AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s better,” said Jocelyn. “It’s all very heroic, but you can’t win this. Draven, is it?”
Draven growled in reply, casting his eyes about at the circle of tooled-up rat-men that surrounded him.
I have to admit I was terrified. We were outnumbered and outgunned.
“Yes, you’re not the only one who’s done their homework,” she said, smirking. “The famous Vinduthi war veteran. Why do you think I hired so many bodyguards?”
“I’m going to kill you, you sick bitch!” Draven spat at her.
“Very soon that will not be possible,” retorted Jocelyn. “Courtesy of your precious human woman there, soon I will be immortal!”
“That’s crazy,” Draven shot back, but he sent me a sideways glance to see if I would confirm the insane statement.
“Oh, not at all,” said Jocelyn calmly, inspecting the nearly dead plant and the drip of essential oil it still put out.
“It’s that liquid,” I chanced to shout. “It needs to be destroyed.” I felt the point of the knife pierce my skin and blood trickle down my neck. I couldn’t even swallow, I was so terrified.
Draven looked over at the gently glowing oil in the glass vial. “For real? That will make her immortal?” he asked.
“This is my baby,” claimed Jocelyn, moving protectively closer to the dome that contained the wilted bloom. “With this flower essence, I will realize my lifetime’s work.” She stroked the glass dome and smiled.
“So all of these poor souls,” he growled, gesturing to the mutants. “Was it all in the name of making you immortal?”
“A small sacrifice,” she said. “In the big scheme of things.”
“You are one depraved lady,” Draven said, disgust in his voice.
“Your words and opinions mean nothing,” said Jocelyn, bending to watch the process. “With the help of your woman, I will live forever.”
“Elara will never help you!” Draven said, his voice rising with the passion behind his statement.
“I don’t need her help as a botanist.” Jocelyn chuckled. “I simply need her life.”
“She has to drain the life from me,” I told Draven, ignoring the knife that still threatened to take it prematurely. Maybe I should just let them slit my throat. It would at least stall her.
Draven looked between us unbelievingly.
“It is simple,” said Jocelyn calmly. “Once I have consumed the essence of the plant, I will need to feed on the essence of Elara. It is the price of immortality. I must take life to gain life. My research tells me the process will be relatively painless, if that’s any consolation.”
My resolve built inside me. I just needed a small chance, one tiny break. If I couldn’t survive this, I could at least ensure Draven did. He would kill the megalomaniac bitch.Keep her talking, Draven,I thought.
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this,” said Draven. “What makes you think you deserve extra life at the cost of someone else’s? What makes you special, to steal from them?”
“My dear Draven, we all take life. From the moment we’re spawned from our mother loins, we consume the life around us. All the food that we eat was alive once. It lived and died so we could live. You don’t question it because it’s what we all have to do. Just because my diet will change, does that make it wrong?”
“Yes,” he said automatically. “We all have to eat, that is part of life. But you are choosing a selfish action that will destroy everyone around you, with no regard.”
“You are just jealous because it’s not you that has this ultimate chance.” Jocelyn watched intently as the last of the essence dripped into the vial below.
“I’d like to see how immortal you are with no head,” growled Draven, a snarl marring his beautiful features.
She stared at Draven, obviously shaken by his words.
This was my chance. I kicked my boot as hard as I could into the Ewani’s kneecap. He collapsed to the floor crying out in pain, the knife falling harmlessly away from my throat. I couldn’t believe it worked.
I threw myself at the laser gun still lying carelessly discarded on the floor. As I came up, I fired off a shot at an Ewani, his face disappearing in a circle of gore. Draven took his cue from me. He dropped to the floor and rolled, taking out the legs of the closest Ewani.
The laboratory erupted into a mass of fighting limbs. I was more aware of what was going on around me this time. There was no way I would let someone get behind me.
