Oh fuck, more clanless idiots. Avoiding a lethal thrust, I automatically blocked a second with Lilkee's sword and flung myself sideways as a third blade whizzed by.
My senses electrified and adrenaline burning through my veins, everything suddenly seemed to slip into slow motion. Rolling to my feet, I pulled my pistol and shot all three.
A mangy goon kicked the laser pistol out of my hand and tried to decapitate me.
I ducked, and his blade missed me by inches. Deflecting another deadly thrust, I circled my opponent, our swords clashing in a flurry of lunges and vicious cuts.
For what seemed to be an eternity I parried, blocked, and riposted. My muscles began to quiver, and sweat poured down my face. Fear cramped my stomach, and pain radiated up my arms from the force of the blows. I had Voss's skill but not his strength.
Like a wraith, Zarek appeared out of the swirling smoke and hacked off the goon's head. "Leave the battlefield."
"Trying, sir."
He tossed me a laser pistol. "Try harder."
"Yes, sir, but what do I do with Lilkee?"
"Lilkee's here?"
"I captured her, sir. Are you sure she's your daughter?"
Zarek swatted a blade to one side, reversed his swing, and lopped off his opponent's head. "She is of my blood."
"That's gotta suck. Lilkee must take after her mother, because she couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag, and I still can't believe she's humping her brother. I mean how sick is that?" I vaporized a Rodan.
Stunned horror flitted across Zarek's face. "She's what? "
A Tai-Kok warrior landed a powerful right hook to the Overlord's chin, snapping his head back.
I quickly destroyed the monster's mind and took a cautious step away from Zarek. Me and my big mouth. "I thought you knew, sir."
"I did not." Zarek's fury was a living thing.
"Oh. Wow. Uh … Surprise?" I froze as enemy warriors began dropping dead around us. "I'll … uh … brief you after you've finished killing everyone. I mean … It's not like Lilkee's going anywhere, and her ship should be space debris by now."
His teeth bared in a fierce snarl, Zarek pulled his pistol and shot down a charging Bigfoot. "Where is she?"
"Right over … Crap! Where did she go?" I looked around and caught a glance of a scarlet battle suit disappearing in the smoke. "Come back here, you skinny bitch!" I tore after her.
The Overlord's furious voice rocketed around my head. "Zoey, stop!"
A Tai-Kok warrior barreled out of the smoke and slashed at me with his razor-sharp nails.
Pivoting on the balls of my feet, I spun sideways, kicked as hard as I could, and knocked him off balance. With a loud squawk, he crashed into Zarek.
Not even breaking his stride, the Overlord snapped the Tai-Kok's neck and stalked after me with death in his eyes.
Oh dear God! "Don't worry, sir, I'll catch her." Fear gave wings to my feet, and I sped through the battlefield, dodging combatants. She wasn't getting away.
Lilkee glanced over her shoulder, and her eyes widened in horror. "Help me. Someone help me. Please, I need help."
"No kidding." I leaped over a dead body and tackled her. We hit the sand hard. I blocked the pathetic punch she threw and drove my fist into her shrieking mouth. "Shut the hell up."
A steely arm wrapped around my waist, and I was jerked off Lilkee.
"Kill her! Kill her," the bitch cried, scrambling to her feet and wiping at the blood running down her face.
I brought my pistol around in a swift, hard arc.
"Zoey." Zarek's voice was pure menace as he snatched the weapon out of my hand.
"Didn't … didn't know … it was you, sir," I stammered.
He cocked an eyebrow and released me. "Do not leave my side."
"I won't, sir." I held out my hand for the pistol.
"Kill her, Father. She dared to strike me," Lilkee spat, every inch the pampered princess.
Zarek slapped the pistol in my hand and inspected his daughter like a scientist studying an odd but interesting specimen. "Lilkee, I'm not your father."
The color drained from Lilkee's face. "You deny me again?"
"Malik fathered you," Zarek answered, a touch of compassion in his tone.
Whoa! This was way better than a soap opera.
"Malik? But … That can't be. It's impossible. I've slept with him," Lilkee wailed, collapsing in a pitiful heap.
"Does Malik know she's his kid?"
A killing rage simmered in the Overlord's eyes. "He knows."
The sensation of overwhelming danger shot through me. Heart pounding, I whirled like a scalded cat, and brought my pistol up. I spotted the tentacle a second too late. It whipped around my ankle, jerked me off my feet, and dragged me across the blazing hot sand. "Help!"
Three hundred pounds of pure muscle landed on top of me, knocking the air out of my poor abused lungs. Everything spun dizzily around me as I fought for breath.
A bloody sword flashed across my vision, and a Gorum squalled in agony.
I croaked, "Honey bunny, you're squishing me."
Voss leaped to his feet, clutching me against his battered chest. "Better than being eaten, sugar tits."
"True." I glanced over his shoulder and gasped. A herd of Gorum was swarming toward us. "Those aren't my Gorum. Running would be good."
With a snort, Voss quipped, "Ya think?"
Lilkee jumped up and ran toward them, shrieking, "Eat them. Eat them. Eat them."
A brightly tattooed Gorum grabbed Lilkee and stuffed her down his gaping maw.
"Bet she didn't see that coming."
Bellowing a battle cry, Zarek disappeared and reappeared on top of the tattooed Gorum, driving his sword deep into its neck.
It emitted an earsplitting squall and teleported.
"Oh my God! It took the Overlord."
"A decision Balram will soon regret," Voss commented with an evil smile.
"That's Balram?"
"Yes."
"I hope Zarek cuts his traitorous heart out. Balram needs to pay for feeding those poor babies to the Tai-Kok."
"His death is imminent."
"Good." Dozens of tentacles shot toward us. Locking my arms around Voss's neck, I squawked, "Let's get out of here, or do you have a death wish?"
"Warlords don't run."
"Dead warlords certainly don't, and we are a bit outnumbered."
"Yep." A scant second before we would become dinner, Voss teleported, and we appeared on a ridge of rocks.
I looked down at the swarm of Gorum and laughed. Their tentacles were hopelessly knotted together. The more they struggled, the worse it got. "Slick move, sport."
A grim smile curved Voss's mouth. "I am the Overlord's Battle Commander."
"My hero." I placed a gentle kiss on his bruised cheek.
Covered in bloody entrails, Zarek popped in and dropped a hysterically sobbing Lilkee on the ground like yesterday's trash. "Silence, female."
Slimy bits of green innards slid down her face. Her wails grew louder. "He ate me. He ate me."
My stomach roiled. Ewww! Lilkee was now completely bald, and her skin seemed to be molting off in pieces. "What did you expect? You ran right up to them. All they saw was a tasty snack."
"I'm a princess." Lilkee's voice rose to a shrill shriek. "A princess! Balram's our ally. He's not supposed to eat me. He's supposed to eat you filthy hybrids."
God, what a maroon. "I guess daddy dearest didn't tell them that."
Like a cranky two-year-old, Lilkee collapsed to the sand and drummed her heels. "Malik's not my father. He can't be."
"He is, and throwing a temper tantrum isn't going to change that sad fact," I retorted.
"All of you are lying."
"We are not," Zarek spat, pulling entrails off his shoulders.
"That means … I had sex with my father," Lilkee cried, her expression one of total revulsion.
I watched in disgust as a chunk of her nose fell off. "You didn't seem to mind so much when you thought he was your brother."
"Half brother," Lilkee cried.
"Like that makes a different? It's still incest."
Voss shot the Overlord a startled look. "She slept with Malik?"
"It seems there is no end to his depravities," Zarek growled.
"He actually makes my dad seem like an upright fellow," I commented.
The Overlord snorted incredulously.
"Or not. I bet Malik didn't get enough hugs as a child."
In unison both men growled, "Hugs?"
"Oh. Right. My bad. Warlords don't do hugs."
Lilkee's ear rolled off her shoulder and hit the sand.
That can't be good. I pointed to her ear. "Is that supposed to happen?"