Page 16

CHAPTER 16

SHOMUN

I burst into the office, the door slamming against the wall with a crack that would’ve made Pyke wince. Mira’s sprawled on the floor, her red scales dulled by the blood pooling beneath her. Her chest rises and falls in shallow, labored breaths, but her eyes snap open the moment I kneel beside her.

“Claire,” she rasps, her voice a jagged edge. “Brick took her. I couldn’t stop him.”

“You’re alive. That’s enough.” I press a hand to her side, feeling the warmth of her regeneration already knitting the worst of the damage. “Where’s Pyke?”

“On his way. But you don’t have time to wait.” She grabs my wrist, her grip weak but insistent. “You need to go. Now.”

“I know.” I stand, my scales rippling with barely contained fury. “Ryan Pax. He’s behind this.”

“It’s a trap, Shomun.” Her voice sharpens, cutting through the haze of my anger. “You know it is.”

“Of course it’s a trap.” I stride to the desk, pulling up the Veritas network on the holo-display. The map flashes, pinpointing Pax’s yacht out on the Gulf. “But Claire’s out there. I’m not leaving her to him.”

Mira struggles to sit up, wincing as her body protests. “Let me come with you.”

“You’re in no shape to fight.” I glance at her, my tone softening. “Call Pyke. Tell him to send reinforcements. And stay alive. That’s an order.”

She glares at me, but there’s no heat in it. “You’re an idiot, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.” I grab my compad and head for the door, pausing only to glance back at her. “Don’t die while I’m gone.”

“Same to you, big guy.”

The marina’s quiet, the kind of stillness that feels like the world’s holding its breath. My speedboat’s waiting, bobbing gently in the water like it knows what’s coming. I climb aboard, firing up the engine with a roar that shatters the silence. The boat leaps forward, cutting through the waves like a blade.

The Gulf stretches out before me, vast and endless, but my focus is on the horizon. Somewhere out there, Claire’s waiting. And I’ll tear the ocean apart to get to her.

The Gulf’s wind whips against my scales as I spot the two speedboats closing in. Plasma rifles gleam in the hands of the grolgath aboard, their green scales catching the sunlight like polished jade. I curse under my breath, my claws tightening on the wheel. Of course I didn’t bring a weapon. Of course I didn’t think. Claire’s face flashes in my mind—her honey-blonde hair, those green eyes that see right through me—and I grit my teeth. I’m not dying here. Not before I get her back.

The first shot sizzles past my ear, close enough to singe the air. I jerk the wheel hard to the left, the boat skidding across the water like a stone. Another shot hits the hull, the plasma burning through the fiberglass. I can smell the acrid stench of it.

“Come on, you scaly bastards!” I roar, my voice carrying over the waves. “Is that all you’ve got?”

One of the grolgath laughs, a harsh, guttural sound. “The Vakutan’s got no teeth, boys! Let’s finish him!”

I don’t wait for them to take another shot. I slam the throttle forward, the boat surging toward the nearest speedboat. The grolgath scramble, their rifles swinging toward me, but I’m already too close. My boat rams into theirs with a deafening crunch, the impact sending me flying. I hit the water hard, the shockwave from the explosion propelling me toward the second speedboat.

I grab the edge of the boat as I surface, hauling myself aboard with a snarl. The grolgath are caught off guard, their rifles useless at this range. I don’t give them time to think. My claws tear into the first one, ripping through scales and flesh like paper. He screams, a sound that’s cut short as I hurl him overboard.

The second one lunges at me, his claws slashing toward my face. I catch his wrist, twisting until I hear the snap of bone. He howls, but I don’t stop. My fist slams into his chest, the force of it sending him crashing into the console. The boat lurches, but I’m already on him, my claws sinking into his throat.

“You think you can take her from me?” I roar, my voice raw with fury. “You think you can touch her and live?”

The last one tries to run, but I’m on him before he can take two steps. I grab him by the tail—stupid, useless appendage—and yank him back. He hits the deck hard, and I’m on him, my claws tearing into his chest. He’s dead before he can scream.

I stand there, breathing hard, my scales slick with blood. The boat’s controls are still intact, the engine humming softly. I wipe the blood from my claws and take the wheel, my eyes fixed on the horizon. Claire’s out there. And I’m coming for her.

The yacht looms ahead, sleek and menacing, cutting through the Gulf’s dark waters. Ryan Pax stands on the deck, his green scales glinting under the moonlight, a plasma pistol pressed to Claire’s temple. Her honey-blonde hair spills over her shoulders, and even from here, I can see the tightness in her jaw, the defiance in her eyes. She’s scared—I can smell it—but she’s holding it together. That’s my girl.

I leap onto the deck, the impact shuddering through my legs. Water and blood drip from my scales, pooling at my feet. Ryan’s lips curl into a smirk, his yellow eyes narrowing as he watches me. “Took you long enough, Shomun. I was starting to think you’d lost your touch.”

“If you kill her,” I growl, my voice low and dangerous, “you won’t live long enough to regret it.”

He laughs, a sharp, grating sound that grates on my nerves. “Oh, I’m not going to kill her. Not yet, anyway. But you? You’ve been interfering with our operations far too long. It’s time for you to die.”

“If Claire dies, you die. Period. End of story.” My claws flex, the tips clicking against my palms. I take a step forward, but Ryan’s grip on Claire tightens, the barrel of the pistol digging into her skin. She winces, and I freeze.

Ryan’s smirk widens. “I’m not going to fight you, Shomun. That’s what Brick’s for.”

At his words, the angler’s chair behind him shifts, the wood and fabric twisting and morphing until Brick’s massive form stands there, scales glistening, his yellow eyes locked on me. He’s huge, his girth almost as intimidating as his height, and he cracks his knuckles with a sound like snapping bones.

“Should’ve stayed in your lane, lizard,” Brick says, his voice a deep rumble. He charges before I can respond, his fist slamming into my chest with the force of a freight train. I skid back, my claws digging into the deck to stop myself from going overboard. My ribs scream in protest, but I force myself to stand. No time to think. No time to feel.

Brick’s on me again, his fists a blur. I duck and weave, but he’s fast—faster than he looks. His elbow catches me in the temple, and the world spins. I hit the deck, the wood splintering under my weight. My arm’s broken—I can feel it, the bone jutting through the scales—but I grit my teeth and push myself up. Claire’s watching. I can’t stop. Not now.

I lunge, driving my shoulder into Brick’s gut. He grunts, stumbling back, but he’s got his balance back in an instant. His fist comes down like a hammer, and I barely manage to roll out of the way. The deck shatters where I was just lying, and I use the opening. My claws slash across his side, drawing blood, but he barely flinches.

“That all you got?” he sneers, his tail lashing. He grabs my broken arm, and I bite back a scream as he twists. My vision goes white, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop. With a roar, I drive my good fist into his throat. He stumbles, his grip loosening, and I follow up with a kick to his knee. It buckles, and he goes down.

I don’t give him time to recover. My claws tear into him, over and over, until he’s lying still, his breathing shallow. I stand over him, my chest heaving, blood dripping from my claws. But there’s no time to savor the victory. The sound of a plasma pistol charging makes my blood run cold.

“Good fight,” Ryan says, his voice dripping with mockery. “But this is where it ends.”

I turn, but it’s too late. The first shot hits me in the chest, the plasma burning through my scales like they’re nothing. The second hits my shoulder, then my leg, then my side. I collapse to the deck, coughing up blood, my vision blurring. The holes in my chest burn, the scent of my own blood thick in the air. I try to move, but my body won’t obey. Claire’s scream is the last thing I hear before darkness takes me.