Page 27 of Shattered Silence

Please be there. Please be there.

Her fingers curled around a familiar hilt.

Yes!

Somehow, she was able to pull the thing out of its sheath.

No longer was she thinking about survival and patience and endurance. Something raw and primal rose up within her, a savage need to inflict violence on the one who held her down.

To make him stop.

Slipping. Squirming. Struggling.

Breathing heavily. Ignoring his curses and the fire-burn of his scratches. Blood everywhere. Warm. Coppery. Hers.

Desperation granted her an impossible burst of strength. Adrenaline surging. Heart pounding. Hatred burning through her like wildfire, giving her the power to twist around and thrust, even as his claws raked across her face.

The blade went somewhere. Met something hard. Didn’t stick. Flew out of her fucking hand.

Oh shit.

Her heart sank.

Layla couldn’t see a thing, but she knew she’d missed. She hadn’t stuck him in the heart the way she’d intended to, and now her only weapon was lost in the darkness.

The strength drained from her body, and she went limp.

God, he’s so heavy.

The Kordolian was on top of her, crushing her, his blood spilling all over her, and somehow she knew it was his blood, because it was thick and sticky and smelled bitter.

What color is it?

Darkness hid everything.

Wait… blood?

“You fucking human bitch,” he hissed in Universal, before crying out in his native tongue.

She felt one of his arms move… he seemed to be reaching for his neck, but she couldn’t quite tell.

His breathing grew shallow and rapid. Blood trickled over Layla’s cheek, and she couldn’t tell whether it was hers or his until it trickled over her lips. She tasted vile bitterness. His blood!

The alien’s breathing grew shallower, his movements weaker. He rolled off her, and she heard clumsy, staggering footsteps in the darkness, as if he were trying to get to his feet.

He stumbled and fell.

Layla seized the chance and shuffled backward out of the dark chamber, wanting to get as far away from him as possible. She maneuvered herself back into the main chamber, where the dim blue light allowed her to see.

Thank the fucking stars that stupid pain collar wasn’t going off anymore, but she was bleeding all over, from her back to her arms, and her broken rib hurt something fierce.

Lying on her back, she propped herself up on her elbows, sucking in air in great, heaving gasps as she tried to calm down and take stock of her situation.

It was eerily quiet.

The mad Kordolian’s jagged breathing no longer reached her ears. All Layla heard was the faint hum of machinery in the background.

“Uggh.” Suddenly, a specter emerged from the darkness. The Kordolian lurched toward her, holding one hand against his neck. Black blood streamed from underneath his fingers, staining his white robes.

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