Page 6 of Veras
The buttery metal platform floated up, and I hopped on. That was when my luck ran out. Creeper suddenly grew some balls and screeched at the top of his lungs. The sound was so powerful, I felt my eardrums vibrate.
I flattened myself on the suspended ledge, but instead of going down, it hovered, and I had no idea how to adjust it. I fiddled with the staff and prayed something would work. Eventually, I headed down; unfortunately, it set me right next to Inkonexo. He hadn’t noticed me yet, still fixated on the beast. He strode toward it with his hand held out.
Is he trying to touch it?
Unfortunately, the horde of guards running toward me would probably tip Inkonexo off.
Hijo de la gran puta!
Nito buzzed in agitation, and I felt him flow toward Inkonexo. Even without Nito touching me, I felt what he intended. He wanted to hurt Inkonexo. So, I did something I hadn’t done since arriving here. I screamed at the top of my lungs, “No! Come back.”
The evil alien spun toward me, and a shudder went through him, as if my voice…affected him. Inkonexo looked at me,reallylooked at me in a way no one had ever done on this planet.
It scared the shit out of me.
His yellow eyes swirled, and he studied every inch of me, zeroing in on my hair. It fluttered and flew erratically because Nito had returned at my command.
“Calm down,mi amor,”I spoke softly, no longer willing to be silent. I refused to spend my last minutes yelling at Nito.
The burst of wind immediately settled.
“That voice. It can’t be…” Inkonexo lifted a hand. “Who do you speak to?” Suddenly, Mr. Mean and Demanding’s tone gentled.
I don’t buy it.I glanced at my wound. Bright red blood soaked my sack dress. I was only a few feet away from the alien-dragon. It stood close to twenty feet tall, its head as large as a bus. A mist of gold poured off its scales, emitting the most delicious scent. I wanted to roll around in it, take it into every cell of my body. I stumbled a bit, completely light-headed from the loss of blood, but I wanted to follow that smell. Even if it meant approaching thebrutoothey had chained up.
The beast watched me, completely still, flaring its nostrils as I took a tentative step away from Inkonexo and toward it. Eerily enough, because the alien-dragon had settled, the guards around it paused as well, confused at the abrupt change.
Everyone is staring at me.
I coughed up blood. My adrenaline rush… gone.This is the end of a long road.I didn’t have long to live, but I’d go out on my terms and maybe help this gorgeous monster along the way. The beast would absolutely kill me, but I was dead anyway. My only hope was it would take a hell of a lot of aliens with it before it escaped through the wide-open doors.
At peace, or as close to it as I’d ever been on this mother-cluckingplanet—I blew Nito one last kiss. With a quick tug, I ran my hand along the side of the staff.
Almost there…
“Do not! “Inkonexo rushed at me but paused when I held up the pole. “Do not be stupid, Pet. If you release the beast, you’ll die along with the rest of us.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.” I showed him the red splotch staining my side. “I’m dead already.”
“Run, fools, run! She is releasing—”
I hit the last button, and the collar dropped away from thebrutoo’s neck. It reared back on two sets of hind legs and roared at the sky.
Anarchy ensued. Aavvee flapped and screeched in the stands, crushing each other in the stampede. Several hundred fell from their floating pods, and… it was the best thing I’d ever seen.
Me. The meaningless, little human had wrought all of this destruction. Too bad I’d only be alive a few more minutes before I was trampled or devoured by my alien-dragon.
Yes, I’d decided to claim him. Or maybe he’d claimed me. I watched as thebrutootore off Aavvee limbs and heads, shredding and consuming aliens in a bite. The guards took Inkonexo’s advice and ran for their lives. Not that it mattered. The speed with which the beast moved was awe-inspiring.
I didn’t bother to run.
I stood as tall as I could, no longer interested in appearing small, satisfied that I had control over my life—and perhaps the death of an incalculable amount of Aavvee. Was it possible there were innocents in the stands? Maybe. But maybe not. They’d chosen to attend. This planet peddled in slavery and torture, so no, I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for the visitors.
I said a smallnovenafor any innocents, hoping they escaped. After that, I was good.
Nito tickled the nape of my neck as if urging me to run. “No,mi amor.I’m staying right here. But if you’re scared, you can go. I’ll miss you so much.”
He tickled my cheek and my lips, as he always did when I spoke to him, and ruffled my hair quite dramatically. As if I’d offended him.
