Page 32 of Swamp Kings 2

Two seconds in, her body jerked as her breath caught in her throat, the venom coating her muscles and mind, triggering a manual release of the illusion gripping her. Her breaths slowed and deepened as her eyes blinked open, sharp with clarity.

“Help Kaphas,” Bishop ordered, winded.

The second her eyes landed on him, she flew off the platform. Awe struck him when he saw her backlash power following behind her like a tidal wave of ebony energy. She fell on him with a sob, and the power followed, crashing into both of them as she kissed his dead lips, wailing, “I got you, I have you! I have you!”

Bishop hurried to the monitors with Quantum on his heels. His breath flew out at seeing it. “Holy fuck,” he whispered, hisheart hammering in his chest as he pointed a trembling finger at the black blob on the screen. “They’re fucking done, they’re bound in tight. Every move is being rewritten at a molecular level. They can’t shift, they can’t react, they can’t do afuckingthing because every impulse locks them tighter and tighter.”

The sound of Kaphas’ gasp drew their panicked gazes. The sight of dark veins receding literally buckled Bishop’s knees.

“Fuck,” Quantum shot out on a breath, his hand falling heavily on Bishop’s shoulder before pulling him into a tight embrace. “You did it, you fucking did it.”

“We did it,” Bishop said when he released him.

“My turn,” Quantum said, hurrying to the other machine, pissed. “And we need to hurry before these fucks throw another curve ball.”

****

Beth jolted up from the water and snatched the phone from the footstool next to the tub.My Favorite Husband in the World.“Oh God,” she gasped, sliding the answer symbol repeatedly. She grabbed the towel and dried her fingers then triedagain, putting it to her ear. “Bishop?”

“Fuck, baby,” he breathed in the phone.

Fear punched her stomach. “What’s wrong!”

“You took too long to answer.”

She sagged a little. “I couldn’t answer the phone.”

“Why?”

“My fingers were wet. I think I fell asleep.”

“Where?”

“I’m… in the tub,” she whispered, standing to get out.

“With the phone?”

“I’m getting out now.”

“Put the fucking phone down, baby.”

She set it on the chair, her body shaking as she climbed out, wrapping the towel around her and picking it back up. “I’m out.”

He let out another breath right as she caught hers when a stomach cramp assaulted her again.

“How are you, tell me what you’re feeling. I shouldn’t have left you so suddenly, I’m coming to get you, we’re going to see King Thakx so he can run tests on you. Lesion recommended it too.”

God, he was terrified. “Alright, I’m getting dressed now.”

“How are you feeling, any symptoms? I meanwhatare your symptoms,” he demanded.

Great, there went her planned answer ofnone.“I feel amazing,” she whispered, happy to have something good and honest to say.

“I want only what’swrong,notright.I’m fifteen minutes from you. Can you tell how the baby is?”

“When I said I feel amazing, I was saying I have nothing major happening.”

“Give me all theminorhappenings, Beth.”

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