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“Listen, Carmen,” I continue, forcing some calm into my voice. “When you were gone, I looked out that window.” I gesture behind me toward the viewport. “An alien ship tried to escape, and it got blown to pieces. You should have seen it; trust me, it was insane.”

“ Sí , so what?” Carmen scrunches her face, clearly losing patience.

“So what?” I repeat in disbelief. Maybe she is dumb after all? “The ‘ so what’ is that if you somehow manage to pilot one of those alien ships, you’re going to be turned into blue glowing space goo as soon as you try to leave. Comprende ?”

“ Joder !” Carmen spits, pacing back and forth, muttering curses under her breath.

The blue glow from Dracoth’s wrist device blinks off, and I notice Kazumi poking around at the remains of the dead aliens, doing God knows what.

“Then what’s the plan, Princesa ?” Carmen asks, once she’s finally stopped pacing, her voice calmer.

Well, I have my plan; not sure about you crazy bitches.

“We play for time,” I say confidently. “It’s obvious Dracoth doesn’t want to hurt us.

Well, other than being a giant perv.” And ruining my Chanel suit, the asshole.

.. Forgive and move on, Lexie, deep breaths, deep breaths.

“Maybe when we land on a planet or wherever, we can make a run for it. Or who knows—maybe in time, we can even convince him to take us back to Earth.”

“Yeah,” Sandra chimes in, glancing between Carmen and me. “I saw something in him.” Her eyes drift to Dracoth, a disturbing look of adoration creeping across her face. “When he showed me his face, after he saved me, I just knew I could trust him... that he has a good heart.”

Good heart? The guy who maybe killed your boyfriend and parents? She’s so na?ve.

Carmen must be thinking the same. We exchange a glance of shared skepticism.

“ Loca ,” she mutters under her breath. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, she lowers her weapon. “Fine!” she snaps, her voice sharp. “But if this pendejo tries touching me in the meantime, I’ll rip his verga off and toss it your way,” she threatens, jabbing a finger in Sandra’s direction.

I let out a sigh of relief, I didn’t even know I was holding. Odd that I care what happens to Carmen. She does kind of drive me nuts, but at the same time, having her around is reassuring.

My attention shifts to Kazumi, who is kneeling near a pool of blue blood. To my horror, she dips a finger into it and pops it into her mouth. A shudder runs through me. “What the hell are—”

“Hail, human females!”

My words freeze in my throat. I turn toward the voice, my stomach knotting with dread. I know that voice—Demon Egg-Head.

He approaches, almost invisible, with his black robes and heavily tattooed skin blending with the abyssal corridor—just glowing green eyes and sharp yellow fangs floating in the darkness.

He’s not alone. Three mini-Dracoths trail behind him, their faces obscured by the same terrifying masks Dracoth wears.

They could be identical twins for all I know, distinguishable only by the different colors of their hair.

“ Infierno ,” Carmen mutters, bristling beside me. I groan inwardly when she raises her gun at the advancing group. She’s going to get us all killed! I distance myself from the stubborn woman with a sly sidestep.

“Now, now. No need for that,” Demon Egg-Head shows placating hands. Yet, I can’t help but notice he’s now using the green-haired mini-Dracoth for cover. “Reneth, ask Keth to get these lights on,” he commands, squinting at us, looking like a creepy senior citizen choosing a new pair of glasses.

Whoever Reneth is doesn’t speak, but the dim purple lights of the ship flicker on, regardless.

I glance around, my revulsion growing. Now the full extent of the bloody carnage is lit up in all its grisly glory.

My stomach churns as the grotesque sight of blood and entrails splattered across the room becomes painfully clear.

“Oh, my... young Dracoth was true to his word,” Demon Egg-Head mutters, his blackened face wrinkling in awe as he surveys the massacre.

“Where has that boy got himself?” Demon Egg-Head wonders with a frown. I almost laugh. Boy? That’s the most ridiculous name to describe the giant perv. And that the demon must be half-blind if he hasn’t noticed the massive red titan sprawled out right in front of him.

“Demon Egg—um, I mean, Ignition,” I interject, gesturing down toward Dracoth. To be fair, Sandra and Kazumi are partially blocking his view.

“It’s Ignixis,” he corrects with an amused chuckle as his eyes glance downward, widening in shock, finally noticing the red elephant in the room. “What has that foolish boy done now?” His pleasant demeanor now melts into a venomous snarl as he rushes toward the fallen red titan.

“Can you save him?” Sandra questions, concern in her voice.

“Out of the way, human, ” Demon Egg-Head spits the word like it’s a heinous curse, pushing Sandra out of the way to kneel beside Dracoth.

With a sharp slap across the unconscious titan’s face, he growls, “Wake up, Dracoth. You cannot fall yet!” before turning back to glare at us , the intensity forcing me to take a step back.

“What happened here? What injuries did he sustain?”

“Nothing!” I blurt out, feeling personally attacked, like he’s accusing me of doing this to him. “We were just talking, and then he collapsed. But his skin is really hot—like, literally on fire.” I wave a hand in frustration at Dracoth’s massive form. “We tried carrying him, but he weighs a ton!”

“Weak human females, carrying him.” Demon Egg-Head scoffs, turning back toward Dracoth. “The day such weakness can lift the son of Gorexius is the day Arawnoth once again strides Klendathor!”

I was only trying to help. Rude asshole!

“You are right about his temperature, however,” the cheeky Demon Egg-Head concedes.

Leaning forward, he pries open one of Dracoth’s eyelids.

His eye burns bloody crimson with a hint of green and the strange mist still leaks, swirling like venting flumes.

“Gods!” Demon Egg-Head hisses, recoiling slightly. “Bloodroot poisoning.”

He straightens, shaking his head in frustration, his dark robes swishing ominously. “You three,” he barks at the mini-Dracoths, “get him to the medical lab, quickly!”

The trio of mini-Dracoth’s rush to obey without a word. Their obedience sends an icy shiver down my spine—almost like watching machines come to life. Even these hulking soldiers struggle to lift the giant perv, making me feel better about our less-than-impressive attempt earlier.

“What about me? I mean... us?” The words spill from my lips before I can stop them.

Demon Egg-Head whirls around to face me, his lips curling into a sneer.

His pointed yellow teeth and menacing fangs make my stomach churn.

“ You? ” he snarls, leaning in closer, his words dripping with disdain.

“You are going back to your cell. All of you—until...” His eyes sweep over the gory scene with an expression of disgust. “... this mess is dealt with.”

“ Hijo de puta !” Carmen’s voice cuts through the tense air as she raises her gun, pointing it straight at Demon Egg-Head.

“Shoot them,” Demon Egg-Head declares, as icy as my mother’s heart.

I could cry, I could laugh, I could do a lot of things, but it happens so fast, I barely register the command before blue bolts of energy streak down the corridor. The mini-Dracoths drop the actual Dracoth’s limp body as they raise their weapons, firing in unison.

My heart leaps into my throat, and I scream—uselessly—turning and running down the corridor. The sounds of Carmen’s defiant gunfire echo behind me, but it’s drowned out by the deafening buzz of energy weapons.

Then it goes silent. Or maybe I can’t hear anymore. A sudden blue flash envelops me, the world tilting and blurring. I feel myself falling, the cold, unforgiving metal floor rushing up to meet me.

Fuck Carmen, and fuck that Demon Egg-Head!

And then, nothing.