Page 101 of Invasive Species
If I keep running, the Parthiastocks will catch me, but if I stop, I'm as good as dead.
Analyzing my options, I choose.
With a deep breath, I leap over the railing and into the water below. I submerge, scales darkening to match the murky brown depths, and cling onto the foundation pole of the walkway to hold myself under.
Voices shout from above, muffled under the water, and my hearts beat faster. If they saw me jump, if they can track where my garbage scent stopped, if they guess, I'm caught. But if I move, they'll see me for sure. Closing my eyes, I try to slow my heartbeats so I can last longer underwater, and I cannot help but recall with full force the last time I tried to hold my breath. Arra-bellah came back to rescue me, but she can’t now.
I need to rescue her.
My blood cools, adrenaline shifting to icy dread. What have I done to her? I knew I was poison, and yet I still couldn’t stay away. What came over me? It was as if I was hypnotized, losing my mind as soon as her scent hit me. When I'd tasted her need in the air, I’d had no choice but to respond, but I know intellectually my essence might be what’s killing her. Why didn’t my healer instincts protect her? Why did they drive me toward her?
Maybe Ishouldlet them catch me, let them end it here. I deserve it.
No. Arra-bellah needs me.
Through the faint pulse of the bond, I feel her fierce fire. She wouldn’t want me to give up, and if Ezla needs more from me to help her, I can’t die here. Not yet.
My lungs burn from lack of air. When I can't stand it any longer, I tip my lips up to breach the surface, sucking in anoxygen-giving breath. Nothing splashes into the water next to me, no cry goes up.
I wait several cycles of coming up for air and descending, and then I allow myself to lift my head out of the water for intel.
The walkway lies empty above, but there's commotion in the dorms, booming voices augmented by loudspeakers ordering all Selthiastocks to report for scanning. Did they really think I'd made it there? Regardless, nowhere is safe for me while they’re manually checking everyone who moves.
I have to leave Selthia’s Oasis entirely, but the mere idea makes pain flare in the center of my chest. I can’t leave her. Arra-bellah is the only one aside from Ilia who values me for myself. She’s never wanted me to change or be anything different. And she… she needs me.
Me? I’m the one hurting her. My body did something to her when we mated, and now it’s killing her.
Remembering how she flexed around my fingers on Earth, the little cry she made as she reached her peak, causes my mouth to water and my cocks to swell. My knotting cock burns as it rises despite the cold dirty water surrounding me, swelling so quickly I gasp from the pain.
My stomach turns. Why am I thinking of her coming on my fingers when she’s… she’s dying. My head should be full of data and solutions, but all I can think about is doing it again.
Gritting my teeth, I shove my hand in my pants and squeeze my knotting cock hard, hoping it will pop again and flood me with pain. Stupid, horrible, murderous thing! My fist barely makes it around the knot. It surges in my grasp, sides splitting and scales shearing with shards of pain.
What is going on?
When darkness fallsthe districts quieten, but I know better than to move yet. I wrap my arms around the support beam and use my self-loathing as a burning brand to keep me awake. A choking grip on my knotting cock floods me with enough adrenaline to stay alert for a time, but the ache of not knowing how she is and the distance from her wears away at me, blurring time.
I startle awake at a tick-tap-tap slowly getting louder on the walkway, turning into a familiar click-clack-clack above me.
“Mae?” I whisper incredulously.
The murder birdboksand then hisses, her claws scraping on the metal. Footsteps follow her, heavy and uneven. I sink back into the water.
“Shh,” says Ezla to Mae. “You'll bring the Parthiastocks upon us. Gara? Are you here?”
A dark outline peers over the edge of the walkway. I can see he's alone, but my gut twists with dread; he might be bugged or worse, forced to come find me.
“I’m here,” I say, bracing myself for Parthiastocks to pound up and drag me out, but nothing of the sort happens.
Ezla sags against the railing. “Thank the All-Mother, you're safe. Come up, I know of a Magirustock willing to smuggle you out of Selthia’s Oasis when he leaves tomorrow for a spice run.”
Tears sting my eyes. All I’ve brought Ezla is trouble, but still he helps me.
I clamber up the rivets on the support beam, legs wobbling from exhaustion, my scales providing barely enoughlight for me to see by. It's a wonder I haven't been caught given that I seem to be glowing.
When I get to the top, I hiss in surprise: Ezla’s scales are damaged, scraped and dented on his cheek and chin.
He looks away as I gently touch the abused area. “Why aren't your nanites healing this?”
