AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ulrek rolled, but the claws grazed his skin. Two thin red lines appeared on his shoulder.
“First blood,” the male taunted him, looking smug.
Ulrek wasn’t worried. First blood didn’t mean anything; it was the last that determined the winner.
They came at him at once, punching and kicking. As he kicked the stocky one away, the one with the scar grabbed hold of Ulrek’s head and bashed it against the side of the bunker. Ulrek punched him in the face, and his attacker staggered back.
He seized his opportunity and tackled him to the ground. His opponent fought back, snarling, his sharp teeth snapping shut an inch from Ulrek’s face. Ulrek kicked him, claws out, and caught him on the side; four parallel slashes opened up, and blood gushed out. He looked up just in time to see a boulder hurtling his way.
Fuck! He wouldn’t be able to get out of the way in time. He thought fast, even as the scarred one clawed at his face. He angled his body, used the other male as a shield, and braced for the impact.
The boulder smashed into him, knocking the air from his lungs. Those who claimed one couldn’t feel pain when in bloodlust were lying. You could. But pain didn't feel the same; it only strengthened a fighter’s anger, adding fuel to the fire that burned within.
“Ulrek!” Delaney’s scream pierced through the air.
His female was watching, and she was worried for him. Did Delaney not know who he was? A simple boulder could not stop him. But her fear was real, and the scent of it reached his nose.
It was sweet. Enticing. The perfect prize for when he won this fight.
With a roar, he shoved the cracked rock aside, but his adversary was already upon him. The bigger male grabbed him by the throat, throttling him. But with both hands on Ulrek’s throat, he couldn’t defend himself. Ulrek grabbed a stone and bashed his opponent in the face with it again and again, and the hands around his throat loosened.
The other male backed away, blood from his wounds streaking down his face and neck.
The sound of blaster fire rang out before a beam of energy passed so close to Ulrek that it singed the tips of his hair. One of the humans had found a blaster and was shooting at him. Ulrek grabbed hold of a large branch that had fallen and flung it at his attackers.
They cursed and tried to dive out of the way. No such luck. The branch hit them, pinning them to the ground. The blaster flew out of the male’s hand.
But now the other Tallean was on him again. Ulrek bit down on the other's shoulder, tearing out a chunk of flesh. The male howled but refused to back down. Punches rained down on Ulrek’s face as they struggled, but his opponent was wild now, and not using his brain to fight. Some of the punches found their mark, but most of them missed.
His enemy was tiring, and Ulrek took full advantage of it, heaving the other's head against a rock. The giant male went limp for a fraction of a second. That was all Ulrek needed. Moments later, Ulrek stood with his boot on the mercenary’s chest, his claws digging into his throat.
The gurgling only lasted a second as the claws tore into the windpipe and crunched through the spinal cord beneath. It was over. The urge to behead him and hold his head up like a trophy was strong, but the two human males had freed themselves from the branch and were trying to sneak around him to the transport.
They froze when he turned his gaze on them.
Ulrek struggled to refold his cheek crease and retract his fangs. His keen nose had detected the scent of an approaching coilbeast, and that meant he needed to get Delaney to safety. Now.
He needed live bait to keep the creature distracted, and the two humans would do nicely.
With the blood already spilled, the lust part of the bloodlust was ruling him now. He needed Delaney. Needed her underneath him. Needed to bury himself in her. It was a natural reaction to the violence, and he wasn’t going to fight it.
He was going torevelin it.
Delaney was his prize for this fight. He knew she was still watching from behind the shuttle.
“Come out, Delaney,” Ulrek said, trying his best to enunciate through the enlarged fangs and extended jaw.
She poked her head out from behind the shuttle, looking small and sweet. She smelled it too, her fear mingling with her delicate natural scent. Was it fear from watching the fight, or the abduction before? Or was it of him? He must look terrifying with his enemy’s blood all over his face.
He scanned the area, spotting a flask atop the transport. Keeping an eye on the two humans, he picked it up and uncapped it. It wasn’t water, but alcohol would do just fine. He poured the spirit into his mouth and over his face and throat, letting it rinse away the red.
When he turned back to Delaney, she was glancing over at the two human males. Anger spiked, and blood roared in his ears. He wanted to go crush them just because she’d looked their way, but the coilbeast was almost here.
“Do not look at them, Delaney,” he growled. “Come to me. Now.”
Chapter 16
Delaney
