Page 58 of Alien Prince's Claim

I leaned my weight to one side.

The creatures rode my movement like a skilled rodeo rider, so I immediately shifted my legs in the opposite direction.

This time, I caught them unaware and they slipped from my leg, bracing themselves with a claw to the floor.

One managed to ride the movement well, the other, not so much.

I twisted my leg free and pulled my foot back, lashing at the creature, striking him full in the face, sending him flying.

The leader standing before me turned back and snapped at the creature but he was too late as I brought my leg around and caught that bastard in the face too.

He was tough and didn’t immediately collapse.

I immediately struck at him again and again, knocking him back so he sailed through the air, out the door, and crashed into the tunnel’s wall on the outside.

I attacked the other creatures.

Those holding my arms refused to let go, preventing me from getting the kind of purchase I needed.

But I had made progress and I lashed out again and again, finding reserves of strength I thought I had lost.

This could very well be my last chance of escape, I knew.

If I was going to get free of these twats, this was going to be it.

I heard a noise outside, a meaty wet slap, but didn’t concern myself with it.

I needed to focus on what I was doing, not what these monsters had next up their sleeves.

Then they began dropping like flies, a dark wraith tearing through them without mercy.

I felt the release of my limbs one by one, and when I looked up at the attacking creature — which was larger than all the little ones combined — I thought I was doomed for sure.

I could stand holding my own against a troupe of nasty bastards but a creature of this size…?

I pictured the monster as being some kind of king of the creatures, that they did his bidding and had only ever been on a time-wasting mission so this beast could have his way with me.

I screamed and turned my head to one side as he drew close.

I couldn’t bear to look at him, couldn’t bear to lay eyes on the creature that would do me untold harm.

Then he spoke… and my fear — as well as my heart — melted.

It was Yaltah.

Seeing him broke the dam that had been gathering up inside me, bursting with emotions that poured out of me all at once, sweeping me away in its embrace.

I fell into his arms and collapsed for the second time that day.

He caught me and pulled me in close, so tight I felt the breath being forced from my lungs.

Gra-ew!

The horrible grating bark from the back of another one of those creatures’ throats issued up and echoed, bouncing off the walls.

Not just once, but multiple times.

There wasn’t just one of them.

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