“I figured I could eat fish,” Norris replied. Unnecessarily, he added, “As a Dunkleosteus.”
“We know,” muttered Carter. “Everything is a Dunkleosteus as far as you’re concerned.”
Fen forced herself to take a bite of pawpaw, then offered the rest to Sugar. The sugar glider seized the pawpaw, which was almost as big as he was, and daintily began to eat. Fen smiled ruefully. “Just wait, little guy. You won’t enjoy them one-tenth as much when they’ve been 90% of your diet for a week.”
Carter stared at his pawpaw, then put it down without even breaking it open. “He can have mine.”
“You need to eat,” Norris said, dividing a concerned look between them both. “You have to keep up your strength. Or—wait! I know! I’ll catch some fish for you!”
Without waiting for a reply, he jumped to his feet and leaped off the island, transforming into a Dunkleosteus in mid-air. Fen caught a surreal glimpse of an immense armored fish sailing through the air before he landed in the water with a tremendous splash. She and Carter were drenched in a wave of black swamp water.
“Goddammit,” Carter swore, dashing water out of his eyes. “I can’t believe that idiot!”
“Bullfrog,” warned Fen, pointing to his lap.
He jumped to his feet, sending the surprised bullfrog tumbling down. It let out a shriek, then dove into the water.
“Ugh. Ugh. UGH,” moaned Carter. “What did I do to deserve Norris?”
“I didn’t do anything, and I got him too,” she pointed out, plucking a slimy water weed off her shoulder.
Lowering her voice, though she couldn’t see either the fish or the man, she added, “It’d be mean to ditch him and take the boat, right?”
“Probably, but I’d vote for it if he wouldn’t just use his power find us immediately.” Carter glanced around. “Hey, where did Precious and Sugar go?”
“I guess they flew off.” She didn’t see them anywhere. “I bet they left the instant they saw Norris run for the water. I would’ve, if I’d had wings or patagium.”
“What’s patagium?”
“The skin flap that flying squirrels and sugar gliders use to—”
Fen was interrupted by a man’s yell. “We win!”
She whipped around, then froze in shock and horror. A boat had emerged from the swamp behind them. The five men in it were the same men who had kidnapped them. They wore camouflage and carried rifles.
Fen had only an instant to take this in. The next moment, the nearest man (Bill, the one she had kicked in the nuts and bitten) raised his rifle, aiming it at her.
Carter moved quick as thought, lunging at her and shielding her with his own body. The rifle cracked as they fell together.
His body covered her, pressing her into the soft earth. She could feel the impacts as more bullets struck his body. Not a single one touched her.
“No!” Fen screamed.
How many times had he been shot in his effort to save her life? Four times? Five? Could a man survive that?
Filled with grief and rage, Fen struggled to get out from under him. She heard herself screaming, “Let me at them! I’ll rip their balls off with my TEETH!!!”
“No!” Carter snapped. “They have guns! I’m covering you. Just hold still.”
For a man who’d just been shot multiple times, his voice was surprisingly strong. He sounded angry and worried, but he didn’t sound like he was dying.
“Are you hit?” Fen asked. “I felt you get hit… I think.”
“So did I,” he said. “I think.”
He moved slightly, giving her enough room to move her head. Previously her face had been crushed into his shoulder. She smelled swamp mud and swamp water and the tiniest bit of Carter’s own distinctively Carter scent, and also a strong chemical odor like wet paint. What she didn’t smell was blood.
“Move up a bit,” said Fen. “I can’t see.”
