Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Safia. She was right there, and the compulsion to claim her was overwhelming. Being in her mind and seeing her in action, no matter the distance he put between them, drew him to her more. He had come to Algeria knowing he would make his claim on her, as all lifemates did. But because he could so easily shut down emotion, it hadn’t occurred to him that his need of her would turn into an obsessive hunger, and the desire to protect her would be so acute, it would remove all good sense from him.
She was slowing just a little, veering to her right, making the decision to go after the first sea centipede. It was a bit faster and smaller than its partner, angling its long body toward Izem’s right side, the crablike pincers extended in front of it. The demon had already grown significantly. The sea centipede wasn’t yet the size of a whale, but certainly it was a good ten feet long and thicker than a shark.
Benedek inserted his body between the fast-swimming creature and Izem, while Mataias protected his left side.
Safia has a plan, Petru forced himself to advise them. She is the demon expert here. Mataias, keep watch for the other one. We are going to allow her to show us how she kills this thing. I have never seen one before. Nicu, have you?
Nicu could reach any animal form and connect with them. When he was with them, it was a rarity for creatures to attack them.
No, these are new to me as well. I have tried to reach them, but their brains have been tampered with. They are demons, not real fish. There was a pause. That is not exactly correct, either. At one time, they belonged to the sea, but they were mutated and twisted into something else, something very evil.
Petru stayed quite still in Safia’s mind, hidden but examining every brilliant strategy speeding through. Her serenity amazed him. She held that calm tranquility even as her brain worked at warp speed. Her body seemed to be tuned, like a radar system, sending signals into the water and getting so many back, all feeding her necessary information, much like the bats in the air or the whiskers on the large cats in the jungle.
Nicu hadn’t been able to connect with the sea centipede, but Safia slid easily into the brain of the mutated creature. First, she matched a pulsing, disjointed rhythm that felt like a drumming off-beat heart. Petru found it disturbing. The sound resonated through his nonexistent body, producing a pain in the region of his heart.
That sent an alarm shooting through him. He had no physical body to worry about, but Safia did. If the demon produced a sound affecting him with potential consequences, what would it do to her, particularly underwater? Examining her mind, he could find no change. There was no alarm, no thought of abandoning her mission. Only that calm serenity. Tranquility. Her heartbeat remained steady, although very faint. Nearly soundless.
Petru forced down all emotions. He was an ancient and extremely disciplined. He’d managed to push color from his vision unless he was looking directly at his lifemate. He had to do the same with emotions. As far as he could see, feelings were useless and hindered men greatly. He turned his complete attention back to his lifemate and how she planned to destroy the demon swimming straight toward her brother.
She matched the disjointed waves in the chaotic brain of the demon. Agonizing pain shot through her and was cut off in much the same manner that a Carpathian hunter shut down pain. He found that fascinating. Safia eventually would have been able to overcome the wounds the vampire had inflicted on her once she managed to overcome the trauma of the attack. The first time was always shocking. The blood loss had been severe.
Safia’s training had been extensive in demon hunting. She took each separate step in stride and was methodical about it. Exploring the mutation came at an excessive speed. She learned where the weak points were. Where the venom was stored and how it was delivered. The pressure the pincers could inflict and the bite that could be delivered via the jaws. She had the information from her studies, but she confirmed it quickly and filled in every unknown fact. All her studying of the creature took place in seconds. She was that fast.
The sea centipede drew closer. The body glided, propelled by the multitude of fins dipping fast in the water, the crablike claws open and the beady eyes fixed on Izem.
Safia shot straight between her brother and the centipede, the crystal sword in her hands, the light not in the least diffused beneath the water. If anything, it was more brilliant than ever. The streak of light broke apart, dividing into two streams of white-hot then bluish flame, simultaneously piercing both eyes of the creature. It lifted its head, the cavernous mouth opening in a silent scream as it lunged forward toward Safia. The deadly claws snapped in the water, surrounding her as if they were trying to hug her.