’s had very different ideas on mortality and sickness to humans, they could recover in days from wounds that would have spelt instant death for a human, she wondered if he really understood at all. “Val, cancer- it’s very serious in mortals. It can be…often is…Val it’s fatal.” She worried her lip again, her eyes raising to Val’s in tentative hope. “But your medical technology is more advanced then ours. Do you think if it is a brain tumour that Peran will be able to help me?”



“I have no idea. We eradicated abnormal cell growth from our race millennia ago with genetic therapy.”



Mary had been hanging her hopes on the elf’s having some wonder cure, but if cancers had not been around for millennia perhaps they wouldn’t be able to help her. She tried to sound calm. “In that case, if Perran finds it is a tumour I would be better seeing a human physician, they have more experience and….”



“It is not necessary, Perran is the most gifted healer I have ever known, no mortal physician could compete.” Val stated tipping her chin up to look her in the eye. “And that aside, it is not cancer.”



“You seem very definite about that.” Mary scowled.



“It’s not cancer.” he repeated.



“I don’t know how you could know that.” Mary said, feeling a little annoyed that he didn’t seem to be taking her deepest fear very seriously at all. “You’re not a physician.”



“I just know.” He said.



Mary sensed some dark emotion in him quickly suppressed. Shame, self directed anger, fear, she didn’t know, but a suspicion seeded itself in her mind as she digested his words. Close as he was he would have felt her heart’s spike, her sudden tension, the elf’s expression turning grave as she knew instinctively that he was hiding some terrible truth from her. “Val, you know what’s wrong with me don’t you?” It was more a demand then a question.



His gaze fell away. “Yes.” He said it so softly it was barely a whisper. He cleared his throat after a moment, when Mary remained silent, to shocked to say anything. “At least Perran has a theory. He found something abnormal in the blood sample you gave him back on Ahrn.”



Mary had forgotten all about that blood sample. “You knew something was wrong with me before you even came and you never told me?”



“I had …..” He hesitated. “I had hoped that he was wrong.”



“You could have told me, you should have told me.” Mary reprimanded him as she shifted off his lap hurt that he was hiding something so important from her. “You know how worried I have been, not knowing has been eating at me for days and you knew all along.”



Valdagerion felt her walls coming up, she was drawing away from him emotionally as well as physically. His heart lurched. He tried to stop her but she shrugged his hand away and went to sit in the far corner of the Landrover, curling up protectively, her knees up to her chin.



“I was waiting for the right time to tell you.” The elf tried to explain, but it sounded pathetic even to his own ears. “I wanted to be sure, for Perran to check that it was no mistake.”



Her eyes were accusing. “What can be so bad that you couldn’t tell me when you first got here? There have been loads of times when we were on our own. And in the hospital, after I had that seizure…. It sounds like what ever it is you’re not even very sure yourself that I have it.” Mary tried to rally herself, falling back on her usual humour sharp edged humour. “So what is it, some kind of elvish STD?”



He shook his head miserably. “You remember when you were wounded by the Kaldar-maar?”



Mary nodded. “When we first met, and you saved my life.”



“Our ship’s medical bay was not prepared for an injured human. They tried surgical means, but it soon became apparent that your wounds were to severe. I ordered Melar the ships healer to do anything within his power to save you. The crux of the matter to heal your wounds he had to use a lot of basic healing nanites and transfused you with artificially made elvish plasma.”



“So what my illness is some kind of allergic reaction to the plasma? You know it can be really dangerous giving someone the wrong kind of blood.”



“Mary, the plasma might have something to do with it but the real problem is the nanites. The way they do that is synchronising with the subjects genetic code and anything that is damaged they rebuild using the DNA as a blueprint.”



“Ok, but I don’t understand what that means.”



“Somehow the nanites once they had done their job healing your wounds then began changing you.”



Mary found it hard to speak. “Changing me, changing me how? What exactly did he discover?”



Valdagerion made a low distressed noise in his throat. “I think that may be Perran would do a better job at explaining this to you.”



“No, you tell me Valdagerion. You tell me right now.” Mary demanded. “I deserve to know what is happening to me.”



His expressionless mask was upon his hansom face, retreating behind his cold facade only his stormy eyes now reflected his guilt, his anguish. “The blood samples; Peran found that your blood is no longer that of just a human, it is changing slowly in that of an elf.”



Realisation sank in, as Mary processed what he had said, thinking back over her symptoms. “No, its not possible!” A strangled choke of denial passed he lips. It made sense she had felt different for weeks, changed; but her mind struggled to accept it. It simply couldn’t be, it was to far fetched, to frightening to really comprehend. But her heightened hearing, her increased night vision, her burgeoning telepathy lent truth to the elf’s words; instinctually she knew he was right.









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Not if he lived thousands of years would Valdagerion be able to forget the way that terror had griped Mary’s heart. Her fear, her denial, her very horror at what she was becoming, her world shattered, and worse she felt that he had deceived her – he had deceived her – it beat at him, until he wanted to weep for her. She looked so small, so fragile and alone, her head in cradled in her arms as she tried to breathe through the rising panic.



“Mary please, you must know that I never wanted this.” he shifted closer to her, wanting with all his being to comfort her, acutely aware that it was his fault. “I’m sorry that this has happened. I only wanted for you to live; I could have never foreseen the consequences.” His hand pressed over hers, coaxing. “Mary, if I was mortally injured would you not do anything in your power to save me? Remember how you jumped in front of that bolt?”



She lifted her blond head, her blue eyes haunted, but she was thinking about what he said. “I didn’t think about it, you know that. I just act. Look I understand you were just helping, but Val there are limits, sometimes your better off letting someone go then letting them live on in a form that is intolerable.”



Sudden anger flared hot in his breast, his voice went dangerously soft. “So being an elf is intolerable? Is what I am so repulsive to you?”



“Don’t turn it back on me like that. You know I love everything about you, your body, your strength, everything about you is amazing. But really don’t understand the enormity of what you have done to me do you? How would you feel if you woke up one day and suddenly you were another species?” Mary responded. “How am I supposed to live here on earth with my family, have a job, a life if I am an elf, we struggled as it was to hide you!? You have to change me back or I can’t stay here MI7 would lock me up for sure.”



“You can’t stay here.” He agreed. His anger quelled as the tears that had been threatening in Mary’s eyes now began to fall unchecked down her cheeks. “We can’t let the mortal’s get hold of you and expose our kind.”



Mary’s eyes narrowed, anger kindling. “Was this why you came for me, to keep your people’s dammed secrets?”



Valdagerion looked genuinely appalled. “Of course not, admittedly it plays a part but there’s more to it then that, you must know that!”



And she did, her eyes falling contritely away as she buried her face between her knees. “You have to change me back.” Mary repeated softly sounding so broken that he just wanted to stop all this madness for her. “Perran has to fix this. I can’t leave here, I don’t belong on Ahrn.”



Valdagerion shook his head. “I don’t know if that is even possible. I need to get you to Perran as quickly as possible.”



“What is it Val? You’re still holding something back from me.”



“Perran said that he is not even sure if a conversion is possible, that it might put too much stress on your body.”



“You mean it might kill me.” Mary finished for him. He felt her walls go up again. He had always admired Mary’s ability to calm herself, it was all a farce, but she was brave.



“And there is more.”



Mary gave sobbed a laugh. “I don’t think I can take much more. I’m just about hysterical as it is.”



“You need to hear this all the same, and you’re right I should have told you sooner.” He said looking down at Mary, she was so beautiful to him, a rare treasure that he had treated with such unintentional cruelty. Since she had come upon him he had being making the wrong decisions, he had unintentionally ruined her life. When he had first abducted Mary in his arrogance he had soothed his conscious with ideas of rescuing such a lovely creature from a harsh, primitive, and savage world that could only brake her. But the lands of man had changed greatly in many ways every bit as civilised as his own culture. By the void, she might have been far safer in her old existence. He had not rescued her, he had stolen her from a wonderful life and a loving family and now he was doing it again, only this time she would not escape him, she could not escape him, there was no way he could let her go.



“So shoot, it can’t be worse then that.”



“Mary do you remember what I said about elves, and why we don’t form close relationships?”



Mary shook her head.



He let his breath out in a perturbed sigh, trying to think how best to explain to Mary that they were irrevocably bound, that he had felt it happening but had done nothing to stop it. “Mary, elf’s when they mate. Well we can become chemically dependent on the pheromones of another. I believe that mortals have a saying; died of a broken heart. For elf’s that can be a very literal possibility.”



“Val, what are you trying to tell me, you’re not making any sense?”



“Mary in very real terms I’m addicted to you. I can’t live without you, not for long at any rate. It is an imperative that we have regular contact for both our wellbeing.”



“That’s a ridiculous thing to say.” Mary replied her eyes flashing. “People don’t just die of broken hearts after only knowing someone for a few weeks.”



“Elfs can.” Valdagerion reaffirmed. “Mary the chemical bond is very potent, falling in love - real love for an elf changes our brain chemistry it makes us literally dependent. When that need is not met after a period of time it caused a severe depression, anxiety attacks, weight loss, worsening insomnia, migraines, hives, catatonia, eventually the body cesses to function normally the heart just gives in, that is if you haven’t killed yourself before then in desperation.”



Mary was very quiet for a moment once he had finished his ominous warning, it was obvious that the elf believed one hundred percent in what he had just said. Valdagerion watched as Mary carfuly worded her answer. “Val I love you to obsession, and I know that your crazy about me, and that it’s not always comfortable, but no one just dies of a broken heart. You haven’t even known me for that long.” Valdagerion stayed quiet, waiting for her to think it through. “I was miserable without you, but I wasn’t going to die of anything.” She rubber her chin across her knees and bit her lip. “Val if it’s just based on pheromones then our feelings they are not even real. Is that why we fell for each other so quickly?”



“This is very real.” He growled, frustrated with himself. Now she was thought that the love they shared was not even real just some result of a biological trick. He was really making a mess of this. Valdagerion caught hold of her face he kissed her hard it was the only thing he could think to do, feeding her his knowledge of elfish mating, of the life bond that could form between males and females of his race when deep emotions were involved. Opening his heart to her to feel what he felt for her, the desire, dangerous obsession, stark need, and yes what mortals called love. When he released her reluctantly he studied her reactions, a tendril of smug male satisfaction at her dazed expression. “You and I, we can’t be apart for to long or it could cause real problems for both of us.”



Her eyes went impossibly wide. “Val, your talking about a commitment far beyond anything I ..….My home, my family, my life are all here.”



“Mary what did you want to happen when I came for you?” He asked gently, needing to know.



She gave a little shrug, pulling her hands from his embarrassed by her fantasies of a normal human life but with him in it; that at least was a bonus. She might not admit it to herself but he was in all her future plans, her dreams. “I don’t know; that we would have some kind of long distance relationship. I knew that you would not stay on earth the whole time with me, but I hoped that we could work it out, obviously with MI7 on to us that’s not going to happen.”



“I’m sorry that it can not be.” He grieved for her little dream, but it always would have been an impossibility. “But I am not sorry that you are going to come with me. I promise that I will make you happy.”



Mary pushed him away. “Val, you can’t just declare what I am going to do. I have free will of my own. Ok I was miserable when I thought that I had lost you; but I wasn’t dying. And by the looks of things you’re not dead either.”



It dawned on him that perhaps, she not being a full elf Mary did not have the same dependency as he did, females with their ability to procreate generally always faired slightly better then their bond partners in the cases of death especially if they had offspring to care for. Perhaps she could survive without him.



Valdagerion did not want to hear this, each word was a raw wound even if she could, and he knew that he did not have the strength to walk away from her. He burned for Mary night and day. He needed her as surely as he needed the air he breathed and food he ate. “Mary we are already committed to each other, you must understand. If you leave me….” He trailed off, Valdagerion had no idea what would happen, she was – had been mortal. The bond might not be complete or even there at all. But he knew what he felt. He was almost certain of it, there could be no other. She had to feel the same as he did, it was just her stubbornness and fear speaking.



“Well it all seems to have worked out very well for you.” Mary said bitterly breaking the silence. “I can’t escape you now even if I wanted to. I have to come with you.”



“Mary, that is unfair.” He replied. “But I can not help but be happy that you are coming with me, or that there is the possibility that we will share a long life together. For that I will not apologise.”



“If I survive this.” Mary pointed out.



He winced, unable to bare the thought. [Don’t think like that.]



“What if I wasn’t changing in to an elf what then? Would you still be taking me?”



Valdagerion closed his eyes ashamed. “I would like to lie to you and say that I would not, but I will not. I would have convinced you to come somehow.”



“Convinced?”



“I would have never forced you, never. But I hoped that you wanted me enough to come with me. There are so many wondrous things in the universe that I could show you.”



“Val, you don’t know what you’re asking of me.” He opened his mouth to deny it, but she lifted a hand for silence. “You want to take me away from everything that I know, my family, my friends.”



“I know exactly what I’m asking of you.” He ground out. “It’s nothing that I have not already sacrificed. In coming to you I have forfeited my family, my position, my world. I gave them up for you.”



“Oh Val.” She shook her head mournfully looking up at him, her emotions quick silver; pity, exasperation, gratitude, sympathy. “Oh Val, what have you done? You can’t ….can’t just make decisions like that by yourself.”



“I have made the decision.”



Mary bit her lip nervously, twiddling her fingers. “You might regret that, are you sure I am worth it?”



“I don’t know, only you can answer that.” He said cocking his head. Valdagerion stroked her cheek frowning. “Don’t hurt like that.”



“Stop telling me what to do.” She said mildly, her lip twitched in to a faint smile that was gone as quickly as it had come. “Would you have come if this ninite thing had not happened?”



“What do you think?” He met her gaze steadily.



[I think you would.] She did not speak it, he suspected that she couldn’t admit that even to herself. Didn’t want to face what it meant. He felt her put her walls back in place keeping him from her mind. Mary glanced up at him, her eyes full of sorrow, and even regret. She spoke gently, reasoning out her argument. His heart clenched painfully, did she really think that she could let him go? “Val, I know what you think you feel. We have been so distracted by lust that nether of us our thinking straight. But you have only really known me for a few weeks, I hardly know you. Successful relationships are not just about great physical chemistry, they are built on common ground, values. Our cultures are so very different I don’t know that it will work out between us. I know you, you will want to be in charge of every little thing in my life, I can’t give up my freedom, not even for you.”



In a shadowy recess of his heart something primitive and very male was stirring and it was not going to let Mary just walk away, it was a dark part of him self based on ancient instincts, something animal that Valdagerion was at best uncomfortable in facing. And though the elf did not like himself very much for it; Mary was his, and he was not going to let her go, she belonged with him, and he going to make her realise it the only way he knew how.



“Mary think, you are in my mind you know me, just as I know you. What we are that is only trappings, mere flesh.”



“Flesh is about the only thing I do know about you.”



[Little liar.] He smirked darkly, “Fine if you want to believe it’s all about the flesh. How could you not want this always?” He husked, an erotic promise, a harsh demand. With aching slowness he lent over her, his arctic gaze catching alight, a sodium fire burning over her possessively. “How could you think of leaving me when I alone can take you to the stars? When you are the only one to make me burn out of control? When you are the only one to soothe this ache?”



He took her hand placing it over his beating heart. “Here.” Then guided it down to where his length swelled. “And here.”



He wasn’t lying, his body had been in a state of near constant arousal since he had found her again. When ever she was nearby he felt himself harden, it was only the knowledge that she was so terribly unwell that prevented him from acting on his desires.



Two fingers tipped up her chin. Her lower lip was trembling as he loomed closer, but she did not stop him her eyes closing in defeat a sobbing gasp escaping her lips as he clamed them ruthlessly. Valdagerion groaned low in his throat as his body reacted savagely to the timid slide of her tongue against his, the way she went soft and boneless as his arms pulled her towards his hard body. His other hand slipped down to rub over the fabric covering her most secret place feeling the heat emanating from her core as he pressed harder until she was squirming.



Mary made a little whimper of protest, her hands coming to her chest in a gesture of feminine agitation, it was enough to make him raise his head. Looking down unblinking in to those deep blue pools Valdagerion knew that he had made his point.



“Get off me.” She whispered. Mary didn’t trust keen desire she felt when he was near, it was too potent, too volatile. She couldn’t think, not when he was in her very lungs, his taste coating her tongue, the drum of his heart drowning out her own racing pulse. He shifted his body back a few inches and she crawled away from him to sit in brooding silence as far from him as she could contrive. Valdagerion concentrated on getting his own body under control, but all his mind could think about was the ripe fullness of her breast, and how it would feel to slip his hand inside her blouse to caress those soft globes.



“Stop that.” She hissed, shifting uncomfortably crossing her arms over her chest.



“Stop what?”



“Stop thinking about what ever you’re thinking about.” Mary blushed mortified.



He raised his eye brow mockingly at her, the harsh lines of his face eased as his lips softened in taunting male amusement.



The almost boyish expression made Mary’s heart warm and grip all over again. But Mary was not going to play his game. “I’m so very tired.” Mary admitted. “I’m too tired to fight you anymore Val, is that what you want to hear? Are you happy now?”



“No, I am not happy.” Valdagerion murmured. “I never wanted to fight you.”



“Then you chose the wrong girl.” She sighed wearily. “Please I need some time by myself. I’m too tired to cope with all of this, and you right now.”



Her curt dismissal was hurtful, but studying her features he noticed her pallor, the deep circles under her eyes, and despair so deep that he could not penetrate it weighing down on her (a despair that he had caused) all made him feel like the lowest creature in the universe. Nodding he did as she wished, leaving her alone in the back of the truck. She needed him, but she did not want him right then. Patience was not one of his virtues, but he realised that she needed to come to him of her own free will else she would never truly be his. He just hoped that he could find the strength to give her the time that she needed. She always seemed to be slipping away from him, and it was driving him insane. How could such a small female bring out both the best and worst in him? He had never had to second guess himself before, but with Mary he felt utterly uncertain. The tighter he tried to bind her to him, the more she seemed to slip from his grasp like sand through his hands. It was making him desperate. He was out of his depth and drowning, and he suspected that the only person capable of saving him was floundering right along with him.









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“Jesus cher answer your phone!” Louis cursed, as once again all he went straight to answer phone. None of his text messages were getting through either. He threw himself down on his bed; he had been trying to get through for hours. “This is not a good time to have your phone turned off!”



He almost bit Connor’s head off in his frustration when the computer geek knocked on his door.



“Sorry.” Connor apologized contritely. “I know you were probably asleep but I just thought that you might like to know that I have managed to isolate a signal coming from the lake. The ships still down there.”



Louis sat up on his elbow. “The ship? Have you told anyone else?”



“Not yet.”



The American sat up and dragged on his coat and began to tug on his boots, an idea formulating in his mind. If that ship was some how connected to Mary then if he could get a warning to them somehow then maybe they could warn her from where danger was coming. Surreptitiously he managed to slip one of the syringes from his case in to his coat pocket.



“Hey where are you off to?”



“I just need to take a walk. Fresh air, you brits are all for that no?”



“But you only just got to bed.”



Louis ruffled his curls. “Yeah, well it’s too light to sleep. What is it three o’clock in the afternoon?”



“Four.”



“Where are you going?” Connor asked curiously. “It will be dark soon.”



“Just up to the bridge and back, I need to stretch my legs.”



“Do you want some company?”



“No I will be ok.” Louis assured him. Tentatively so Connor would not notice he amplified the other man’s desire for sleep. It was not that he did not trust Connor Starling, but he did not want to embroil him in something that could not only threaten his career at MI7 but his very freedom.



The mental nudge worked, and Connor yawned. “Alright, you know what I am really bushed. I hate missing that much sleep for anything that’s not on X box.”



Louis hurried out of the small bed and breakfast they were staying in, hoping that Boyd was elsewhere. He was in luck, and made his way up the road without incident as dusk began to creep approaching the bridge where he had seen the vision of the woman. With his psycic sense no one was going to sneak up on him at least. Stealing himself Louis plunged the syringe in to a vain and depressed the plunger, trying not to think about how stupid and dangerous he was being, at least he was using a smaller dose so he shouldn’t fall unconscious.



For once welcomed the sensation of leaving his body as he searched for a familiar mental link, unpicking it like a tapestry thread and then tugged. It took immense concentration, to much force and it would snap. He couldn’t follow it, he was not strong enough to get past the barriers, but he was hoping that the mysterious female just might answer his summons.



[You again? I’m busy, go away.]



[No wait, you must listen.] It was then that he realised that he had made a foolish error reaching to hard, diving to deep trying to strengthen the connection as his legs suddenly gave out from underneath him and he sank in to darkness, his head cracking as it came in to contact with the concrete.



Louis came to, and whished he hadn’t, throbbing in his skull like no other robbing him of all coherent thought. But it was a different sort of pain from usual, more honest and raw. Blinking he realised that he was looking up at the sky, it took him a moment to realise that he was on the floor. A small pen light was shone in to his eyes momentarily blinding him. Cool finger reached around and very gently felt the lump on the back of his head.



[You have a mild concussion, but no lasting damage.]



When the spots had cleared from his eyes, he saw a young looking man hovering above him. Even Louis had to admit he had impressive bone structure, if it hadn’t been for the slightly stubborn jaw he could have passed as a very hansom woman. Even in the gathering gloom he could see the vivid red of the guys long braided hair. And did he have cat eyes? Realisation dawned, he was face to face with one of the aliens.



“Who are you and what do you want?” It hurt to speak, but Louis was in no state to fight or run.



[I am Perran, a physician. She sent me.]



Louis didn’t need to try hard to guess that he meant Louis’s lady of the lake. The red haired alien was coiling up his braid and pulling on a helmet, clicking it in to place on what looked like some kind of tight fitting armoured suit, he was climbing back over the wall when Louis called him back. [Wait, there’s something important I have to tell you.]



The alien paused, and looked back. It was all Louis needed in encouragement.



[The other’s they are going after Mary.]



[Why do you tell me this?]



[I could be wrong, but I think if I tell you she will get the message. Heavily armed men are tracking Mary down right now. She had start on them but they are very resourceful, she and anyone with her are in grate danger. Just let them now that.]



The alien nodded, and then was gone. Louis just hoped that his warning had been enough.









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“What’s going on?” Mary asked groggily as she staggered out of the back of the Landover, she was feeling weaker by the hour but refused to let Val know it, she was still angry with him. And irrational it might be but she felt utterly betrayed, he should have just told her; that was what hurt the most that he had hidden the truth from her. How could he expect her to trust him when he was going to keep secrets like that? His words could make her feel so very alive and ecstatic one moment and then mortally wound her the next. She hated that he had that power over her, and she only had herself to blame for allowing herself to fall for him.



“I don’t know they are talking in their funny language. I only know that Kinyah is probably not a very nice word.” Jody answered. They were parked up on a stretch of gravel near one of the beaches, and the wind wiped off the sea smelt of iodine and salt the last of the winter’s sun casting the sea a mournful iron gray, the sky only slightly paler.



“Darrah, what’s happened?” Mary asked, watching him on his console.



“Perran warned us that the human’s are hunting us again. I’m just trying to work out how close they could be.”



“Mary.” Val called coming towards her, his face carefully blank. “Darrah’s told you the news. We might have to leave the vehicle here and then walk down the coast to find somewhere to conceal ourselves until the ship arrives, do you think that you can manage that?”



Mary nodded. Honestly she was not so sure, but she was not going to admit that. Val gave her a speculative glance that made her flush angrily. “Don’t look at me like that, I’m fine Val. I’m not as delicate as you think.”



She pointedly ignored him as she went to the front of the car rummaging around, but she could feel his eyes upon her back. He was so handsome, beautiful really and she physically had to stop herself from looking at him. How was she going to find the strength to let him go? “God dam it!” She cursed straightening up. “My phone must have been in my car. I can’t even call Jack to let him know what’s going on!”



“I already said I was sorry for that.”



“You always seem to be sorry for something.”



He didn’t reply and she stalked off annoyed – though it was dangerously close to a flounce. She had not touched him, or even spoke to him for a few hours. He had respected her privacy going to sit on the beach with Rillian. But the separation and argument was telling on him, his face set in stark lines. When she opened up her mind a little unable to help herself she felt his misery. Truth was she was just as unhappy, and it was made worse that she could not share it with him. She felt wrenched, but refused entertain the idea of needing him physically, emotionally maybe, but she just couldn’t bring herself to believe that what he had told her was correct and she was determined to prove it to him – to herself. She was just over tired and poorly, that’s why she was so desperately low. The cold wind bit at her face, and the bare skin of her hands, but Mary did not mind, looking out to the tossing horses manes reminded her of her own turbulent thoughts. Her independent nature at war with her desire for Val, he had laid out his store that afternoon. He wanted all of her, and for all time. Mary was not sure whether she was capable of giving that much, if she was ready for such a commitment.



Mary ruffled her hair in frustration, she needed to think of something – anything else but that infuriating elf. That way his smile made her feel warm, the way his touch made her toes curl in a good way, his beautiful silver eyes holding possession and desire only for her. She sat on the tail gate and closing her eyes she consecrated on her relaxing her tense body, limb by limb. She began to feel something odd. Concentrating she realised that she could see energy, or rather could feel it across her skin, even heard it. The energy that their body’s created electrical, and heat radiating out, the wind, the seas roiling, water evaporating….It was remarkable, and frightening.



Jody called her name, and Mary looked up at her friends approach, she knew that expression and inwardly groaned.



“Jody, don’t ask me what’s wrong. I’m not in the mood to talk about it.”



“I wasn’t going to ask you what’s wrong. I was going to ask you what you.” She nodded her head in Val’s direction. “And he have argued about?”



“It’s nothing.”



“Bullshit. You two can’t keep your hands off each other, and then the next minuet you’re both walking about like you have taken mortal wounds and cant even look at each other. What ever you have argued about it’s serious.” Jody said in response. “Come on sharing is caring.”



Jody wasn’t going to drop it, she could be tenacious like that. Mary described the entire argument, Jody sitting and listening to the whole of it, only asking questions when she wanted a detail cleared up but making no comment, only digesting what Mary was telling her.



“So what are you going to do?”



Mary shrugged. “I don’t really have a choice now; I have to go with him.”



Jody gave her a searching look. “There is always a choice. You know what on some things Mary you are really blind.”



“What’s that supposed to mean?”



“It means that you need to know yourself a little better.” Her friend stated tapping over her own heart. “Look, I don’t really understand much about this bond thing. But even Val’s wrong about that, the fact is the last few weeks you haven’t really been living. Hell for the last few years you haven’t been living. Your not happy without Val.”



“That’s not true at all.” Mary protested. “I was happy before him.”



Jody rolled her hazel eyes. “Mary I have known you since we were toddlers. Trust me in the last year you were growing….” Jody pursed her lips thinking of the word. “I don’t know, you had lost that je ne sais quoi, that spark. You were going through the motions of life but you weren’t really enjoying it making it your own. You were always good at acting parts, like staying on with Will even though you knew you hadn’t loved him for months.”



“Ok, even if your right what does this have to do with anything?”



“What ever differences you have, and I agree that they are some bloody big problems to work out. But the fact is he makes you happy. He makes you exited, you’re really alive with him. You need to stop acting and trying to convince yourself that you want a boring normal life, and accept that what you want is him. Even with all the baggage that brings. I don’t know anything about aliens, but I know about love and what you two have is the real deal.”



Mary looked down at her interlocked fingers. “That’s just the problem its all to much. Sometimes I feel like I can’t even breathe without him. It’s just not normal.”



“Who get’s to decide what’s normal.” Jody advised sagely.



"You don't get it, i don't get to chose now. He's taken that from me. It might not have been perefct but at least i used to have a choice in what i felt, and what to do with my life."



“I would say he feels the same as you do by the sounds of it. You would be better trying to accept what you feel then fighting it the whole dam time. Truth is Mary I think some part of you is glad that your hand’s been forced, you never were much good at deciding anything emotional under pressure, but you already made your choice, your main problem is that you haven’t worked out how you’re going to live with it yet.”



In true Jody fashion after imparting her wisdom, she gave Mary a wry grin and walked off before Mary could argue, leaving her to mull over what she had said.



The elf’s began to prepare for their walk, and Mary looked at the clouds gathering on the horizon with an weatherd eye. “I suppose I had better get my coat.” As she got up a wave of fatigue washed over her and suddenly her legs would not hold her up and she fell to the floor in a heap by the truck.



“What is it, Mary?” Jody asked as she tried to get up but failed.



“I….” Mary felt confused, as though drunk, everything was spinning.



“Hey Val, get over here quick, Mary’s sick.” Jody called across the beach.



The elf was by her side instantly with his alien speed, pushing an awestruck Jody out of the way. “Mary?” Val pressed his hand to her flushed forehead. “You’re burning up,” he announced, alarmed. Mary tried to reply, but found even this small task too demanding. Her vision blurred threateningly, and a tingling began in her limbs, she was going to seize again, and then the world went black.









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Valdagerion looked down at the young woman in horror as Mary’s body convulsed, her limbs trembling, and her eyes rolling back in her head. It might have only lasted for a few moments, but he hoped never to see her like that ever again. There had been nothing he could do to help her. When the tremors stopped he scooped her up and took her to the back of the Landover. “Rillian.” He snapped. “Mary needs to see Perran now.”



“We should wait until it’s fully dark, that will only take another half hour.”



Valdageron glared at him.



Rillian sighed muttering something under his breath, before opened up his wrist communicator, summoning the ship with a calm urgency.



Valdagerion lay the young woman down gently. Mary stirred, her breathing laboured, her vague eyes fluttering open briefly, and then shutting again. He pushed the hair back from Mary’s face, worried.



“It’s all right, my love,” he whispered, soothingly. “I’ll take care of you.”



Just looking at Mary looking so vulnerable and starkly white made his stomach churn uncomfortably. Valdagerion did not like worrying on principle it was a futile waste of energy – he left the worrying up to Rillian and Perran. But since meeting Mary he had become well acquainted with that sick feeling.



The blonde elf took Mary’s pulse, worried when he found it to be extraordinarily fast. He pulled off his one gauntlet, drawing it on to Mary’s small hand to scan her vital’s more accurately. What he saw was far from reassuring as the heart monitor raced.



“Her heart rate and blood pressure are both elevated,” the elf announced. “Her temperature is 567 on the I.S scale. How far off normal is that for a human.”



“I.S?” Jody asked.



“Imperial standard.”



The human woman looked blankly at him. “Can someone translate that in to Celsius and then I might be able to tell you.”



“42.1 degrees Celsius.” Darrah offered helpfully.



“Shit,” Jody replied. “That’s dangerously high. We have to cool her down and quickly.”



“Is there any thing in the medi pack to help with fever? A Desperaina shot or something?” Darrah asked.



Valdagerion shook his head. “No, only basic healing nanites.” He looked around for anything that might help in a panic, almost ready to slap himself when he realised that there was a great body of cold water right in front of them.



He tugged off the top portion of his armour, and then began to gently strip Mary out of everything but her underwear. “I’m going to take her in to the sea.” He explained. “How long do you think I should keep her in there for?”



Jody’s eyes went wide when she realised that he was asking her. “I’m not a doctor I have no idea. Just until her temperature starts to drop I guess. You won’t want to stay in it to long. Are you sure that your going to be ok, it looks really rough.”



“I will be fine.” He asserted, picking Mary up and carrying her in his arms towards the pounding waves. Wanting to keep her head above the waves, he turned and walked in backwards. The water was colder then he had expected, making him gasp. Carefully he waded backwards, until he was in to his waist, holding Mary up even as the push and pull of the water tried to take her away from him.



She cried out coming to as the cold water enveloped her small body, she almost jack-knifed from him, terrified and confused as to what was going on. But her thrashing stilled as he clutched her closer. [Hush Mary, be still.]



“Val.”



“It’s alright, I am right here.”



He realised that she was not fully conscious, her eyelashes flickering fitfully. She was so small and light, her body was shivering almost violently in moments but still her temperature was too high and though he could hear her little teeth chattering and her soft whimpers he grimly stayed, feeling like the worst kind of bastard. Every second felt an eternity waiting for her temperature to drop.



When at last he emerged from the surf, he was shivering himself. Taking her to the landrover he laid her down and with Jody’s help towelled Mary off with the blankets as quickly as they could. “I’m sorry Mary, this is all my fault” he whispered. “But you won’t die, I will not let you die. What ever this is I know you can fight it.”



“Not your fault.” Mary breathed so softly that he almost missed it.



He stroked her cheek, but she had fallen unconscious again. Rillian threw the top of his armour at him. “You will catch your death, and be no use to anyone if you’re not careful.”



“Thank you.” He replied drawing the amour on over his wet skin with some difficulty then bit angrily, “shouldn’t they be here by now?”



“It’s only been seven minutes since I called,” Rillian replied softly, un-phased.



“Rhi’ Arran, Hir’ Rillian we might have a problem.” Darrah said coming from the front of the vehicle.



“What sort of problem.”



“The human’s have been tracking this vehicle and they are right on top of us, they know we are in this area and are sending some kind of aircraft to find us.”



“That’s just what we needed!” Rillian growled.












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It had turned in to a race, could they outrun the human’s for long enough to meet the ship. Darkness would hide the ship winging it’s way towards them, but they still had to find somewhere for it to land safely, and now Mary was to week to move on foot for any distance. That meant going six miles up the road to the next cove.



Jody was piloting the large truck, racing as fast as she dared along the narrow lanes. A low humming noise reached the elf’s ears over the roar of the four by four’s engine. “What is that?” Rillian asked.



“I think that it might be the aircraft that Darrah warned us about.”



“Out here in the open we are sitting pray.” Rillian pointed out. “We need to find some kind of cover. If we lead that craft to the ship….”



“I know.” Valdagerion said. He banged on the metal separating the cab from the back. “Jody, you need to find somewhere to pull in undercover right now.”



“Gotcha.” She called back. After a few moments the landrover lurched sideways and drew to an abrupt halt. From the tang of carbon based fuel in the air Valdagerion realised that she had drawn in to a petrol station, hiding the Landrover under the cover of its open roof. Valdagerion checked the display on the gauntlet on Mary’s hand and his heart dropped, her vitals were still failing. Her heart beat was to fast and week, her breathing laboured, her temperature had only abated slightly. He knew they were racing against time to save her.



“We need to buy some more time.” Rillian said echoing his thought as they slipped out of the truck to watch the sky furtively.



“Why have we stopped?” Jody asked, winding the window down.



Rillian shushed her tersely. “An aircraft approaches mortal.”



“I don’t hear anything.”



But after a few moments the sound of a helicopter approaching was even audible to the mortal’s ears. “No way, you didn’t hear that from that far away.” Jody babbled excitably.



Rillian and Valdagerion ignored her, studding the bladed craft as it passed over, circling low obviously searching for something and it appeared to be carrying missiles.



“It’s gone, we can go now right?”



“Not yet.” Valdagerion halted her. “It will circle back. It might not even be the only one.”



“So what are we going to do?”



Valdagerion scratched his chin in thought. “I will have to take it out.”



“You can’t be serious?” Jody said, hands on hips. “That’s a military helicopter, you can’t just take it out.”



Rillian smiled, it was not a nice smile.



Jody glanced between them with speculative weariness then threw up her hands. “You lot are crazy, you look happy about this.”



But the mortal had a point, Valdagerion didn’t want to destroy more of the human’s weapons in fear of reprisals, not that he was worried about his own safety. But the last thing he wanted was for Mary and her female friend to get caught in the crossfire.



“Hey where are you going? What is it with you lot and just walking off with out so much as an wave. It’s rude you know.”



He needed something faster, more manovarale. He looked about the small parking area behind the garage, and noticed an aerodynamic two wheeled looking craft, he remembered such vehicles passing them with ease on the human roads. With pernaturl speed he appeared behind the human who was walking towards the craft. He took hold of the mortal’s head and took what he needed from the mortal’s mind to pilot the craft, letting the man drop- knowing that he would recover soon enough. As an afterthought he borrowed the unconscious man’s helmet.



The elf swung his leg over the saddle and started the engine up, revving it, feeling it purr, and then roar like some great predatory beast. His lips parted in a wicked smile. “This is much better.”



“Rhi’ Valdagerion what are you doing?” Rillian asked as Valdagerion drew up on the motorbike.



“I will hunt down the air craft and distract them, let them chase me on this swift craft, you, Jody and Darrah will take Mary to the new triangulation point. I will then meet you there when I have lost them.”



“It should be me who goes.”



“You do not know how to pilot this craft, and there is not enough time. Besides your shoulder.” Valdagerion replied. “You have risked enough for me as it is.” Rillian was not happy with this, but he knew better then to argue with his commander once his mind was made up.









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Finding the noisy aircraft had not been much of a challenge and after a few well placed balls of lightning shot across their bow he knew that he had their attention.



A spot light found him blinding him for a moment as wind and dirt was kicked up from the blade’s turbulence, he took the helmet off to be sure they got a good look at him. There was a crackling amplified voice, but Valdagerion could make no sense of it. It sounded like an order. As far as this elvish prince was concerned there was only one mortal who could order him about. He sent another ball of lightning their way, buffering them as it passed just to make sure that they knew what they were dealing with before he revved the bike up.



Human projectiles beet a tattoo behind him as the helicopter passed him, but unerringly he avoided their lines of fire as the aircraft made a few sweeping passes at him. The night air whipped at his hair as he lent forwards enjoying the speed, and though he didn’t need the light to see he kept the bike’s headlights on to make him an easy target for the human’s pursuing him.



The elf grinned, a flash of fangs as the helicopter having lost him for a moment reappeared again on his tail. Then it suddenly broke off. Slowing down the elf wondered what was going on as the mortals headed in the opposite direction to where he was leading them, heading back to the coast.



He realised that they must have got word of the ship. Now he was the hunter as he opened the bike up. Years of hunting drake’s stood him in good stead as he followed the helicopter, getting it within range. Screeching to a halt, he aimed carefully, sending a precise ball of lightning to take out part of the tail blade disabling the craft but not so severalty that they would crash badly. The helicopter spun around on its access, as the pilot fought to find any counter tork to the rotary blades. Like a spinning top it sank down coming down in a field nearby. Valdageron stayed only long enough to listen to the raised voices and was fairly certain that no one was badly injured.







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Rillian waited anxiously for the Rhi’Arran’s return. They had made it to the cove, and now just waited on the ship and Valdagerion. He had checked on the Rhi’ arran’s female, she was just about clinging on to life. He sighed, as he checked the readout on the gauntlet again. He murmured a plee to her. “Mortal, you have to live. If you die then he will not want to survive your passing, and I will have lost my best friend.”



The purr of an engine cut through the night as the Rhi’Arran made his way back to them, Rillian knew his distinctive energy signature still bright from the excitement of the fight. The ship arrived, a dark form hovering above them for a moment as Nearwen stabilised it’s burners before landing it on the sand, as lightly as a bird on a twig.



Rillian picked up the disturbance of more of the rotary bladed air craft approaching fast and low overland. All the while cargo hatch ground open slowly, inch by slow inch.



[I thought that you were supposed to be getting rid of them all?] Rillian commented over their communicators with wry amusement.



[Monta Attoya!]



[You must be getting rusty.]



[Watch it.] Valdagerion warned with mock offence. [Obviously they must sent more.]



Rillian closed his eyes, pinpointing their location. The Rhi’arran managed to take the first helicopter down from a distance, sending it crashing to earth. Rillian had always admired his friend’s ability to form his concentrated balls of powerful electric. Rillian’s might be larger, but they dispersed much quicker. But he aided the Rhi’Arran to warn off the second, sending a swirling ball of raw electric towards it. The helicopter banked away drawing back, obviously deciding that it was too dangerous he watched as it landed some distance away.




[It’s clear.] Rillian confirmed.



[I don’t think they will risk sending air craft again.]



The gangplank was finally down, and Jody could just drive her truck right in to the cargo hold. Perran was standing by to help Mary, pulling her out on to a stretcher.




[They will use missiles next. We need to hurry before they lock on to us.]



[I’m coming now.]



Rillian jogged up the gangplank, as Nearwen fired up the engines. Valdagerion streaked down the hill on the bike, crouching low as if he was racing a horse, he slowed as he hit the gravel of the large parking area, coasting towards them sedately, a small smile of triumph curving his stern mouth.He had obviouly been sucsesful.




It was then that Rillian saw an armoured vehicle making it’s slow way down the hill towards them and it was carrying missiles.



Valdagerion glanced behind him, and saw the same thing. “Don’t do it!” Rillian called. “Just get on board.”



“We can’t let them get within striking distance of the ship. You have to protect the females.” Valdagerion countered and with that the elf doughnuted the bike around in a cloud of blue smoke.



The fight with the helicopters had depleted his strength, but focusing Valdagerion sent a huge ball of lightning its way, only to find that they had installed a lightning rod, and so his attack had little effect on the armoured vehicle aside from seriously frightening the crew within it as electricity crakled over it.



He cursed roundly as it stopped and fired off one round, it was thankfuly way short bowing a great hole in the ground. Valdagerion tried another blast, aiming for a more sensitive area but his ball was a week thing and did no more then scorch the casings.He had esaughsted his powers. Having fired short, the armoured vehicle moved forwards again. The only access to the beach was a very narrow lane, and Valdagerion realised that if he could find some way of blocking it then they might stand a chance. He revved up the bike and seeming nothing else for it drove it straight at the vehicle blundering its way down towards him, pulling hard on the accelerator narrowing his eyes against the force of the wind. The driver and crew looking on in horror as they realised what he intended to do.



[Nearwen, you have to leave, leave now.]



[No, Val.] Mary’s protest was week in his mind. She knew that he was not going to leave them unprotected, that he would wiling sacrifice his own life for theirs- for hers.



[I’m sorry, but I have no choice.] He offered, before braking off contact with her as the bike slammed in to the vehicle.







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A/ N :

TeeJayden , always glad to have a new reader, thank you for the review. I will do my best to get chapters up as quick as possible.



And a big thank you to my regular reviewers, they mean a lot and defiantly encourage me to carry on with this story.











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A/ N :

TeeJayden , always glad to have a new reader, thank you for the review. I will do my best to get chapters up as quick as possible.



And a big thank you to my regular reviewers, they mean a lot and defiantly encourage me to carry on with this story.