The Kreq shuttle flew over the camp in front of the dome. The two men inside the shuttle watched as the group looked up at them.

Making another pass, the dirt kicked up, creating a dust cloud. It rose from the ground, making it difficult to see. It was like being in the center of a sandstorm for those in the camp.

Aleigha exited the tent and looked up. She wasn't sure if they were a diversion to help her get back to the dome or not. She decided to use it for what it could be. Peering up at the shuttle and then around the camp to make sure she didn't have eyes watching her, she prepared to run.

While everyone else watched the shuttle as it made one pass after another, Aleigha ran for the dome, hoping she wouldn't be seen by anyone in the camp. When she checked, she didn't see anyone watching her. They were all focused on the Kreq shuttle flying overhead.

She regretted going out to the camp almost immediately after she was caught by Steve, especially after she was taken to Eric, who immediately took her pocket knife and tied her to a chair.

The information she found out was all basic. It wasn't good enough to risk her life with and be away from her mate and infant son. She wanted to go home, but they watched her like a hawk, making it difficult for her to sneak away.

All these people in the camp were a group of humans who were once flesh-eating zombies from the hidden city that was meant to be a trap. They wanted to take back the planet and kill everyone who wasn't human. Some wanted revenge; others hated them for what had happened to them personally; others for what happened to the planet.

Aleigha had been with them for several weeks. Both Steve and Eric had started making advances, attempting not to give her a choice. She wanted a choice. The only man she wanted touching her was Merrick, and he was inside the dome with their infant son.

Her lungs burned from the dust as she ran toward the dome as fast as she could.

The shuttle made another pass, kicking up more dust. She kept running, trying not to breathe in the dust.

When she made it to the east gate, the door remained firmly locked. Looking up, she saw Vorik, Merrick, and Seeran watching her. She didn't know why they wouldn't open the door for her.

Making a sharp turn, she headed for the hidden entrance to the tunnels, hoping she could get out of sight before anyone saw where she went or that she was gone in the first place.

She didn't look behind her; all she wanted was to get away. She needed to see where she was going.

The shuttle made another pass, and the loud whine of the engines echoed around her. She hoped they were there to help her. Her gut told her there was more to it because Merrick, Vorik, and Seeran were watching her, not letting her into the dome.

She had been gone a long time. She had no idea what went on inside the dome and why they didn't open the door for her. She felt fear that maybe Merrick didn't love her anymore, or Vorik didn't want her in the dome after she left it to go to the camp to try to defuse the situation.

The sound of the shuttle was now in the distance; she hid on the side of the dome to take a breath. She looked at the camp. The people were fighting the dust as the shuttle continued to make passes. Eric was looking around. He appeared to be looking for something. She hoped it wasn't her.

She was well hidden, but it scared her that he might be able to see her. With each passing day, he became more and more dangerous.

Once he looked away, she began running again, making it to the hidden entrance. She flung the branches to the side so she could replace them and opened the grate. She crawled inside the hidden tunnel and quickly moved the branches back through the bars, and then crawled through the tunnel. When the tunnel declined, she slid down, still rushing to get away. She didn't know if she was being followed. She wanted enough distance to get away if she was.

Her bladed staffs were still tucked in her boots, but she couldn't fight with them in the tunnel. There wasn't enough room to extend them or fight with them. It was too close quarters.

She found the vent grate into the main tunnel system, pulled it aside, and crawled through. She replaced the grate and firmly closed the lock. It had been left open when she found it. Not having a key, she kept it unlocked. She only made it look locked. Fear of being followed, she locked it.

Aleigha ran through the tunnel system; now able to stand, she ran for the hidden city and stepped inside, closing the door. She was out of breath. Her lungs burned. There was no way she could run out of the tunnels and into the dome. She stood at the door and listened for sounds of footfalls or any evidence that she had been followed. She heard nothing. There was no sign of her being followed.

She let herself rest, but only long enough for her to make it to the dome.

When she opened the door and let it close, she started toward the entrance of the dome out of the tunnels. Eric stepped in front of her.

"Hello, doll," he told her. "Why did you run?" His features were in a sinister sneer.

"I ran because I don't want you. You keep trying to force me. I don't want you. I don't want Steve. I feel like a prisoner. I won't stay if I feel like a prisoner!" Aleigha yelled. "No one touches me unless I want them to!" she added, forcing each word out. She was too out of breath to speak clearly.

Eric smiled. "You're a little girl. You don't have a choice."

Aleigha backed away and ran. She went around a corner and pulled out a bladed staff, snapping it open. The ominous sound echoed through the tunnels.

Eric came around the corner. She stopped, giving herself room, and smiled. "I may be a little girl, but I am a well-trained little girl. When this shit started, I was a world champion weapons master for my age group."

Eric sneered. "Were you ever even infected?"

Aleigha moved her staff back, nearly behind her, ready to strike. "Yes, but I was cured because I found my mate. Those green aliens you hate so much, one of them is my mate. He is waiting for me with my child, who is also his."

Eric backed away, disgust on his features. "You let one of those things touch you?"

"It's way better than letting you touch me. He gives me a choice. I have been lucky that you haven't succeeded in forcing me outright. I would kill you at that moment." Aleigha spat out. "Between you and Steve, I don't know who is worse. You're more disgusting. He is just an ass. Neither of you is my mate. If I'm going to let anyone touch me, it's my mate."

Eric stepped forward while Aleigha stepped back. "There are already too many half-breeds. I've seen a lot of green-tinted humans. It's disgusting."

Aleigha laughed. "You think those are half-breeds? Those are Kreq from a planet called Krogen. My mate is Ramesian. The youngest half-breed is not even a year old! The invasion wasn't as long ago as you think it was!"

Eric looked stunned, then suddenly sneered, heading for Aleigha.

Aleigha swung her staff in a wide arch, slicing Eric's chest. Blood seeped out of the wound. She jabbed the blade of her staff into his chest, bending forward to force him to look her in the eye. "If you knew all the details of the invasion, you wouldn't hate them. They are trying their best to save as many humans as they can. You are standing in the way. The leader may not condone me killing you, but you deserve it. If I ever see Steve again, he will be next."

Aleigha pulled the blade of her staff out of his chest and swung in a wide circle. The blade cut through his neck. His head fell to the floor with a thud. His lifeless eyes stared up at nothing.

Aleigha walked toward the door to the dome.

"You killed him!" It was Steve's shocked voice.

Aleigha turned around. "He gave me no choice."

Steve stormed forward, ready to fight. Aleigha swung her blade, cutting his forearms as he held them up to protect himself. Her blade was too sharp. There was nothing he could do.

"You wanted to rape me, just like him. I will kill you, too. The only person who touches me is my Ramesian mate!" Aleigha growled, then swung her blade again at Steve, hissing as she did. "Neither of you succeeded, but it doesn't matter. I'm still going to make you suffer for it if I can."

Steve stepped forward. He had not heard the part about who she was before the invasion. He only saw her stab Eric with her blade.

Aleigha swung her blade again, hitting his abdomen, cutting through the soft flesh. The string of entrails threatened to seep out.

Both of his hands shot out, grasping his stomach, trying to keep his intestines from leaking out. His eyes went unfocused as he looked at her in disbelief.

Aleigha stood upright, yet ready to attack again. She was out of breath but knew she needed to be ready for him to attack again. She waited for Steve's next move.

"Who else followed you down here?" she asked calmly. Her eyes focused on Steve, not caring that he was bleeding out as he tried to hold himself in.

"No one else saw," he wheezed. "I saw Eric and followed him. I didn't know he followed you until after I got down here." His face was drained of color the longer he stood there holding his insides in. His life was leaving him quickly.

Aleigha eyed him. "When you first found me, you said you would protect me. We reached the camp, and I was tied up. It didn't take long for me to need protection from not only Eric but you, too."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his eyes growing more unfocused. Aleigha didn't know if it was from the pain or the dying. She figured it was a little bit of both.

Aleigha bent forward. "If I have to kill everyone in that camp to save those living in the dome, I will. They aren't bad. There were extenuating circumstances to their invasion. If you knew all the details, you would think differently about them. The ones in power controlling them are all dead. Now we're all just trying to repair the damage that was done." Her voice was deadly calm.

Aleigha watched as Steve sank onto the concrete floor. She walked into the hidden city and called Council Leader Vorik. "I'm in the tunnels at the entrance of the tunnel city. I killed the leader; the second in command is still alive but is dying quickly. They might have been followed."

She ended the communication and watched Steve, still ready for more of their men to show up. It was all men. There had been a couple of females, but they wouldn't have followed. Eric kept close tabs on them, forcing them when he wanted a quick fuck.

The only reason they hadn't gone that far with her was that they saw her as still a child. When she fought them to stop, they stopped because, in their eyes, she wasn't the right age. They had some limits, at least. She knew that it wouldn't be long before they no longer used her age to stop themselves. They would force her regardless.

An echo of footsteps sounded down the hall toward the door to the dome. The first person she saw was Merrick. He didn't even glance at her. His eyes focused on the dying Steve.

Vorik came rushing past, also ignoring her. She felt a pinprick on her neck. She looked over to see Medic Kaul with an injector. Her eyes closed, and everything went dark.

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