Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Marc
My jaw was locked tight and every muscle in my body stretched to breaking point.
A threader had Colbie.
It could be hurting her.
Putting her in a cocoon.
“Marc, keep a lock on it,” Jameson growled as we jogged down the corridor.
I gave my squad leader one short nod. We followed Kai and the trail. We didn’t need his skills—it was obvious where the threader was taking her.
The dining room.
Fuck, I couldn’t lose her.
I was an idiot. I’d almost lost her before, I’d had her, then I’d failed to tell her how I felt about her. I’d let her think what we had was casual.
The truth was, she was under my skin, in my cells.
In my heart.
“I’m in love with Colbie,” I said.
Zeke made a noise. “Fuck, you’re slow.”
I looked at him. “You knew?”
“Yes. I knew every time you looked at her.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “I’m an idiot.”
Zeke grunted.
“I can’t lose her.”
My brother’s face hardened. “You’re not going to. We’re gonna get her back.”
“Trail goes into the dining room,” Kai said.
“All right, everyone be careful.” Jameson spun. “Colbie is priority one, then capturing the threader. After that, we check for the deceased man Marc and Colbie saw.” His face hardened. “Then we destroy any cocoons we find.”
Everyone nodded.
“Let’s get our girl back.”
We entered the dining room.
I hissed in a breath, my hands clenching on my carbine.
A group of threaders, about ten of them, were clustered in the center of the space.
But I only had eyes for Colbie.
She was on her knees in front of the monsters. She looked scared, but pissed off.
I caught her gaze and didn’t let go.
“Plan?” North murmured.
“Marc, get Colbie. Kai and North, get those nets ready. The rest of us, time to take down some threaders.”
“Hell yeah,” Zeke murmured.
“One, two, three,” Jameson said.
My squadmates moved. Zeke and the others fired on the threaders. I raced to the side, zigzagging as I sprinted toward Colbie.
I heard the distinctive whoosh as Kai and North fired the net launchers. I didn’t wait to see the results. I only had eyes for my woman.
A threader leaped at me, but I dived under it, and saw Zeke open fire on it.
Rolling, I came back up on my feet right by a large cocoon. I kicked it out of my way. Another threader rushed at me, black arm lifted. There was more carbine fire. I jumped over the toppling body, then slid on my knees the last few meters to Colbie.
A threader was advancing on her. I aimed my carbine up and fired into its face. It screeched, its arms flailing.
Colbie jumped up and shoved it with both hands.
Damn, I loved her feistiness.
I rose and yanked her to me. I shifted to the side and fired on the downed threader until it stopped moving.
“Marc.”
I cupped her cheeks. “You all right? Are you hurt?”
“I’m all right. Just a little shaken.”
“Get it down,” Jameson roared.
Pulling Colbie close, I whipped my carbine up.
A threader, covered by a net, was thrashing on the floor. It was fighting hard.
The rest of my squad was firing on the remaining threaders.
That’s when I noticed that the net on the struggling threader wasn’t quite closed.
“Kai! The net’s coming loose. Fire another one.”
The threader jerked and flailed. Kai lifted his net launcher, but his shot was blocked by a cocoon.
“Throw it to me.” I waved my arm.
He tossed the net launcher and I caught it.
“Give me a carbine.” Colbie held out a hand, and I slapped a weapon into it.
Another threader rushed us.
Without any hesitation, Colbie whirled the gun around. It looked way too big in her hands. She fired.
The threader leaped to the side, trying to get out of the way. But Colbie kept firing until it collapsed.
“Fire the net,” she yelled. “I’ve got your back.”
With a nod, I went down on one knee and lifted the net launcher. I dragged in a deep breath, aiming at the struggling threader. It was almost free of the first net.
I pulled the trigger.
Whoosh.
The net slammed into the threader. It screeched.
“North, sedative,” I yelled.
Spinning, I grabbed my carbine from Colbie. I kept her close as we advanced on the trapped threader.
North appeared with an injector in his hand.
The threader was thrashing wildly.
“I need you to hold it down,” North said.
I pressed my palms to the threader’s torso. It hissed at me and bucked. It was still fighting, and damn, it was strong. Then Colbie’s hands pressed beside mine. With no fear or hesitation, she helped me hold the monster down.
North jammed the injector against the threader’s side.
It bucked wildly, but then its movement slowed. I pushed down harder.
Finally, it stilled.
Thank Christ.
Colbie dragged in a shuddering breath and sat back.
“Threaders are all neutralized,” Jameson said.
“You did well, dove. Sure you don’t want to trade the cockpit for a carbine?”
She shot me a small smile. “I think I’m fine in my Talon.”
Fuck. She was okay.
I pulled her close and kissed her. She was still for a second, then she kissed me back.
After, I pressed my forehead to hers. “I’ve been an idiot.”
“Marc—”
“I was afraid. I was afraid to care too much about you, terrified I couldn’t keep you safe, afraid I’d lose you.”
Her face softened. “You keep me safe, Marc. I never feel safer than when I’m with you. And you aren’t alone. You have an entire squad to help you.” Her chin lifted. “Not to mention, I’m pretty good at taking care of myself.”
“This isn’t casual, Colbie.”
She licked her lips. “Okay.”
“You’re mine.”
Her eyes flared. “As long as you’re mine too.”
“Fuck yeah.” I kissed her again.
“Jess, did you find the body of the man that Marc and Colbie saw?” Jameson asked.
Jess shook her head. “I skirted the room. No sign of him. The threaders must have moved his body.”
Damn. We had no way to know who he was. No way to tell his family. Colbie burrowed into my chest.
Jameson nodded. “All right, fire up the flamethrowers and destroy the cocoons. Then let’s take our threader and get the fuck out of here.”
Colbie
I’d be really happy never to see Blue Mountain Base again.
Standing beside the captured threader, I ignored it and watched Marc, Zeke, and Jess set the cocoons alight.
I watched impassively as they burned. Whatever creatures were inside, I hoped they’d finally have peace.
I needed a hot shower, cheeseburger… And Marc.
I looked at him, looking strong and badass as he torched a clump of cocoons. My lips were still tingling from that kiss.
The look on his face when he’d rescued me… I’d never forget it.
He was mine. Warmth filled me in a rush.
Smoke started filling the room.
“That’s all of them,” Jameson yelled. “Let’s get out of here. North and Kai, you carry our guest.”
I watched the two men heave the threader between them.
Marc came to me and took my hand. “Ready to go home?”
“A thousand times yes.”
He flashed me a smile.
Soon, we were heading down the tunnel. We were moving slowly since North and Kai couldn’t move very quickly carrying the unconscious threader.
“This way,” Jameson said.
We were taking a shortcut back to our exit.
We came out of a doorway and I gasped. Here, several levels of the base had caved in.
The upper levels looking like the collapsed layers of a cake.
High above was a small hole and I could just make out a patch of blue sky. The wind blew through and I shivered.
“North? Kai? You guys okay with that threader?” Jameson asked.
Kai grunted. “He’s a heavy fucker, but we’re fine.”
The wind picked up, ruffling my hair. Then an awful smell swept in with the breeze.
I heard a fluttering sound. For a second, I thought it was the wind, but then I frowned and stopped.
“Colbie?” Marc asked.
“What’s that noise?” I murmured.
Hunter Squad all looked ahead, where several semi-collapsed doorway openings yawned like hungry mouths.
“Hunter Squad,” Jameson said slowly.
Kai and North dropped the threader and reached for their carbines. Marc shifted closer to me, whipping his weapon up.
We all stared at the doorways, everyone tense. The fluttering sound increased.
Suddenly, a huge black cloud rushed at us.
I gasped, but Marc shifted, shielding me with his body. In a flash, I realized they were batlike monsters with sharp beaks. They swarmed us.
Hunter Squad opened fire.
The sharp beaks and claws tore at me, and I threw my arms up. The monsters screeched and dived at us. I heard all of Hunter Squad cursing.
“Get down.” Marc shoved me to the floor, firing upward.
“Everyone, get into the closest doorway.” Jameson pointed, firing at the bats. “Get into cover.”
Marc hauled me up. “Go.”
We left the threader, shuffling together as a group. We ducked into a wide doorway. Jameson, Kai, and Zeke fired at the creatures on the left. Jess, North, and Marc fired to the right.
The door didn’t lead anywhere. The hallway behind it was blocked by rubble. It could give us some cover, but it wasn’t an exit.
“The corridor’s blocked,” I yelled.
Jameson cursed.
A black bat monster flew in with a high-pitched screech, wings flapping.
It landed at my feet and I kicked it. It skidded across the floor and Marc shot it.
“Watch out.” Zeke stepped forward and pulled a grenade off his belt. I watched him yank the pin.
“Close your eyes,” Marc warned, pulling me close. “It’s a light grenade.” He tugged me to his chest and wrapped his body around me.
Zeke tossed the grenade and I closed my eyes.
One. Two. Three.
There was a flare of blinding light and deafening screeching filled the space around us.
“Most of them are down,” Jameson said. “But more are flying in. We need to get out of here.” He checked his carbine charge. “Marc, take point with Colbie. North and Kai, I’ll help you carry the threader. Zeke and Jess, cover our asses.”
All around, Hunter Squad nodded.
“Let’s show these monsters we mean business,” Marc said.
“Go!” Jameson ordered.
Marc pulled me forward. “Stay close.”
“Roger that.” I moved quickly to keep up with his long strides. I didn’t distract him.