by Mirren Hogan
Flynn brought up the spray can, flicked the Zippo into flame and sprayed the kappa with a gush of fire. It squealed like a three-year-old child and retreated, stinking of hot fish. The flames and the monster writhed as if doing some kind of bizarre dance. Then it froze and exploded. Gobs of fishy meat flew backward, hitting the back wall.
Within the flying meat went something else, something more solid. A black phone slammed into the wall with a crunch, slid down and plopped into the water.
Fighting down the adrenaline and bile, Makani ducked down and picked the phone up. Brushing wet hair back, she turned to Flynn, “I’m guessing this is what we’re following?”
“Yeah. They’re not here, are they? That thing ate Jason’s phone and the signal worked just long enough for us to track it here.” Flynn growled in frustration. “I bet it’s dead now, we won’t be able to use it to track where he was. Unless Annie can work some magic with it?”
“I’m sure she can—but, Flynn, they might be farther in. We’re not at the end of the tunnel.” Makani shook the phone off and tossed it into a plastic bag. “We’ve got a chance to get rid of more of these things. Shouldn’t we take it?”
His head nodded in the light of her lamp. “Yes. Yes, we should. Listen . . . ”
The tunnels had fallen deathly quiet. Even the water was silent.
“Now I feel like we’re living in a horror movie.” His whispered words echoed around them.
“Welcome to my world.” She put the lighter away and held up the water gun. “We’ve got to find the legs of the manananggal. Destroy the legs, and you kill the creature. The kappa must be running low, since we’ve killed off a bunch of them. What about the—” Makani’s words cut off abruptly as she was pulled under the water.
She felt Flynn’s hand grasp hers and let him pull her. Her head came up above the water and she took a breath. Her heart pounded so hard it almost hurt.
“Makani, what the hell . . . ?”
“I don’t know! Something grabbed my sh—”
She was pulled back under, as a green tail broke the surface of the water. Her headlamp left a luminous trail as the creature pulled her deeper into the cave, her head popping up one more time before going back under, and the light went out.
CHAPTER 6
Flynn watched in despair as Makani was dragged away. He had to slog through the cold water, trying desperately to catch up. Then the light went out and he was plunged into darkness. He stood panting for a second, before flicking his lighter back to life. It wasn’t much light, but it was enough to stop him from panicking.
He splashed in the direction he’d seen her last, waving the Zippo around. “Makani?” He bumped into something soft and leaned down. His hand met what felt like human skin. “Makani?”
A hiss sounded from Flynn’s left, as the kappa dove down onto his back from the wall. Gnashing its sharp teeth, hissing furiously, it clawed at his hair and tried to dig into the man’s flesh.
“Fuck off!” Flynn turned the spray can and Zippo on the kappa, singeing some of his own hair in the process. He closed his eyes as the kappa exploded. Pieces of burning creature floated in the water, revealing a cavern that was empty, apart from a dozen manananggal legs suspended from the ceiling.
Under the water, his hand found Makani’s. He gripped it tightly and hauled her up and into the crook of his arm.
Sputtering and coughing, she was trying to catch her breath. She grunted in pain. A nasty bite on her ankle stained the water red.
“We have to get out of here.” He aimed his water gun and sprayed as many legs as the flow would reach. “Can you walk?” She might be cranky with him for that later, but for now, they needed to move.
“No!” She slipped free of his arm. “Burn everything first! The top halves will die if they don’t have legs to come back to.” She straightened herself out and fumbled for the plastic bag with extra lighters. “We can’t leave these things to keep attacking people!” She started charring each pair of legs, starting at the exposed guts and moving up to the toes.
Flynn tossed his water gun aside and reached for a lighter, but he kept looking back at her. She looked hurt and tired. He burnt one set of legs and barely stepped aside before it fell on his head. It hit the water with a splash and something sucked the rest of it under.
“Have you noticed these things are just as glad to eat each other as they are to eat humans?” They watched the kappa move through the dark water to nibble on the uncooked bits, stealing entrails that escaped the hairspray fires the humans had started. The underground well ran gooey pink and purple, smoke making Makani and Flynn cough even as they kept setting fire to legs.
“I don’t have a problem with that.” Flynn moved around a floating pair of legs. “Come on, let’s get out of here and set the water on fire.”
“Sexiest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” She unslung her bag and pulled out the small gas can and a bottle of lighter fluid. Turning to look toward Flynn with shining eyes, she asked, “Is this really gonna work? Like in the movies?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but it can’t hurt, right? Just—we need to get out of the water first.” Being boiled alive was not on his list of things to do while in Hawaii. But then, falling in love hadn’t been either.
“Come on!” He headed for the exit through the thick smoke. The karst felt like a sauna. He brushed the sweat off his face with the back of his hand. Grabbing hers, they plunged out into fresh air just as the first drops of rain started to fall.
Behind them, the prism colors of gasoline on the water flowed in a trail. He shivered in the cooling air, making it hard to get a lighter out. The sky opened up over them, fat droplets washing away the fresh blood and salt water.
Taking deep breaths to still their nerves, they stepped to the side onto the cement slabs lining the side of the drainage canal. Flynn checked to make sure Makani was safely out of the water and not needing immediate medical attention before handing her a lighter.
“Do you want to do the honors?”
Makani gave him a savage smile. She opened up the lighter and struck the flame. Leaning down, she touched the flame to the first slick on the water, and it went up. Like a row of dominoes, each slick burned bright and hot, flowing back into the karst. The only evidence that it kept moving down into the cave was the thick line of smoke that started seeping out.
And then, there was a scream.
A rush of leathery wings passed them by as the manananggal flew back to their legs, shrieking in their rage, not even noticing the humans near the entrance. A lone kappa seemed to have escaped the inferno, and reared its head up to take a chunk of Flynn’s foot. It was caught by a manananggal’s tongue, the thing puncturing deep into its guts and pulling it back in.
Flynn watched in grim satisfaction. It was like cleaning out a den of rats, only the rats had longer tongues, wings and a taste for humans.
One manananggal flew into the entrance, seeking its legs, only to catch alight on the inferno of flaming water. It spun around and bumped into another, setting it on fire as well. The pair screamed like cats having their tails pulled and simultaneously exploded.
“It’s so gross, but I can’t stop looking at it.” Makani leaned against the cold cement wall and sighed. Slumping down, she pulled her bag off her shoulders and stretched her leg out in front.
“This doesn’t look too good, does it?” The bite was still bleeding, a wide-open wound that cut far into the flesh and jagged holes that went deep. So deep, that there might have been bone peeking through the worst of the wounds.
“Yeah. I guess I’m not the only one who finds you tasty.” He smirked. “I have some bandages and stuff at my place. Do you need a tetanus injection?” It would suck to survive this far, only to get sick and die from the infection.
“I’m up on my shots—blood loss might be the bigger problem.” Makani tried to get up, but her knees were shaky and it took a couple of tries to get to her feet. “Let’s get out of here, befor
e the neighbors call the fire department.” Her steps were slow as she started back toward the gate.
“I’m driving. Don’t argue.” Flynn tossed his pack into the back of the jeep and hot-wired it. The sooner they got her cleaned up, patched up and warm and dry, the better. “That was kind of fun in a life threatening, let’s-never-do-it-again kind of way.”
“I should have taken you skydiving or base jumping. It would have been safer!” She slumped in the seat, and started working the boot off her foot. Blood seeped from the open cuts, but it wasn’t pouring down anymore. The burn was angry and red, the last bits of burnt skin scraped off by the kappa when it tore off the dressing. “Or . . . hang gliding. I’ve never done that before. Wanna go hang gliding next weekend?”
“Sure. Or bungee jumping. Or surfing with sharks. If we can survive this, we’ll . . . crap!” A black SUV pulled out of a side street into the road in front of them. Flynn slammed his foot down onto the brake, the jeep skidding several feet before coming to a stop.
“Are you trying to kill us?” he called after the other car as it sped off. “Okay, that’s officially enough excitement for one night—hey, isn’t that that woman again?” Peering out the rear window of the SUV was the old woman who kept turning up wherever they went.
Makani blinked twice at the other car, her brows furrowing in thought. “Yeah . . . yeah, that is. I don’t like how much we’re seeing her.”
He swallowed hard and tried to remember everywhere he’d seen the woman. What they’d been doing, what was going on. Did her appearances indicate anything specific?
He pressed the accelerator and got the jeep back on the road. “Was she in the park?” He didn’t need to elaborate. The lunch with his family before they disappeared was the only time they’d been to a park and etched on his mind forever.
“Maybe? Flynn, it’s hard to say. For all I know, I’ve been seeing her all my life.” She huddled into the seat, her eyes closed. “But I’m pretty sure she was.”
Flynn turned his head to glance at her. When he turned back, the SUV was gone. “What the—let’s get home and hide out. I’ve had enough creepy for one night.” He accelerated a bit above the speed limit, taking a corner too fast, but getting them to his rental house in a short amount of time.
Makani was pale by the time they stopped, but not because of Flynn’s driving. Her leg was stained with long rivulets of blood, a little pooling on the floor mat. She hobbled out and made for the door. Her fingers fumbled to grab her pack, only to drop it by the door while she leaned against the wall. “I can’t wait to go to bed . . . ” she mumbled, her boot dangling from her hand while she struggled to kick off the other.
“That doesn’t sound very encouraging,” he muttered. He unlocked the door and grabbed both of their packs. He put them down beside the door and closed it behind them. “Come on and I’ll patch you up.” He helped her into the bathroom and held her so she could rinse her wound under clean water.
“Here, let’s sit you down and I’ll get some bandages.” An arm around her, they made slow, careful progress to the living room before he lowered her into a chair.
“I’ll be back in a minute.” He hurried off. After a quick search, he came back with bandages, cotton pads and iodine. He set them on the table and pulled a towel out of the cupboard to cover the couch. He didn’t want to upset his landlady any more than they already had.
Her eyes were half-closed as she lowered herself onto the couch. “I probably look like crap, don’t I?” She smiled and flipped her long black hair back off her face.
“You’ve never looked hotter,” he assured her. “A woman who can kick monster butt and take care of herself is bloody sexy.” He sat beside her, poured iodine onto the cotton pad and held it near her injury. “This will sting, please don’t hit me when it does.” He smiled in spite of his words.
“It can’t be worse than the—eep! Burn!” She jumped, grabbing a throw pillow and holding it tight, the potential for water and mud stains notwithstanding. “I didn’t really do much back there. You were the real hero, Flynn.” Makani smiled from behind the pillow, even as she winced every time he touched the bite and burn.
“I didn’t do anything. I would have gone home and hidden under the bed if you hadn’t insisted we stay and clean up a bit better.” He wiped the muck away from her injury. “It’s not as bad as I thought it might be.” He bandaged it firmly and patted her knee. “No triathlons for a while.”
“Yeah, I’ll definitely be staying on the shallow side of the pool.” She eased back up. “Thanks, Flynn. Anyone else would have run screaming, by now.” Makani reached for his hand, hers cool to the touch as she laced their fingers together.
“I never was much of a screamer.” He squeezed her hand gently. “Besides, I love you. I can’t drag myself away. I tried, remember?” He felt a twinge of guilt over almost having caught a plane back to Sydney. “It’s getting late, we should turn in.”
“I guess . . . But I don’t know if I want to sleep ever again.” She sighed and stood up slowly, stretching herself out until something cracked. Probably her spine. “But I’ll happily get into bed with you.”
He smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that. I’m not that tired, myself.” His finger reached between them and stroked her palm.
“Adrenaline junky now, aren’t you?” She sighed and tugged on his hand to get him off the couch. “Let’s rinse off, and then we can get into bed. How’s that sound?” She laced her fingers through his again and started toward the bathroom.
“Junky for you, my love.” He let her pull him along. These last few days had been like a roller coaster. The highs were dizzying, the lows were terrifying, and he’d never felt so alive. He turned on the water in the shower and started helping her out of her clothes.
“I think you’re equally as addicting. Better than anything Grandma used to grow in the backyard.” She quirked her lips into a smile and stepped out of her shorts, yanking her top off. She fumbled with the button and zipper on his pants, pulling everything down below his waist.
“Did I just get compared to dope?” He wriggled his hips to help her. “Better than being called a dope, I suppose.” He kicked his pants aside and stepped into the shower. It must have been close to midnight by now. Thunder rumbled directly overhead and the lights flickered, but he felt strangely warm and safe here, with her. Makani’s non-imaginary beasts might be all gone, or at least they’d have to take time to regroup. Hopefully. They could use a day or two off.
Or forever.
“Shush!” She stepped in behind him, her hands trailing down his back to where his tan line began, short fingernails tracing over his muscles. Leaning her head against his shoulder, Makani sighed and pulled their bodies as close together as she could.
“Don’t get your bandage wet,” he scolded gently. He put one arm around her. His other hand grabbed the soap and started working on the soft skin of her back.
Practically purring in pleasure, Makani stood with her foot resting on the edge of the tub to keep it out of the water. She nuzzled against his chest, and pressed tighter against him, letting their bodies mold to each other’s. She nibbles his neck, her tongue tickling his skin.
He shivered. He could already feel himself getting hard. Last night had been a long night, for more reasons than one. He finished with her back and moved his hand down to wash her rear and the top of her legs.
She pulled the soap from Flynn and started running it down his chest. Slender fingers worked the soap over the muscles along his sides that led to his back. Makani took her time, making sure to touch all the parts of him that she could reach—except the one part she seemed intent on saving for later.
He stood still with a faint smile on his lips. He didn’t have to worry about any creatures; she was going to drive him crazy long before he got made into a snack. And what better way to have it happen? “Woman, you have magic hands.”
“If you think my hands are good, wait until you get my mouth.” She ran a
finger over the inside of his thigh, getting dangerously close to his manhood, but moving back down and teasing the other side.
“I remember, don’t worry about that. What do you think kept me sane last night?” He quivered under her touch. “Maybe we should get dry and more comfortable.” They were risking her bandage getting wet if they messed around in here.
“Good idea.” Letting the water run down between them, Makani ran her hands over his body one last time before pulling back. Finally, when the soap was rinsed away, she turned the water off and let her hand trail over his hip. It slid over his front, and she wrapped her hand around his before stepping out of the tub and pulling Flynn with her.
He almost tripped over the side of the bath in his haste. His foot thudded against the side of the tub, but he hardly noticed. He grabbed a towel and started rubbing her down, drying her carefully, bit by bit.
Makani returned the favor, always avoiding the spots that would make Flynn shiver. Wrapping the towel around his waist, she used it to draw him to the bedroom. Instead of tugging them both onto the low mattress, she sat on the edge in front of Flynn and let the towel fall from her hands.
Now he shivered. His hand tangled in her dark hair, damp and soft. Thunder rumbled again outside. Lightning lit up the room and the lights went out. He had a moment of dread, but her touch forced it aside.
She looked up. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” She wrapped her lips around him. Her hands roamed everywhere, down his flat belly, over his thighs, up his flanks, gripping his rear. She moaned, eyes closing in pleasure.
“I like your idea of protection.” Out of the two dark, warm caves he’d been in that night, this would be the better by far. His hands slid down to gently rub her shoulders. They were tense and stiff. He worked out her knots while she worked on him.
Her lips turned up into a smile as she looked at Flynn. “Where do you want me?”
“Wherever you want to be,” he replied. “Wherever, however, whatever and whenever.” He couldn’t imagine her wanting him to do anything he didn’t like every minute of.