Survivors (Hell Squad #19) Read online

  Survivors

  Hell Squad #19

  Anna Hackett

  Survivors

  Published by Anna Hackett

  Copyright 2020 by Anna Hackett

  Cover by Melody Simmons of BookCoversCre8tive

  Edits by Tanya Saari

  ISBN (ebook): 978-1-925539-90-5

  ISBN (paperback): 978-1-925539-91-2

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  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

  Contents

  What readers are saying about Anna’s romances

  Anna Hackett Box Set

  Nate

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Dak

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Alexander

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Preview: Hell Squad - Tane

  Preview: Among Galactic Ruins

  Also by Anna Hackett

  About the Author

  What readers are saying about Anna’s romances

  Heart of Eon - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) winner 2020

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  Cyborg - PRISM Award Winner 2019

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  Edge of Eon and Mission: Her Protection - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2019

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  Unfathomed and Unmapped - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2018

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  Unexplored – Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) Novella Winner 2017

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  Return to Dark Earth – One of Library Journal's Best E-Original Books for 2015 and two-time SFR Galaxy Awards winner

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  At Star’s End – One of Library Journal's Best E-Original Romances for 2014

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  The Phoenix Adventures – SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Most Fun New Series and “Why Isn’t This a Movie?” Series

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  Hell Squad – SFR Galaxy Award for best Post-Apocalypse for Readers who don’t like Post-Apocalypse

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  "Like Indiana Jones meets Star Wars. A treasure hunt with a steamy romance." – SFF Dragon, review of Among Galactic Ruins

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  "Strap in, enjoy the heat of romance and the daring of this group of space travellers!" – Di, Top 500 Amazon Reviewer, review of At Star’s End

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  “Action, danger, aliens, romance – yup, it’s another great book from Anna Hackett!” – Book Gannet Reviews, review of Hell Squad: Marcus

  Sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances.

  * * *

  Click here to get started: www.annahackett.com

  Nate

  Chapter One

  As Nate Caldwell strolled out of the trees, axe resting on his shoulder, he let out a sharp whistle.

  It was hot, and he’d worked up a sweat. His ratty T-shirt—which had definitely seen better days—was clinging to his chest. His blue heeler peeled out of the trees, tongue out, tail wagging. His dog didn’t mind the heat, as long as she got to run, sniff, and chase small animals.

  As long as Blue got fed, she was happy. She didn’t care that aliens had invaded and destroyed the world.

  Nate had mixed feelings about the apocalypse. He was perfectly fine here in Australia’s Blue Mountains, alone and off-grid. Once, he’d been a social guy and enjoyed beers with his fellow Marines, and dinner with his family in Colorado. And he hadn’t minded a hot, sweaty night with a curvy woman, either.

  But that felt like a lifetime ago. He’d been alone even before the aliens had come with their ships, and he’d been alone the two years since.

  Too many deployments, the loss of too many friends, watching good men and women blown apart, had worn him out. His last few months in the United Coalition Marines had felt like someone had a boot on his back, grinding him down, until one day Nate had woken up and realized there was nothing left of him.

  PTSD. That’s what the Marine Corps shrinks had said. He’d been honorably discharged, did his stint in therapy, tried medication, but he hadn’t really adjusted to life out of the military. He’d started drinking, fighting, pushed his family away.

  Reaching his cabin, he slammed his axe into a log resting near the door. An ugly mix of emotion—like battery acid in his gut—churned inside him.

  He’d been really fucked-up back then. Discovering that his crusty great-aunt had left him a cabin in the Australian mountains had happened at just the right time. He’d left his family and disintegrating life in Colorado behind. Being alone here had helped him find some sense of balance. Thanks to Aunt Janine, he’d regained a few pieces of himself that had gone missing.

  The alien invasion had also put things in perspective. His family, like most of the world, were probably dead. He had no way to contact them anymore. Either way, he figured they were better off without him.

  Nate reached up and stripped his shirt off. He grabbed a bucket of water he’d left resting there and tipped it over his head.

  He was in better shape now than when he’d been an active Marine. Living off the land and spending his days out in the forest had left him fit and lean.

  He glanced toward the western horizon, above the dense trees. The sun was setting, painting the sky with a pink-tinged, golden glow. He didn’t spot any Hawk quadcopters in the air today, or the distinctive, triangular alien ships that reminded him of flying dinosaurs.

  But he’d seen them before. He knew that some human survivors were fighting back. Nate stared hard at the trees. Not for the first time, the thought occurred to him that he had the skills to help… He shook his head and turned to his cabin.

  He liked being alone. He was better alone.

  He jogged up the steps and inside the cabin. It wasn’t fancy, and as usual, he wondered if anything had changed since his aunt had first lived in it. He knew he sure as hell hadn’t spent any time decorating.

  He opened some cupboards and pulled out the cooler where he kept yesterday’s food cool. He grabbed some meat and fed Blue, and then set about making his own meal.

  Sitting down, he shoveled cooked meat and chopped vegetables from his garden into his mouth. In the beginning, he’d hated the silence—no voices, no television—but now, he was used to it.

  After scarfing down her food, Blue had moved to her favorite spot on the rug to curl up. But as Nate sipped one of the last few bottles of beer he had, the dog rose, her body stiff. She let out an unhappy whine.

  He frowned. “What is it, girl?”

  Blue took a step toward the door, and this time, the cattle dog let out a growl.

  The hairs on the back of Nate’s neck lifted and he straightened in his chair. He heard a noise outside, and he shoved his chair back and shot to his feet.

  That sounded like…a woman’s scream.

  Nate strode forward, grabbing his laser carbine off the hook beside the door. He shoved his feet back into his boots and a second later, he was pushing his way out the door, Blue on his heels.
/>
  As he raced outside, he noticed that darkness had fallen like a thick, impenetrable blanket. The moon was out, but currently trapped behind some clouds. He heard the sounds of a chase in the trees. To the left. He pivoted and started running.

  His eyes quickly adjusted to the gloom. Branches slapped at him, but he powered onward. He could hear the aliens now. Their guttural voices were pretty distinctive.

  Nate pushed for more speed, leaping over a fallen log.

  A second later, he reached a clearing. The clouds shifted and a shaft of moonlight speared down.

  A young woman broke out of the trees. She was practically naked, except for a stained, white T-shirt that left her long, coltish legs bare. Her feet were covered in mud and blood.

  Honey-blonde hair was a tangle around her face. A bloodstained face. She was also clutching a bloody knife in her hand.

  Her wide eyes met his. “They’re coming!”

  Nate took two steps forward and lifted his carbine. The woman headed in his direction and tripped.

  He lunged and grabbed her with one hand. Their gazes met.

  She had huge, brown eyes.

  Then two enormous alien soldiers broke out of the trees behind her.

  The bastards were big, packed with muscle, and covered in thick, mottled-gray, scaly skin. Heavy brow ridges and elongated jaws dominated their faces, along with glowing, red eyes. Each alien soldier clutched a huge, scaled weapon in their clawed hands.

  Nate shoved the woman down to the ground and opened fire.

  The laser fire made her jolt.

  Even though she wanted to hide and cower, Ariana Matthews forced herself to look up. The man beside her was firing at the aliens, calm and focused.

  Her bent knees rested on his heavy boots. The leather was scarred and well-worn. She wondered if she was in shock to be thinking about something so inconsequential.

  Can’t lose focus. Can’t get distracted.

  Her heart beat in her chest like a frantic, caged animal, fighting for freedom. She curled her fingers, with their broken, ragged nails, into her palms. She wouldn’t go back to the aliens’ fucking lab of horrors. She was done being their chew toy.

  Ari swiveled on the ground. Her savior kept firing, and he held his weapon like an expert. He had military training for sure.

  A second later, the raptors were both down—groaning and bleeding.

  The man lowered his weapon and glanced down at her.

  She got a good look at him in the moonlight. Rugged face, auburn hair, and thick scruff on his cheeks. He also had a wide, wide, wide chest. His T-shirt was strained to the limit, the bands of his sleeves biting into his huge biceps.

  He strode toward the downed aliens, and she jumped to her feet and followed. Dispassionately, the man fired his weapon again, then crouched, checking that they were dead. She noted that the aliens were bleeding from their eyes. She knew that it was the trees that affected them. They really didn’t like the Aussie vegetation. Ari’s grandmother would have gotten a kick out of knowing the native plant life repelled the invaders.

  Ari’s throat thickened. But her nan was gone now, probably like the rest of her family.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  The man glanced at her. “You escaped from them?”

  She nodded, a shiver running through her. “I’ve been trapped in one of their labs, not far from here.” She wrapped an arm around herself. She’d seen so many people die, suffered so much.

  Free. You’re free.

  The man rose from his crouch.

  Ari swallowed. “I’m Ariana. Ariana Matthews. My friends call me—” her voice cracked, her chest tightening. “They called me Ari.”

  The man lifted his chin. “Nate Caldwell.”

  A noise broke into their conversation. A stick snapping.

  They both spun.

  Another huge alien stepped out from behind the trunk of a large Eucalyptus tree.

  It was focused on Nate, its demonic eyes flaring red. Time seemed to pass in slow motion, the alien lifting its scaled weapon. Ari knew from bitter experience that the guns fired poison that burned and paralyzed.

  Nate was turning, raising his own weapon, but she knew he wouldn’t be fast enough.

  Without conscious thought, Ari threw the knife she was holding.

  The blade slammed into the alien’s face. It let out a loud grunt of pain. She couldn’t even find it in herself to be horrified. Instead, anger exploded inside her.

  This alien had come to Earth intent on destruction. It had kept her caged like an animal. It had cut into her skin. It had hurt her.

  The alien went down, making horrible, guttural sounds. She rushed forward, brushing past a stunned Nate, and snatched up the alien’s weapon. Damn, it weighed a ton.

  She wrestled with the gun, struggling to hold it up. But she managed to aim it at the alien’s chest and fired.

  Poison splattered over the alien’s scaled body, the green substance burning and sizzling. The alien let out a choked scream that cut off a second later.

  She kept firing the weapon. “You evil motherfuckers. You had no right to slaughter us.”

  Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and she jolted.

  She spun, and Nate gripped the weapon before she rammed it into his gut. He had a strange look on his face.

  And what she thought might be admiration in his blue eyes.

  “We need to go,” he said.

  She nodded, letting him take the weapon out of her hands. Ari took a step, then her knees gave out.

  But she didn’t hit the ground.

  Nate Caldwell swept her into his brawny arms.

  God, he was so solid, so strong. It had been a really long time since someone had held her, helped her. Tears filled her eyes.

  He stilled. “You just escaped the aliens, then took one down, and now you’re going to cry?”

  “Sorry,” she sniffed.

  He set off into the trees, shrugging one big shoulder. “Figure you’re entitled to a cry.”

  “You aren’t going to do the man thing and get all uncomfortable?”

  “Think I can handle a few tears. And I didn’t make you cry.” He paused. “Right?”

  She swiped her hand across her face and let out a rough laugh. “Right.”

  She spotted the dog waiting for them by the trees. “You have a dog?”

  “Ari, meet Blue.”

  “Hey, Blue.”

  The dog’s tail wagged.

  They traveled through the dark forest for so long that Ari was completely lost. Even with the moonlight, she had no idea which direction they were going. At university, she’d depended on her map app on her phone to get her anywhere. Boy, she had a terrible sense of direction.

  Moments later, she spotted the cabin. It was old, but looked cozy. “This is your place?”

  “Home sweet home.”

  When Nate took her inside, she felt like she’d stepped back in time. A small, high-tech lantern set the place aglow. The kitchen cabinets had old metal latches and the counter tops were a faded shade of mustard that should never, ever have been used. The couch sagged and had a crocheted blanket resting over the back of it.

  He set her down on an old, over-stuffed chair and then knelt beside her. “You’re safe now.”

  Looking into his blue eyes, for the first time in what felt like forever, Ari believed it. “Thank you, Nate Caldwell.”

  Chapter Two

  “Any of that blood yours?” Nate scanned Ari. It was hard to tell through the dirt and bloodstains, but she was probably in her early twenties. So damned young.

  Her brown eyes flashed. “I killed one of the aliens to get free.”

  Her eyes looked older, though. The alien invasion had forced lots of people to grow up fast.

  She lifted a slim leg, studying it. “Um, maybe my feet are bleeding.”

  Nate’s gaze dropped, sliding down her bare skin—slim thigh, shapely calf, almost delicate ankle. A jolt of awareness hit him.

/>   He gritted his teeth. Hell, she was hurt and vulnerable and young. She didn’t need him ogling her.

  He rose, rifling under the sink to pull out his first aid kit. Then he returned and crouched beside her. Using some wipes, he started cleaning her feet. Her skin was a gorgeous golden-brown.

  She was still and quiet, and when he glanced up, he saw that she was watching him.

  “What?” he asked.

  She smiled. “I haven’t had anyone look out for me in a really long time.”

  “What happened to your family?”

  Her smile faded, and he was sorry he asked. Last thing she needed was to rehash what had happened to her.

  “I was a student at the University of Sydney. My mum and dad live in Victoria.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “They’re likely dead.”

  Grief coated her voice. “Mine, too. They were in Colorado.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

  “Me, too.”

  Nate put some antiseptic cream on some of her deeper scratches. Thankfully, nothing needed stitches. Then he touched her ankle. Her legs were sleek and toned, and his body took notice.