I hesitate, debating if I should bring up Julia and her intention to leave. “Then let those males deal with it. We are many days away from the northern reaches of the outskirts. If the humans are there, they are far from here.”
Zaku pauses and glances back at me. “I want you to check it out.”
I stiffen, having been waiting for this. “To see if what the Cottonmouth says is true?”
“It is clear I am needed here, Krellix,” he scowls at me like he is mad that he has to be the voice of reason, “and you are not. There are differences between us.”
“And Sada?” I bite back in response, momentarily annoyed that what Zaku says is true. I am not needed, not really. Especially not like how Zaku is needed… “If he returns, you will be alone in facing him.”
“I am not concerned about facing him. You of all nagas should not insult me,” he spits and starts heading for his territory again. “Sada is here because of Julia and she will not be here for much longer. If she does not choose a male soon, I will choose one for her.”
“Let her return to her people,” I quip before thinking, disliking the words as I speak them. “It is what she wants.”
“No. You were right before. She knows too much and could lead our enemies right to my nest. I will not risk it. Not until I know more.”
“Do you think she would?”
As much as I do not want to believe it, she might be forced.
“It does not matter if she would or not, Daisy assures me they have ways to get people to speak if they really want them too and until she has a mate, I do not trust that she will not turn on ussss if her life is in danger.” His eyes flick to me. “So unless you plan to take her for yourself and off of my hands, you can go north and figure out what is going on.”
Hearing a noise, the sound of pounding on something hard but hollow, both Zaku’s and my’s heads rise as our ears prick. Pausing where we are, we both go quiet, listening to the noise.
“I think it was coming from the direction of your nest,” I whisper to him.
His nostrils flare and with a vicious hiss, he twists around and slices forward through the forest. I chase after him, following closely behind upon his path through the trees. Hissing reaches our ears as the trees slowly give way to Zaku’s bone-strewn yard.
There, at the glass door to Zaku’s home is Sada, trying to break in.
Zaku’s roar fills my ears as he launches across the yard and at the Boa’s back. Sada sends him flying across the lawn with a swipe of his tail.
Rushing forward, I pounce on Sada while he is distracted, and sink my fangs into his neck, releasing my venom. Knocking his elbow back to get me off him, I hear Zaku return just as Sada throws me off with a shove of his tail.
Zaku pushes past me and falls upon Sada, snapping his fangs at the Boa’s face. Pulling my tail under me, I lurch upward and jump on the Boa’s tail, stopping it from wrapping around Zaku.
We roll around in a shifting mess of tail and limbs, Zaku and I trying to pin Sada to the ground as he fights us off, flailing at us with his sharpened claws and teeth.
Managing to get his thicker tail under me, Sada roars when I sink my teeth into his hip and tear out a chunk of flesh. Pulling his tail under him, he pushes off the ground and rolls both Zaku and I off of him. Sada then shifts his whole body on top of Zaku and, crushing his elbow against Zaku’s neck, I rise to tackle him again when the loud sound of gunfire fills my ears.
I startle back in search of the noise when Sada rears up with a howl, blood suddenly gushing from the side of his back. Jerking forward, I grab his tail and rip my claws along it just as he tears off Zaku’s hands. He pummels into me and I hit the glass with my side. Turning towards him, I slip down the front of the house as I watch him flee into the forest.
Bringing my bloody hand to my head to feel the side of it, the front door opens and Julia comes rushing out. She falls to her knees by my side. To my left and before me, Zaku rises with a groan, his right hand clasping his left bicep.
“Are you okay?” Julia asks, worry clouding her expression as I push away from the glass and face her.
I nod with a grunt and move from the wall, rubbing the side of my head with a hiss. “Yessss. You should not be outside,” I growl. At the same time, Zaku goes chasing after Sada.
Julia stands and shoulders her gun and it is then I realize how dirty she is. Narrowing my eyes and glancing over my shoulder to make sure there is no one behind us readying to jump out and attack, I grab her arm and tug her to my side.
With my other hand, I type in the code to Zaku’s nest and open the door, pushing her inside. “It is not safe for you out here. Do not come back outside. We need to make sure it is clear and he is gone.” I close the door as she turns around to face me.
She takes a step towards me. “I can help,” she argues. She lifts her gun.
I frown at her and the weapon, realizing for the first time the glass covering the door has broken streaks in it and has been compromised.
“I have to go after Zaku and assist him.” My eyes move from the cracks to meet her gaze. “If you want to help, make sure no one but Zaku and I come through this door until we get back.”
Without hesitation, she nods, turns on her heel, pulls a chair out from the dining table from across the room and stations it on the other side of the door. Sitting down, she aims her weapon. “Nothing will get through,” she calls out, completely serious.
