Star Kissed

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

“Test results are favorable,” the healer said, pleased.

Strapped to the hospital bed, Mandy rolled her eyes.

“This next test won’t be as painless,” the healer said. “It’ll be brief, though.”

The ceiling opened, and what looked like a casket lined with needles descended.

 “Can we talk about this?” she asked uneasily, staring wide-eyed at the dome lowering from the ceiling.

The room bucked suddenly, throwing the two healers to the ground. The guard caught himself against the wall. Mandy strained to sit then dropped back. Another jolt knocked the guard flat, too.

Was there turbulence in space?

She frowned. Securely strapped to the bed, she was unaffected by the bumps. A third came, and a strange wail filled the air. Mandy winced at the blaring sound, unable to determine where it came from. A fourth then fifth bump kept the three on the floor while she tugged at her wrists. The needle-filled casket above her wobbled but held. Even so, she wasn’t comfortable with a thousand needles dangling over her while the space ship went through turbulence.

“Is this normal?” she asked after the sixth and worst jolt yet.

One of the healers made it to his feet and stumbled out of the door.

The turbulence stopped. Mandy rested back on the bed, assuming whatever space storm they flown through was over. The guard and remaining healer climbed to their feet. The guard left while the healer took a tool from the table and ran it over his body. He shook his head.

Mandy sighed, not understanding the world.

“What is that sound?” she asked, irritated by the high-pitched wail.

“Attack alert.”

“Attack?” Her heart soared at the though that maybe Akkadi was alive and coming after her. “Who is it?”

The healer shakily opened a storage box and took out a spray-can-sized weapon she recognized from Urik’s arsenal.

“Kini,” he said unsteadily.

“Oh. Is he a Naki?” she asked, puzzled.

The healer said nothing else but held the can out and closed his eyes. Seconds later, red splattered Mandy. She opened her eyes and screamed.

Half the healer was gone, disintegrated into red spray that dripped off the walls and ceiling.

Mandy spit the blood out of her mouth and squeezed her eyes closed, willing herself not to vomit when she was stuck on a table. Seconds later, someone snapped one wristband open.

She peeked through her eyelashes. The other healer had returned and was freeing her.

She rolled off the bed and threw up, disgusted by the feeling of someone else’s blood all over her.

“Come. We must make it to the escape pod,” the second healer said, pulling her to her feet. “This will help you.” He pressed something to the plug at the base of her neck.

Mandy felt nothing but suddenly, the spinning world stabilized and her heart began to race unnaturally. She grew too aware of everything, as if someone had turned up the intensity of her world. She had the urge to run far and fast, to release the burst of energy roaring through her blood.

“What is that?” she demanded, touching the plug.

“Adrenaline.”

He took her arm and tugged her through the door past the sitting area and into the hallways. The scent of fried metal filled her nostrils, and she thought for a moment she could see through walls, if she tried hard enough. Mandy wiped her face, sweating. Willing herself not to throw up, she found the sensations of her surroundings overwhelming.