Read Online Discovery at Nerwolix by C.G. Coppola - Free Book Online

going to do it. But
he only sneers. I’m about to sigh a second breath of relief when he
flings me back and I hit the wall with force. Agony erupts at the
impact, my wrists screaming again at the rope rubbing them raw.
With the sudden jolt, I feel broken. I have no energy to hold
myself up, so I hang limp by my arms, ready to collapse, ready to
close my eyes and let go. But I can’t. The blood trickling down my
face and the pain shooting up my arms are a constant reminder that
keep me awake, keep me conscious.
    “They are here!” someone calls down the
tunnel. “They are—”
    Screaming erupts, followed by a Traxpire
igniting and shouting. Lifting my head, I focus on the tunnel’s
entrance, unsure this is really happening. Maybe I’m just imagining
it. Maybe that Vermix hit me so hard that I’m unconscious, and this
is all a dream.
    But both Dofinikes ready their weapons,
moving to stand in position as the shouting and firing draws
nearer. Before I’m really able to see it, a Dofinike races into the
space, crawling up the walls and toward the ceiling in seconds.
Focused on this, both Vermix take aim but they’re hit in their
chests, orange explosions ripping through their hardened torsos.
They fall to their knees and then flat on their fronts, smacking
the hard, rocky ground. My focus flies to the tunnel’s
entrance.
    Reid.
    He’s rigid, emitting fury like I’ve never
seen. Eyes wide and livid, he absorbs my appearance, his free hand
shaking into a fist. I haven’t seen him this enraged since Mantis
got a hold of me. And I’m pretty sure I didn’t look as beat up then
as I do now. Racing over, Reid shoots the rope above my head but
catches me before I fall. Threading his head between my bound arms,
he swiftly scoops me up, cradling me to his chest with an iron
hold. Still clutching his Traxpire, his pained eyes flicker between
mine, fury haunting his expression.
    “I’m here, baby,” he says through gritted
teeth. “Just hold on.”
    “Reid…”
    “God—your face,” he growls, squeezing me to
him. “Just hold onto me. I’ve got you.”
    Grabbing an unconscious Pallooloo under his
arm, Sampson flies in front of us, racing over the walls. “Go!”
    I grip Reid around his neck and press myself
to him, melding my body to his. Keeping my face buried in his
chest, I inhale his scent, letting it overwhelm me as screams carry
on in the distance.
    “Jothkore!” Reid calls, gripping me. “Five
more!”
    “I have them—go with the Fychu!”
    I try to lift my head to peek, but with the
way I’m positioned, I can only see over Reid’s shoulder behind us.
One Dofinike squares off with a small group of Vermix, throwing
punches and holding his own as they close in on him.
    “He needs help,” I whisper into Reid’s
neck.
    “He’ll be fine—we need to get you out of
here.”
    “There’ll be a hundred here in minutes.”
    “We don’t need minutes,” he jets to the side
and I grasp him even tighter. “Hold on,” he shoots his Traxpire, a
cry of pain erupting. Something flies at us—I can tell since Reid
jets back, but another howl escapes and Clarence’s voice carries
from somewhere.
    “We need to get her out of here—now!”
    I squeeze Reid and he takes off in a run,
every few seconds stopping with a jerk to the side or backward.
Holding his Traxpire under my back, his grip on me never lessens as
we race through the darkness, Sampson keeping pace as he scales the
walls, Pallooloo tucked under his arm.
    “He’s here,” I say. “Reuzkimpart.”
    “We know,” he spins as Clarence tackles
three more Vermix ahead.
    “They want to capture Sampson and
Blovid.”
    Reid laughs. “They won’t.”
    A glimmer of white lights up the end of the
tunnel and Reid races there as fast as possible. Crushing me to
him, he jets forward and then halts as a blockade of Vermix block
the exit, the white disappearing.
    “Sampson!”
    Shots fire, orange explosions lighting up
the darkness as a Dofinike flies