Shadow Planet by J.S. Morin & M.A. Larkin

Author:J.S. Morin & M.A. Larkin
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781942642831
Publisher: Magical Scrivener Press

The bestial cry reverberated off the gorge walls, the sound a cross between a lion’s roar and a falcon’s shriek. Hiroko froze, staring at her three companions, each of which was equally paralyzed by the sound.

The dragon had returned.

Schneider was the first one on his feet, blaster in his hand. Before Hiroko and the others had even stood, Schneider began creeping toward the alcove’s opening.

Ancestors protect them all. Hiroko scrambled to her own feet, pulling up Williams in the process. “This place isn’t safe anymore.”

“Nowhere is …” Glezos mumbled.

Maybe not, but Hiroko wasn’t ready to admit that to herself, much less to the others. Instead, she crept forward after Schneider. They needed a plan, and they needed one fast.

And it fell to Hiroko to come up with it.

The shadow descended first, barely registering in her brain before its enormous owner crashed down onto the ledge in front of the alcove. The dragon’s landing cracked the stone and flung debris and dust into the air.

Its roar deafened Hiroko, blasting around their tiny cavern like a shockwave. She stumbled and fell to her knees, covering her ears, unable to hear her own screams. Its earthy stench filled their small space, almost choking her.

The creature’s impact knocked Schneider over, and he rolled over backward, before coming up to one knee, shaking himself. His blaster lay a meter away. The man would never make it.

A scanner flew over Hiroko’s shoulder at the dragon. The creature’s elongated neck darted forward, and its teeth snapped down around the device. It crunched twice then swallowed the scanner whole.

Omnivorous … literally.

While the dragon was preoccupied, Schneider dove for his blaster, snatched it and came up in a roll. He shouted something, but Hiroko couldn’t make it out over the ringing in her ears.

Before she knew what was happening, Glezos had pulled Hiroko to her feet and was shoving her toward the entrance.

Schneider fired. The blast struck the dragon in the chest. Its crimson blood splattered Schneider while the acrid stench of burnt flesh filled the air. The creature recoiled but didn’t fall. A shot like that should’ve killed just about anything. Other than imaginary mythological creatures, maybe.

Schneider fired again, drawing another roar from the beast.

Hiroko couldn’t pass this chance. Still holding Glezos’s hand, she dashed past the dragon and out of the alcove. They’d never climb out of the gorge before it got them. And even if they did, they’d have nowhere to hide.

That left down.

Hiroko peered over the ledge. Another lay maybe three meters below. Jumping would hurt … but probably less than getting eaten.

She glanced back at Glezos and caught sight of the dragon advancing in on Schneider.

Chikushō! Should she go back, try to … the dragon reared its head back and launched it forward. But it didn’t bite Schneider. Some kind of shockwave blasted out of its mouth, caught Hiroko’s security chief, and hurled his body into the back of the cavern in a bloody splatter.

Hiroko gaped.

Bile lurched up into her throat. A clenching pain shot through her chest.

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