of the blasts punch through the cargo bay?" Hawk asked. He imagined all the oxygen being sucked out of the cargo deck. Imagined Opal gasping for breath. Fear enveloped him, along with another emotion he refused to address. Opal’s wasn’t the only life at stake. “Is the ship on fire?”
“Unknown,” Fallon said. “But whatever it is, it’s hot enough to send the readings off the chart.”
“What about atmosphere?” Hawk asked. If there was no oxygen, the fire would put itself out.
“Holding for now,” Fallon said. “But it won’t last if we don’t put out that fire.”
A shiver tracked its way down Hawk's spine, causing his cat to stir. Like all beasts, he wasn’t fond of fire. He dealt with it when he had to and avoided it when he could. He looked at the readings Fallon was studying.
If the source of the blaze hadn’t come from a blast, then it had to have come from within. Which meant that someone was on his ship. Someone was either trying to take his cargo or sabotage his ship. Neither option boded well for his Little Cat.
“We have company. Scan for all transport frequencies. If you find one, shut it down. No one gets off this ship,” Hawk said. "Fallon, take the helm! The rest of you, suit up for battle. It’s time we welcome our uninvited guests aboard.”
Despite being cyber enhanced, the men scrambled into lightweight armor and headed toward the transport cylinder. Hawk’s claws lengthened as he followed close behind. No one stole from him without a fight.
* * * * *
She was being hunted. Opal jumped, landing on the alien closest to her. She took the man to the ground, raking him with her claws as she tore out his throat. She didn’t need another one shape-shifting on her. One fire-breathing creature was enough.
More shots were fired, but once again Opal was already on the move. She hadn't earned her position as the Dark King's right hand because she’d slept with him. She'd earned it through skill, ferociousness, and blood.
She ran across the tops of the crates in her cat form, drawing fire from several directions. Opal easily leapt from container to container, picking up speed so she could slash another man. She disemboweled him without breaking stride.
Clangs and bangs from the shots echoed along with the women's terrified screams. They pulled at their restraints while the men struggled to load them into a light ring transport. There was a bright flash and the first group of women disappeared.
"Kill her!" One of the men shouted.
A shot seared her skull, taking a layer of fur and skin off as it grazed her head. Opal hissed and jumped to a lower box. Her black form melted into the shadows.
“No! Captain wants her alive!” someone else bellowed.
Opal heard a scuffle, but she didn’t look to see who was fighting. She kept still. There was no way she’d let these fire-breathers take her alive. For all she knew, they ate creatures like her.
* * * * *
The door to the transport cylinder opened and the first thing Hawk smelled was blood. "Kill them, but save as many women as you can. Reaper, take out the one breathing fire.”
“Aye, Captain,” Reaper said, then faded before Hawk’s eyes.
Reaper moved like a wraith, appearing and disappearing at various points as he made his way toward the drac-shifter. One second the shifter was spewing fire, the next his head rolled off his shoulders and he dropped to the ground with a squishy thump.
Lex had one of the men by the throat. Greenish yellow blood dripped down his chin as he drained the invader dry. The man’s struggles ceased. Lex wiped his mouth and loosened his grip. The man slid to the floor.
“Taste good?” Hawk asked, grimacing.
Lex grinned, flashing bloody fangs. “Nah, but food is food.” He laughed, then jumped back into the fray.
Mars rounded up the terrified women, trying to gather them into one of the open cells. Their eyes were wide with fright and they kept weeping and screaming. After a few
“Unknown,” Fallon said. “But whatever it is, it’s hot enough to send the readings off the chart.”
“What about atmosphere?” Hawk asked. If there was no oxygen, the fire would put itself out.
“Holding for now,” Fallon said. “But it won’t last if we don’t put out that fire.”
A shiver tracked its way down Hawk's spine, causing his cat to stir. Like all beasts, he wasn’t fond of fire. He dealt with it when he had to and avoided it when he could. He looked at the readings Fallon was studying.
If the source of the blaze hadn’t come from a blast, then it had to have come from within. Which meant that someone was on his ship. Someone was either trying to take his cargo or sabotage his ship. Neither option boded well for his Little Cat.
“We have company. Scan for all transport frequencies. If you find one, shut it down. No one gets off this ship,” Hawk said. "Fallon, take the helm! The rest of you, suit up for battle. It’s time we welcome our uninvited guests aboard.”
Despite being cyber enhanced, the men scrambled into lightweight armor and headed toward the transport cylinder. Hawk’s claws lengthened as he followed close behind. No one stole from him without a fight.
* * * * *
She was being hunted. Opal jumped, landing on the alien closest to her. She took the man to the ground, raking him with her claws as she tore out his throat. She didn’t need another one shape-shifting on her. One fire-breathing creature was enough.
More shots were fired, but once again Opal was already on the move. She hadn't earned her position as the Dark King's right hand because she’d slept with him. She'd earned it through skill, ferociousness, and blood.
She ran across the tops of the crates in her cat form, drawing fire from several directions. Opal easily leapt from container to container, picking up speed so she could slash another man. She disemboweled him without breaking stride.
Clangs and bangs from the shots echoed along with the women's terrified screams. They pulled at their restraints while the men struggled to load them into a light ring transport. There was a bright flash and the first group of women disappeared.
"Kill her!" One of the men shouted.
A shot seared her skull, taking a layer of fur and skin off as it grazed her head. Opal hissed and jumped to a lower box. Her black form melted into the shadows.
“No! Captain wants her alive!” someone else bellowed.
Opal heard a scuffle, but she didn’t look to see who was fighting. She kept still. There was no way she’d let these fire-breathers take her alive. For all she knew, they ate creatures like her.
* * * * *
The door to the transport cylinder opened and the first thing Hawk smelled was blood. "Kill them, but save as many women as you can. Reaper, take out the one breathing fire.”
“Aye, Captain,” Reaper said, then faded before Hawk’s eyes.
Reaper moved like a wraith, appearing and disappearing at various points as he made his way toward the drac-shifter. One second the shifter was spewing fire, the next his head rolled off his shoulders and he dropped to the ground with a squishy thump.
Lex had one of the men by the throat. Greenish yellow blood dripped down his chin as he drained the invader dry. The man’s struggles ceased. Lex wiped his mouth and loosened his grip. The man slid to the floor.
“Taste good?” Hawk asked, grimacing.
Lex grinned, flashing bloody fangs. “Nah, but food is food.” He laughed, then jumped back into the fray.
Mars rounded up the terrified women, trying to gather them into one of the open cells. Their eyes were wide with fright and they kept weeping and screaming. After a few