“We were kidnapped by Thor?” Gentry shrieked with laughter, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from joining in. “Hell, he wouldn’t have had to tie me up. Unless he wanted to, of course.”
“Did you see anything else that might help us?” I asked, trying to put an end to Gentry’s teasing and get us back on a more productive track.
“He wasn’t human, Kerrigan. I swear. He had a huge green tail.” Tara burst into tears, which is probably the only thing that kept Gentry from pouncing on her latest claim like a hungry pit bull.
“Look, we’ve been through way too much to be expected to make any sense of this shit. I thought I was dead until Gentry showed up. You were probably just dreaming after you blacked out.”
“Am I dreaming that giant fucking sun, too!” she snapped at me. “Or that we somehow went from a pool in Omaha to the middle of an ocean in like five seconds?”
Okay…she had a point there. I could see through one of the rectangular-shaped openings in the steel-reinforced walls—which served as makeshift windows in the stone-and-iron fortress we were imprisoned inside of—that the sun was hanging just above the horizon now, and was at least three times larger than I’d ever seen it before. Its surface was in constant flux, as Mount St. Helen sized plumes shot out into the twilight sky. Even if I could chalk what I was staring at up to being in the Caribbean or somewhere else with a far different vantage point, having the pool wall collapse into a sewer drain—which was still my leading theory as to how we exited the landlocked pool—wouldn’t account for us ending up in what was clearly an ocean.
“I can’t explain any of it, Tara. But I have to believe there’s a logical explanation that doesn’t involve mythical sea creatures. Especially since he bitched at me to leave Gentry behind and try to save Vanessa in English. We just need to put our heads together and come up with a plan for getting out of here.”
“It’s gotta be soon, Kerr.” Gentry’s voice was as serious as a heart attack. “My neck’s tore up bad, and if I don’t get my ass off this pee soaked fur ASAP I’m going to lose it.”
“You cut your neck, too?” That seemed like an incredibly unlikely coincidence. “Both sides of mine are carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey. The goop smeared over the top isn’t helping, either.”
“That makes three of us,” Tara said. I took some solace in the fact that she wasn’t crying anymore. “The itching is horrible—it almost feels like something is moving around under my skin.”
“Oh, Jesus. It totally does!” Gentry started trashing around on the floor like a crocodile in a death roll. Her restraints creaked under the heavy assault, which made me wonder what she was doing to her skin. “What the fuck did he do to us!”
“Settle the fuck down!” I screamed at her, desperate to seize control of the situation before she did serious damage. Given the temperature and humid conditions, an open wound could be deadly. This place had to be crawling with bacteria. “He probably tried to brand us or cut some kind of design into our skin to mark us as his property. Not that the thought of that doesn’t seriously freak me out, but it’s nothing that a trip to the ER can’t fix. And your pee situation gives me an idea. He provided us with fresh water, what we’re assuming is food and fur rugs for padding, which means he cares—to some degree at least—about our basic needs. At some point the dense psycho is bound to realize he didn’t give us a way to relieve ourselves. He might drug us again before he unties us to clean up the mess, but if he doesn’t, we need to be ready. We may never get a better chance.”
“What do you need us to do?” Gentry had paused from her struggling at least long enough to hear me out. She even sounded tentatively onboard with my yet-to-be-defined plan. It was a start. “I may not have mad ninja skills like you, but I’m scrappy.”
I could attest to that. I’d seen her take down girls twice her size. But in order for my plan to work, I needed them both to pass up what might be their only chance at escape and bet their lives that I wouldn’t fail. “I fought with him once already, so I’m thinking he’ll leave the troubled case for last and deal with you two first. If he does, I need you both to be totally submissive. As in, lick his boots and let him spank you submissive. I’m hoping by the time he gets to me he’ll have let his guard down enough for me to surprise him. You’ve seen the training Austin puts me through, Gentry. I know he’s not going anything close to all out, but I hold my own, and he’s the UFC light heavyweight champion. Let’s hope I can KO this shithead and get us out of here.”
“Kerrigan, please listen to me. I’m begging you. I swear on my life I’m telling the truth. Whatever that thing was that took me to the surface, it wasn’t human. He’ll kill you.”
“That’s a distinct possibility,” I admitted. “But I’d rather take my chances while I’m still capable of fighting than wait and see what he has in mind for us. And even if I lose, he might just beat the shit out me and tie me up again.”
CHAPTER SIX
First contact
* * *
Three days had passed since I’d left the females bound to the floor of the birthing chamber, and it was time to replenish their supplies. I refused to think about how eagerly I’d strapped on my armor, or how images of her silver blue eyes and flowing dark hair haunted me. The memory of her bruising my rib with a well-executed thrust of her elbow brought a smirk to my face. She was exceptionally brave, a fierce competitor and a born leader, which were qualities I could respect in any species. The irony was I’d be required to destroy the very things I admired about her before she set foot in Halon’s Gate. Not that I couldn’t appreciate the risk she posed—to let her around our elderly females and less experienced warriors in her present state would be like the fine guards of Troy accepting the thoughtful gift of an ornamental horse from the Spartans—but transforming such a vibrant being into a docile, submissive pet with no opinion or will of her own was indefensible.
Following standard procedure, I raised my eyes just above the surface about a mile east of the birthing chamber and scanned the horizon. I was about to dip back under when a large shadow passed overhead. The griffin hadn’t spotted me, but was circling the chamber with three others as they gathered to feed. Soon there numbers would swell to several dozen, they’d close in on their prey, and there would be nothing left of the three human females but some thoroughly picked over bones. I abandoned all of the supplies I’d lugged with me and raced toward the underwater entrance, praying that I wasn’t already too late.
My momentum took me all the way up the inverted ramp and onto the flat stone floor, sliding to a stop partly on top of the stripe haired girl. She opened her mouth to scream but my hand was quicker, firmly pressing down on her lips. I mean you no harm. If the three of you want to live beyond the next few minutes, I need you to suppress your shock and remain perfectly quiet. There are gigantic birds of prey gathering overhead and an attack is imminent. I’ll do my best to protect you, but you can make that effort much easier by not drawing attention with your screams.
“Do you have an extra knife?” Silver eyes met my stare with a surprisingly calm gaze, given this was the first time she’d seen my body. I nodded and placed my hand on the hilt of the dagger at my hip. “Please free my hands and leave it with me—so I can help defend them.”
Hand a dagger over to this tiger of a woman who had every reason to despise me? The very thought was preposterous. She’d probably return it by burying it between my shoulder blades during the fight. Then again, I was dangerously outnumbered. There was a good chance at least one griffin would penetrate the chamber before I could kill the other three, and that’s assuming more hadn’t shown up already. No one deserved to be bound and helpless while they were eaten alive. Please don’t make me regret this, I thought only to her as I sliced through the canta vines binding her wrists and handed her the blade.
With three quick swipes she severed the rest of the ropes and was on her feet. “Go. I’ll do what I can if one of these bird things gets in here…and t
hank you.”
I gave her a curt bow, turned and launched myself back into the water. What she could do wouldn’t amount to much against an adult griffin warrior—even with my dagger—but the regal nature in which she carried herself was inspiring.
I surfaced at the ornately crowned south end of the chamber without making even the slightest ripple and peered overhead. The twelve foot decorative metalwork of a Syreni warrior would serve nicely as makeshift camouflage. A total of six griffins now circled. Their leader—which you could distinguish by the amount of plumage around their necks—had only two crimson feathers, and was barely more than a child himself. This looked like a random collection of adolescents out looking for an easy meal. Even so, their giant beaks and razor sharp talons were deadly enough, and at least three had weapons sheathed between their wings. What I’d give to have my long bow with me…or even a spear. Carrying water, food and furs had left limited room for weapons.
I’d have to draw them into hand-to-hand combat, where my gauntlets and broadsword could come into play. Thankfully young griffins were arrogant to a fault, and far more adept at wielding their bodies than weapons. Seeing that they outnumbered me six to one—and that they could get credit for a Syreni kill—would be all the enticement they would need. They’d be climbing over themselves to reach me first. Pushing off from the base of the chamber, I sank deep beneath the waves and swam out to the very edge of their field of vision, then shot out of the water and splashed down like a breaching teragore whale.
Their leader let out a screeching battle cry and dove for me, the talons of his almost human-shaped, powerful, white-feathered arms opened wide. Just as they were about to sink into my chest I darted to the right, lifted my submerged broadsword and beheaded the confused beast while he was still trying to recover from the uncontrolled decent that had sent him sprawling into the water. Before I could locate the next most immediate threat, a bolt of white hot pain tore through my chest, making my entire body go rigid. The griffin who’d impaled me had his claws embedded underneath the spaulder armor protecting my shoulder. With three flaps of its massive wings we were airborne. Shaking me like a ragdoll managed to keep me immobilized until the armor plate finally broke free, taking a large chunk of my flesh with it. I buried my sword up to the hilt in its exposed chest before I tumbled back down over twenty feet into the water.
The tingling in my left hand and growing pool of blood in the water around me told me the injury was serious. If I didn’t seek immediate medical attention, the hemorrhaging wound could very well prove lethal, but doing so would mean abandoning the human females to their fate. I couldn’t stand to add their deaths to my already troubled conscience. Raising my sword, I used the very dead griffin as a makeshift shield, placing it between myself and the snapping beak now in front of me. After a couple minutes of cat and mouse, the impatient creature grew tired of the game and lunged over the top of his fallen brethren. With one swift punch the gauntlets on my right hand slit its exposed throat to the bone.
After dipping under to catch my breath, I immerged to find two more griffins almost on top of me, coming from opposite directions. My spin was quick, but not quick enough, and a beak sliced open my right arm across the elbow. The birds did crash into each other as I’d hoped, but now both my arms were injured. I made quick work of my entangled adversaries, plunging my sword through both their backs before they could regain their bearings. This battle needed to end soon. I cast a nervous glance skyward, hoping to find the one remaining griffin. If others had joined the fight, or he had left to rally them, this wasn’t going to end well.
I’d just concluded the last of the birds had fled when a frantic human scream echoed through the air. No.
Setting all regard for my crippled body aside, I plunged into the now crimson water and raced toward the birthing chamber, throwing everything I had into each sweeping kick of my tail. By the time I reached the chamber several women were screaming. I launched myself through the nearest armament opening rather than taking the extra time to swim around to the platform entrance. My sword was already drawn when I hit the stone floor, not having any idea what to expect. The stripe haired girl and the blonde child appeared to be unscathed. They were still partially restrained and were both crying to wake the dead. I’d scanned almost the entire chamber before I spotted the griffin and the dark haired woman half submerged in the defensive moat.
Neither of them was moving. The inner ring of seawater on their half of the chamber ran as scarlet as the setting sun. There was an ever-growing pool of blood spreading outward from beneath their bodies across the stone floor, and smears of blood sprayed high up onto the walls.
I crawled to her as quickly as I could with my injured arms and tail, even though dragging myself this far from open water in my current condition left me vulnerable to suffocation. A firm shove caused the lifeless griffin carcass to sink further down into the water, eventually disappearing beneath the platform. When the battered female’s body came fully into view, a desolate, barren pain blossomed inside my chest.
Not again.
Surely the mighty Poseidon wouldn’t make use of this brave female from another world to revive some minute piece of my lifeless heart just to steal her away from me before we’d even been properly introduced. The woman had a gaping slash across her chest exposing her internal organs, several cuts on her face and arms, and was missing almost her entire left foot. Somehow she was still breathing.
“General, come. We must get you to surgery.”
Damille. I’d forgotten that I’d asked her to check up on the women after I’d replenished their supplies and ensured the area was secure. “You will operate on this female first, Master Healer. I command it.”
She placed a comforting but stern hand on my non-injured shoulder. “As you well know, my lord, when it comes to treating the injured in battle, I outrank you. You will return with me at once to Halon’s Gate—willingly or otherwise.”
I lifted her hand from my shoulder and held it flat against my cheek. The Syreni weren’t capable of crying, as our eyes contained no tear ducts, but we had other means of conveying deep sadness. “I’m asking you as a friend, Damille. Please save her.”
She studied the female for a moment, her steel grey eyes assessing the grisly wounds as she calculated her chances for survival. “If someone doesn’t at least keep pressure on that shoulder wound you’ll die soon, Aristos. I can’t operate on the human and treat you, and you are far too weak to treat yourself.”
“I’ll treat him,” the stripe haired girl called out from behind us. “I’m pre-med at UCLA. Untie me and I’ll take care of him.”
“Why would you help us?” Damille asked as we both studied the girl’s face in an effort to gauge her sincerity. Our anatomy was quite different, but if she truly was studying to become a human doctor she was overqualified to hold a bandage against my shoulder.
“It’s my best friend lying over there and she needs you. Besides, I just watched a badly injured—mermaid?—drag his bloody, I’m guessing water-breathing body across the floor to get to her, then beg you to save her instead of himself. How could I not help after seeing that?”
“And I can help with her surgery,” the blonde child offered. “I don’t have any medical training, but it’s an extra pair of hands, and I can walk around up here easier than you guys can.”
I gave our chief surgeon a nod and she took my sword over to free both girls.
The stripe haired woman took several bandages and some antiseptic from Damille before crouching down over top of me. “Am I going to hurt you if I drag you over to the platform so you can breathe while I bandage you up?”
“Just roll me into the moat. I’ll swim around and meet you there.”
After swimming the short distance along the surface to the ramp I slipped beneath the waves to catch my breath. It took several minutes before I no longer felt winded. When I finally resurfaced the woman looked relieved. “Jesus. You scared the crap out of me, fishboy.
I thought I killed you already.”
She had a playful grin on her face and was obviously making an attempt at humor, but no one was calling me fishboy. “My name is Aristos. Not fishboy. And I’m a general, so please show some respect.”
She gave me an eye roll that infuriated me even further. “Touchy. Well, Mr. General, I’m not in your army, so I could give a crap about your rank. But since you’re responsible for making the doctor girl work on Kerrigan, I’ll play nice. I’m Gentry, by the way.”
“And the child’s name?” I asked, even though my brain was busy repeating Kerrigan over and over like the words of a favorite poem.
“Tara. And if she heard you call her a child she’d kick you in the junk.”
When I finally deciphered her strange slang I couldn’t suppress a chuckle. The girl was crude and defiant but had a playfulness to her I could get used to. “Thanks for the tip. Where would you like me, Gentry?”
She directed me to lie on my back high enough up on the inverted platform for her to have access to my shoulder while still allowing me to dip the upper part of my body into the water when needed.
After cleaning her hands and my entire shoulder area with antiseptic she thoroughly inspected the gaping wound. “There’s some arterial damage here. You’re going to need a vascular surgeon. If I had my equipment I could cauterize some of the smaller vessels to stem the bleeding, but we’ll have to make do with these leaf looking things.”
To say I was impressed would be a gross understatement. Her obvious intelligence suggested that her persona was at least partly contrived, probably to avoid being ridiculed for caring about her studies. “Damille is quite skilled in repairing blood vessels. And the leaf looking things are called carnipula leaves. They grow along coral reefs and contain medicinal properties of their own.”
Kerrigan's Race (The Syreni Book 1) Page 4
