Page 27 of Black Mamba

I force my eyes open to see who spoke.

“Ixi…” the one holding me snarls. “I found her first. She is mine.”

“She is not yours, cousin. She belongs to Lukyssss. He is keeping watch over these humans.”

“Lukys? He is not here! If she were his, he would have claimed her by now. Instead, I find her ship wide open and her free!”

“Do not make me warn you again, Deiys. Release the female. Look at her, you have already hurt her. Humans are not like us, they are frailer.”

I finally focus my vision to find yet another black and gray naga.

How many of them are there? I shut my eyes again before my stomach upends.

“If you want her, you will have to take her from me! I am not willing to let her go just for you to snatch her when I am not looking.”

“Deiys… Do not make me fight you…”

Ixi, the other naga, glances at me, his expression strained. He shakes his head as he starts moving toward us. Deiys drops me and thrusts me behind him. Not expecting it, my feet give out and I fall to my knees.

He pulls me upright by the arm and pain tears through me from my shoulder. I scream when I’m thrown aside and his grip on me vanishes. Landing on the same arm, I cry out again. I roll onto my front and push my knees under me. I cup my shoulder with my opposite hand.

I need to get to my ship.

Growling, hissing noises fill my ears as I rise. My arm falls forward and I whimper with pain.

Bang!

I jump then drop to the ground and cover my head.

Bang! Bang! “Back the fuck off!”

I twitch at the sound of gunfire, jerking with each shot.

Shrieking fills my ears.

At first, confused, I peer around, expecting either Levy or Greg when the second naga, Ixi, abruptly appears in front of me. I startle and scream when shots whip past my ears. “Don’t shoot me!” I shriek.

“Leave her alone!” Levy shouts. “Or I’ll shoot you too!”

I start to shake my head when Ixi grabs me. “No!” The word vanishes when his hand yanks on my bad arm and I nearly pass out.

“I will not harm you.”

You already have. Pulled once more against a chest and lifted, I succumb to oblivion in the cradle of his arms.

FIFTEEN

COMRADES

Lukys

“Vagan!” I shout, following the rocky waterline along the river bordering his territory. Eventually it will turn into a lake between the mountains, and I will be deep within it. As I slip around tree trunks and through the jagged path, I call out the Blue Coral’s name. If he is here, he will hear me. It is only a matter of time. The mountains echo my voice, strengthening it, prolonging it. Anyone in the area will be able to hear me. The Blue Coral will have to come just to make me stop.

“Vagan, we must speak!” I yell as the water catches my eye. It is like unbroken blue glass, and I see no naga within it. There is no splattering of Vagan’s bright orange hair.

My teeth grit. “Vagan!” If I do not speak with the Blue Coral soon, I may not be able to return to my nest before tomorrow morning. Or I may have to turn back and leave without speaking with him at all. I do not want to leave Elena for longer than necessary and I have already left her far longer than I am comfortable with.

“Vagan!” I shout again as I head to where I believe his grotto is located.