Chapter 34

Odin sneered at the bullet hole in his shirt then to the Human who'd fired the gun. "This shirt was a gift."

The rest of the armed Humans began unloading their weapons toward him. He was quick with his shapeshifting, careful to absorb his clothing to preserve it, keep his Host brain from danger, and prevent any rounds from getting past him to Gunner and Zoe. This required him to close the gap between himself and the closest members of the blockade. He wasn't very picky about which forms he used, rapidly shifting between blade tipped tentacles, sheet-like sails of flesh, bone armor, a fatty mass of muscle, claws. The Humans of the blockade shrieked in terror as Odin launched himself into the air, reached down to grab one of their trucks with a newly formed claw and arm, flipped it over himself, then brought it down on another vehicle. He clipped the overpass in the process, raining the area with chunks of concrete, glass, and metal as he landed hard on the sandwiched trucks. He'd made sure to push himself to his current limit mass-wise so he could pull off the maneuver. Doing so also reduced the risk to himself and his Host's brain from the bullets.

"FUCK! It's one of those aliens!" The Bearded Human who had formerly been near the Naked Butcher truck shouted, just before he fired his gun at Odin's side, catching one of the many eyes he'd made for himself. It didn't take long for him to replace it.

Some of the armed Humans scattered. Too panicked to get in their vehicles, they ran down the highway instead, up the hill Odin's party had come from. Meanwhile, Gunner and Zoe continued to stay where they'd been, crouched on the road, with Gunner shielding his daughter using his body. He hadn't even tried to make a move for his car, but at least neither of appeared injured.

Odin sighed out of his many mouths as bullets continued to sting his flesh like mosquitoes. He gave himself a set of legs, padding down from the crushed trucks he'd been resting on. More tendrils from his back, meant he reduced the size of his main body, but they gave him the ability to grab the annoying Humans who'd continued to fire at him, and throw them down the highway past their remaining vehicles. A few of them let out delightful squeals as they sailed through the air. Once the armed Humans were out of the way, Odin continued toward the vehicles that had been moved to block their path. He resumed his Human form, careful to clothe himself so as not to upset Gunner and Zoe anymore than he already had.

"I'll move these vehicles out of the way and you will go back to your sister," Odin said.

Gunner didn't reply.

I may have to drive them back, myself, he thought to himself.

He shook his head, grabbed the bumper of one of the cars and lifted it, then walked it to the side, turning its front to clear a path. He did so with the second vehicle as well, then hurried back to Gunner and Zoe, who were still huddled against the asphalt. Gently, he placed his hand on Gunner's shoulder. He could smell blood, but the blockade Humans had shed quite a bit, despite him doing his best to keep from killing them.

"Gee. Let's get you two in your car and back to Freyja," Odin said.

Gunner finally looked up at him, his eyes red and puffy from panicked sobbing. "You..."

"I am unharmed. I didn't kill anyone," he assured.

Zoe wiped the back of her hand against her cheek and squinted at Odin. "Hair."

He reached up to brush his hand through his hair. In his haste, he'd forgotten he had done away with it while traveling with Gunner so as not to bother his allergies. It didn't seem to be a problem for him at the moment, so he left it.

"Yes. I have hair now," he said with a toothy smile.

She wiped her eyes again and looked toward the opening Odin had made for their car. She pointed with one little hand. "Kitty! Pretty kitty!"

Gunner and Odin followed her gesture to see a large feline figure slinking down the highway toward them. Odin could feel them within the Link now that he wasn't distracted.

"Is that a m-m-mountain lion?" Gunner asked.

"Get in the car," Odin ordered.

"Kitty! Kitty!"

Gunner swallowed hard. "It's one of-"

"Get in the car," he repeated then broke away from them to head toward the advancing mountain lion.

Interesting to see you defend Humans from other Humans, the newcomer said via the Link.

I was ordered to do so, Odin lied.

The lion stopped walking and sat down, cocking their head to the side as they observed him. The Local Probe for this area has been malfunctioning for some time, but I couldn't imagine it being bad enough to order someone to protect Humans from other Humans.

Malfunctioning?

Oh, yes. My team was dispatched to get to the bottom of it. Please, state your True Name and rank, the lion said.

Behind him, Odin heard Gunner fumbling to get Zoe in her car seat. He needed to stall for time and get the road clear, but if the Hive member's Host was a mountain lion he'd be outclassed by mass. That was assuming they hadn't eaten any Humans beyond their Spark. Which was highly unlikely. For now, he decided to go along with the idea that Local Probe 217 had malfunctioned and given him weird orders, rather than anything that had actually happened. There was a slim chance the Hive would take him back if he were to go along with whatever their real plan was...but...it would mean sacrificing Gunner and Zoe. The idea made his heart ache.

Colonel Fetter, he said. Your True Name and rank, please.

Fetter? the lion asked.

Gunner got the car started, but didn't move it. Odin shifted an eye in the back of his head to see Freyja's brother looking out the back window, then motion with his hand for Odin to move. The reverse lights were on. Driving toward the mountain lion in reverse was a great way for his Humans to get killed and eaten.

Yes. Fetter is my True Name, Odin said.

The lion snorted, then outright laughed out loud, speaking in Hive Standard, "Hahahahahah Fetter?! The Host Lover? That Fetter? Hahahha."

The Link between them abruptly cut off.

Fuck.

Odin ran at the mountain lion as they leapt at him. If he could get them out of the way, then Gunner and Zoe could make a run for it. The lion shifted, mid-air, ramming into Odin as he too used his powers to increase his mass to take the hit. They crashed into one of the trucks he had just moved out of the road. He was able to wrap teeth lined tendrils around the newcomer and slam them into the asphalt before being throw into the air and the side of the overpass. Several of the Humans from the blockade had recovered enough to hobble back to the area. Odin held on to the side of the bridge then launched himself at the lion, which had shifted into a larger lion-like form and narrowly missed bringing one massive paw down on Gunner's hood. To Gunner's credit, he didn't hesitate to floor it, driving in reverse through the gap between vehicles, pulling a J-turn, then driving full speed out of the area.

"The fuck do we do, there's two of them now!" Acne Human shouted to the Naked Butcher Human.

Odin was thrown off the lion again into the side retaining wall for the highway. He wasn't strong enough to do much against this Hive member and needed more mass. He hadn't killed any of the Humans who'd attacked them, though he'd left several with broken limbs and bloody wounds. But, he'd only refrained because Gunner and Zoe were in the area. They were gone now.

"Why did the Hive send me here to die?" Odin spat in Hive Standard while pushing himself off the cracked cement wall tiles.

The lion didn't reply as they created more blade tipped tentacles from their back. They did smile, however. Shutting down the Link each time Odin tried to re-establish it. That was no use, but it did distract them long enough for the Blockade Humans to get past their trucks and draw closer to the newcomer. They used whispers and hand signals to tell one another where to go. Odin shifted himself a set of shoulders and powerful hind legs, standing up like a Human.

"Host Lover," the lion finally said with another laugh.

It was clear why he'd been condemned to death on Earth.

Follower.

His precious Follower.

Innocent Follower.

The idea that caring for his Host meant he could be thrown away by the Top Cats made his blood boil. He harnessed that feeling as power from the gods themselves and launched himself forward again. The lion moved to intercept him, which would have worked if Odin hadn't jerked to the right at the last moment, aiming at his true target: the bearded Human who'd driven the Naked Butcher truck. The man slid into Odin's gaping maw with a scream before Odin, shifted and rolled to swallow two more of the now panicked Humans.

He might not be able to beat the mountain lion, but he was going to do everything he could to make the Hive pay. Even if that meant dying to slow just one of their number down.

I love you, Follower.