Ka'Cit's Haven (Riv’s Sanctuary #3)

There had to be a problem. Of course, there was. No way it was going to be this easy to escape.

“They know we’re here.”

Her eyes darted down the corridor again.

“How do you know?” Her whisper barely passed through her lips before the lights of the ship came on in full force.

For a moment, Nia was blinded and she felt her body being thrown backward as Ka’Cit shouted something she did not hear.

He gripped her to him as they landed on the floor, twisting just enough so his whole left side got the brunt of the impact before he adjusted her, gripped her by the waist, and rolled over placing her completely beneath him.

She was barely able to understand what was happening but his gun hand rose, aimed, and a blast of green light left the muzzle.

There was a cry and something fell to the floor at the other end of the corridor.

Ka’Cit was heavy and she could hardly move but she managed to lift her head to see a Niftrill writhing and screaming a few feet away.

But the Niftrill wasn’t alone. Another was on his tail, a gun pointing in their direction.

Nia tried to lift her gun to aim but it was caught underneath her body and no way would she be able to fire quickly enough.

“Ka’Ci—”

But he was already firing.

He caught the Niftrill in its arm holding the gun and the weapon went flying as the Niftrill gripped its hand.

“Herza couldn’t have picked a worse species for guards.” Ka’Cit’s voice was so calm and steady, it surprised her. It was as if he didn’t just exert energy. “If they’re injured, they forget their prey and default to their pure instinctual need to mend themselves. Pitiful.”

“Wha—” It was all happening so fast and she almost didn’t hear the sound behind them. But before she could warn Ka’Cit of the danger coming from behind, he was already spinning and taking her with him.

One, two, three Niftrills were coming from behind.

They seemed to pause for a moment, no doubt seeing their fallen comrades, and a sound she’d never heard before filled the corridor.

It was like the screech of a million bats.

“Oh, shut. Up!” Ka’Cit growled as he fired.

He shot twice, and it seemed he aimed at their weapons for two of the Niftrills howled, their guns flying as they gripped their cloaked wrists.

Nia’s head snapped into the game.

She and Ka’Cit were on the floor and vulnerable.

Though he was doing great, no doubt he could do better if he wasn’t trying to prevent them from being shot while protecting her at the same time.

She lifted her weapon and aimed, praying there wasn’t some sort of safety she had to deactivate.

But Ka’Cit was one step ahead of her. Green eyes met brown ones as he looked down at her. He released her enough for him to press something on her weapon and while he was doing that, his other arm raised and fired without him even looking at what he was firing at.

Nia’s eyes widened and when she looked down the corridor, he’d hit the third Niftrill in the arm.

The alien howled and its weapon fell from its hands as it stared down at the hole in its cloak.

“Point and shoot,” Ka’Cit said.

For the moment, the corridor was clear bar from the writhing and howling aliens and Ka’Cit jumped to his feet and brought her with him.