Page 23 of The Delver (The Vrix #2)

Callie had never been a light sleeper. Waking up and getting out of bed had always been a struggle, a test of willpower.

But she’d heard something, something that had pierced her subconscious and woken her ass up fast . And going from dead asleep to wide awake was alarming and unsettling enough even without the terror of that unidentified sound.

She opened her eyes; the darkness remained just as complete and impenetrable as it had been behind her eyelids.

Still, her gaze shifted restlessly back and forth, as though that could somehow sweep away the dark.

She could almost feel the shadows pressing in on her, so thick it made her skin crawl and her eyeballs itch.

Every part of her, including her heart, froze when she heard the sound again.

Clicking. Alien, undulating clicking, echoing along the tunnel.

Before she could even consider whether she should’ve spoken, her lips parted, and a question tumbled out. “Wha?—”

A large, callused hand clamped over Callie’s mouth, silencing her. She grasped it with both hands in a panic, digging her nails into firm, leathery skin.

In the tunnel, the clicking sound ended with an abrupt hiss.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, not slowing even when she recognized that the hand covering her mouth and the warm, solid body behind her belonged to Urkot.

She could feel his tension and strain. His muscles were coiled like compressed springs, and there was a faint trembling in his chest as he held his breath.

The clicking came again, a little lower, a little deeper, a little closer. And oh God, she knew what it was even if she didn’t know what had produced it.

Echolocation.

Something scraped the stone in the tunnel. To Callie, it very much sounded like an appendage dragging over the cave floor. In the silence of this dark tunnel, the sound was deafening.

With agonizing slowness, Urkot rose from the alcove floor, drawing Callie up with him. He seemed afraid to draw breath; she absolutely was too afraid to do so, despite the burning in her lungs. Her grip on his hand contributed as much to her body remaining upright as her legs did.

Her back was pressed even more snugly against his chest now, and she could feel his hearts thumping as fast and heavy as hers.

Any creature that could use echolocation surely would’ve been able to hear their pounding heartbeats, right?

Callie’s pulse had to be the loudest thing down here, rivaled only by Urkot’s.

Another scrape came from mere feet away. It was a sound she’d heard from Urkot—claws against stone.

That clicking repeated just outside the alcove. How could it possibly sound so…hungry?

Callie’s knees felt suddenly weak, and dread seeped into her veins, turning her blood cold.

The monster in the dark huffed. She felt its breath flow across her face. It sniffed the air raggedly, and Callie squeezed her eyes shut, turning her face away.

That thing was right in front of her, right fucking there, and she couldn’t see it, couldn’t identify the source of this bone-chilling horror. Never in all her life, not even during her time on this untamed alien world, had she ever felt so scared and helpless.

The creature made that clicking once more. From this close, Callie could feel the sound’s faint vibrations against her skin.

It knows. It knows we’re here.

As though in response to her thought, the clicks descended into a deep, rumbling growl.

Shoving Callie aside, Urkot surged forward. She caught herself against the cold stone wall, but her trembling legs gave out, dropping her hard onto her knees. She barely felt the jolt. Fire blazed in her lungs as she finally sucked in a gasping breath.

Just outside the alcove, snarls and growls filled the tunnel, joined by the noises of an unseen struggle—the dull thwacks of blows landing, the scraping of limbs scrabbling over the cave floor, the clacking and gnashing of fangs and teeth.

And even looking right toward those sounds with rounded eyes, Callie couldn’t see a damn thing. She couldn’t tell what Urkot was fighting, couldn’t tell if he was okay, if he needed help.

Someone please wake me from this nightmare.

But this was no nightmare. It was very, very real. And Callie couldn’t cower here in the dark while Urkot battled for survival. She wouldn’t.

Crawling, she blindly and frantically felt around the floor of the alcove. Her bag had to be somewhere close.

Something thudded down behind her. Callie started, jumping against the wall. The monster snarled, and then that unseen creature was dragged back, raking the floor.

With her racing heart lodged in her throat, she quickened her search. Her fingers bumped and brushed over loose stones before finally finding the cured yatin hide bag.

Grabbing hold of the bag, she hauled it toward herself, rising on her knees as she fumbled to open it. In this darkness, her hands felt clumsier than ever. Had she really tied this thing so tight?

There was a squelching sound, accompanied by an agonized growl. She couldn’t tell if it had come from Urkot or the monster.

Oh God, Urkot. Please be okay.

Liquid splattered on the floor somewhere behind her.

Deep inside, she was icy cold, trapped in terror’s unrelenting grasp. But scorching heat thrummed just beneath the surface of her skin. The stark contrast made her feel like she was about to explode.

Hold it together, Callie. Hold it ? —

The knot finally came undone.

“Yes!” She tore open the bag and plunged her hand inside.

Her heart stuttered when another sound, a pained grunt, rose from the fray. That one had undoubtedly been Urkot. Even if she had no idea what to do, she had to do something .

Callie’s hand found the collapsed solar lantern in her bag. She snatched it out and snapped the lantern open, twisting toward those violent, frightening sounds.

She turned the lantern on.

Callie slitted her eyes against the intense light, which seemed brighter than a thousand suns after so long in total darkness. The creature shrieked and thrashed wildly, drawing a growl from Urkot.

“Oh fuck,” Callie breathed as her eyes adjusted to the light.

Mere feet away, Urkot was grappling with the monster—a pale vrix of similar height to him but slighter of build. There was blood, a lot of blood, but between their struggles and the deep, restless shadows created by the lantern, it was impossible to tell who the blood belonged to.

The monster’s eyes were shut tight.

She knew only one thing—every second she delayed was another during which Urkot could get hurt.

Gritting her teeth, Callie dropped the lantern, grabbed a football-sized rock from the floor, and shoved herself to her feet.

The pale vrix’s mandibles wildly lashed out at Urkot, the pincers at their ends snapping only inches from his face and neck. The two were a tangle of limbs and claws.

Clutching the rock between both hands, Callie charged into the chaos before reason could convince her of how bad an idea it was. She hefted her crude weapon high overhead and swung it down with all her might onto one of the pale vrix’s hind leg joints.

She felt a crunch, subtle but unmistakable, as the impact jolted up her arms, knocking the rock from her grasp. The vrix’s leg buckled.

Snarling in rage and pain, the pale vrix spun and launched itself at her.

Callie staggered back with a cry.

Illuminated by the lantern, the vrix’s features were emblazoned into her memory.

A headcrest that curved backward like the dome of a skull.

Mouth fangs exposed in a skeletal grin. Lank, dark hair hanging around neck and shoulders.

And mandibles ending not in fangs, but wicked pincers with jagged teeth on the insides.

Its gaze was locked on Callie, blazing with fury and hunger.

Urkot’s hands clamped around the sides of the vrix’s head, halting its lunge abruptly. Its arms and forelegs darted toward Callie, and she retreated until she bumped into the alcove’s rear wall. Those clawlike mandibles snapped on empty air.

Urkot dragged the other vrix backward, forcing its upper body to tip back precariously. Its upper arms reached for him now. With a guttural growl, Urkot wrenched the pale vrix’s head to the side.

Bone cracked. The sound was not unlike that of a large branch breaking away from a tree trunk. The pale vrix’s body fell limp, held up only by Urkot’s hold on its head—which was now facing almost completely backward.

He released his hold, letting the pale vrix collapse in a heap. His shoulders rose and fell with his harsh breaths. Dark crimson glistened on his hide, contrasting the vibrant blue of his markings.

Urkot’s gaze met Callie’s as he stepped over the corpse to move closer to her. His eyes gleamed with lingering fury, pain, and profound, sincere concern. “Are you okay?”

Hearing his voice break the silence after all the horrible sounds that had dominated the dark was a balm to her soul. An end to the nightmare she’d awoken to.

She flung herself against him, wrapping her arms around his middle in a fierce hug. He didn’t hesitate to embrace her.

“You’re okay,” she said, body trembling, jaw quivering. “You’re okay.”

Urkot was as solid as the stone around them, but much, much warmer, much more welcoming.

“Calm, female,” Urkot rumbled. “We are safe.”

Safe. They were safe. They hadn’t been torn to shreds, hadn’t been killed, hadn’t been…eaten.

Don’t think about that!

Callie closed her eyes and focused on the pounding of Urkot’s hearts within his chest. They soothed her, grounded her, and were proof that they were alive. Another danger overcome, together.

She curled her fingers into his back as she tightened her embrace.

Why can’t I stop shaking?

Urkot stroked his claws through her hair. “Breathe. Calm.”

Nothing about this situation was right, nothing was okay, except for Urkot. As long as she had him, she was truly safe.

They held each other as their hearts gradually slowed, as their breathing calmed, as her trembling finally ceased.

But when she inhaled deeply, drawing in his scent, she became aware of something else.

The smell of blood.

Callie jerked away from him, clutching his upper forearms as she scanned his chest and arms. “Are you hurt? There’s blood. Oh fuck, there’s so much blood.”

Urkot glanced down at himself. Some of that blood was definitely his; she could see the scratches and cuts.

He grunted. “I am fine.”

“But there’s scrat?—”

Urkot caught her chin in a firm grip and forced her eyes up to his. “I am fine, Callie. I will heal in small time.”

She released a shaky breath and slid her fingers up and down his forearms, unsure if she was trying to soothe him or herself. “Okay. Okay.”

His thumb stroked her cheek. “You are okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Good.” His mandibles ticked up. “Brave female. You protected me.”

Warmth flooded her cheeks at his praise. “I tried.”

He lifted his other upper hand and brushed the backs of his claws down her cheek. “And that is most brave, yes? To try even when you fear. And you did not just try, Callie. You did .”

With a trill, Urkot lowered his face toward hers. “You must like me.”

Callie chuckled as the warmth inside her burned hotter. “I do.”

Very much.

“Good,” he purred. “My head is hard, but I do not want to test it against your rock.”

“Ugh.” She gave his chest a shove. “Not funny.”

He chittered as he straightened.

The corners of her lips twitched before curling into a smile. “Okay, so maybe it is. But I still don’t like the thought of you hurt.”

“Ah, Callie…” He moved closer and cupped her face between his big, strong hands. “I will take all hurts to shield you.”

Callie’s eyes widened as her belly fluttered.

All the men she’d been with in the past had been shallow.

They’d focused on themselves, on their wants, their pleasure.

After having her heart broken by her first boyfriend, who she’d given her virginity to, and dating men in college who’d only been interested in what they could get from her, Callie had lost interest in relationships.

Maybe she’d even lost faith in the whole concept.

There’d been no commitment, no…partnership. No consideration.

Just by themselves, the words Urkot had spoken were more meaningful than anything those other guys had ever said to her. But when paired with the fact that he’d acted those words out every day she’d known him, for months, without ever asking for anything in return?

I really have been oblivious.

The vrix in front of her wanted her. Not because of what she could give him, but for who she was.

And I want him.

Before she could react or come up with a response, he lowered his hands and stepped aside, sinking down to collect her bag. And any words she might have said died on her tongue as she beheld the body of the pale vrix on the ground in front of her.

Callie picked up her lantern and approached the vrix. Though it was clearly dead, she gave one of its legs a kick to be sure. When it didn’t move, she stepped closer and crouched, holding the lantern toward it.

The brief, nightmarish glimpse she’d had when it attacked her had been real.

Its hide was a pale, sickly white, and its body was emaciated, with long, gangly limbs that were smeared with dirt and blood.

In places, she could see bones outlined through its hide—especially around its chest, where its hide clung to its ribs.

Wickedly long, sharp claws tipped its fingers like blades.

But it was its face that was the most terrifying of all.

Shadowstalkers and thornskulls didn’t have lips like humans; their hard mouths hid their fangs while closed.

But this vrix’s teeth were on full display like those of a bare skull, long, thin, and pointed.

Its eight beady black eyes were open and lifeless, with three sets atop each other, and the final smaller pair offset to the outsides of the middle row.

Callie stared at its clawed mandibles and shuddered. They reminded her of the mouthparts of a camel spider.

This was a creature made for rending flesh.

“Is…is this a…”

“Spiritstrider,” Urkot said from behind her.

She covered her mouth with a hand as she stared wide-eyed at the horrifying vrix. “Oh fuck, fuck, fuck.”

The stories Urkot had told her were true. The fears he had shared with her were real.

Standing, Callie spun to face him. “Will more come? If there’s one, there must be others close by, right?”

“I do not know.” He held up her bag. “But we must go. With the sounds and blood-scent, something will come soon.”