Next thing I knew, the door crashed open and Blake was barking out orders, “Mack, get the girl out here! Kory, flank my right side!”
I wanted to scream that it was really me, but there was no time. The bug met Blake head on, and Mack snuck around them to the left to get to me. I tore the tape from my mouth and began unfastening the ropes. My eyes never left Blake as he and the bug tore free from each other’s initial attack and began circling one another. I had to tell Blake the truth. He needed to know who he was really about to fight.
A movement in the doorway caught my eye. Kory’s frame still slunk there, a wicked grin on his face. What can he possibly find funny about all this? Then it hit me. He wasn’t following Blake’s orders. He wasn’t going to help Blake at all, probably never planned on it either. This was all a trap! He wants the bug to kill Blake!
Mack had made it to me. I opened my mouth, trying to explain, but his eyes were wide.
“Sammy? Sammy is that really you?” he asked quietly.
He must be able to tell it’s me somehow. “Yeah, it’s me. Mack-”
But he cut me off, “I can’t believe you did it! Let’s get you out of here!”
He scooped me up, although I protested, “No! Wait, you can’t leave Blake! Kory’s not helping him!”
It was when I uttered Kory’s name that the bug stopped his pursuit of Blake. His eyes rotated to the doorway.
“You!” he growled, trying to shove Blake out of his way. Blake didn’t move and they became tangled in each other’s arms again, the bug leaving bloody streaks down Blake’s arms.
Kory’s grin deepened, and then he disappeared from sight. I doubted he was using camo to help Blake win the fight. Then it dawned on me. Kory’s the one who tricked Jaxon. He probably talked him into changing for his brother. But where did he get the bug DNA? Then I remembered that they had killed the last bug. Maybe Kory had extracted some of the bug’s DNA before they’d destroyed the body.
“Kory!” Blake shouted after him, while sending the bug’s head snapping back with an uppercut. But Kory was gone. Blake swore under his breath. “Should’ve known.”
The bug moved fast, hooking Blake across the jaw, sending him flying backwards. “Get out of my way! I end Kory today!” the bug yelled.
“Yeah, well, that makes two of us who want to kill him, but you’re not leaving!” Blake’s foot shot up, connecting with the bug’s chin. The impact from the kick sent the bug soaring back.
Blake glanced in my direction. “Mack, get her out of here! Now!” he commanded.
“No way are you facing this alone! I’m not leaving. Sammy’s fine,” Mack shouted back.
Blake’s jaw was clenched, ready to argue, but then he gaped at me. Mack calling me Sammy had him confused; I could see it all over his beautiful face.
Blake wasn’t the only one gawking at me; the bug’s eyes raked my body up and down.
“Sammy?” the bug repeated slowly.
Darn it, Mack, you gave me away! I wanted to shout, but it was too late.
“But you were dead… How’s this possible?” The bug rose to his feet. The pace in the room came to a halt; he didn’t seem to notice anyone or anything but me.
Blake used that to his advantage and came at the bug from behind, wrapping his legs around its wings, practically standing on its shoulders. He threw his arm around the bug’s neck, putting him in a chokehold. He drank my blood… Can he hold his breath now too?
Blake was exerting everything he had into suffocating the monster. It was a strange moment. The bug and I just stared at each other, as if time had frozen. He touched Blake’s arm, almost like he was putting the pieces together. Then he strode forward, Blake looking like he was merely along for the ride instead of posing a threat.
He must be able to hold his breath or he’d be passed out by now.
The bug grinned. “I was right! You are special, Samantha!”
Like Blake weighed nothing, the bug ran straight toward me. That was when Blake released his chokehold and produced two long knives from his back. He must’ve had them stashed back there. Instantly, they were crossed and tucked under the monster’s throat.
One quick jerk upwards with the blades and he’d be decapitated. The bug stopped, his black eyes calculating his next move.
I saw Blake’s wrists move, the knives coursing upward, the blood oozing out.
“Stop! Wait!” I screeched. “Blake, you can’t kill him! He’s your brother!”
Blake’s hands froze, blood dripping down his weapons.
“That’s impossible!” he gasped, as the bug gurgled on its own blood.
“It is! It’s Jaxon! Kory did this to him! That’s why the bug wants Kory! That’s why Kory brought you here! This was all Kory’s idea!” The words gushed out.
I rushed forward, and I saw the uncertainty flash in Blake’s eyes. Maybe he didn’t really believe it was me. Maybe he thinks this is another trap. I tried desperately to focus on changing back. I didn’t know how I’d done it before. I tried to think of Mack’s words, Find that quiet place within yourself. I willed myself to look like me again.
When Blake’s hostile expression melted, I knew I’d done it.
“Sam? Is it really you? I thought I’d lost you!” Blake choked the words out and then his eyes hardened, the aqua turning to steel.
“You did this to her?” Blake roared at the bug, the knives once again angling into Jaxon’s throat.
“Blake! He can’t stop himself! It’s the dragon in him doing it!” I pleaded.
But Blake didn’t seem to hear me. He had taken one look at me, and his jaw was set in stone. I glanced down at myself. My dress was shredded, and I was covered in scrapes, bruises, and crusted blood. My one arm still oozed from its long gash.
Mack’s eyes were saucers, taking my appearance in. “Come on, Sammy. Let’s get you out of here.”
Maybe it was seeing me hurt and bloodied that changed his mind, but Mack grabbed my arms and began shoving me from the room. I tried to fight him. I needed Blake to understand that Jaxon wasn’t totally gone.
“He tried to save me, Blake!”
Blake’s eyes widened, and the tension in the knives slipped only for a split second. I could feel Blake’s inner turmoil. He wants to believe me.
It happened fast. The bug threw back his head and hit Blake’s face with a thud. I heard a loud crack and wondered if it was Blake’s nose. They became entangled in battle, the bug using his bare arms to defend Blake’s blows.
Blake’s face appeared conflicted while his body went into autopilot. He literally began slicing the bug down with his dual blades, his moves fluid, each strike hard and fast. Blake easily dodged the bug’s counterattacks.
The bug slowed down, slipping in its own blood.
I clung to the doorframe, not letting Mack take me away. This isn’t right! Blake shouldn’t have to kill his own brother! My heart ached for Jaxon, knowing he couldn’t stop the monster he’d become, no matter how hard he tried. Tonbo had said it was like being Jekyll and Hyde. This isn’t Jaxon’s fault! It’s Kory’s! He’s the real monster here! And he escaped!
I couldn’t bear to look at Blake’s face, his determination to save me, no matter what the costs. I didn’t know what overcame me, but I tore free of Mack’s grip and flew straight at Blake. I threw my body in front of the bug and held my hands out to Blake.
“Stop! You can’t kill him!”
Blake’s rage was derailed at the sight of me. In that second, I knew he didn’t want this either. He hated what he had to do.
“Get out of the way, Sam!” Blake yelled.
“Jaxon’s in there, Blake! You have to believe me!” I begged.
The bug wasted no time, its claws grabbing at me from behind, but Mack interceded, plowing it down with his own body. I heard Mack’s yelp as the two of them collided into a wall. The bug threw Mack’s body off him, and Mack didn’t get back up. Blood began pooling under Mack’s belly, spreading on the floor.
“Ma
ck!” I screamed. What have I done? I rushed towards him, Blake on my heels, blades raised ready for the final kill.
I knew I had only a second to fix this and in that moment, I knew what to do. I stood between Blake and the bug, their course set for a deadly collision. I closed my eyes and searched my soul. I’d only seen the picture once, and I prayed it’d be enough.
I held my breath and gave it everything I had. I felt my body shrink; it was surreal and dreamlike. I didn’t dare open my eyes, but I heard Blake gasp and the bug let out an unearthly howl. It must have worked because no one touched me, and it went silent. After a second, I peeked out. The room felt bigger from where I stood. I faced the bug, who was now insanely tall and menacing.
No one moved. I heard Mack’s groaning. I longed to get to him, to bind up his wounds. But this had to happen first.
The bug’s breathing was ragged, its eyes not leaving my face.
“NO!” he wailed. “Not my boy! Anyone but him!” He withered in pain, twisting and falling to the ground. He clutched at his chest and then pounded it, screaming.
I felt a warm hand slip into mine and gazed up to see Blake.
He whispered, “I don’t know how you’re doing it, Sam, but smart move.”
I nodded back at him and then reached my hand out to the bug, who was visibly crying on his knees.
“Daddy.” My voice was not my own, but the voice of a child.
With one last gasp of pain and anguish, the bug was no more. Jaxon was on his hands and knees before us. I couldn’t help myself. I rushed toward him. Jaxon opened his arms to me, and I let him crush me against his chest.
“It’s okay, you’re going to be okay now,” I said, wondering if Jaxon really believed I was his little boy. Either way, I was going to play the part. I’d hoped that Jaxon’s son would be the last person he’d let the bug harm. Glad I’d been right.
Jaxon rocked back and forth, sobbing into my small frame. Then I felt strong hands reach down and detach me. I looked up to see there was no vengeance in Blake’s eyes, only anguish. I stepped away, hoping Blake would do the right thing with his brother. Someone else needed my help. Mack!
I wasn’t sure what I could do, small as I was, but I raced toward him, landing on my knees next to him. At my touch, he rolled over on his back and grinned. He looked terrible.
“That’s trippy,” he mumbled, giving my chin a nudge.
I tried to cover his stomach, where I could only assume Jaxon’s claws had dug into during their tumble. But my little hands did nothing. I searched the room for something to use as a bandage.
Mack shook his head at me, removing my hands. “Don’t worry, half pint. I’m fine. See…” He held up his T-shirt, and I grimaced at the holes in his flesh. “It’s not that bad.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” I said, a little wigged out by my own small voice.
Mack tried to laugh, but he ended up coughing. “I’ll heal,” he mumbled.
Jaxon’s weeping caught my attention, and I turned to see what was happening. Jaxon was still on his knees before Blake’s feet, sobbing uncontrollably.
Blake’s hand was on his brother’s shoulder, but Jaxon refused to be comforted. Finally, Blake reached down and forcibly pulled his brother up to his feet. Jaxon’s eyes remained downcast.
“Jaxon,” Blake’s voice was deep, “listen to me.”
He shook his head, still refusing to meet Blake’s gaze. I’d never seen such a broken man before. My heart ached for him, even though moments before he’d been trying to kill me. But that hadn’t been the real Jaxon.
“I can’t… I’ve tried…” Jaxon cried.
“We’ll fix this together. I’m not going to let you fail this time,” Blake said firmly, clutching Jaxon’s shoulders with his hands.
Jaxon slowly raised his head.
“You’re not alone anymore. You saved my life, big brother.” Blake’s voice caught. “Now, it’s time for me to save yours.”