Page 13

KAIRON

T he jungle gives way to a steep ravine as Ava’s scream pierces the humid air. I slide down, skidding through layers of slick foliage and loose earth, my heart thundering in sync with her cries. The forest gapes suddenly, revealing a camouflaged pit—a maw that leads into something darker, deeper.

I descend into the subterranean nest, every step echoing in the dank tunnel. The smell assaults me first—acrid and overpowering, a sickly sweet stench of rot mingled with the unmistakable tang of blood. Dust and decay hang thickly, and I force myself not to choke.

Bones crunch underfoot—bleached, splintered, empty. The thought of Ava being among them twists something fierce in my gut—a flash of nausea and ire I shove aside, quickening my pace, turning the corner into the dim cavern.

Light seeps in through the stone—weak, but warm, catching on the damp tendrils that cling to rock and bone. I pause, breath held tight, but what I see next punches through all the barriers I’ve learned to build.

Ava hangs suspended, wrists bound and uniform shredded, her skin a tapestry of grime and sweat glittering faintly under the bioluminescent glow. Her eyes are wild, defiant even in captivity, and something hardens my resolve.

But then there’s the other thing—the sudden, unwanted heat that pools instinctively at the sight. It hits fast, sharp, mingling distastefully with the violence in my blood. I hate it, this visceral reaction—a traitorous acknowledgment of her tenacity, her audacity even in this predicament.

The creature squats grotesquely between Ava’s legs, its slimy, mottled skin glistening in the dim light. It grins with a mouthful of jagged teeth, an abomination of a face twisted in delight as she kicks at it. Her defiance burns hot—she won’t go down without a fight.

Then it speaks, and I flinch. My own voice comes back to me, warped and malicious.

“We will fuck you until you take our seed. And then our children will devour you.”

A fire ignites within me—pure instinct. I don’t think; I just act.

I roar, the sound ripping from my throat as I leap forward.

In one fluid motion, I wrench the creature off her.

It thrashes and screeches, but I hold tight, muscles straining as I fling it aside.

The thing slams against the cavern wall with a sickening thud, and for a heartbeat, I savor the moment—until its shrieks echo around us.

Ava’s eyes widen with shock, a mixture of gratitude and disbelief flickering across her features. The haze of fury clouding my mind parts just enough for me to see her clearly, her expression cutting through the chaos like a blade.

“Kairon!” Her voice emerges raw and desperate, a guttural snarl that’s smothered beneath layers of fear and furious determination. It slices through the din of battle, pinning my attention with the force of a spear aimed directly at my heart.

The creature, still reeling from my attack, recovers quickly. It shakes its mis-shaped head violently, as if trying to dispel the remnants of confusion that clouded its warped mind.

“Interruption,” it hisses with a sinister undertone, my own voice clumsily mimicked, echoing back at me in a way that sends an unsettling shiver creeping across my skin.

The sound is distorted and grotesque, a mockery of my own words, heightening the already tense atmosphere and reminding me of the twisted reality we’re both trapped in.

“Yeah, not really into threesomes,” I retort, my own disdain frank and biting. I lunge, primal instinct kicking in—no weapons, no armor, just muscle, and fury. The creature reels, unprepared for the sudden onslaught as I tear a fist through its patchwork hide.

The creature lunges, a blur of motion, its massive form slicing through the dim light. I barely react in time. It crashes into me, slamming me against the wall. Pain erupts in my side—sharp and hot—as claws rake across my skin. I grunt, forcing myself to focus.

“Get out!” Ava screams, her voice raw with urgency.

I shove the pain aside and retaliate. I twist, using its momentum against it, and throw an elbow into its snout. The creature staggers back, momentarily dazed. It shakes off the impact with a guttural growl, eyes burning with rage as it circles like a predator playing with its prey.

My muscles coil tight, every nerve screaming for action. I can’t let it take her—can’t let it win. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I charge forward again. My fist connects with its jaw, but it hardly budges. Instead, it retaliates faster than I anticipate.

It slashes at my shoulder with bladed claws that bite deep, dragging down my arm in a frenzy of fury. Blood wells up; warmth trickles down my side. A low growl escapes my throat as I shift my weight to absorb the pain.

The creature rears back, anticipating my next move. It feints to the left; I instinctively follow but quickly pivot right—just in time to evade another strike aimed at my throat.

Ava’s desperate cries urge me on.

“Stop fucking around, you arrogant prick!”

Of course, that's the encouragement I get.

Her voice fuels something primal within me—a fire igniting deeper than mere survival instinct. I push through the fatigue and sheer brutality of this fight; every muscle screams for respite but there’s no time for weakness.

With a roar that echoes through the cavern like thunder, I dive low and sweep beneath its legs before rising fast enough to bring my fist down hard on its skull. The impact reverberates through me—a sickening crack rings out as bone shatters beneath my force.

It collapses forward like a rag doll, lifeless and grotesque.

Panting heavily, I stand over the creature's lifeless body, the remnants of our brutal encounter pooling around me, bloodied and slick with sweat.

The adrenaline thrums through my veins, a fierce and electric pulse that feels sharper now in the aftermath of the fight, almost intoxicating.

I can't quite shake the rush of victory, that primal satisfaction that comes from having survived such a deadly confrontation.

Turning my attention to Ava, I find my gaze roaming over her, taking in every curve and angle of her compact frame, every freckle dotting her sun-kissed skin like constellations against a backdrop of dusk.

She’s beautiful in a way that unnerves me, the kind of beauty that sparks something deep and instinctual within—a flicker of desire mingled with something darker, more feral.

With each step I take closer, my heart pounds louder in my chest, a drumbeat urging me forward. My hunger sharpens, a primal urge urging me to close the distance between us, to breathe in the scent of her sweat and courage, to feel that electric connection. But I can’t—no, I shouldn’t.

With a swift motion, I cut the ropes binding her wrists. The blade slices cleanly through the fibers, and she drops like a stone, hitting the ground hard with a grunt.

I don’t catch her; I let her fall. She lands awkwardly, sprawled on the cold stone floor—vulnerable. For an instant, my resolve wavers as I watch her struggle to regain her composure.

But then I turn away, the weight of indecision pressing down like lead.

“Get up,” I say tersely over my shoulder as I walk deeper into the cavern. “We have to move.”