Page 28 of Prize for the Alien Grumpus

I lean forward on the handlebars.

"Leave Mel and Sam alone. This is your only warning."

"Or what? You'll destroy more of my property?" He gestures at the ruined door. "How uncivilized."

"I can get much less civilized." The quantum drive whines as I edge the bike closer. "Trust me."

"Is that all?" He picks up a pen, dismissing me. "I have work to do."

"That's all." I back the bike toward the elevator. "For now."

Gregor's face twitches into what passes for a Grolgath smile.

"Did you really think you'd leave this building alive?"

The elevator doors burst open. A dozen guards pour out, their scaled hands gripping plasma rifles. The kind designed to penetrate Odex armor.

My fur bristles at the distinctive whine of charging weapons. The acrid scent of ozone fills the air as targeting lasers paint my chest.

I throw back my head and laugh. The sound echoes off the office walls, making several guards flinch.

"You brought friends to our private party? How thoughtful."

The quantum drive spools up beneath me, vibrating through my bones. My claws tighten on the handlebars.

"Take him!" Gregor barks.

The bike launches forward. Gregor's eyes widen a split second before I plow straight through his fancy desk. His body ragdolls over the handlebars.

Plasma bolts sizzle past my ears. The night sky beckons through the floor-to-ceiling windows ahead.

I gun the engine. Glass shatters around me as the bike bursts through twenty-five stories up. For a heartbeat, we hang suspended - me, the bike, and Gregor's limp form still draped across my handlebars.

Then gravity takes hold. The street rushes up to meet us as more plasma fire streaks through the night air. The wind whips my fur back, carrying the sound of Grolgath curses from above.

The quantum drive stabilizes our descent, my fur rippling in the wind. I dump Gregor's unconscious body onto a festively decorated awning three stories down. The tinsel sparkles as he bounces off into a snowbank.

Plasma fire still rains from above. My claws itch to go back, tear through the remaining Grolgath like tissue paper. One good rampage and this whole problem disappears.

The bike hovers at the intersection, my grip tightening on the handlebars. Through the office windows, I count twelve targets. Easy prey.

A child's delighted squeal draws my attention to the sidewalk. A small human points at an animated reindeer display, multicolored lights reflecting in her eyes. Just like Sam's wonder at the "magic" bike.

My shoulders relax. The fighting can wait. These humans put so much effort into their strange winter festival. Shame to wreck it all with a firefight.

Besides, Mel's probably pacing holes in her floor right now. The memory of her kiss sends warmth through my chest, drowning out the battle-lust. For three centuries, combat was my only joy. Now...

"Ho, ho, ho." The bike roars as I gun it toward home, leaving the Grolgath and their schemes behind.

CHAPTER 11

MEL

Acrash from the kitchen jolts me awake. My heart pounds as I rush to the living room, where Krampus sprawls across my too-small sofa, his furry blue legs dangling over the armrest.

"Wake up, you overgrown smurf." I smack his rear end.

"Five more minutes, warden." He rolls over, nearly crushing my coffee table.

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