Chapter 11
Vodyan
I strapped my gun on while the cylindrical space of the lock filled with water. My jaw was clenched, my tentacles vibrating with tension. Two cameras were already smashed, and who knew how many would be destroyed before I came out.
But regardless of how many would remain, this place was burned. And it was all my fault. They finally had enough and came after me, and now Zoe was at risk.
The lock filled completely, and I pulled in air through my gills, turning the wheel to open the door. I shot out, slamming it shut behind me so no one would go in and attack Zoe. She was safe inside, behind multiple locking mechanisms, and if anything happened to me, she would send a distress signal that alerted the MSA directly.
The knowledge she would be fine even if I wasn’t kept my worry at bay, giving space to more primal emotions. When the first grinning lamia lunged at me with a shriek, I attacked him with all my pent-up fury and frustration .
Today, I didn’t care about my vendetta. They would all die, and it didn’t matter that it was more merciful to kill them than to cut off pieces they would mourn for decades to come. Something had shifted in the last three weeks, and my priorities changed.
Every lamia I took out for good was one less threat to Zoe.
“You’ll never… argh!” He broke off with a choking gurgle.
I wrapped my tentacles around his head, squeezing tighter and tighter with rage. His tail thrashed, his claws dragging down my scales, but it took only a few more seconds for his skull to burst under pressure like one of Zoe’s canned peaches.
He went limp, and I pushed him away just as his companion wrapped his tail around my throat from behind.
In my entire life, I saw lamias band together less than a dozen times—the first one when they killed my mother. They were solitary predators and needed a very powerful stimulus to be forced to hunt together. I’d finally pissed them off enough to join forces.
Red scales flashed in my periphery when I reached for my jet gun, not caring about my long streak of defeating lamias without a gun. I wasn’t taking any chances today.
The lamia’s mutilated tail tightened around my throat until my body heaved from the pressure. I aimed over my shoulder and shot blindly.
The jet gun had a powerful engine that sucked in water, turning it into an intense current. Aimed right, for example at the eyes, it could kill.
But I didn’t hit the lamia’s eyes. He pulled me sharply when the jet threw him back, but the pain did the work, and the lamia untangled his tail to pull away and avoid another shot.
The only disadvantage of jet guns was that they were a bit slower than land bullet guns. Water offered more resistance than air, and the jets I shot were very conspicuous, cutting through the water in a straight line .
When I shot, the lamia ducked away, but he didn’t run. Hidden behind a large rock, he laughed with confidence.
“It’s no use!” he called out, gloating. “We know you have some precioussss cargo. There are buyersssss.”
What? So it wasn't about me. They were here for Zoe.
Anger and fear shot through me. I sent another jet in his direction. He ducked behind his cover, so I stopped for a second, dropping my aim, and hit the rock. The jet was powerful enough to push it, making the lamia scream in surprise.
“Come out, coward,” I gritted out. “Tell me more about those buyers.”
He could be talking about shanta. After all, that was what he tried to steal the first time we met. And yet, a horrible, gut-twisting fear told me it wasn’t about that.
“The human is worth millions!” the lamia said with an ugly laugh.
Cold crept down my spine as I stalked closer, my gun raised. I was ready the moment I saw him shoot out from behind the rock. I sent a shot in his direction, getting the side of his tail. It knocked him off course until he went sprawling on the bottom, his fall raising a cloud of silt.
I pushed away from the bottom and was on him with one powerful burst of speed. When he rose, I tackled him until he was immobilized. I wrapped my tentacles around his tail and arms, leaving only one thing free—his head so he could talk.
“How did you like the nice little trim I gave you?” I asked, fury spilling out. I grinned, delighted because I had him in check. “You know what I’ll do? I’ll keep shooting you until you tell me everything I want.”
He growled, but the sound broke when I tightened my hold. Something snapped, and he whimpered.
“Or I could keep breaking you. We’ll see.”
“Others know, too!” he screeched, squirming helplessly in my hold. “They are coming! ”
“See?” I said through a rabid grin. “That wasn’t hard. How many?”
“Everyone!” he bit out, his eyes growing reddish with pain. “All lamias!”
I pressed the muzzle of the jet gun to his side and tightened my hold. He screamed when I pulled the trigger, and the jet propelled us across the lake bottom, but I held on fast.
“Try the truth this time,” I snapped.
“They will! Please, they will! We told many!”
I gritted my teeth. It sounded unlikely that all lamias would come together for one job, but I couldn’t disregard that answer. If he was telling the truth, we were in deep shit.
I pressed the gun to his cheek, right underneath his milky eye. The lamia scrunched up his scaly face as if that would prevent him from getting hit.
“How did you find this place?”
“Searched and searched until we found the cameras.”
Of course they did, because they knew I guarded a human, and if someone approached them asking about it, of course the lamia told. He hated me.
I should have killed him when he saw me with Zoe, and it was all my fault for letting him live. I was too cocky in my belief lamias were scared of me. I underestimated them.
The safehouse was well hidden, too, and yet, they found it, even though it took them three weeks.
Damn, those lamias were determined.
“Who told you to come after her?” I asked, my voice dropping to a threatening rumble.
“Human diver!” he screeched at once. “Offered us a bounty. Gave us an advance. More after we get him the girl.”
“And where will he wait for delivery?” I asked finally, pressing the gun deeper until it ground against his cheekbone.
“He didn’t say! Just said get her and wait!”
“Wait where?” I growled .
“In the lake! Please! Let me go, let me go, let me go!”
I exhaled through my mouth, releasing a flurry of bubbles. It seemed like I wouldn’t get anything more out of him, so I shrugged and lifted the gun until the muzzle pressed into his open eye.
I squeezed the trigger. Blood inked the water as his eye burst open. He spasmed and was still.
One threat less.
Even though I was desperate to check on Zoe, I gritted my teeth and did a full sweep of the area to make sure no more lamias lurked around. When I didn’t find any more, I unlocked the safehouse and went inside, my tentacles squirming with impatience as I waited for the water to pump out of the lock.
As soon as I could, I opened the door to find her waiting on the other side. She wrung her hands, looking anxious and terrified. When she saw me, she took an impulsive step forward and then stopped, vibrating with tension.
“Are you all right? Did they get you?”
I shook my head, scanning her from head to toe while she did the same to me. It was ridiculous on my part. Zoe was safe all along, locked up in the safehouse, and yet, the adrenaline in my system made me worry excessively.
“I’m fine, but we have to go,” I said, guilt and shame twisting in my gut. “I suspect Carver’s people know you’re hiding in the lake. They enlisted the lamias’ help to find you. This place isn’t safe anymore. If we stay, they will swarm us, and if they are smart enough, they might damage our systems.”
She hugged herself, looking desolate and shaky. I lurched forward with the urge to touch her, but halted at the last moment. No, it wasn’t prudent. If I crossed that boundary, it would be a slippery slope. I’d probably try to fuck her, and that couldn’t happen.
“Zoe, put on the suit. We’ll also pack a bag. Only necessities, like food or warm clothes. Things you can’t survive without. ”
She nodded, giving me one last, yearning look. I saw the way her hands shook at her sides, palms clenched into fists. She leaned forward, as if her body was helplessly drawn to me.
It seemed cruel to deny her that comfort. I gritted my teeth, my resolve cracking. I raised my hand, planning to put it on her shoulder, when Zoe turned on her heel and hurried to her room.
For a moment, I stared after her, my arm half-raised. Then I dropped it with an angry huff and hurried to my room to get ready. If what the lamia said was true, we had very little time left.
Fifteen minutes later, we were both in the lock while water sloshed around our feet. Zoe stood next to me, her arms by her sides, her shoulders tense. Her eyes behind the clear goggles were wide, the lines around her mouth deeper than normal.
“It will fill up soon,” I said over the sound of rushing water. “Can I lift you now?”
I caught it because I suspected it would be there. Her face crumpled in relief, and she nodded frantically.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, gently picking her up until she settled against me, her arms wrapped around my neck, her legs squeezing my waist.
“For what?” she asked, pressing closer until her breasts were completely squished between us.
Heat poured down my spine with the awareness of how soft her body was. How warm. How it molded to mine. I held myself in check with adrenaline alone, knowing we’d be much more exposed out there than in the safehouse. I had to be alert.
And yet, I still felt the pleasure buzzing underneath the watchfulness. She felt so fucking good.
“Doesn’t matter,” I replied when water reached Zoe’s legs, and she gasped from the cold, instantly shivering. “I just am. Hold on tight.”
“You c-can hold me, too,” she said, laying her shivering head in the crook of my neck. “However is m-most comfortable.”
I paused while water reached up to her lower back, where my arm was, pressing in under her air tank. What did she…
And then I understood. Slowly, I let my arm fall until I settled it under her ass, my forearm becoming a ledge for her to sit on. Zoe made a squawking sound, and I pulled my hand away, fingers spasming in the cold water.
“It-t-t’s all right,” she said, shivering. “J-just c-c-cold.”
I exhaled as water reached up to my neck, and settled my hand back in place, refraining from grabbing her ass with my palm. But it was tempting. I’d stolen glances at her during our time together, and I knew every curve of her beautifully rounded behind. I just bet it was squishy like her breasts were.
The lock filled completely and I braced myself, banishing all inappropriate thoughts. We swam out, and Zoe sighed with relief, her hold tightening around me now that she stopped shaking.
Another small pang of guilt shot through me. I could have kept her warm through the transition. There was a hormonal mechanism that allowed me to raise my bodily temperature in certain circumstances. But then, it wasn’t proper.
Though I was close to deciding that being proper wasn’t as important as keeping her safe and well. That realization made me tense, because it was a clear sign that my judgment was compromised.
That was exactly why boundaries shouldn’t be crossed. Personal feelings muddled the image and made me less reliable at my job.
By caring for Zoe, I became less able to protect her effectively. It was quite ironic.
I exhaled, pushing away from the bottom while she clung to me, her fingers gently stroking my scales in a mindless, probably self-soothing way.
“You okay?” I asked, my voice sack pulsing .
She stirred, her legs tightening around me until I fancied she pressed her core to my torso with a faint sigh. Electricity skirted across my spine.
And now I was really distracted. Fuck.
“I’m good,” she said, her voice distorted through the plastic. “By the way, I watched your fight on the security screens. You were amazing. So ruthless.”
I barked out a surprised laugh. “ Amazing? It was fucking slaughter.”
Zoe murmured something so softly, I didn’t really catch it. It sounded a bit like “ten points”, but that didn’t make any sense.
“Well, I assume they tried to hurt us, so it’s good you dealt with them,” she said, sounding unsuitably appreciative.
To be honest, I would have expected her to be horrified or scared if she saw the whole thing. If I had known she watched, I would have strangled both lamias. It was the least gruesome and very efficient manner of death.
“They were trying to kidnap you,” I replied, which made her hug me more tightly.
“And you prevented it, so I’m grateful. You know, a few months ago I might have been horrified, but Carver changed my outlook on things. If I could get him, I’d kill him personally. Someone who sells children into sex slavery deserves to fucking die, and everyone who works for him deserves that, too.”
“It’s almost certain those lamias acted on his behalf,” I said, warmed by her acceptance for necessary violence.
Because it was necessary. It was one of my cornerstone beliefs. Some villains could never change, and the only way to stop them from hurting others was death.
“They got what they deserved,” she said viciously.
A warm feeling of pride glowed in my chest. Suddenly, I wished I could kill Carver myself, and then every single one of his employees and supporters, too. Not just because they deserved it, but because it would earn me Zoe’s gratitude and awe.
“So, what now?” she asked, squeezing my sides with her hot legs .
I sped up while I explained where we were heading.
“There are few options in the lake to stay in hiding and dry,” I said with regret. “We’re headed for a small hut that doesn’t have a dry space, but it’s remote and well-hidden. We can regroup there while I consider the other possible locations. Ideally, we’ll keep moving.”
“For one more week,” Zoe said with a sigh that fogged up her mask. “Okay. I guess it will be hard, but it’s not for long. You know what’s strange? I’m not even afraid. I was, at the start. Like, this lake terrified me. It’s so dark, so completely uniform. I don’t have any idea where we are—but you do. And I trust you completely.”
Something inside me gave at her words. It was almost physical, like a crack behind my ribs.
And I knew then. I’d do everything to be worthy of her trust.