Orri (Intergalactic Surrogacy Agency #3)

22. Trap

TRAP

ISABELLA

T he footsteps are growing louder. I can smell their scent in the air. It's just as Orri described it. A distinct, earthy smell with an undercurrent of spice to it. Almost like getting black pepper up your nose, now that I think of it. Except this scent doesn't make me sneeze.

It does, however, make my heart beat even faster. We're getting closer to their tracks, and if they see Adik dragging me around, who knows what they'll do...

"Come on, keep up." Adik growls, yanking on my wrist so hard it hurts. I stumble over the uneven ground, panting and scratched and just hoping that this is the boon I so desperately need.

There's another sound in the gloom. A high pitched, warbling cry. It sends a chill down my spine. Do dactyls make that sound? In the heat of the moment, I can't remember anything anymore. Adik pulls me to a stop, eyes searching. "What was that?" He rounds on me. "Did you lure us into a trap or something?"

I twist my arm away now that we're standing still, rubbing the sore skin there. "No," I say without meeting his eyes. "It's probably just a bird or something."

Adik grumbles. "I don't like it. On second thought, I'm not that hungry anyway. We're wasting time." He turns. "We're going back to the hover bike. Now."

No! Not when we're this close!

"Don't tell me you're scared." It's a risky taunt, but one I have to take. If he turns away now, my plans along with any hope for rescue will go up in smoke.

I was with Adik for long enough to know his patterns. He, and every other man on planet earth it seems like, despises one thing above all others — someone questioning their courage or masculinity. It's a low blow, but one I know he'll respond to.

"What did you say?" He hisses.

"No, it's fine." I shrug and put up my hands. "I get it. You heard a sound and got scared. We can go back to the bike where it's safe."

"You little..." There's that fist again, and this time for sure I'm gonna get hit, until...

There's that screech again. Louder. Longer. And like something from Jurassic Park, this creature crashes through the underbrush and straight toward us!

"The fuck! This ain't no fuckin' deer!" Adik yells, clamoring for the gun at his side. I doubt he's ever used one a day in his life, just wanted it to look cool. And it's that moment of hesitation that costs him everything. The dactyl, in all its huge, fierce glory, head butts right into him, sending him and the gun flying.

I make a lunge for the weapon, but no sooner have I moved than a second beast crashes onto the scene, letting out the same warbling scream. Was that their battle cry? Were they going to attack me too?

I roll out of the way just in time, but the clawed foot of the beast comes down hard on the blaster, shattering it into useless pieces. There goes our only weapon. Pushing myself off my butt and back onto my feet, I look around for anything I can use in the meantime. Something big, something heavy, I don't care...

A fallen branch about as big around as my arm and three feet long catches my eye. Still watching the dactyls out of the corner of my eye, I make a beeline for the branch and pick it up, brandishing it in both hands. I feel like some kind of caveman, but if the creatures — or Adik, for that matter, decide to turn on me, I'll be able to defend myself.

Or at least bonk them silly and buy enough time to run back to the hover bike.

Speaking of Adik, I scan the scene. He's laid out against a tree, looking stunned but still conscious. A trickle of blood drips from a gash at his temple, and he looks more wild, more feral than I've ever seen him. Pushing himself onto his feet, he lunges past the charging dactyl just in time. With a thud that shakes the whole forest, the poor animal ends up head butting the tree trunk at full force, leaving it wobbling and dazed on its feet.

Then he sees me, and his face is nothing but murderous fury.

"You bitch!" He grunts, running right at me. "You knew about this, didn't you? You set me up! You're going to pay for this!"

Fight or flight kicks in. My grip tightens on the branch. I have one shot to make this count. I don't want to hurt him, but I don't have a choice. Just as I'm winding up, about to take the swing of my life, one lands right in front of me, rearing up on its back legs with a scream. It's not attacking me. In fact, quite the opposite.

Is it...protecting me?

I don't have time to think. Only to act. With the dactyl between us as a distraction, I bolt out of the way, past Adik and toward the trees. For a moment, I can hardly believe myself. Only a few short months ago I would have never even dreamed of doing something like this. I was far too timid. Far too naive and hooked on my own powerlessness.

Now, I have the strength to choose my own fate.

"Good riddance," I mutter under my breath, as I turn and run for the bike. More dactyls pour out from the trees. The whole herd's approaching now, riled up by the violence. I had no idea there were so many of them. Their cries echo in my ears. Their thundering footsteps shake the already uneven ground. The world spins but still I stumble forward, tripping over what feels like every root and rock. I pick myself up and keep running. I can't look back.

To look back is death. To look back is to leave that chapter — that part of myself and my life — wide open. No. I'm closing that book. I'm moving forward.

The bike comes into view at last, but the dactyls are coming in all directions. They're screeching and tearing at the ground and oh god, there's so many of them. I can't get through! Razor-sharp talons lash out as one takes a giant leap, and I throw my hands up instinctively to defend myself, sure that this is the end...

And then I hear the loudest, most startling, and most welcome sound I've ever heard in my life.

It's Orri, barreling toward us with a war-cry that makes even me quiver in sheer intimidation and awe. It drowns out the roar of the creatures closing in around me, and only one thought remains.

He's here. He came.

I am full of warmth. Maybe he hasn't given up on me after all.