She jerked her hand back. The blackness on his skin was thetailof whatever was inside him.
“Get it out!” Justyn yelled, still squirming in pain. His entire body was drenched with sweat and it wasn’t just from the humidity.
She gripped the black tail, gathering it together and then she pulled.
Justyn’s scream rang through the ship and out into the jungle, startling something that shook the nearby trees.
She fought back tears. “I need to find a way to numb the pain?—”
“No! Just get it out.” Agony-ravaged silver eyes bored into hers. “Just do it, Nissa.”
With a nod, she got a better grip on the invader. It wriggled in her hand, trying to burrow deeper under his skin. “On three.”
He gave a nod.
She leaned forward and kissed him. “One.”
He stared into her eyes, opening his mouth for the next count.
Nissa yanked.
He screamed again. Part of a long, black, leech-like body came out of his arm. She pulled again, but the creature was fighting her, no doubt gripping into his skin and causing more torture.
“What happened to two and three?” he panted.
She got to her feet, pushed one boot against the wall for more leverage. “Thought it was better this way.” She yanked with all her strength behind it.
But the leech was stubborn, refusing to let go. She kept pulling, Justyn’s screams ringing in her ears and sweat dripping into her eyes. Her chest heaved. Goddess, what if she couldn’t get it out?
The fight continued, and Nissa wasn’t winning.
She was sobbing now, her arms aching.
“Nis-sa.”
Justyn’s labored voice.
“St-op.”
She didn’t release the leech, but she stopped pulling. Justyn seemed to settle a little.
“It isn’t safe here.” His voice was barely louder than a whisper.
“I know. Once we get this out, we’ll head back to the cockpit. The windshield’s cracked but we can board it up, stop the…wildlife from getting in.”
“Nissa, it’s not coming out.”
She refused to look at him. “Don’t be silly?—”
“Nissa.” His voice was stronger now. “I think night’s coming and I don’t want you here when the darkness hits.”
She glanced out at the jungle again. It was hard to tell through the dense canopy, but it seemed to be getting darker. She shivered. “I’m not leaving you!”
“I want you to go. Board up the cockpit, hunker down, and contact my brothers.”
“No.”
He blew out a frustrated breath. “Come here.”
