The pillar rocked violently.
With a scream, Eos fell forward.
No. Pulse spiking, Dathan lunged for her. His fingers missed hers by a hair.
She fell.
Onto the monster.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The monster’s large body writhed beneath Eos.
Blind terror tore through her. She scrambled for something to hold on to, but the scales were too slick.
The creature bucked and thrashed. She went flying and landed on the sand. She rolled, spitting sand out of her mouth.
The sand monster turned, lifting its giant head up above her. Its neck flared out into a hood, like the naja cobras on her world. Her chest was so tight she thought it would implode. She scrambled backward, trying to find her feet.
Dathan leaped down onto the sand in front of her. Between her and the creature. He waved a small laser igniter in his hand.
“Eos, get up and back away slowly.”
She got to her feet, not once tearing her eyes off the fearsome creature. Its head swayed slightly as it followed the igniter. Now she studied it, looking beyond the scary, large mouth with rings of teeth. “It doesn’t have any eyes.”
“It doesn’t need them in the sand.”
“So, it can’t see us.”
“Maybe. It’ll have some other senses.” He set the igniter on the sand. Grabbing her hand, he tugged her backward with slow, methodical steps. “But I think we need to leave.”
They’d taken three steps when the creature let out a roar.
“Run,” Dathan yelled.
She didn’t need him to tell her. They sprinted through the ruins. Behind them, she heard the creature sliding over the sand. Her heart raced, blood pounding through her. That sound would haunt her dreams.
If they survived.
Suddenly, the creature circled in front of them. Its long body formed a large ring around them.
Trapped.
Eos grabbed Dathan’s arm. Her fingers dug into his skin. With this man beside her, standing in the ruins she’d searched for all her life, she realized there was so much more she wanted to do in her life.
He gripped her face in his hands. “I’m going to distract it. I want you to run. Get to higher ground.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
He gave her a light shake. “This is my hunt. You’ll do as I say.”
She smiled. “This isourhunt. We’re in this together, Phoenix. Right until the end.”
“Damn you.” He cast a quick glance over her shoulder. The creature was holding steady, its focus on them. Then Dathan tugged her up until she was on her toes and kissed her.
He didn’t rush. Overconfident until the end.
The creature roared, and she sensed it start toward them.
