She was barely able to understand what was happening but his gun hand rose, aimed, and a blast of green light left the muzzle.
There was a cry and something fell to the floor at the other end of the corridor.
Ka’Cit was heavy and she could hardly move but she managed to lift her head to see a Niftrill writhing and screaming a few feet away.
But the Niftrill wasn’t alone. Another was on his tail, a gun pointing in their direction.
Nia tried to lift her gun to aim but it was caught underneath her body and no way would she be able to fire quickly enough.
“Ka’Ci—”
But he was already firing.
He caught the Niftrill in its arm holding the gun and the weapon went flying as the Niftrill gripped its hand.
“Herza couldn’t have picked a worse species for guards.” Ka’Cit’s voice was so calm and steady, it surprised her. It was as if he didn’t just exert energy. “If they’re injured, they forget their prey and default to their pure instinctual need to mend themselves. Pitiful.”
“Wha—” It was all happening so fast and she almost didn’t hear the sound behind them. But before she could warn Ka’Cit of the danger coming from behind, he was already spinning and taking her with him.
One, two, three Niftrills were coming from behind.
They seemed to pause for a moment, no doubt seeing their fallen comrades, and a sound she’d never heard before filled the corridor.
It was like the screech of a million bats.
“Oh, shut. Up!” Ka’Cit growled as he fired.
He shot twice, and it seemed he aimed at their weapons for two of the Niftrills howled, their guns flying as they gripped their cloaked wrists.
Nia’s head snapped into the game.
She and Ka’Cit were on the floor and vulnerable.
Though he was doing great, no doubt he could do better if he wasn’t trying to prevent them from being shot while protecting her at the same time.
She lifted her weapon and aimed, praying there wasn’t some sort of safety she had to deactivate.
But Ka’Cit was one step ahead of her. Green eyes met brown ones as he looked down at her. He released her enough for him to press something on her weapon and while he was doing that, his other arm raised and fired without him even looking at what he was firing at.
Nia’s eyes widened and when she looked down the corridor, he’d hit the third Niftrill in the arm.
The alien howled and its weapon fell from its hands as it stared down at the hole in its cloak.
“Point and shoot,” Ka’Cit said.
For the moment, the corridor was clear bar from the writhing and howling aliens and Ka’Cit jumped to his feet and brought her with him.
As he set her down, Nia’s finger settled on the trigger of the weapon.
This was what people meant when they said shit hit the fan.
Her heart thumped in her chest and her throat felt dry.
It was a life-or-death situation now—no escaping that.
Ka’Cit glanced at her for a moment. “Don’t worry if you don’t hit them. If anything you can confuse them.”
His words cut through her consciousness and made her do the strangest thing.
She glanced at him and smiled.
She couldn’t help it.
“Oh, how you underestimate me.”
19
Nee-ya was steady on her feet but the blaster she was holding was so big, he wondered if she could manage it.
There was a look of determination on her face though, and that was inspiring.
“Let’s go.”
No more creeping in the shadows. Herza knew they were there and more Niftrills would be coming.
It seemed Herza had called off the search and had just been waiting for them to appear.
She’d known they’d been hiding somewhere in the ship then. Luckily, she hadn’t found them.
Phek.
The one thing he’d been trying to avoid was about to happen.
He wasn’t worried about himself getting hit by a stray bullet but the fear he felt for Nee-ya getting hit was very, very real.
Niftrills couldn’t see well. Even if they weren’t aiming at her, they may accidentally shoot her anyway.
That would suit Herza just fine but he wasn’t about to allow it.
As they hurried past the writhing Niftrills at the end of the corridor, Ka’Cit took a left and headed straight toward the cargo bay.
He glanced behind him to see Nee-ya was jogging to keep up with his pace. He’d slow it down, but they were out of time.
They’d been out of time for a while. He just hadn’t realized.
Their best bet was the cargo bay. There would be an offloading shuttle there and that was what he was hoping to “borrow” so they could get off the ship.
They just had to get there without being shot down first.
In front, a Niftrill turned the corner and Ka’Cit fired, hitting the weapon out of the henchman’s hand and searing flesh in the process.
The Niftrill collapsed and as they passed him and the smell of burning flesh was strong.
Ka’Cit glanced down at Nee-ya but she didn’t seem bothered.
As a matter of fact, with the weapon now in her hands, she looked even more resolute than before.
Who was this female?
The more time he spent around her, the more she fascinated him.
She was by his side now, no longer running behind him and he couldn’t help but stare at her.
The corridor opened to the cargo hold and as he skidded to a halt, so did Nee-ya beside him.
“Phek.”
“Fuck.”
The cargo hold was filled with Niftrills. Armed Niftrills.
Every single last one of them, and there were many.
Nee-ya’s gaze met his and recognition passed between them.
In that split second, he didn’t need to speak.
A mountain of words unsaid passed between them as he moved, ducking behind a huge crate as she did the same on the other side of the entrance.
Phek.
From somewhere above, he heard Herza scream. “Kill them!”
When he glanced back at Nee-ya, there was a look on her face that he’d never seen before. Her brown eyes were cold, focused, and she jerked her
