Eyes Ever to the Sky (A Sci Fi Romance) (The Sky Trilogy) (29 page)

Grinding metal echoed loudly behind him. Hugh whirled around.

Nomad slammed the door back in its casing. Red beams shot out of his eyes and began to weld the metal shut.

“
What're you doing?!” Hugh asked, scrambling around.

Nomad pushed back on Hugh's chest. “Like I said, let's go. You don't want to be here for this.”

Hugh stumbled toward the closed door. “You said she wouldn't get hurt!” he nearly screamed. “You promised!”

Nomad shook his head as he gripped Hugh's shirt. “I wouldn't call it a promise. Anyway, it's protocol. I just do what I'm told.”

Inside, Cece screamed.

CHAPTER FOR
TY-FOUR — CECE

Friday 9:17 a.m.

Cece flicked her eyes up when the door slammed shut. Her heart kicked into gear, thrumming out the pain of Hugh's departure. She lifted her eyes to the monster.

Seven feet of terror, her brain marked the claws, the huge muscular limbs, the skeletal knobs making its features ghoulish and otherworldly. She got a flash in her head of the Predator from that terrible Arnold Schwarzenegger movie she watched with Fer last Christmas. It walked on two legs like a man, but its movements, its very presence shouted predator.

And she was the prey.

She scuttled back, slamming into the far wall. The thing took a step forward, rattling the sprinkles containers behind her. Its eyes tracked over her body, a gurgle rolling from its throat. Slowly, it cocked its head and sniffed at the air, taking in her scent. Then it opened its mouth, its curving teeth dripping in cords of yellow saliva. The beast lidded its eyes, curled up its jowls and roared.

Cece screamed.

She bolted for the storage room. Claws slashed through her shirt and tore through the skin of her back. Heat and pain seared her shoulder. She screamed again. She skidded into the storage room and slammed the door.

Claws on the outside, nails slowly dragging against the wood. It was toying with her like a cat with a mouse. Sweaty hands fumbled for a lock, but remembered there was none. Then the beast slammed its body against the door.

Pain in her shoulder. The door. It banged into her and sending her flying backward. She hit the far wall and crumpled to the floor. Her head spun and pain blared from her back and neck where she'd struck the shelves. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She lifted her eyes. The door was open, a dim light spilling in.  

Razor sharp claws curled over the door frame slowly. Terror raked her as she thought of what it would do. What would it feel like to be eviscerated? Would she see her death, the blood as it spurted from her arteries? She scrambled up, pulling on the metal storage racks for support. Her eyes scanned rows of Ready Whip, hot fudge, cherry topping. No weapons. Nothing. Outside her closet, something was happening. Was someone…trying to get in the back door? Hugh? She couldn't worry about that. She had to flight. She had to—

The beast stepped into the storage closet and raised its claws.

CHAPTER FORTY-
FIVE — HUGH

Friday 9:20 a.m.

Hugh slammed his body into Nomad, catching him off guard. He couldn't use his shackled hands, so he lashed out with his legs, landing two solid kicks into Nomad's knee and groin, the cracks echoing off the brick walls. Nomad buckled to the pavement, unprepared for the ferocity of the attack. With Nomad down, Hugh ran and slammed his body into Lizzy's backdoor. The metal door
thunked
and dented in, but would not give.  He might be able to pry it off if his hands were fr—

Nomad slammed into him from behind, sending him careening headfirst into the brick wall. His head cracked through the brick, sending mortar and rubble flying. Stars exploded in his vision. Hot blood dripped into his eyes as the world dimmed, but he shook his head back and forth to clear his sight. He dragged his body off the ground and stood.

“Somehow,” Nomad said, panting, spitting blood from his mouth, “I knew you'd fight back.”

Hugh didn't answer. He ran full speed and slammed into Nomad.

They flew across the alley and smashed into the dumpster with a loud bang. Nomad drummed punches into Hugh's kidneys, his stomach, his face. Hugh kicked, leaning down to bite Nomad's neck. Nomad cried out and choked Hugh. Hugh twisted out of his grip and kicked Nomad away as hard as he could. In seconds he was bolting back toward the ice cream shop. Somewhere in the distance police sirens sounded.

“
Stop,” Nomad said, dragging himself after Hugh. Blood trickled from his mouth and ear. “You can't kill him.”

“
Oh, yes I can.” Hugh turned the corner and headed straight for the front window.

“
No, Hugh!” Nomad shouted after him. “You don't understand.”

Hugh ignored Nomad's calls. He had seconds to save her. If it wasn't already too late.
God
, he thought,
please don't let it be too late.

Then he plunged head first through the front window.

CHAPTER
FORTY-SIX — CECE

Friday 9:21 a.m.

Cece trembled as the beast stepped into the closet with her. His scent—raw meat and sodden earth—made her gag. She scrambled back, bumping into the shelves. She ran her eyes up and down the contents, searching for anything to protect herself.

It stepped closer, blood dripping off one claw. It would hurt to die. She trembled, trying to breathe. She had to get out. Had to.

The beast stood, looking at her. Its veiny, slitted eyes studied her, reminding her of an Amazon python. It seemed to be thinking. The beast huffed in a breath, its nostrils flaring. Then it lifted the corners of its mouth in a hungry smile.

“
Don't. Please,” Cece whispered. Could it understand her?

Its smile widened. Then it lunged.

Cece dove sideways. The beast's matted body plowed into her left shoulder, her chin smacking the shelves. Blood burst into her mouth as she scrambled away from his massive girth, the smell. Claws scraped the floor, searching for her. She scampered back and banged into the corner. Nowhere to go. A paw curled around her ankle and dragged her backward.

“
No!
” she screamed. Her hands scrambled on the floor as it drug her toward its rancid open mouth. Her fingers locked on the metal shelving and latched on. If she could only hold on…

The beast tugged and the shelf toppled down on them.

CHAPTER FORTY-S
EVEN — HUGH

Friday 9:21 a.m.

Hugh barreled into the ice cream shop head first. Shards of glass, wood and brick exploded into the serving area. He hit the ground and rolled to standing.

“
Cece!” He ran toward the back, skidding to a stop when he reached the storage closet.

A shelf had toppled, littering the floor with cans of fruit and tubs of chocolate. A smear of something coated the floor. Blood? No, chocolate syrup. Inside, the metal shelf lay diagonal to the floor. The beast was under it, its legs pinned. It seemed stunned, for now. 

Movement at the base of the shelf. A hand emerged, then an arm. Cece wiggled out from under the mess.

Relief flooded him. He reached for her with both shackled hands, pulling her upright. She bled from a cut on her forehead and scratches down her arm. Her wrist looked even worse: purple, swollen and tucked to her side. He pulled her into his arms, needing her body next to his, her heart beating against his chest. She looked into his eyes.

The beast erupted from under the shelf.

Hugh pushed Cece behind him and turned to face it.

Blood lust had transformed the defensive creature in the woods into a killing machine. Taking one giant step, the beast lashed out, raking claws across Hugh's chest. Blood sprayed from the wound into the beast's fur. Hugh staggered back, a hand to his chest. God, it was fierce. Hugh raised his fists as the beast lunged and sunk its teeth into Hugh's neck.

Pain. Panic. Teeth tore at Hugh's throat, an awful tearing just below his ear. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. The beast's arms were locked around his own, pinning him. The smell of blood, of
his
blood filled his nose. If it punctured his windpipe, would he heal? Fear flooding him, Hugh lurched forward, slamming the beast into the wall. A whole section of drywall fell away in powdery pieces, dust clotting the air. Still its teeth tore at his flesh.

Hugh pushed against the beast and they went sprawling into the front. Tumbling over a stool, the beast fell, its arms slipping off. Hugh struggled up. He touched his wound. His hand came away soaked in red. Hot blood flowed out of his neck. He'd heal, but how much blood could he stand to lose? His head felt like a helium balloon. The place was trashed: stools lay on the floor, blood and plaster clotted on the tile. Where was the beas—

“Hugh!” Cece screamed from behind him.

He whirled as the beast pounced.

Fur and muscle filled his vision. Teeth sunk into his shoulder again, arms pinning him. Hugh's eyes locked on the matted mane and a brown ear. Hugh could feel his blood, hot and sticky pouring down his chest. His limbs sagged like lead weights. A deep hum filled his skull.

Dying. That's what this was. 

He blinked back the darkness and thought of Cece. The beast lifted up to bite him again, closer to the jugular, a death bite. In that second Hugh's eyes locked on the front window. The broken glass angled up like shark's teeth, sharp and deadly. If he could push the beast back... He gritted his teeth and shoved as hard as he could.

The beast flew back, blood splattering the stainless steel fridge. The beast fell, its shoulders sinking into the jagged glass, one large shard slicing through the meat of the beast's shoulder. Its eyes opened wide in shock.

Hugh pounced, adrenaline pumping out all pain. Hugh grabbed the beast by both round shoulders and pushed down.  The beast's neck sank deeper into the glass, shards piercing through its flesh, dripping in blood. It roared and lashed out with its arms. Claws scraped skin off of Hugh's shoulder, his cheek, but he pushed, pushed. He leaned his bodyweight on the beast, shoving down as the bloody glass shards cut through cords of flesh. The thick smell of blood clotted the air. Behind him, Cece was crying. Blood spurted from the beast’s neck. Its face twisted in agony, blood pooling in its open mouth. Its curved teeth gnashed and its red eyes rolled in its head.

Nomad skidded up to the window from the outside and waved his hands, frantic. “Stop! You can't kill him!” Nomad tried to grab Hugh through the window, but Hugh ducked away from his grasp and continued to push down.

More glass shards appeared, clotted in blood. Blood puddled in sticky pools beneath Hugh's feet. The beast struggled out with weak hands, claws cycling in the air. Fear finally crept into its slitted reptilian eyes.

“
Jopari,” Nomad said, jumping back and forth with panic, yanking up his hair, “he's one of us. He's one of you!”

“
What?” Hugh flicked his eyes to the beast. The flaring nostrils pulsed in slow, straggling breaths.

Nomad shook his head. “He's our friend Hugh, one of our people!” Nomad said. “You're killing
your friend
.”

Hugh's mind unraveled like a movie reel pooling on the floor. How? How could that be?

“Are you saying...” Hugh couldn't finish his thought. “This is a trick.” The beast gurgled weakly. 

“
I'm saying,” Nomad said, stepping closer, “he's your friend! Your travel partner. You grew up together. Went into the Carthian guard together. Look at him, Jopari. Don't you remember? He's what we are, what you will be in your true form. Now get off him and let him heal!” Nomad pointed from the other side of the smashed order window. When Hugh didn't respond, Nomad threw his arms up. “Please, you're killing him! Let him up!”

“
What I'll become?” Hugh murmured, a cold sweat breaking out across his chest. Was Nomad telling the truth? He searched his memories for something, anything to tell him what to do. All that greeted him was a large blank wall. And behind him Cece was quietly sobbing.

Hugh knew he wasn't a monster. Yet, he thought back to the animal urges in the woods, the desire to tear and rip. He couldn't be... Could he?

Cece stepped up behind him, pressing a tiny hand on Hugh's shoulder. Even near death, the beast's eyes flared open at her scent. The wanting filled its eyes.

Hugh looked at his hands coated in blood and pushed down, the glass sinking upward, cutting through the beast's throat.

“
Nooo!
” Nomad shouted, reaching through the window and prying at Hugh's hands.

The beast's arms slumped to the floor. It was dead.

Nomad stared at the body as if frozen. “How could you?” He turned wet eyes up to Hugh.

Hugh removed his arms, numb and hollow inside. Trembling, he fell back, away from the body, his muscles shuddering, his head full of wet cotton. “How could I not?” he whispered.