Read Online Fate Unexpected (Earth Defender Book 1) by Marisa Chenery - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Marisa Chenery
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race
they’re weak of body, and need others to do the physical work. Mentally,
they’re very smart. It’s their ships we arrived on.”
Kylah gave him a hard stare. “A mercenary. I guess you didn’t have
any guilty feelings about what the Xphens did to us Earthlings. As long as they
pay you, huh?”
Rune didn’t get a chance to reply to her question. Kylah ducked
inside the tent. He heard her digging through the supplies before she came back
out, carrying a metal container with a long handle and a can of food. Once
more, she wouldn’t look at him.
For now, he decided to let her keep her silent treatment. He helped
her gather the wood that was inside the perimeter field, then watched her start
the fire. After it was burning nicely, she went into the tent and came out with
two metal plates and eating utensils like the one she’d used the day before to
feed him.
As they ate the food, which was more ravioli, they sat on opposite
sides of the fire. Kylah’s silence started to get to Rune. For some reason, he
wanted to hear her story of what had happened to her after they’d arrived at
Earth. That wasn’t normal for him. Usually, he didn’t care about who he’d been
hired to fight or treat as the enemy.
After they’d finished eating, Rune attempted to get her to talk to
him. “Tell me what happened to you?”
Kylah had been staring at the flames. She jerked her head up and
looked at him. “Why?”
“I want to know.”
“Why? You’re a mercenary. Your kind—at least on Earth—are known for
not giving a shit about anyone but themselves. They’re all for the money, and
will do anything to get it, no matter how gruesome.”
“Tell me about…him.” Rune knew he struck a chord when Kylah visibly
stiffened. “You’re the first Earthling I’ve spent any time with. Make me
understand from your kind’s point of view.”
“I’ll tell you my story if you tell me yours first. How and why did
you become a mercenary?”
“All right.” Rune leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees.
“Dracus is a small planet compared to your Earth, and doesn’t have much in the
way mineral resources, which is the main reason the Xphens have never tried to
conquer us.” He motioned to the landscape around them. “It’s very similar to
this. Plus, there’s the fact my people have been the best mercenaries
throughout the galaxy for many generations. The Xphens know without Dracans
they’d have a hard time filling out their ranks with well-trained soldiers.”
“So you were raised to be a mercenary?”
“Yes. With both my parents being ones, it was inevitable.”
“Your mom was one?”
“Yes. Some of our females will want to fight alongside their mates.
I was raised on different planets and spaceships more than I was on Dracus. So
that’s the how I became a mercenary. As for the why, I wouldn’t know what else
to do. There’s my story. Now it’s your turn.”
Kylah reached over to the stack of wood next to her and then threw a
large branch into the fire. “It all started with the red rain. Anyone who was
caught outside in it ended up with a rash on their skin. My mother was one of
them. It was that night, closer to early morning, when she started coughing up
blood and having it run out of her eyes. She also had a hard time breathing. My
dad took her to the hospital, and I followed. It was jammed packed with sick
people. It wasn’t long before my mom died while waiting to see a doctor. Other
people did as well. All of them had the same symptoms.”
Kylah focused on the flames again and fell silent. Rune could see it
was hard for her to talk about it. Sadness had sunk into her features.
“What happened after that?” he urged.
She took a deep breath. “Then people turned. That’s what I call
them. Turned. Family members’ tears of sorrow quickly changed to screams of
terror as their loved ones became like animals and attacked, tearing out
throats as they killed. My dad and I fled, and
they’re weak of body, and need others to do the physical work. Mentally,
they’re very smart. It’s their ships we arrived on.”
Kylah gave him a hard stare. “A mercenary. I guess you didn’t have
any guilty feelings about what the Xphens did to us Earthlings. As long as they
pay you, huh?”
Rune didn’t get a chance to reply to her question. Kylah ducked
inside the tent. He heard her digging through the supplies before she came back
out, carrying a metal container with a long handle and a can of food. Once
more, she wouldn’t look at him.
For now, he decided to let her keep her silent treatment. He helped
her gather the wood that was inside the perimeter field, then watched her start
the fire. After it was burning nicely, she went into the tent and came out with
two metal plates and eating utensils like the one she’d used the day before to
feed him.
As they ate the food, which was more ravioli, they sat on opposite
sides of the fire. Kylah’s silence started to get to Rune. For some reason, he
wanted to hear her story of what had happened to her after they’d arrived at
Earth. That wasn’t normal for him. Usually, he didn’t care about who he’d been
hired to fight or treat as the enemy.
After they’d finished eating, Rune attempted to get her to talk to
him. “Tell me what happened to you?”
Kylah had been staring at the flames. She jerked her head up and
looked at him. “Why?”
“I want to know.”
“Why? You’re a mercenary. Your kind—at least on Earth—are known for
not giving a shit about anyone but themselves. They’re all for the money, and
will do anything to get it, no matter how gruesome.”
“Tell me about…him.” Rune knew he struck a chord when Kylah visibly
stiffened. “You’re the first Earthling I’ve spent any time with. Make me
understand from your kind’s point of view.”
“I’ll tell you my story if you tell me yours first. How and why did
you become a mercenary?”
“All right.” Rune leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees.
“Dracus is a small planet compared to your Earth, and doesn’t have much in the
way mineral resources, which is the main reason the Xphens have never tried to
conquer us.” He motioned to the landscape around them. “It’s very similar to
this. Plus, there’s the fact my people have been the best mercenaries
throughout the galaxy for many generations. The Xphens know without Dracans
they’d have a hard time filling out their ranks with well-trained soldiers.”
“So you were raised to be a mercenary?”
“Yes. With both my parents being ones, it was inevitable.”
“Your mom was one?”
“Yes. Some of our females will want to fight alongside their mates.
I was raised on different planets and spaceships more than I was on Dracus. So
that’s the how I became a mercenary. As for the why, I wouldn’t know what else
to do. There’s my story. Now it’s your turn.”
Kylah reached over to the stack of wood next to her and then threw a
large branch into the fire. “It all started with the red rain. Anyone who was
caught outside in it ended up with a rash on their skin. My mother was one of
them. It was that night, closer to early morning, when she started coughing up
blood and having it run out of her eyes. She also had a hard time breathing. My
dad took her to the hospital, and I followed. It was jammed packed with sick
people. It wasn’t long before my mom died while waiting to see a doctor. Other
people did as well. All of them had the same symptoms.”
Kylah focused on the flames again and fell silent. Rune could see it
was hard for her to talk about it. Sadness had sunk into her features.
“What happened after that?” he urged.
She took a deep breath. “Then people turned. That’s what I call
them. Turned. Family members’ tears of sorrow quickly changed to screams of
terror as their loved ones became like animals and attacked, tearing out
throats as they killed. My dad and I fled, and
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