“I stumbled across it in the dark,” I reminded him. “We haven’t located the entrance yet.”
“Let me carry her, Shannon. I’m sure you’re tired,” Gale said.
“I’ve got her.” Shannon didn’t spare him a glance when he opened his arms for me to be handed off. “Even if she should’ve taken it easy on the donuts.”
“Bitch,” I whispered to her.
She kept the serious line of her mouth in place, but her eyes smiled in response.
Eventually, I was able to walk completely on my own with only a little stumbling and Shannon eyed me with understanding. That meanthewas awake, too.
“We should go back. Professor Carter should have returned with help by now,” Shannon said.
Gale took a deep breath as if to remain calm. “You can go back if you want. We are going to document this unique lifeform.”
No, we weren’t. I would lead us in circles around that nest, and he’d never know, because he’d never done any actual field work since I’d met him. He always stayed at base, while I did all the work.
The instinct to protect hit me hard. But I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to protect. Shannon could handle herself.
“The tranquilizer is probably worn off by now. He’s much larger than what Talia planned for.” Shannon crossed her arms in defiance.
“Talia is always prepared for the worst.” Gale smiled at me, and it made my skin crawl. It didn’t sound like a compliment.
The way he said it made it feel like a weakness. One for him to exploit.
Fact was, I was probably safer with the monster.
I was the one who needed to be protected.
As soon as the thought hit me, the swamp grew deafeningly silent again. Strong arms came around me, in a hold I could never hope to break free from.
Shannon’s eyes went wide and she screamed, “Talia!”
Water filled my nose painfully as I was dragged below.
Chapter 12:
Waterwhippedmyfaceas he swam faster than a human could ever dream. My lungs burned, begging for oxygen. The murky water was impossible to see through, but vines of aquatic plants brushed over me.
As we moved, I realized we were going over a family of alligators, resting at the bottom. I knew that because the mama had a baby on her head, and she snapped at me for being so close to her baby. Her mouth came too close to my exposed belly, but with one firm shove, the monster forced her jaw shut. Then kept going as if nothing happened.
He was oddly gentle with the feisty momma, not like he was with the humans of my camp. Like he respected her, despite the number of her kind’s bones he’d collected.
The urge to exhale and inhale turned to panic, and I flailed against the monster, trying to break free of his iron hold. Pressure pressed down on me as he went even further down.
Could I even swim to the surface fast enough? It wasn’t uncommon for there to be tiny air pockets at the tops of tunnels like this. If I remained calm, I might find one.
The edges of my eyesight blurred as his direction turned upwards. He held me up above the water.
That first inhale hurt as coughs wracked my body. He sat me on my feet and I found myself in a shallow pond. I landed on my hands and knees, as I struggled to get oxygen regulated back through my body.
When I could finally focus around me, I found myself in a beautiful blue pond surrounded by a natural wall of tall trees, with effigies made of bone and stained red, hanging from each one. The falling sun filtered through the canopy of leaves. Fish swam around us in a large berth, but it was clear enough to see the species. They weren’t native to the area.
It looked like a perfect oasis retreat. A rundown cabin with claw marks etched into the side sat nestled in a far corner, and I understood why. It was easy to visualize life here.
A vision of strange beauty at the center of darkness.
I went to my feet, studying the glowing water. “Bioluminescence. It must be gorgeous at night.”
