Gis saw her and his eyes went wide. Ifor noticed and began turning. Amina didn’t have a choice; she had to act.
Jumping up, she wrapped one arm around the Ossiso’s neck and her legs around her waist.
There wasn’t much bare flesh she could get to. The moment she touched Ifor’s clothing, Amina knew it was all lightweight armor her claws wouldn’t be able to penetrate on top of the thick vest that could probably withstand projectile weapons.
Lorse’s security took their job seriously and were wearing the armor almost everywhere, including a flexible gator around their necks. She ripped her claws down the side of the guard'sbody. One of her claws found a seam, allowing her to tear the protective garment open. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get a single claw into.
Before she could bury her special claw into the rip, the guard threw herself backward, squishing Amina between her big body and the wall. The impact drove the air out of Amina’s lungs. Pain lanced through her back.
Reflex made her tighten her hold on Ifor instead of letting go. Rage made her give up on finding a hole through the armor and claw at the guard’s face instead.
Her new goal was maximum damage.
Ifor screamed as blood gushed from the facial lacerations. The cuts weren’t deep, and Amina had missed her eyes, so she tried again.
She was so full of wrath, she didn’t even feel it when Ifor managed to punch her in the head. There wasn’t much power behind it because of the awkward position, but she knew it would hurt later.
Ifor grabbed hold of one of Amina’s arms with both hands. She wrenched Amina’s hand away from her face. That was fine. Amina had two!
She sank all her claws on her other hand under the guard's jaw, right above the edge of the protective gator. Not much blood came out, but she felt the injector of her index finger release into the guard.
There was another blow to Amina’s head, then the drugs from her injector hit the guard’s system. She swayed and pawed at Amina, but her movements had no strength behind them.
Amina rode the guard as she dropped to her knees, only letting go when the guard went limp and fell face first to the floor.
Straightening up, she took a moment to assess. Her head was ringing from the blows, but she didn’t have double vision. That was good.
She tasted blood in her mouth, and the side of her jaw radiated from pain. One of the hits must’ve landed there.
Gis rushed to her side. “Oh, you're hurt. Can you hear me? Are you dying?”
Amina snorted out a laugh then regretted it. “I’m fine, I think.”
“How did you do that?” Sar asked. “You’re so tiny, but you defeated a trained protector! That shouldn’t be possible.”
“I’ve been in a lot of fights,” Amina said, then held up a hand and showed off the claws that were usually hidden under her fingernails. “And it helps that I’m not entirely human.”
Gis stared at her claws then sucked in a surprised breath when she relaxed the muscles in her hand and let the claws slide back into hiding.
“Is Ifor dead?” Gis asked, looking down at the guard.
Amina looked down at the too still body.
“Yes.”
One dose from her injector would put anyone to sleep. Two doses were deadly to almost everyone. She hadn’t been able to control the injector, and rage made her not care.
Now she had to contend with the brutal fact that she’d killed someone. She’d knocked plenty of individuals out, but she had never ended a life. Her anger refused to let her care.
Carrying a heavy medical bag, Gilush came running into the room at the same time a klaxon blared through the outpost. It was the contamination warning.
“We’ve got to go!” Amina said, moving past Gis to get to Myrum. “Help me! We don’t have much time.”
Chapter 28
Myrum
Myrum woke up with an Ossiso supporting him on either side while rushing down a hall. Amina was in front of them, talking quietly to Gis as they walked so fast they were almost running.
