Hunters

by Michelle Marquis; Lindsey Bayer

  The maneuver had cost her—one of his clawed hands cut through her pant leg and sliced the flesh beneath. It wasn’t deep but it sure stung. She cursed and swung the net at Prime again.

  He ducked, clicking in distress.

  The net flew a fraction too high and one of the rubber weights bounced off the tree trunk, sending the net twisting back in her direction. Harmony reached up to catch it for another throw when it wrapped around and entangled her torso. Prime, seeing his advantage, quickly grabbed the ends and hauled her up. He secured her to a branch.

  Damn it! Harmony fought but knew it was useless, her only escape was to cut her way free. Sweat trickled down her forehead and stung her eyes. Hopefully Prime wouldn’t remember she had a knife. But the creature seemed unconcerned with the possibility of a concealed weapon.

  “You’ll make a fine meal for later,” his scent told her.

  The hydrocore climbed up the side of the tree next to her, leaned in close and drove a thin needle-like protrusion from his mouth into her shoulder. The warmth of the sedative radiated through her shoulder, spreading up her neck and down her arm. Prime scurried down the trunk and disappeared into the brush.

  His departure wasn’t unexpected. Hydrocore rarely devoured their prey right when they caught it; they usually preferred to wait until they were really hungry. Then they’d come back and finish the job. A sudden fatigue filled her, clouding her brain. She fought the effects of the toxin, pulled her buck knife and struggled to keep hold of it. Her strength was leaving her by the second.

  She maneuvered the knife between the threads and sawed at the net. Suddenly her index finger fumbled on the handle and the knife fell through the netting down to the ground below. Oh, isn’t that just perfect?

  A crushing sorrow squeezed her heart and she bit her lip to keep from losing her mind. This was it, the end of a long and successful career. Why hadn’t she just let Tanner come with her? Maybe if he had, she wouldn’t be here now. Was he right? Was catching Prime all about vanity? She sure hoped not. A sudden wave of numbing fatigue came over her. She closed her eyes and let the darkness take her.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “I must admit,” General Theron said as Tanner loaded his hyperia up with dry rations and water, “I’m surprised you requested permission to go after this bounty.”

  “Why?” The hyperia bared its sharp teeth and tried to bite but Tanner slapped its muzzle away. It hissed and stomped its feet, but didn’t try to attack him again. “It’s not unusual for two hunters to go after the same skip.”

  The general smiled. “Yes, but most hunters don’t have the reputation for success Harmony does. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were going out there to help her.”

  Tanner tightened the hyperia’s girth and the creature grunted in protest. “Harmony works alone, just like I do. She doesn’t need anyone’s help.”

  “I agree, but Prime is her first and only failure. Perhaps the creature is just too much for her.”

  General Theron was baiting him, trying to get more information but Tanner wasn’t in the mood to talk. “I’m not worried about her.” Before the general could antagonize him any more, he mounted up, reined the beast around and rode off into the forest.

  Most of the tracking routes on the map were through dense vegetation so it didn’t take Tanner long to find the trail of freshly cut brush that Harmony had started. The trail made the going easier than it otherwise would have been. At least he didn’t have to lean off his mount and chop plants for hours on end.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Making his way through the dense, moist soil and plant rot, Tanner finally came across the sound he’d been desperate to hear—the steady clicking of the hydrocore. He dismounted and scanned the ground, pausing to pick up a few glossy brown shell pieces. Tossing them aside, he forced down the urge to call out Harmony’s name. Instead he stayed as quiet as he could and listened. Off to the east the clicking grew more distant so Tanner crouched down and waited for it to fade away.

  The freshly cut trail emptied out into a wide clearing of tall, thick trees. He strained his hearing and couldn’t hear Prime anymore so he decided to venture into the clearing.

  The first thing he spotted on the ground was a ration pouch, a knife and binoculars. They were scattered far apart on the ground like they’d been dropped from a great height. Tanner looked up.

  Harmony was hanging inside a black net suspended from a tree limb about twenty feet up. His stomach froze over, fearing she was dead. But then her head lolled from side to side. He exhaled a rush of air. She’s alive! She mumbled something softy that didn’t make any sense. The hydrocore must have injected her with his nerve toxin. He had to get her down from there before that fucker got back.

  Tanner swung one leg over the hyperia’s neck and jumped down. After securing the creature to a low-lying branch, he walked around the tree. How the hell can I get her down without dropping her? He climbed onto the hyperia’s back and stood on the saddle. A short jump and he was able to grab a thick branch several feet under the one Harmony was hanging from. The going from there was rough and it took all of Tanner’s strength to scale the steep trunk until he was finally on the opposite branch from hers. Digging his boots into the bark, he clawed his way over to her branch and froze.

  It creaked under his weight.

  For several long seconds, Tanner waited to see if the branch was going to hold. It bowed downward but didn’t snap. Easing himself down, he straddled the branch and scooted toward the net ties. He pulled a hunting knife from his hip, cut all the ropes except for one, and used that one to ease Harmony down to the forest floor. He tied the rope securely to the trunk and lowered himself down, dropping to the ground right next to her.

  He listened. Nothing but Harmony’s delirious babblings. Good.

  Kneeling down next to her, he pulled the net off, watching with dismay as her eyes rolled around in her head. She was fighting hard to wake up from the effects of the hydrocore’s venom. In a barely audible voice she mumbled, “Antidote…syringe…my pack…front compartment.”

  “Hang in there, baby.” He grabbed her pack and pulled out the spring-loaded anti-venom injection. With trembling hands, he ripped away the rest of her torn pant leg and slammed the spring-loaded injection into her thigh. Harmony opened her mouth to cry out but he muffled her with a kiss.

  “That fucking hurt,” she complained groggily, rubbing her thigh.

  Before he could reply, Tanner heard clicking. The hydrocore had returned. Its spindly legs rustled through the foliage, growing louder as it drew closer.

  “He must know you’re loose.” Tanner stood and hauled Harmony to her feet.

  Prime burst into the clearing and screeched in alarm. The creature hissed its rage at them and lunged for Tanner with its mandibles opened wide for a nasty bite.

  Tanner fisted the hunting knife from his hip and turned on the creature, ready for the attack. Deep within his heart his violent temper roared to life and for once, he was grateful for it.

  The hydrocore reared up, its spindly legs slicing the air like rapiers as it rushed forward intent on a kill. Prime was an enormous beast, even by a hydrocore’s standards, and being on its hind legs made it easily over ten feet tall. But the creature was also unsteady on two legs and rarely fought that way.

  Seizing his advantage, Tanner swung the blade back and forth, menacing the alien to drive him back. He closed the rest of the distance by charging forward, determined to land the first blow. Rushing the hydrocore, he slammed his shoulder into the beast, knocking it back. Prime’s constant clicking grew louder and more fearful as it tumbled back awkwardly and almost landed on its back, but another tree was just within reach and it managed to grab on and right itself.

  Shaking its head, it leaped at him with equal ferocity, snapping its jaws closed several times like a pair of garden shears.

  Tanner struggled to keep his limbs out of Prime’s mouth as he delivered several nasty stabs into ever
y tender spot he could find. But the hydrocore was tough and crazed and didn’t retreat.

  Instead, it found an opening in Tanner’s defenses and clamped down on his leg.

  Tanner roared in agony. Sharp blinding pain tore through him and he pulled back just before the hydrocore was about to apply more pressure and cut his leg clean off. Blood flowed from the open wound, slick and warm, as it saturated his trousers, running into his boot. He was vaguely aware of Harmony scrambling up and creeping around them. Whatever you have planned, babe, you’d better do it fast.

  Trying to distract the beast from Harmony, Tanner ignored his injured leg and leaped on Prime. He twisted the creature’s head to the side and slammed his right fist into Prime’s eye over and over again until he felt the satisfaction of pulpy ooze running from the socket. The beast staggered and flailed, filling the afternoon tranquility with an ear-splitting screech.

  Harmony came out from behind the large tree and, in a flash of speed, jumped on the creature’s back. She dug her knife into its carapace to aid in her ascent. Upon reaching the top of its back, she raised her fist high above her head and slammed her buck knife past Prime’s brown exoskeleton into the soft matter at the base of its skull, severing all the vital nerves.

  The beast faltered for a few steps then went still and fell to the ground at Tanner’s feet.

  Harmony stabbed Prime a few more times to make sure it was dead, then stumbled over to Tanner. He sank to the ground and she crouched down next to him.

  A quick glance told him she hadn’t been injured. He was relieved. A sense of calm came over him, mixing with the hot suffering in his leg. “It’s not as bad as it looks. It’s just a flesh wound,” he said trying to reassure her.

  Harmony didn’t seem to be listening. She dug her fingers into the tear and opened the hole wider to inspect his injury. “It’s quite a bit worse than just a flesh wound,” she said grimly. “Hydrocore bites are notorious for nasty infections and with you being human you’re even more susceptible.”

  “Just bandage me up. I’ll be fine till we get back.”

  Harmony grabbed her pack and turned it upside down, emptying the contents next to Tanner. She snapped open her medic kit and began cleaning the wound. It felt like she was stabbing him with a thousand tiny needles. Tanner hissed through his teeth but forced himself to remain still.

  “Why am I always cleaning you up after fights?” she asked. “Hold your arms up.” He complied and she pulled off his T-shirt. She tore it into strips and bandaged him as best she could. She worked quickly then sat back on her haunches to survey her handiwork. “I want to be pissed at you for following me. But I’m damn glad you did.”

  “I only came for a cut of your payday.”

  She helped him up and leaned him against the hyperia. “Well, for the whole nine minutes that you actually participated in this hunt, I’ll give you a fifteen percent cut…oh, and some sex of course. We’d better get you back. I’ll go secure him.”

  Tanner grinned and lifted his chin at Prime. “Edna’s going to be pissed we killed him. She wanted the thing alive.”

  “Oh, well.” Harmony tossed what was left of the net over Prime’s body and rolled him up tight so he could be dragged behind Tanner’s mount. She planted her hands on her hips, her copper eyes sparkling. “At least he’ll be easier to transport this way.”

  “You got that fucking straight. We can probably have some of the general’s thugs load him on the ship once we get back to civilization. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Harmony finished gathering their stuff. All that was left was securing Prime’s carcass for travel. She grabbed the net ties, bundled them into one cord and hesitated. She obviously didn’t like the prospect of touching the hyperia but there was no alternative. She approached the creature nervously, trying to keep her distance as she attached Prime to the back of the saddle. Tanner mounted up, wincing. He held his hand down to her.

  “No thanks. I’ll walk.” She slung her pack over her shoulder and started off down the trail.

  Tanner frowned. He urged the animal forward and rode up to her. “Get on. These things can carry four hundred and fifty pounds. It can easily carry both of us and drag Prime too.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said without looking up at him.

  “You’re really serious about walking, aren’t you? What the hell for?”

  “I just don’t care for hyperia. I’d rather walk.”

  He smiled at her like he would at a child who is afraid of the dark. “It’s all right, Harmony. I won’t let him hurt you. You don’t have to be scared.”

  “I’m not scared, you asshole. I just don’t like them, now drop it!”

  Tanner shook his head and scowled in defeat. “That’s okay. Who cares how long it takes us to get back? I’m sure it won’t matter to the possible infection spreading through my leg.”

  Harmony stopped and glared up at him. “Fine. I’ll ride the stupid beast with—”

  Before she could finish her statement, he leaned down, grabbed her around the waist and hauled her up in front of him. Her body stiffened as soon as she made contact with the beast. He patted her thigh affectionately.

  “There. That’s much better and now I can fondle you on our way back. I think it will help you relax and let go of your fear.” He slid his arms around her and gently rubbed her belly.

  “I told you I’m not afraid of these things. I just don’t like them.”

  “Of course you’re not.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Trudging back through the jungle was hard going and made all the harder by Tanner’s deteriorating condition. He rode along slowly, wincing every time the creature bounced him too much. His face, normally a little tan, had turned an ashen gray and he was having difficulty keeping his eyes open. Harmony didn’t show it, but she was panicked. After several minutes of him swaying from side to side and looking like he was going to fall off, she stopped the hyperia.

  “We need to clean that wound again.” She dismounted and stood next to the hyperia. Tanner leaned over and half fell into her arms. Bracing him against the mount to help support his bodyweight, she eased him to the ground. She cut away more of his trousers and saw the problem. The wound was swollen and still oozing dark blood, and the infection had started to take hold. Although hydrocore didn’t have venom in their bite, they did carry a nasty cocktail of bacteria. Harmony had been bitten this bad once herself and had a devil of a time recovering from the wound. She’d never worried about dying from infection, because as a Kirillian she had a potent immune system. Tanner, on the other hand, was human and more susceptible to foreign bacteria. If she was going to save his life she would have to work extra hard to keep his wound clean.

  Harmony remembered a narrow river on her trek up. She left him for a few moments to search the area. Down an embankment and through a sparse scattering of saplings, the river wound below. The only problem was getting Tanner down there. She hoped he had enough strength to make it on his own.

  Tanner sat on the ground with his back against a tree taking a few sips of water. His lips trembled slightly with each sip.

  She pointed to the river. “Do you think you can walk down there?”

  He nodded and struggled to his feet, almost collapsing. Harmony rushed over to help steady him. His eyes were bloodshot like he’d just woken up from an all-night bender. “I’m not feeling too well.”

  “I know, but we have to get you down to the river so I can clean that wound again. Hang on to me.”

  The embankment, slippery as it was with rotting leaves and moss, was even more precarious with a large human dependent on you for balance. More than a few times she thought they were both going to tumble down. Inwardly she was surprised he was such a burden. Kirillians were much stronger than humans and, even though she was short, she was still much stronger than a human woman her size would be. But then she realized that Tanner didn’t just outweigh her by almost a hundred
pounds, he was also dead weight and she was trying hard not to hurt him.

  They reached the soggy bank and Harmony helped Tanner sit. Taking her utility pack off her shoulder, she grabbed a tin cup, filled it with water and placed it on the ground. She glanced at Tanner’s face and a very real terror filled her heart. Please don’t, please, please don’t die. Tears stung her eyes but she forced her fear to the back of her mind. It was important to focus and stay on task. His life depended on it.

  She washed her hands in the river, picked up the cup and ran cold water over his swollen injury. Tanner stiffened and hissed, but didn’t say a word. Lathering some soap in the water, she washed the wound as delicately as she could, taking care to rinse often. When she was satisfied, she dried it with a small hand towel. Tanner’s eyes had rolled up into his head and her stomach clenched.

  “Tanner?” She reached out and shook his shoulder. His breathing was shallow and he had a fever. She had to cool him off fast. Working quickly, she took off both of their boots, pants and underwear and dragged him into the river. The cold water was a shock but after a while, she got used to it.

  Tanner struggled a little. “You’re freezing my balls off, Harmony.”

  “Be still. You’ve got a raging fever and I need to cool you down before we start moving again.” She gingerly stroked his hair while holding up his head. They sat in silence for the next fifteen minutes while the cool water flowed over them. Pressing her chin against his cheek, she could feel some of the heat ebbing away. Satisfied he’d had enough, she dug her heels into the murky bottom and scrambled to her feet, pulling him up with her.

  With her arms locked around him from behind, she maneuvered his enormous bulk back up on shore. “How are you feeling now?”

  Some color had returned to the hunter’s cheeks but he still looked worn. “Better.”