Page 7 of Akur

As the gator-guard growled again, glare filled with poison at the fact she dared touch him, he reached for her with his other claw, and she suddenly moved. Ruse over.

Releasing his wrist, she rolled out of the way, his claw missing her by mere inches. Only his heightened growl and hiss told her he was getting pissed by the second. But he wouldn’t get to reach for her again.

In the corner of her eye, Meredith hurtled from the floor, slamming her entire body into the guard’s massive frame. Not expecting the sudden torpedo of human female, his reaction was too slow. Definitely a rookie. He stumbled back with a harsh grunt, crashing into the corridor wall. Not part of the plan, but this was their chance.

Rising, terror surging through her veins, she pulled her attention from Meredith’s distraction and raced to the third prisoner—the broken, silent woman huddled, still unmoving in the corner. Not even reacting to the desperate bid for escape occurring right in front of her.

“Come on! We have to move!” Even shaking her, the woman didn’t lift her head. There was no spark of recognition in her vacant eyes. Damnit!

A deep thud yanked Constance’s attention back just as the gator-guard let out a roar.

“Qrakking annoying jekinnnssss!” The gator-guard had thrown Meredith off him and now advanced on her, lips peeled back from rows of sharp teeth, jagged in his long snout. The only mercy was that even with his roar, there were no footfalls of other guards coming to his aid. Some god was showing them grace, but they still needed to take that bitch out.

Meredith grunted and struggled to her feet. “Constance, hurry!” Blood, scarlet against her clothes, spilled from the deep gash the guard’s claws had torn across her midsection.

They were running out of time. Gritting her teeth, Constance grabbed the unresponsive woman and hauled her to her feet. “I’m not leaving you here,” she ground out. They just had to make it to the corridor. Had to escape. And they needed a weapon. Anything. Her eyes landed on a metal rod leaning against the wall.There.

Hauling the female with her, Constance stepped outside the barriers of the cell, her gaze fixed on the guard. He was still focused on Meredith. Good. Now, the rod. She gently lowered the unresponsive woman to the floor, then snatched the metal rod from against the wall. One end was clearly the handle, a button set into its surface. She pressed hard, and the thing zinged to life with so much energy she felt the current go up her arm, the hairs rising off her head as if attracted to a lightning call.

At the sound of the weapon being charged, the gator-guard halted, claw pausing mid-air from where he was about to rend Meredith. Yellow eyes looked over his shoulder as his long snout turned.

His reptilian gaze locked with hers, and a fierce swell of triumph surged through Constance’s veins. The hulking guard didn’t get to act, didn’t get to roar out a challenge or attack before she charged, forgetting all else except this single purpose.

She saw the moment of confusion swarm in those alien eyes, the split second where he thought to dodge her reckless attack. In that suspended heartbeat, she wondered if he would evade her in time. If she had just made a fatal mistake.

But a raw-throated scream of pure rage sounded from behind the guard, and in that same breath, Meredith braced against the wall, using one leg to deliver a powerful kick to the center of the guard’s belly.

The force of the blow was enough to make him stagger, unable to shift out of Constance’s path in time. Teeth grit, she lowered her shoulder and slammed the rod into him with every shred of strength left in her battered body.

The sizzle was almost as great as the shudders that wracked his frame. Vicious eyes filled with anger locked with hers, and Constance stared into them, not letting go of the rod.

As he hit the floor with a meaty thud, dead or dying, she allowed the weapon to hang loose in her fingers. Heavy breaths made her chest heave as her gaze locked with Meredith’s. They were both breathing hard. Both staring at each other wide-eyed.

They’d done it. This first step, at least.

“You ok?” Stupid question. Meredith was obviously not okay.

“Could be better, but I’m breathing.” Meredith braved a smile, but she wrapped an arm around her belly, the stain of red there seeming brighter than ever.

The corridor remained empty. Against all odds, they were still alone.

Now for the next impossible step—finding a way off this ship. Turning, her gaze fell on the silent woman. She was still standing in the same position. Unmoving.

How would they escape with only one of them at fighting strength, one unresponsive, and who knew how many more enemies? But she couldn’t think about that. The odds didn’t matter.

“Let’s move.”

Meredith nodded.

No other guards had come yet to investigate the commotion. But they couldn’t let the silence quell them into the same complacency that brought that rookie guard down.

They weren’t safe, not by a long shot. Wordlessly, they moved down the dim corridor, supporting the unresponsive third captive between them. Her vacant eyes still stared straight ahead, seeing nothing.

Constance had no idea where they were going, just away from the cell. Each step ratcheted her fear up another notch, but she clenched her jaw and pushed on.

Where were the other guards? Maybe most of them were killed when they attacked the Restitution’s base. That’s probably the only reason they had a chance now. She could only hope.

As they turned a corner, she spotted a door left partially open, pale light streaming through the crack. Holding her breath, her gaze met Meredith’s. They had to check it out.

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