by J. S. Wilder
“I don't think this is a good idea.” His brow furrowed.
“Then stay here if you like.” She straightened. “But if I was Nicole, I'd want someone to tell me about Dave and ensure that I was okay.”
“Not that.” He closed the distance between them and sparks of electricity arced between them.
Her breaths turned raspy. Was he going to kiss her?
Instead, he cupped her face with one hand. “I would never allow you to step into danger without me at your side.” His palm warm against her cheek. “For as long as you'll have me, I will give my life to protect you and all you hold dear.” He stepped back and held up the pants. “But pink?”
A laugh burst from her lips and some of her tension lessened. “It's pink or nothing and we don't have a nudist colony near here and Mardi Gras is months away.”
His eyebrows rose. “What is this Mardi Gras?”
“I'll tell you later. Now hurry.” Dena rushed to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and hair. The urge to reach Nicole burned a hole in her gut. She grabbed her phone and dialed her number. This wasn't the kind of thing to tell anyone over the phone, but she at least could let the woman know they were coming over.
Nicole's voicemail answered. “Leave a message after the beep and I'll buzz you back.”
“Hey Nicole, it's Dena.” She frowned. What do you say to someone whose fiancé was turned into a monster and now was dead? Her stomach flipped and Dena swallowed back bile. “Um...just wanted to let you know I was going to stop by...check on you. Call me when you get this.” She clicked end call and let out a shuddering breath.
“Ready?” Taurian asked from the hallway.
She scrubbed a hand down her face and stepped next to him. “Yup. Let's go.”
Outside Dave and Nicole’s townhouse, the stench of rotting meat and burning sulfur choked her.
“God, what's that smell?” She covered her mouth and nose and rang the doorbell.
“Tryn...your senses are growing more acute.” Taurian nodded.
“Ugh, so you have to deal with this all the time?” How did he handle it? The odor was enough to make her run the other direction to get away from it.
No one answered Nicole’s door and worry gnawed at Dena's insides. She banged on the door when it collapsed from her touch. “Did I do that?” Her cheeks heated.
“Afraid so. One of the many advantages of being Renjerian.” He winked then frowned as the entrance inside dripped with blood. “Let me scope out the place before yo—”
Dena pushed past him into the townhome. “Nicole?”
Farther inside, the stink gagged her, but she pressed on. There on the kitchen table lay Nicole. Her body ripped open and her mouth frozen in a scream.
Dena gasped, her stomach clenching and she couldn’t breathe. She turned away, unable to look at the horror. When Taurian hugged her shoulder, she leaned into him, her tears of outrage sliding down her face.
“Wh-why?” she choked out.
“The Tryn are monsters or true demons as your ancestors called them. They used the murder here to twist your ex into the creature that attacked you. It was able to keep his human form for a time, but shifted to the serpent form when it needed to.”
And what would've had happened if it had succeeded? Would she be ripped open like Nicole and dead after birthing a legion?
“Come, we have to find the hive and destroy it.” Taurian guided her away from the body deeper into the house.
She stopped. “Wait, are you saying the Tryn is here still?” Where was a weapon? She was going to bash in the creep’s head. Make sure that it never hurt anyone ever again.
“Maybe.” He clasped her hand and warmth spread up her arm. “There will be thousands of them. My guess is they'll be the size of large...what do you call those bugs y'all have...the ones with a stinger?”
“Scorpions?” She really hoped he was wrong about how many there would be. Insects were so not her thing. She was a vet, not an Entomologist.
“Yeah, I think that's right.”
Bile rushed up her throat, burning. “And just how big do these offspring get?”
He gestured to his thigh, “About that high. Then they gorge on blood and flesh and turn into the hairy Tryns, but much smaller than the one that leaped here on the lightning bolt with me.”
“Is that something I'll be able to do? Ride lightning?” She let him lead her deeper into the home. Her body shook, and she couldn't stop talking. The silence pressing in on her and the feeling that the walls watched her itched along her skin. Her past nightmares as a child had her recalling her dad helping her through them after her mom died.
“Why are you talking so much?” He gave her a smile and squeezed her hand. “It’s cute, I like it.”
“Funny, when I was a kid, my dad said I would talk about whatever popped into my head when I was scared.” Dave had been annoyed whenever she did it around him. “Said the monsters couldn't attack whenever someone was talking ‘cause that showed you weren't afraid.”
They turned down a hallway that was cloaked in darkness.
“Your father is a very wise man.”
“Yes, he was.” Until cancer took him from her two years after her mom died. “He'd have liked you.” Her dad had been fascinated with alien movies. What would think about her being partly one?
“I wish I could've met him.” Taurian squeezed her hand gently.
A scuttle broke across the wood floor ahead of them. Taurian tensed and she grabbed his arm. Then hundreds or more skitters sounded around them.
“What is it?” she asked. “They're surrounding us?”
Taurian cursed under his breath. “Yeah. I was wrong about their timeline. Looks like we're the blood and flesh they've been waiting for.”
“Holy fuck!” How were they going to fight a thousand giant demon scorpions?
Chapter Twenty
Fear snaked through Taurian, not for himself, but for Dena. Had he saved her life to have theirs both end now? His mouth dried thinking how this was his war…his enemy…and he’d brought both to her doorstep.
The empty hallway behind the scorpions was just out of reach. He had to get Dena to safety. His fault that she was endangered from these monsters. She had no defense against them. If she got hurt, he would never be able to forgive himself. It had been suicide to come here and murder to bring her here. He deserved to die and would be happy to do so if he knew she’d be safe.
“Climb into my arms.”
She balked, “Why? What good would that do? I knew I should've grabbed a knife when we got here.” Her gaze swept over the approaching scorpions. There jaws making a chattering sound. “I hate bugs.”
“Human weapons won't hurt them.” The creatures covered the floor from the bedroom and blocked off their exit the other direction too. If he could throw her far enough back down the hallway, she should clear the swarm and be able to escape. He grabbed her around the waist and hefted her up.
She dug her fingers into his shoulders. “What are you doing?”
“When you land, don't look back, just run.”
“No, what the hell?” She frowned, her body trembling against him. “There’s nowhere to go.”
“I'm going to throw you clear.”
“Like hell, you will.” She wrapped her legs around his torso. “We stay together.”
They might have a chance if he could get her to safety first. “Luv, I can't use dragonfire with you in harm's way.”
Her pout made him want to kiss her again, but a scorpion stabbed his foot and he grunted from the pain shooting up his leg. He kicked aside the bug and wobbled on his feet. He had to get her out of there now.
“All right.” She untangled herself from him despite her brow pinching and her mouth drawn into a tight, thin line. “But don't do anything brave and stupid.”
He kicked aside another scorpion and two more took its place. “Go!” He threw her as hard as he could over the swarming bugs.
She fell and skidded on
her side to the open hall. One of the scorpions scrambled after her, its claws tapping along the wood. Dena tore away.
Good gir—
A strike hit him in the back of the leg, then another on his lower back. He swung, knocking a few of the insects back, but they were starting to swarm him. His Renjerian form pressed forward, but he had to wait. Ensure that Dena had enough time to make it outside. Then he’d turn this entire place into an inferno and fry these vermin.
Above him, scorpions scurried across the ceiling and up the walls. Was Dena out and safe now? He couldn't wait any longer. He called his fire deep within him.
Two scorpions leaped onto his back stinging him. He wrenched them off by their tails, ripping both open with his palms. He opened his mouth for the fire to incinerate everything in his path, but a strike to his neck had his throat closing up.
He fell to his knees, clawing at his throat to try and draw in air. The insects clamored over him. Their stingers hitting him everywhere. He punched and shoved them to stop their assault, but there was too many.
His vision blurred. He couldn't lift his arms because they were swollen. Everywhere, aching pain buried him. He crashed to the ground, the bugs leaping on him and stabbing him. His life and all the partying he’d done even when his people’s war started slammed into him. Regret burned from his throat to his gut. And what of Dena? Was she safe or had the bugs gotten her? He missed her more than he missed breathing and she’d only been gone a few minutes. Now he’d never be able to tell her how he felt about her.
A sputtering sound broke through the air. Next was a hissing noise that he couldn't place. Was that coming from the scorpions or somewhere else?
He shook as more stings hit his back, then the hissing grew louder. The bugs scurried across his back as though to get away from something.
“Come on, get up,” Dena shouted.
He pushed up and weaved where he stood, leaning against the wall to keep standing. “What are you doing? I told you to get out of here.”
“And I thought you were coming right behind me.” She shook a can in her hand, then clicked a small item.
Fire shot out toward the scorpions. The insects scrambled away making clicking sounds. Relief washed over him. Dena was alive and she’d saved him. Did she care about him more than he hoped?
“Hurry, there's not much hairspray left in this thing.”
He dragged himself forward using the wall as support.
“Here lean on me.” She hauled his arm across her shoulder.
The scorpions scurried closer, braving the range of her fire. She sprayed them again, turning many to smoldering blobs, but more took their place, climbing over the charred remains.
“Why did you come back? It's too dangerous.” His legs and arms felt as if they were full of lead. Joy filled him that she was alive, but why had the silly woman returned to him? She should’ve stayed where it was safe.
“Lecture me when we get out of here.” She backed up and took him with her. “This isn't even the half of it.”
He paused in his steps. “What do you mean?”
“This whole building is crawling with these things.” She stifled a sob. “All of the tenants in this cluster of townhomes have been...been mutilated.”
That meant that there were more of the serpent things too. They couldn't let any of these things escape. His dragonfire couldn't get past his swollen throat, but fire was their best bet. “Got any more of those sprays of hair cans?”
Her eyes widened. “Why? What about your fire?”
“Not until you and everyone in this complex are safe. We have to end this now. If these things get out, a thousand will become ten thousand then a hundred thousand and so on.” He kicked one of the scorpions that got too close to them.
Dena shook her can again, but the fire spurted out and didn’t reach as far. “Time to get the hell out of here.”
The insects scurried after them. Taurian gritted past the pain and took large, fast steps with Dena, holding onto her far more than he would’ve liked.
“How can we make a fire large and long enough to destroy them?” he asked.
“I’ve got an idea.” She led him into the kitchen, then grasped a metal box and tugged. “Help me move the stove out. Then we’ll have to rip the gas line open.”
More of the scorpions drew closer, Taurian grabbed a broom and smashed at them.
“Here, let me do that,” Dena snatched it from him, “you get the stove out.”
Taurian grabbed the metal appliance and heaved. Cords and metal snapped revealing a dusty wall with grease stains.
At the sound, Dena glanced over her shoulder. “Wow. Now rip the tubing from the wall. Then we get out and toss a match inside. This whole place will be blasted.”
He examined the wires hanging from the stove. “Which one?”
“The gas one…” a scorpion stabbed her foot and she yelped. “Son of a bitch that fucking hurts! She smashed the broom onto the insect with such force its insides squished out. “Gross.”
“To your left.” Another swarm was breaking through the ceiling.
“Break the big tube.” She grunted, swinging at the pests. “You’ll know it ‘cause it’ll smell like rotten eggs in here soon.”
He ripped the pipe in half and fumes erupted into the kitchen. “Done.”
“Good—” Half the ceiling caved in bringing mounds of scorpions with it.
They were blocked in on all sides.
Dena backed up until she bumped into him. “How fast can you fly us out of here?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Scorpions rushed Dena and Taurian. The more she knocked back with the broom, the faster the insects came closer. If the hole were big enough for Taurian to squeeze through in his dragon form...if he could fly with the burn to his wing. Or stomp on all these scorpions and squish them all. But something told her that even as a massive dragon, there were too many and they’d find a way to hurt him.
With gas leaking from the broken stove pipe, she dared not use her makeshift flamethrower. She threw the empty can of hairspray at a cluster of scorpions, but they kept inching toward them. The lighter tucked away in her pocket.
One of the scorpions stabbed the back of her leg. She felt like a baseball bat had whacked her. She crashed to her knees. Pain radiating up her legs. Son of a bitch! And Taurian had sustained hundreds of these stings? How was it he was still moving?
“Dena!” Taurian roared.
In less than a second, he scooped her up in his arms. Without her batting the insects away, more and more crawled forward. Their stingers hitting her and Taurian. Sledgehammer pain striking every muscle in her body over and over again. Panic welled in her throat. How where they going to get out of this? She had no weapons and the gas was too strong for Taurian to use his dragonfire. They’d both disintegrate. Her heart hammered so hard in her chest that her ribs bruising.
Taurian turned his body to shield her from them. They were both doomed, why wasn’t he trying to save himself? His body trembled around her. How was he taking the brunt of the attack and not a crying heap? The fact he was shielding her, protecting her at his own expense made her heart swell. A wall of demon scorpions fell with more of the roof.
She coughed from the gas fumes. All they need was a spark, then this place and everything would explode. If it meant keeping people safe she'd click the lighter in her pocket right now. But if Taurian could fly…
“Can you get us out of here?” she begged. Taurian flying them out was their only escape.
He groaned in response. The vibration of his transformation buzzed against her back and under her hands. His skin heated, rippling the muscles and flesh. As if the pests knew what was planned, the insects stung faster, pain jolting through her. She screamed as unending pain hit her over and over again. She curled in on herself.
Taurian tucked her closer to his chest to protect her. Agony and sorrow slammed into her. Even now, he was trying to keep her safe and shield her from the ons
laught as scorpions crawled all over them. How could he give so much of himself for her? But it wasn’t enough, stingers slammed into her every few seconds to where she couldn’t catch her breath. Pain making her nauseous.
His skin hardened to tight-fitting scales. Wings beat back some the scorpions, but not enough. He grunted, partially leaping into the air. But they fell back down on the tile before he could get enough leverage. Again he flapped hard, his muscles along his chest constricted with his movements. This time his wings raised them two feet off the floor.
Scorpions lurched to reach to them, one pinching her ankle. She kicked it off.
Inches from the opening, a horde of scorpions poured on top of them, crushing Taurian's wings and sending them plowing into the floor.
“There's too many,” Dena wheezed with her throat closing.
He pinned her to his chest, his thumping heart drowning out the sound of the thousands of bugs attacking them. Did he think this wasn’t going to work and they’d die here? How much more venom could he take before—
“Stay close to me.” His voice sounded hoarser than hers.
What did he plan on doing? Panic surged inside her. He closed his wings around them. The blinking fluorescent light sniffing out. She was completely enclosed.
“Taurian no!” She beat him. No, she couldn’t let him sacrifice himself for her, no matter how much she wanted to cower in a small ball. She couldn't let him do that. The plan had been to fly out of here. Then she could engage the lighter and drop it down into the gas pit. Not this, not him killing himself to protect just her. They were both supposed to get out of this alive! “Open up!” she screamed.
“If this doesn't work, tell Kohl what happened here,” his voice echoed in her head. “Someone has to warn my people and yours.”
His body twitched and she knew the insects were stinging him while she was trapped against his chest and his arms and wings pinning her in a cocoon.
“Taurian, what are you doing? Let me out.”
