The loss of blood starts affecting my performance. My sword feels heavier than usual, making each maneuver harder to complete. I cannot fail. Not again. I will protect Tansey and Ethan at any cost.
With seven vints, including four from their warrior class, surrounding me and tightening their circle, I need to do something bold to ensure none of them turns to Tansey.
“What the fuck, Tansey? Give that back!” the human male Joe yells at her.
That distracts the closest vint. I charge at him, slicing down his side. The body falls a second before blaster fire strikes a vint behind me.
Three vints turn on Tansey, who aims a blaster at them. I charge through the group, using my body to knock down three of the five remaining vints. As I slice through another vint, failing to kill him, Joe punches Tansey in the face and takes the blaster from her.
My knife sails through the melee, lodging itself in the human’sthroat, but I don’t have time to see if he falls or if Tansey’s unharmed. Two vints pile on top of me, trying to bury their knives and spikes in my flesh.
With a roar, I hurl both off me, only to see three vint warriors holding swords out in front of them. And the fourth…Vekk. I turn too late as his sword comes down on me.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
TANSEY
This isn’t the first time I’ve been punched in the face, but I forgot how much it hurts. The force drives me into the wall, where I sink to my ass. A second later, Joe falls at my feet, a knife in his hand and blood gushing from his throat.
Blank eyes stare at me. The fool pulled the knife from his carotid artery and bled to death before hitting the ground. I’m too numb and scared shitless to feel anything for him.
Ethan! All thoughts of Joe disappear as I scramble to where Ethan huddles in the corner, Brownie pressed against his face.
“I’m here, sweetie,” I say with a kiss to his head. I don’t see where the blaster went after Joe grabbed it from me. I curl my body around Ethan as the sound of weapons clashing and people fighting echoes around us.
Blood, swords, knives…and Verig in the center of it all. He’s grossly outnumbered. Five vints, four of which match him in size and weaponry.
By some miracle—no, skill and sheer determination—Verig’s holding them off. But he’s bleeding from multiple wounds. He can’t hold them off much longer. And I can’t seem to move, except to rock Ethan and cover his eyes and ears.
“Please leave him alone,” I squeak out. “I’ll go with you. Anything! Just don’t hurt him!”
“No!” Verig shouts. “Do not trust them!”
Verig moves left, then back, drawing the vints away from the door. Blood pours down a deep cut in his shoulder, but he doesn’t let that stop him from opening a corridor for me and Ethan to escape.
I scoop Ethan into my arms and run as the vints converge on Verig like a pack of hungry wolves. Terror fills me as my hand curls around the handle, but I have to get Ethan out of here.
Verig’s strong. He’ll survive, I tell myself, because if I don’t, I’ll fall apart, and that can’t happen. Once I get Ethan to safety, I’ll find a way to help Verig.
Not that he needs my help. He’s only waiting for Ethan and me to escape so he can unleash his wrath on the vints. This is what I tell myself as I fling the door open.
And run right into Baloq.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
VERIG
Our people have a saying. Vekk your enemy, not those who guard your back.
I broke that advice the day I pummeled Baloq beyond what was necessary to get him away from my female.
He was not the enemy. Only a male who had what I wanted. A female whom I could not get out of my mind no matter how hard I tried. It’s possible he was equally obsessed with her. After all, he was the one who had taken her and announced she was his according to custom.
I knew he planned to mate her as soon as she was ready. If anything, I encroached on his territory, his rights, putting him in a position where he became desperate and attempted to mate her before she consented. Not to harm her, but to ensure I did not steal her from him.
And our grak exiled him as a result.
Now Baloq stands in the doorway, the only entrance to this structure, keeping my female and youngling from escaping. He looks as fit as ever. Hardened beyond what I’m used to seeing in the orc I’ve commanded through countless battles.
