Page 9 of Mazorium Buys a Human

The small room gave the Tulks an advantage. Risking injury to my arm, I grabbed one of the Tulks by the long hair on his chest and pulled him forward and past me. His head hit the wall hard enough to daze him, and I was able to shove him into another Tulk.

This gave me the opening I needed to step away from the wall. One of the other three Tulks swung a fist at me, but I easily batted it to the side and returned the blow with one to his sternum. I wasn’t knowledgeable about Tulk physiology, but I must've hit a vulnerable spot because the Tulk went down to his knees, gasping.

The two remaining Tulks lowered their heads and huffed strangely. Their chests puffed out, and when I went to strike the same spot on another's chest, it felt like I’d punched a stone. Apparently, I’d gotten lucky with the other Tulk because he hadn’t engaged whatever inner protection these two had.

Backing up a little, I kicked a small table into the air. A second kick sent it into the Tulk rushing at me. He cried out in surprise and stumbled. While that Tulk struggled to regain his balance, I advanced on the last Tulk. I needed to subdue him quickly while we were one-on-one.

The Tulk huffed and squealed, trying to intimidate me. He lowered his head and charged. I waited until the last momentand stepped to the side, delivering a blow to his head with all the force of my turning body.

His squeal cut off and his limp body fell to the ground.

The Tulk I’d punched in the sternum was back on his feet. I faced him, ready for a battle. He looked at the other fallen Tulks, then sprinted for the door. The Tulk I’d kicked the table into followed his friend out into the hall.

I let them go. I didn’t care about them; only my humans mattered.

Effik lay on the ground weeping and clutching his broken arm. “Don’t kill me!” he begged. I ignored him. He wasn’t worth my breath.

I stepped on him to get to Mika where she was huddled in the corner. I crouched down, resisting the urge to touch her. She was facing the wall with her body wrapped around Nadia, shielding her. I was relieved to realize the pup had stopped crying.

“Mika?” I murmured, sounding a soothing rumble. “I’m here. You’re safe.”

She lifted and turned her head to look at me over her shoulder. Her eyes were large and frightened.

“Mazorium? Please don’t hurt me,” she whispered.

I was confused by that. “I’d never hurt you.”

She stared at me as if weighing my words for truthfulness. She slowly turned until she sat facing me. She looked past me to take in the carnage.

“You beat all of them,” she said with wonder.

“Yes,” I agreed. “I’ll always defeat anyone standing between you and me.”

She didn’t respond, only stared at the sobbing Effik. That’s when I understood she might be concerned I’d be violent with her because I’d been violent with them.

“I’d never use my strength on you,” I assured her. “There is no reason to resort to violence between us.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me for protecting you. As your owner, it’s my privilege. I only regret this happened. You’ve been traumatized enough already.”

“I, um, I might have contributed to the situation," she said, sliding her gaze away from me.

I snorted. “Highly unlikely. Now, I want to take you back to the medical bay. Can I lift you up, please?”

“I can walk,” she said. “You don’t have to carry me.”

Nadia started fussing and crying. The sound filled me with distress.

“It’ll be faster if I carry you,” I insisted, edging closer. “I’m going to put an arm at your back and one under your knees. That way I can carry both of you safely and comfortably.”

She didn’t agree, but when I placed my hands and arms where they needed to go, she didn’t protest or struggle. If anything, I was sure she relaxed into my embrace. I stood slowly so she wouldn’t be startled and then made my way over each of the unconscious or crying Tulks and out the still open door.

“You sound like you're purring,” she said as I walked swiftly down the hall.

“What’s purring?” I asked, happy to talk about anything she wanted to.

“There were animals back on Old Earth that purred,” she explained. “It would sound from their chest, like you are doing.”