Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

KENZIE

W hat the fuck does this grud want with me? A shiver runs through me as I recall how he shoved a rag in my mouth, tied my hands behind my back, slung me over his shoulder, and carried me two miles through dark alleys and condemned war zones to this abandoned building that's no bigger than a two-car garage.

He could have killed me outside Josh's apartment, but he didn't.

The hulking, scaled creature hasn't moved from that spot since he dumped me on the cold cement floor. Glowing yellow eyes stare at me from across the room that smells of garbage, mildew, and death.

Dirty, filthy creatures. I haven't smelled that particular scent since I was a child, but it's not one a person forgets.

My breathing finally calms, but every sense remains on high alert. The hairs on my arms are standing straight up and my eyes continually dart around the dank room, seeking an avenue of escape, should I get lucky enough to free myself.

I dragged myself into a sitting position, all while the grud scrutinized me. He hasn't taken his eyes off me once. Sure, I'm sitting up now, but I can't reach the knife shoved deep in my back pocket.

Maybe if I lean left slightly, change the angle, I can?—

The grud approaches, yellow eyes narrowing as he flexes his claws.

"Please don't hurt me," I beg in Common as two fingers fish for the knife. "I'll do whatever you want."

He leans over me, the stench of decay suffocates me. I nearly vomit, but fight it, breathing through my mouth. I flash back to when I was a child and saw my first grud. Fear invaded my bones when I heard that man scream, the one the grud sliced with his claws.

My pulse races and I'm having trouble catching my breath. A panic attack. Shit.

I close my eyes and think of Kobrik and his confident grin.

You are stronger than you think, Kenzie.

His words comfort me, as much as anything can in my situation. I know, without a doubt, he's looking for me. I have to keep my wits about me and stay alive until he finds me. Which means reaching that damn knife!

A sharp claw, two inches long, drags across the base of my throat. Tiny, serrated notches bite into my skin, not deep, but enough to make me stop breathing out of fear.

"Cease!" a male orders in Common as moonlight spills in from the door where a man with six arms stands.

Spider King. A.K.A. Nelson.

He must have followed us here. Hope soars through me. I'll take any help, even from Nelson!

Nelson quickly shuts the door, shutting out the outside world. Slowly, the truth seeps into my fear-addled brain. He's protecting the grud .

"Bastard," I spew. "You set me up. Why?"

"To lure your boyfriend," he says without an ounce of remorse.

"I don't have a—" I stop mid-sentence. Kobrik. "Why do you want him?"

"He's causing problems for me."

"Warrior come for female. Yeg kill," the grud says in broken Common.

Anger quickly replaces fear. I won't let them use me, especially to hurt Kobrik.

My thumb and finger finally snag the tip of the blade. Nelson's eyes narrow. It's the only part of him I can see through that damn mask. I stop pulling on the knife and avert my eyes, hoping he'll ignore me.

"It won't be that easy, Yeg. The warrior won't be fooled so easily."

The grud picks his teeth with a long claw. "Warrior not problem."

"He can destroy everything. And you led him right to me!" Nelson's anger comes off him in waves, so much that I slink back against the wall, putting as much distance between us as he yells at the grud.

"You will leave Earth. Now," Nelson orders.

"Yeg finish mission."

"You've drawn too much attention to everyone."

While they're locked in their alpha-male stand-off, I pull the knife free, sit on it to hold it steady, and start sawing the rope binding my hands against the blade. Strand by strand give way, but it's slow going.

"Use female. Catch warrior. Kill both."

"You'll get caught. Your mission is over."

The grud sharpens one of his knives against the stone windowsill, ignoring Nelson. Spider arms flap all over the place as Nelson advances on the grud, pulls him away from the window, and spouts off in a language I don't recognize.

"Krav anja vekk zyanthan," the grud replies. Both males fall silent and stare at me.

I stop sawing and freeze. Have they noticed my movement? Even if I cut through before they touch me, how the hell will I get past them?

"Does Kobrik know where you live?" Nelson asks.

"Y-yes," I stutter, not liking where this is going.

Nelson fishes through my jacket—which matches that of my kidnapper, shoulder spikes and all—until he finds my ID with my home address. He slams the card against the grud's massive chest. "You'll find him here. Meet me at your ship once he's dead."

The grud leaves, shockingly quiet given his size. The second the door shuts, Nelson turns his attention to me.

"Still not removing the mask?" I goad to buy time while I finish cutting through the rope. Hopefully, he'll turn away and ignore me.

Nelson rips the mask off, revealing brown hair and eyes and an unremarkable face. Except, now I've seen him. I can identify him.

I swallow hard, fear shooting through me as I read the truth in those cold eyes.

Nelson doesn't intend to let me live.