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The creature roared. It spun, but Zeke held on. He hacked again, and again, and the leg joint broke. The creature bucked, and Zeke went flying.

“Zeke!” Marc yelled.

Zeke hit the ground hard. He tried to push up, but collapsed.

We kept firing our carbines.

Even with its broken leg, the monster hobbled closer to Zeke.Crap. It was going to trample him.

I raced toward my friend, firing at the monster.

But the laser fire was just making it angry.

It waved two legs in the air and let out a deafening screech.

Jess

God,it was huge.

We all kept firing, for all the good it was doing.

My gaze swung to North. He’d pulled a dazed Zeke up and had an arm around his broad form.

The monster let out another screech, shifting to focus on the men.

Shit, it was going to attack them.

“Hey!” I yelled and fired at its face. “Over here, asshole.”

It roared, two legs slamming down into the ground.

“North, hurry!” I shouted.

But the massive body moved, the hungry red gaze locking on North and Zeke again.

My chest locked.No.

There was a whoosh of sound. A Talon flew overhead, its auto-turret firing.

“Everyone get clear,” Colbie’s voice said across the comm line.

“Nice timing, lark,” Marc said.

I raced toward North and Zeke. I slid my arm around Zeke and helped North carry his weight. Zeke looked at me, but his pupils were dilated, his face dazed.

“Concussion?” I said.

“Likely,” North replied.

Suddenly, the monster reared up in front of us, one black leg spearing into the air.

It hit the Talon.

“Colbie!” Marc yelled.

The Talon spun. I gasped, my insides freezing. I imagined Colbie fighting for control.

“Hell,” North said.