Page 22 of Heir of the Beast

The shark-snake disappears underwater for a moment, then comes back up, charging us.

Now or never.

I stare. That is one frightening-looking SOB. Its teeth look to be a foot long and tinged black. Horrifying.

“Kill the bastard,” Mort hisses beside me, making me grin.

“From my calculation, your skill level is that of a sixty-year-old man/woman. That’s how long it would take you to master your current skill level in archery. You should be able to hit it.”

Charming hooked it uuuuuuuup.

I have my bow ready and aimed. Time slows, allowing me to aim at the rapidly moving sea monster to almost a standstill.

I can feel my whole body tingle, my mind going into an altered state of AWESOME. Aiming is easy when they barely move.

The monster is about to dive again, and when it comes back up, I’m going to shoot it.

“Mort! Where do I shoot it?”

“Between the eyes!”

Of course.

It comes back up, and the sound of the arrow slicing through the air is like a distant woman screaming. Or maybe that was Mort—can’t be sure.

I hit my target in the dead center, making the massive sea monster jerk to the right as if it’s shocked, then it disappears underwater.

I lower my bow, my whole body on an adrenaline high.

I did it.

Mort stands up. “Like them apples, bitch?!” she screams, spit flying from her mouth, staring at the black sea with murderous intent.

“Shhhhh,” I whisper, and try to suppress my laughter. “We have company.”

She blushes, and whispers close to me, “Isn’t that how you express victory, being a human?”

I didn’t have time to respond as I’m face to face with a petrifying-looking man in metal and black armor. He looks like a superhero or something from the future.

The armor has pale blue lights coursing through it like Iron Man. The giant of a man has a beard and a massive white scar gracing the left side of his face. His gaze is dark and menacing.

“Ye’ are lucky ye’ are a straight shot,” his gruff voice yells as he pulls up next to us. The small boat is powered by an unknown source. I do not hear a motor. Odd. What do they have here? Atlantis power?

“Jump on. The lipers travel ’n packs, there will be more with’n minutes.” He stretches out his large, gloved hand to us. “You just shot a pregnant mum, that is na’ good.”

More lipers?

We take his hand and jump into the small boat just as we see more dorsal fins heading our way. The rugged man controls the boat with a series of buttons and interesting small levers.

I glance back and see the lipers surrounding the raft we just left. Safe. For now. I look back at the man driving the small boat and study him. Is this Apollo?

I frown. I am not attracted to him, but he does have a rugged charm. I shouldn’t be so vain—he is probably a teddy bear on the inside.

“Mort,” I whisper. She glances at me, her face pale, her body shivering. Mort probably hates being human.

~Is that Apollo?~ I mouth to her, and nod my head in his direction.

He looks at me, and I smile, blushing a little bit. Drat. He narrows his dark eyes at me then continues to anchor the boat next to the massive ship.

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