“Drone, target raptors around Dom Santora.”
The drone zoomed forward, its weapons humming. It opened fire.
She had taken several steps forward when tentacles erupted out of the ground around Dom.
One slammed into him and he staggered.
No.
Two tentacles wrapped around him and lifted him into the air. One was wrapped around his left leg, and the other around his shoulder and right arm. He jerked, trying to get free.
The tendons in his neck strained, and he let out a shout.
Ice slid into Arden’s veins. The tentacles were pulling him in different directions. Trying to tear him apart.
“Dom!” She broke into a sprint. “Dom!”
Agony ripped through Dom. His bones and joints were being stretched to the breaking point.
He tried to push the pain down. He swiped out with his right arm, trying to cut the tentacles with his knife.
“Dom!” Arden’s frantic scream.
“Hang on, Dom!” Griff’s shout.
Laser fire roared nearby.
Dom turned his head. He watched Arden’s drone whizz past him, firing on the tentacles holding him.
Suddenly, the tentacle holding his arm shriveled and released him. Dom’s upper body dropped.
Cazzo. He watched the ground rush up at him. Then the other tentacle released him and he fell. He landed hard on his belly, and he grunted.
He lifted his head. Arden was running toward him.
Her gaze met his, and he couldn’t help but smile. Fierce, molten anger was driving his gorgeous woman.
But before he could push to his feet, the ground opened up beneath him.
Fuck.
There were more tentacles directly below him, wriggling in a giant mass. One coiled around his legs and yanked him down into the disturbed soil.
Dirt covered his head. He spat it out, trying to pull himself upward. He guessed the main body of the alien beast was buried somewhere below him.
“Dom!” Arden screamed.
“Fucking hell.” Griff cursed right above Dom’s head.
Dom twisted and kicked, trying to stab at the tentacles. They were glowing with a green-blue light, like the glow worms.
Suddenly, a hand reached down and gripped Dom’s wrist. He looked into Arden’s face.
“I’ve got you,” she cried.
“Get out of here,” he growled.
“No! Fight. We’re getting you out.”
Griff was beside Arden, digging desperately in the dirt to try and get Dom loose.
Dom kicked his legs, but the tentacles kept their tight hold on him. They yanked again, and he sank downward another few inches.
Arden heaved, her face strained.
“Shit, we have more raptors incoming,” Tane said in their earpiece. “We’re heavily outnumbered.”
A sob burst from Arden as she tried to heave Dom upward.
He kept kicking, but the creature wasn’t letting him go.
“Berserkers, we need to get out of here!” Tane roared.
Arden kept pulling on Dom. He let his gaze trace over her face. She was so beautiful.
“Go,” he said. “Get out.”
Shocked violet eyes met his. “No.”
“Griff, get her out and go. Keep her safe.”
Griff stopped digging, staring at Dom.
“No, damn you,” Arden screamed. “I’m not losing you, too.”
“I want you safe, bella. I’ve always belonged to the dark.”
Her face twisted, fierce determination flooding it. “Well, Dominic Santora, I’m dragging you into the light.” She tightened her grip on both his wrists and heaved backward. “Now, fight, damn you!”
Chapter Fourteen
Tears were streaming down Arden’s face. Inside, she was on fire.
She’d just found him. She sure as hell wasn’t losing him.
She gripped Dom’s wrists harder. His lower body was buried in the churned up dirt, the tentacles wrapped around him.
No way was she giving up. Dom was hers, and she wasn’t letting the Gizzida take him.
Laser fire exploded nearby, and suddenly Griff slammed into her. Her hands slipped off Dom, and Griff’s big body pressed her flat, covering her completely.
“Fucking too many of them,” Ash yelled.
She heard a guttural growl and looked up. A raptor was almost on top of them, aiming its weapon.
No. Arden couldn’t breathe.
“Need some help?”
The gravelly voice echoed in Arden’s ear. Marcus.
She felt Griff shift above her, and she turned her head.
Hell Squad strode into the fight.
“Hell Squad, you ready to go to hell?” Marcus yelled.
“Hell, yeah,” his squad responded. “The devil needs an ass kicking!”
The crack of a sniper rifle echoed loudly in the tunnel, and the raptor standing above Arden jolted. It toppled backward.
“Yeah, baby,” Shaw said.
“Nice shot, babe,” Claudia drawled.
Laser fire joined the berserkers as Hell Squad launched into the skirmish. Gabe barreled into the fight like a linebacker. Nearby, Reed was firing a modified carbine, firing more cineole. Marcus and Cruz fought side by side. Claudia was providing her man with cover as Shaw fired his rifle.
Suddenly, Selena ran in close to Arden and Griff, landing on her knees beside them.
“Are you okay?” The alien woman’s face was streaked with sweat, blood, and dirt.
Arden nodded. “Dom needs help.”
Griff slid off her, and they both turned back to the hole. Dom had slid lower and his face was partially covered in dirt. With a cry, Arden lunged for him.
His fingers closed on hers.
“Bella.” He coughed, spitting away the dirt from his mouth.
“I’m here.”
Selena moved closer and thrust her hands into the dirt. A pulse of energy filled the air and Arden gasped.
Suddenly, the tentacles went wild. Dom grunted, pain on his face. Then the tentacles started to shrivel.
“There.” Selena dropped back, her face lined with exhaustion.
Griff and Arden both grabbed Dom’s arms and heaved backward.
He came free of the ground with a shower of dirt.
Sobbing, Arden threw herself at him. His arms wrapped around her, hugging her tight.
“We’ve got more raptors,” Marcus called out. “We need to go.”
Dom pulled Arden to her feet. His balance was off, and she wedged her shoulder under his arm. They closed in with the berserkers. Hell Squad walked backward, all of them firing.
Then Arden’s drone beeped.
She glanced at the screen on her wrist. “No, no.”
“What is it?” Dom asked.
She looked up, trying to control her panic. “There are more raptors coming in from the tunnel entrance.”
“Shit.” He swiveled, staring down the entrance to the tunnel. “We’re trapped.”
Tane cursed.
She watched in horror as the raptors stomped into view. These ones were bigger, their shoulders covered in
