Netto let his instinct take over. The plates in his body vibrated as he dove into the water after his target—and was met by the snap of a jaw that overpowered his own. Zeph had shifted into the saltwater crocodile he was and had Netto between his jaws. They sank below the surface and the sharp edges of his metal teeth tore into Netto’s thick flesh, grazing the man-made skeleton within.
Netto roared, sucking in a gulp of salt water as the pain fueled his rage.My territory. Mine!He howled, unheard.
Rylie.
They thrashed like men claiming their own, fighting for what they wanted astheirs, for something they could stake their life in and rule over without competition. Netto slammed an elbow into Zeph’s jaw.
Zeph flung him back and forth. He maneuvered and clamped down on Netto’s stomach, with the animalistic urge to kill and eat.
Netto grabbed ahold of Zeph’s transformed head and threaded his fingers between the Cyborg’s incisors and pulled, releasing himself from its grip. He braced against the thrashing as Zeph fought his strength.
Netto pulled his jaw apart, intent on seeing Zeph’s face explode with gore, the Croc’s head rip in two.
Zeph’s teeth pierced the padding of his hands. He didn’t feel it. Netto only saw death and with that clouding his head, his eyes, the plates in his back disengaged and shot out to connect to the back of his skull. A sharp back fin with a serrated edge sprung out from his spine. His mouth widened and his head expanded as his jaw grew to accommodate his shark and the additional teeth that popped out.
Netto became the beast within and Zeph used that shifted moment to release himself with a gush of thick blood in his wake.
They stared at each other, unmoving, transformed, with the smell of fresh blood between them. Zeph looked hungry and pissed, Netto’s reflection in his green irises.
The last rays of the sunlight vanished, making their eyes glow brighter, Zeph’s glinting a murky green and Netto’s the greyish-blue of the depths. They sized each other up, waiting for the other to make the first move.
“Netto!”
He jerked at the yell and canted his bulging head. The word crawled with the speed of molasses through the water and it took a second for him to register it as his name.
Rylie called for him.
Zeph took advantage of his distraction and pummeled him with enough force to battle the press of water. Netto swiveled and brought his hands down on the Zeph’s head, snapping his mouth shut; sharp nails scored and slashed his sides. They frenzied and the water clouded with red. He needed to get to Rylie; he needed to answer her call.
Zeph tore at his skin, digging into his internal wiring, intent on claiming the win. Netto fought back, Zeph’s frustration grew at being thwarted and he turned on the bull shark, thrusting him down through the deep to the ocean floor.
Seaweeds and flowers engulfed them. Hundreds of swimmers fled the scene.
Thorns pierced his thick skin and burrowed into his body, a flush of alien venom flooded his organics. Netto seized, locking the Croc in a death grip below him.
Their frenzy ended as abruptly as it had begun. Netto released his nanocells to neutralize the venom, as the hold he and Zeph had on each other was reinforced by locking muscles. They no longer had control of their selves, their beasts; the toxins rushing through their bodies had taken control.
The flowers waved overhead, hiding them from the world above. The release of venom continued as fast as his cells were able to clean them from his body.
God. Damn. It.Netto cursed knowing even if he did beat it—if the weeds depleted themselves—he would only be immobilized again if he moved away. It could be hours, days even, for him and Zeph to escape.
Time passed as they stared at each other, as the oxygen levels in their bodies depleted. Every time either one was able to move, the plants freed more barbs.
Slimy weeds and long tentacles slithered over every inch of his body, into his cuts, over his eyeballs, and up inside his open mouth and across his teeth. They shredded over their sharp points. Whatever passed for sap in these plants tasted awful, Netto decided.
Dusk took hold, further darkening the water. Netto knew the moonless night would throw them into a pitch black abyss before long. They would be alone, alone with only the lights from their eyes to illuminate their watery jail.
He dove into the wireless connection between them. Zeph met him halfway.
‘We’re stuck,’Zeph messaged.
‘Yes.’
‘My cells are overloaded.’
‘Same,’Netto admitted, straining his muscles before the venom stopped him. He inwardly sighed and wished he could close his eyes so he wouldn’t have to look at Zeph’s scaled face. His target was close and yet, unattainable. It made him hungrier than he would ever admit.
‘Eighteen minutes and thirty-four seconds,’Zeph transmitted.
