Page 69 of Heart’s Prisoner

Lana laid back down beside her. "Me too."

She felt Nicole tremble. When Lana put a hand on her arm, her skin was ice-cold. Lana frowned then got up to get a blanket, covering it over her.

"Team says they will be out longer. Got a few of the raptors that somehow slipped out of six so went to try to take out the rest," Lana heard the green-eyed man say. "I'll warn them something is lurking around here."

Lana stared back up at the ceiling and her body shook. As Nicole went back to sleep and the men went back to talking and cleaning guns, she sat alone, letting her thoughts wander into dark territory. Thinking of Xerus.

She imagined him lurking in the dark somewhere. His red, serpentine-eyes glowing in the pitch-black. She could hear his low growl, feel his warm breath on her neck, see his shiny black fangs about to pierce her skin. She wanted to cry.

If only there was some way even now she could get through to him. But what little hope she had was lost in the terror of him reaching her. And what he would do to her if he did.

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to lay back down and try not to think about him anymore.

***

"Hey, what are you doing!"

Lana's eyes shot open and she bolted up. The space beside her was empty and when she looked around she caught Nicole at the door with her back turned, somehow standing with her bad leg. The men were scrambling up from where they had been sitting to stop her. But it was too late. Nicole unlocked the door and it slid open.

As Nicole turned to face them, Lana froze and her heart dropped. Nicole was ashen. Her eyes black.

"Death is the only way," she said in an emotionless voice. She wiped a shaky hand across her nose, smearing blood over her knuckles. Lana stood there too shocked to move as the men went for the door to try to close it. She couldn't even scream as a large shadow appeared behind Nicole and surged across the entrance forcing the men back.

Asset T struck fast, plunging its fangs into Nicole's neck. Blood splashed across the ground and on the wall. It flung Nicole away then crawled up the wall with such speed, Lana could barely follow it. The men rushed back and fumbled for their guns but the spider-like creature was already upon them. It ripped open one of the men then went for another before they were finally able to draw their guns and start shooting.

As bullets flew, Lana dropped to the ground and crawled behind one of the crates, crushing herself against the metal, hands pressed to her ears. She heard screams above the firestorm and when she looked around she saw an armless body go flying. Lana cried out as the last man, the green-eyed one, tried to fend the creature off. He didn't pay attention to where his bullets flew only that he was trying to hit the spider. One went past Lana's head and another hit a small gas generator at one end of the room. A fire erupted and Asset T screeched, swerving away. It flew back up the ceiling then dropped down on the man, whose screams turned to gurgles.

He went silent and his gun dropped, letting off a few more bullets before it hit the ground. Asset T hovered over the man as Lana peered around, her hand covering her mouth to stifle her cries. Everyone was gone. She gazed over by the door and saw Nicole's lifeless body, eyes unseeing as blood trickled down her nose and from her neck.

Asset T let out a sharp hiss and Lana hid back behind the crate. She could feel the heat of the flames from the gas fire and see the orange glow on the wall. Frantic, she looked around her but saw no weapons close enough. She snuck a peek back over the crate. A few feet away, by some of the equipment, was a duffle bag filled with flares.

She went back against the crate and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. She could try to stay hidden but the smoke from the fire would eventually draw her out. And Asset T would be waiting. She had to go now.

Taking one last deep breath, Lana flung herself away from behind the crate and made for the duffle bag. Just as she got her hand on a flare, she saw Asset T move at the corner of her eye. Screaming, she fell to the ground as the spider leaped on her. She set off the flare and struck at the spider's face. It shrieked with rage and brought its appendage down on her, causing the flare to slip from her hand and drop on her stomach. The flames from the flare burned the side of her thigh as it rolled out, singeing her pant leg and searing her skin. Lana let out a painful cry as the spider swatted the flare away with a leg and raised its body up.

Lana tried to kick at it and swing her arms, but couldn't connect. It raised its head, ready to strike, and Lana blocked her face with her arms, waiting for the excruciating pain from Asset T's fangs to stab into her.

The pain never came. Instead, an ear-shattering cry escaped the creature's mouth and, when Lana turned to look, she saw blood spraying from the spider's back. Asset T unlatched itself from on top of her and swerved around, coming face to face with a devil.

Xerus bared his fangs, a low growl ripping from his throat.

"Isha xi ess," he hissed. Lana understood the words.

She's mine.

Asset T shrieked and lunged at Xerus who leaped back just as swiftly, his speed matching the spider's. Lana watched helplessly as Xerus darted and struck, whipping his tail out and slashing at the spider's limbs. Asset T growled and backed away but wasn't looking to run. It attempted to strike out as well, protruding its long, curved fangs. Lana dragged herself back until she hit the side of a crate, desperate to get away while the two were occupied. She glanced around and saw another door leading out to the back and began to slide her way over to it.

The gas fire grew and let off little bursts of explosive flames. Debris pelted the ground and the floor shook causing several stacked crates to capsize. A small piece of metal flew across the room and hit Lana on the side of her face and shoulder. Her vision blurred for a moment as tears stung her eyes from the smoke and the pain. She could just barely make out the figures of the two aliens still fighting despite the surrounding chaos, dodging flames and equipment as they attacked, not aware of the danger around them.

Xerus flung his tail out and sliced one of Asset T's legs. The creature hissed and limped to the side, it's back against a wall of flames. As if in a last desperate measure, the spider flung itself at Xerus, attempting to pierce its fangs into his chest. Xerus swerved away, then swung out his massive claw, slicing the spider's side. He hooked his hand into the spider's back and slammed his other hand down on the beast's head, forcing it down on the ground. He jumped on it's back and Asset T struggled and squirmed under him, yowling with rage. With one swift motion, Xerus tightened his hold, grasping the spider's slashed leg and ripping it from the creature's body. He released himself and jumped off as the spider bucked. When Asset T turned to face him, Xerus shot his tail out and sliced the spider's neck in one deep, clean cut. Asset T went motionless, then its head slipped from its body, rolling to the ground. The body went limp and dropped soon after.

Xerus looked over the body, pushing it aside with his long leg. Shaking, Lana crawled for the door, stretching her arm up to unlock it. She tried to stand, but the dizziness made her fall back down. Whimpering, she made a feeble attempt to drag herself from the room.

Xerus turned away from the corpse and began to approach her, moving with languid, unhurried steps in her direction. She continued to make the effort to get away from him, but once he was on top of her, she knew it was no use. She wouldn't fight him. Because there was no point. She went still, looking up at him as tears slid down her face. He was just a blurry, menacing shape above her. A nightmare come to life.

With trembling lips, Lana tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Not even a scream. Her heart felt like it might burst when he bent down and reached for her. Lana let out a pitiful sob and curled into a ball like a terrified child as she felt his smooth hands touch her, grabbing her and lifting her up. Lana tensed, didn't dare squirm away as he wrapped his arms under her and cradled her against him.

He said nothing as he carried her away from the room, into the dark passage beyond. Lana heard the shouts of men behind them and knew it must be Galger's men finally returning, only all too late. The door slid closed behind, slipping her into nothing but darkness and the glow of red eyes.

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