Page 6 of Alien Devil's Wrath
“Look at this,” I said to myself, picking up a military-grade canteen. “And this lovely knife. The previous owner had excellent taste.”
Behind me, boots scraped stone as my Vinduthi emerged from cover.
“You planned that.”
His voice carried that low rumble that made my nipples tighten. Not anger exactly. Evaluation.
I straightened, testing the knife’s balance before sliding it into my boot.
“Of course I planned it. Though ‘orchestrated’ has such a nicer ring. Like conducting a symphony instead of feeding guards to hungry lizards.”
He stood completely still, studying me with that predator gaze. The tremor in his left hand had gotten worse, though he was trying to hide it by keeping it pressed against his thigh.
“You orchestrated a massacre.” No judgment in the words. Just observation.
“I solved a problem using available resources.” I gestured to where the Stalkers had retreated. “The ecosystem is all about balance. They disrupted it by being here. I restored it by making them useful.”
I started walking deeper into the canyon, already thinking about our next obstacle.
“Besides,” I called over my shoulder, “you’re not upset about dead guards. Your pupils dilated when you watched them die. That’s physical arousal, in case you were wondering.”
His footsteps followed, heavier now than they’d been an hour ago. The venom was working exactly as expected.
“You talk about murder like entertainment.”
“Isn’t it?” I spun around to face him, walking backwards. “I know how these creatures think, what makes them hungry, how to make them hunt. Those guards walked right into my pets’ territory acting like prey. What did they expect?”
He didn’t answer, but something shifted in his expression. Like he was seeing me properly for the first time.
“You’re trying to figure me out,” I said, turning back around. “I can tell. The way your breathing changes when you look at me. The way your jaw tightens when I do something unexpected.”
“You are unexpected.”
I laughed, the sound bright in the narrow canyon. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me in five years.”
The path ahead split into three branches. I chose the middle one without hesitation, following marks I’d made months ago during my explorations.
“Twenty-eight kilometers to your objective,” I said. “Think you’ll make it? That tremor’s spread to your right hand now.”
He clenched both fists, trying to prove me wrong. The shaking was obvious.
“Stage three comes fast,” I continued. “Muscle spasms, loss of coordination, eventual paralysis. But don’t worry. When you can’t walk anymore, I know some excellent caves where we can wait for you to die. Very peaceful. Scenic, even.”
“There must be antivenom.”
“Oh, there is.” I patted my pack. “I’ve been perfecting it for three years. Had to test it on myself twice when I got careless. Horrible experience, really. The convulsions alone lasted six hours.”
He stopped walking. “You have it with you?”
“Of course! What kind of guide would I be if I let you die halfway there?” I smiled at him, bright and innocent. “But we haven’t discussed new terms yet.”
“We had a deal.”
“We did. But that was before you decided to ignore my medical advice. Now you’re dying, and I’m the only one who can save you.” I moved closer, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body. “So let’s talk about what that’s worth to you.”
His hand moved to the knife at his belt. Not drawing it, just resting there. A reminder.
“I could just take it.”
