Page 39 of Heart of the Deep

Fish swam by above him — some long and sleek, some short with powerful tails, some with flexible growths protruding from their bodies, or reflective skin, or oversized mouths. The kraken had names for some, but many types weren’t important enough to warrant naming because they either weren’t a good source of food or weren’t a danger.

Humans seemed to nameeverything, regardless of importance. How did they avoid getting confused?

A large spinefish entered his field of vision, and he cast aside his other thoughts. The fish’s body was longer than Dracchus’s arm, and the spikes jutting from around its head were nearly half its body length. It would provide enough meat for he and Larkin to enjoy a filling meal together.

Dracchus tensed his muscles as the spinefish neared, its flat tail swishing from side to side with an easy rhythm. Predators large enough to prey upon these fish were low in number, and their long, hard spines deterred all but the most precise attacks.

The spinefish glided directly over Dracchus. He waited, watching for the vulnerable section behind its head.

Dracchus darted off the bottom. Surrounding fish scattered at the sudden burst of movement, but the spinefish was too close to flee. Two of Dracchus’s tentacles coiled around it just behind its head. Despite its thrashing, it could not break his hold, and the angle of its spines prevented it from inflicting any damage.

Without pausing, Dracchus drew the fish closer and jabbed a claw behind its skull. Its thrashing ended in a series of uneven spasms. When it was still, he snapped off each one of its long, bony spines, gathering them into a small bundle; Larkin might have use for them.

He continued his return trip.

Dracchus emerged from the water shortly after, carrying the spinefish by its mouth. The sun blazed directly overhead, marking midday. His search would have to resume tomorrow, and he’d need to push longer, farther, if he wanted to figure out where they were. But he didn’t want to leave her alone.

That he would even consider delaying was foolish.Because I wanted to be near youwas no good reason for it. Larkin wanted to see Randall; her patience would only hold out for so long.

Dracchus’s self-control would only go so far, as well.

Besides, he needed to know what was happening in the Facility. Had Vasil warned them? Had Neo already tried something, forcing Jax and Arkon to defend mates and younglings? Dracchus cared about all the kraken, and he’d accepted Macy, Aymee, and Randall as his kind. As his family. He couldn’t bring himself to feel shame for holding those closest to him above all the rest.

As he moved up the beach in the direction of their camp, shouting from Larkin caught his attention.

He hurried toward her voice, rounding a bend to find her standing atop a flat rock. The tide splashed against the stone on three sides. She clutched her long stick, her gaze shifting between four slowly advancing prixxir.

They were full-grown beasts, slightly larger than Ikaros and longer than Larkin was tall, with thick, strong tails.

Ikaros had been a youngling when Randall began caring for him; he was fiercely protective of Randall and Melaina, but never showed aggression without provocation.

Dracchus doubted these prixxir had been provoked.

The prixxir produced undulating growls, and the foremost beast lunged, snapping its jaws near Larkin’s feet — only then did Dracchus see the pair of fish laid out on the rock before her. She took a step back and jabbed her stick at it. The beast scurried back into place beside its companions.

Passing the spinefish to a tentacle, Dracchus rushed forward and hauled himself onto the rock beside the pack of prixxir. The closest two spun about to face him, long whiskers flattening with uncertainty, but another charged at Larkin.

Without slowing, Dracchus swung his arm upward, catching the attacking prixxir in its side and heaving it off the rock. The beast chirruped and splashed into the incoming tide. Dracchus turned to face the others immediately. All three had assumed low stances, baring their teeth and growling, hind legs bunched as though ready to pounce.

Dracchus flared his skin red and roared, advancing toward the creatures.

The prixxir ducked their heads and scrambled off the rock. Dracchus watched as they swam back out to sea, eventually dipping beneath the waves and vanishing from sight.

“You’re quite fierce,” Larkin said from behind him.

He eased the tension in his muscles, reverted his skin to normal, and turned to face her. There was no fear in her expression.

Smirking, she tilted her head. “Had the humans seen you like that, they’d have pissed themselves.”

Dracchus grunted. “Yes, and then shot me anyway.”

Larkin winced. “Yeah, probably.” She shifted her gaze, staring in the direction the prixxir had gone. “Thanks for that.”

He nodded. “Prixxir do not normally come ashore during the day in search of food. Either they believed your catch to be an easy meal, or a larger predator frightened them out of the water.”

Larkin laughed as she bent down to retrieve her fish. “A larger predator definitely scared themintothe water.”

The sound of her laughter caused warmth to bloom in his chest, and he smiled. Though they’d spent less than two days together, they were falling into an easy companionship he’d not experienced often in his life. Having his words turned around on him used to infuriate Dracchus, at least when he’d been able to recognize the mockery, but there was no malice in Larkin’s demeanor now.

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