larger, towering over Donovan. A number of the creatures had huge horns on the front of them, and brown, hard-shelled bodies.
“We need to get to the wardens,” Airen said. “Maybe they’ll let us in.”
He snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“Then we’ll let ourselves in,” she said.
They broke into a run.
All around them, the turrets opened across the beach. The weapons swiveled, firing on the Kantos bugs. But there were so many of them, wave after wave. Donovan saw one large bug with a huge, bulging body stop and open its huge mouth. It proceeded to vomit out smaller bugs.
Laser fire cut close to Donovan and Airen. They both dived and rolled. They came up, facing a large bug. Donovan pulled out his sword and, with a vicious swing, sliced the bug’s head off. Green blood splattered his chest.
Airen had morphed her weapon into a sword and was cutting through several others.
“Keep moving!” she yelled.
Ahead, he saw the doors of the warden base opening.
Rows of armed wardens marched out, rifles clutched in their hands.
Suddenly, a large bug landed in front of Donovan and Airen, making the ground shake.
It had two sturdy legs and four arms, a bulky body covered in a light layer of fur, and pincers on its mouth. It pounded its muscular chest, reminding Donovan of a gorilla. It was almost as though a gorilla and a bug had mated. He grimaced at the idea.
Airen didn’t pause. She rushed at the alien, attacking hard. She ducked a swing of one of its arms, but before her sword made contact, one of its other three arms grabbed her. It lifted her off her feet and threw her through the air.
No. Donovan charged. The gorilla-bug spun, hammering its fists into the ground. Donovan jumped up, but midair, the creature hit him like a speeding starship.
Pain crashed into him. Damn, the thing was strong.
Donovan hit the ground hard, sliding through the sand. He shook his head. Shit.
He blinked his eyes and saw Airen leap up. She kicked the creature in the head and it roared. As she dropped, she swung her sword fast, and sliced open the gorilla-bug’s gut.
That’s my girl.
Screams filled the air, and Donovan whipped his head around. The bugs were swarming the wardens.
As he watched, one bug rammed its horn into a warden’s head, right through the soldier’s helmet. It lifted the warden’s body off the ground, and the warden jerked wildly.
What the fuck?
“We need to get inside,” Airen said urgently.
He turned, and saw more bugs stabbing the wardens’ heads.
Airen grimaced. “Donovan. Now.”
“What are they doing?”
“Sucking out their brain matter.”
Donovan winced. Great.
He ran with Airen, and they tried to circle the attacking bugs. But every way they moved, more bugs rushed at them.
They were still too far away from the building. A second later, they were surrounded.
He took a step forward, but several bugs darted closer, lots of them with those deadly, brain-sucking horns.
“Donovan.” Airen looked around warily.
Yeah, there was no way out.
All of a sudden, an injured, blood-covered warden ran at them wildly. The bugs scattered, swiveling to face the incoming man.
Donovan seized the opportunity and grabbed Airen’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Then he felt her body jerk.
He looked back, and saw her face was pale, her mouth open. His gaze dropped and his mind went blank.
There was a horn protruding through her stomach.
Her mouth moved, blood dripping from her lips.
Pain stormed through him. “Airen!”
Chapter Seventeen
Agony had a flavor. It was harsh, bitter, and overpowering.
Airen stared at the horn protruding from her body, tasted the blood in her mouth. Black ooze dripped from the horn, crawling up her chest.
How had it pierced her armor? Then she realized her helian was writhing. This black ooze was destabilizing her helian’s abilities.
Her gaze locked with Donovan’s. His face was twisted in horror, pain.
He touched his own stomach, like he felt her wound.
Oh no. She felt her helian pulsing, and knew that he was sharing what she felt.
He ran at her.
Airen summoned the last of her strength. She pulled herself off the bug’s horn and turned, swinging her sword.
The alien bug dropped, buzzing as it died. The black ooze was crawling all over her now, multiplying.
“Airen?”
Donovan reached her just as she dropped to her knees.
“Donovan.” A scratchy whisper.
“It’s okay. You’ll be okay.” His hands were touching her.
It was a lie. They both knew it.
“Get off this planet.” She clutched his hand. “Promise me…you’ll make the Kantos pay.”
He muttered a curse. “We’ll do it together, Airen.”
She cupped his face. She’d gotten so used to these strong lines. The