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The sand underfoot made the going slow, especially since they were walking uphill, and several times, Eden slipped.

Blaze reached out for her, but she pushed away his hand. That was another thing. She was too damn independent. Although that wasn’t a terrible quality. He’d take independent over clingy anytime.

Eden stood up for herself and other people. If you got in a fight, you always wanted her on your side. She never backed down. She was relentless and seemed to lack fear.

“Hold still a moment.” Blaze crouched and pressed his hand into the warm sand. The faintest of vibrations reached him. “I feel him. He’s close to the trap.”

Eden checked the scanner. “You’re right. He’s only twenty feet away.” She crouched next to Blaze and shielded her eyes as she peered ahead. “Show your face. It’ll be the best gift if I can just get a look at you.”

“You’ll be able to look at him all you like once he’s inside the cage and safely back on the ship.” Blaze kept his voice low. With his enhanced vision, he could see a slight shift in the sand where the snake moved beneath it, leaving a zigzag pattern in its wake. This creature looked enormous, possibly a full-grown, adult male.

His hand went to his gun. He was here for Eden’s protection. That was the deal when he’d taken a job on the Apocalypse. Each Apexian was assigned a Human biologist to protect and work alongside.

The day he’d been introduced to Eden, his world had tipped off its axis. He’d been content with his work, serving as a protector in the Apexian elite force, but he’d been restless and looking for a fresh challenge. His friend, Dallin, had suggested an opening as a bodyguard on the Apocalypse. He hadn’t been sure at first, but Dallin was enthused about the work, and he didn’t get enthused about much unless it was in a test tube, so he took the opportunity seriously.

Now Blaze felt like he had an actual purpose. To protect the woman who set him alight, even though he couldn’t have her.

“He’s almost in,” she whispered. “Any second now.”

Blaze focused on the trap. There was a clunking noise, and then an angry, rage filled hiss drifted through the air.

“Got him!” Eden was on her feet and fighting through the sand to get to the cage.

Blaze was right alongside her. He grabbed Eden’s arm before she got too close. “Wait! The door’s still partially open. His tail is blocking it from shutting.”

“Because he’s enormous. Look at him. And he’s stunning. Let’s get over there and shut it.” Eden tried to tug her arm out of his grip, but he held on tight.

“If that thing spots the gap, it’ll work its head under there and get out. We don’t want to be standing in its path when it does.”

“So let’s move. Shut the door before it has a chance to... Oh, bugger.” The snake thrashed around inside the trap, repeatedly head-butting the door. One of its snouts slid into the gap, and the door sprang open.

The enormous, multi-colored snake raced out, rearing up, its long tongue poking out as it tasted the air. Its two heads jerked in their direction. Then it charged.

Blaze drew his gun and aimed at the snake.

“Don’t you dare kill him,” Eden said. “I haven’t been camping out in this sandy hellhole for three days just to have our prize get its head blown off. We still have a chance to capture him.” She yanked a handful of the pheromone laced bait out of her bag and tossed it in front of her. “This will stop him in his tracks.”

“We can’t take that risk.” Blaze focused on one of the snake’s heads. It would take more than a single shot to bring this beast down.

“Blaze! I’ll never forgive you if you do this. This is our one chance. We’re all about capture, retrieve, and preserve, not hunt, catch, and destroy. If you kill him, it makes you no better than the asshole hunters who’ve screwed with this snake.”

Blaze winced. The prospect of Eden being hurt by his actions clenched his heart like a vice. She’d never speak to him if he messed this up for her. This was something she’d worked so hard for. It was her dream.

He couldn’t stand in her way of getting it. “If that thing makes one wrong move toward you, I’m taking him out.”

“Wait and see what he does before you go all shoot first and ask questions later alpha Apexian on me.”

They stood side-by-side as the snake raced toward them. His two tongues flickered, but he slowed as he encountered the first piece of pheromone laced food. His heads dropped, and he tasted the bait.

“You see. We just need to get him calm. Get the tranq darts ready,” Eden whispered.

“I’m already on it.” Blazed eased the tranq gun off his shoulder and checked the darts were loaded. He leveled the weapon at the creature.

“That’s it. Nice and slow. We’re not the enemy.” Eden spoke softly, as if her words would calm the snake.

The snake continued to investigate the bait. He reached a small piece, gave it a cursory taste, and then lunged at Eden, his huge fangs exposed.

Blaze fired a tranq dart, but it missed by half an inch.