“Watch it, Cadin,” the other muttered, offering Mischka a pained grimace.
She stilled the hurt, long used to what others thought of her race. They weren’t far off in some regards but Marenia wasn’t completely awful. It was an amazing world with some of the most beautiful landscapes. At least when she’d managed to visit in her youth. Not many planets she’d been to since could compare.
Gordo suddenly turned wide eyes in her direction. “You! This is all your fault for not doing what you had to.”
He lunged the few feet between them and twisted about in an attempt to get to Mischka. Her guards shoved her back out of reach to help the other two haul Gordo toward the prison transport. The two stationary prison guards watched with wary expressions though they didn’t leave the open entrance of the ship to provide aid.
Distracted Mischka let her gaze travel to Bane. On the other side of the space port, he helped his friend, the blond Serpine, down the ramp then they drew to a stop. The men had their heads bent, lips moving furiously. She bit her inner cheek, wondering if she was part of their discussion.
Suddenly, Gordo ceased his struggles and shouted at Nikol’s retreating back. “What about me?! Don’t forget me! Lothar will want my return too!”
Nikol steady pace didn’t slow as he continued up the ramp. Gordo spewed curses as Nikol disappeared from view and the ship took off.
The rigid line of Gordo’s shoulders heaved up and down. Then, as if suddenly realizing he was truly being left behind, he broke into a bout of manic energy, fighting with renewed vigor against his guards.
Mischka watched it all and could only surmise that Gordo hadn’t accepted their plight until this moment. He spun about, spotting Mischka and broke away from the four guards to charge in her direction with a loud roar.
Shock rooted her to the ground.
“Stand down!” someone yelled.
Gordo’s eyes bulged wide with the light of insanity. “Not ‘til she’s dead!”
Mischka caught the glint of a weapon in his tightly held fist. His face morphed into a mask of terrifying rage and the first stirrings of true terror begin to wash through her senses.
His loud actions drew the attention of the elite soldiers dressed in red. “Halt! Jutak warriors, cease!”
Gordo kept rushing toward her. The intensity of his hate hit her full blast. He launched his body at her with a vicious cry and Mischka tumbled backward. They slammed to the ground together, her head bouncing on contact. Hands in plasti-cuffs, Gordo straddled her waist, his weight pinning her down. Pain flashed as her ribs cracked under the strain, but she lifted her arms up cross-ways to protect her face.
He didn’t strike there as she expected. Instead, he joined his hands together revealing something long and metal between his clenched fists.
She flinched. “Gordo, don’t do it!”
He plunged downward. Agony ripped through Mischka’s middle. A scream tore from her throat. Gordo raised his arms again and slashed down. Another scream ripped free.
Lips quivering, she whimpered and slapped at his hands. Wet soaked her fingers, slippery from wrestling against his grasp.
“Punan! Your fault! This is your fault!” He raised his arm and pitched forward, teeth bared in an angry snarl.
Again and again, his weapon sliced at her middle. Waves of pain became one blended burning sensation. Mischka’s vision blurred while his maniacal grin leered down at her and taunted with its evil gleam.
“W-why?” she choked, swallowing the bitter tang of the fluid filling her mouth.
Gordo didn’t answer. Lasers sounded and he jerked above her but continued to strike over and over. Numbness spread through her body. She wanted Bane. Needed him. Her arms fell to her side, too weak to fight any longer.
It wasn’t supposed to end this way. She should have trusted Bane sooner with her secrets. Now it was too late. Mischka fought the darkness trying to drag her under. She poured every bit of her remaining energy into reaching Bane, hoping he’d save her.
Bane.
“Mischka!”
Her mouth curved though it took tremendous effort. Bane wouldn’t let Gordo kill her.
“Mischka!”
A frown twisted her brow. Why did he sound so desperate? She tried to answer. She didn’t want to leave him. Didn’t want to go to a prison colony. Lothar, Gordo, none of it mattered if she could hold Bane one last time.
Pounding steps headed in their direction. Gordo crouched low over her body, driving the weapon deep and twisting one final time. Mischka arched up, mouth open but no sound came out. Wave after wave of agony obliterated her every thought.
Spittle struck her cheek. “This is for betraying Lothar. I hope the Jutak warrior is happy when all he has left are pieces of you to hold on to.”
A thick black coil looped about his neck after the pronouncement. Gordo was jerked back in an upright squat above her and clawed at his throat. His skin drained of color as the thorny protrusions sank deep into his flesh. Then a strangled squawk erupted as a stunned look passed over his features.
In gross fascination, she watched his head tumble to the side. Something splattered on her face and then Gordo’s headless body toppled on her.
Bane. A sigh slipped past her lips and her head lolled to the side.
***
Horror filled Bane. Mischka fell beneath the onslaught as Gordo launched himself at her.
“No. No,” he muttered, already moving away from Vee to go toward the commotion. Terror slammed into Bane, knowing he couldn’t get to her in time. The distance was too great.
Mischka had her arms up. Gordo’s arm slashed down and Mischka’s scream pierced the air again.
Torkel’s voice broke through the madness over the comm Bane wore. “Clear shot. Who has a clear shot?!”
Bane didn’t have it. Torment ravaged him as he tore across the space port.
“Negative,” Geile said.
Mischka and Gordo tangled together on the ground, arms flailing as they fought. Breath rasped from his throat as Bane put on a burst of speed, ignoring the way his chest burned.
“Gregir, anything?!” Torkel snapped.
Gordon’s arm moved up and down. One, two, three, four.
Please, please, please. Don’t take her.
“Mischka!” he roared
Nothing, in his life or any mission, compared to the devastating horror taking place across the space port from him yet Bane couldn’t turn away from the sight.
“Negative,” Gregir snarled, frustration tight in his voice.
Bane lost count of how many times Gordo stabbed Mischka after the first six. Torkel shouted after him, his boots slamming the ground behind him. The words muffled behind a dull roar in his head.
Mischka now lay limply under Gordo’s bulk. His throat constricted. Only a little closer and Bane could use his protective silk to destroy Gordo for daring to lay hands on her. “Kill him, Gregir! Do it!”
Why were they waiting? Everyone seemed suspended in a state of disbelief.
“No shot, Bane,” Gregir muttered.
Couldn’t they see Mischka wasn’t moving anymore? “Take him out now! Uri? Khane?!”
Laser fire blasted on the heels of his shouts. Gordo’s body bucked and rocked but he didn’t topple from his straddled position over Mischka.
“Mischka!” His voice was hoarse from screaming. Bane flung his arms in Gordo’s direction, satisfaction filling him as his protective webbing wrapped the horned bastards neck. Gordo stilled. Bane dug in his heels and jerked his elbows back hard.