Chapter 91: Bleeding Out
[HOST IS INJURED!]
[WOUND: Deep laceration across the back!]
[BLOOD LOSS: Increasing!]
As if on cue, the searing hot pain ripped across her back again.
Tera screamed in pain, suddenly aware of how wet her back was.
’SHUT UP! WHY DID YOU FUCKING REMIND ME?!’
It hurt!
[( ˶ó‸ò )]
[QUICK! A HIDING SPOT TO YOUR LEFT]
[HIDE QUICKLY!]
Tera saw it. A cluster of massive boulders, wedged together at angles that created a narrow gap between them.
The opening was dark and tight, and for a moment, Tera thought it might be too small.
But the monster was gaining on them.
She rushed towards it.
Her stomach was so heavy. Every step sent a jolt of discomfort through her abdomen, and the weight of the twins made her whole body protest the speed she was forcing from it.
Her vision blurred, and her legs buckled for a terrifying second before the adrenaline caught her and shoved her forward again.
The cubs were screaming. Both of them were wailing against her chest, their small bodies rigid with terror, and Tera held them tighter as hot tears streamed down her own face.
She had never been so scared in her entire two lives.
Tera shoved the cubs inside first, then squeezed in after them, her belly scraping against the stone as she pushed herself deeper.
"Go! Further back! Now!" she gasped.
The cubs scrambled deeper into the crevice, their small bodies trembling. The cat cub was hiccupping through silent sobs, too terrified to make full sounds anymore.
Tera pulled them both against her chest. She wrapped her arms around them and pressed her back against the stone, ignoring the agony of the wound being pushed against rough rock.
"It’s okay," she whispered, and her voice shook so badly the words barely formed. "It’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you."
The dinosaur reached the boulders the very next second.
A massive clawed hand slammed against the gap, and the impact sent a shudder through the entire rock formation.
The cubs screamed again. Stone dust rained down from above, and for a horrifying second, Tera thought the boulders would collapse inward and crush them.
"Don’t move," she whispered. "Don’t move. We’re safe here. It can’t reach us."
She didn’t believe a word of it.
The monster’s claws scraped against the stone, trying to reach inside, and she shrank inward, pressing as far back as she could go.
She nearly screamed as a claw slashed at the air inches from her face, and the rotten, metallic stench of the creature’s breath poured into the crevice like poison.
’She did this.’
The thought hit Tera with a fury that temporarily overrode her terror.
Kiri had led this thing towards them. Tera was sure of it.
Her body shook with rage as much as fear.
She should have banished Kiri from the start or even killed her herself, no matter what the others would have thought of it. All the petty cockblocking did not warrant any of this!
’That devil incarnate!’
The monster swiped at them again, and this time it caught the edge of the rock, sending a chunk of stone flying inward. It hit the wall near the cubs, and the bear cub let out a wail so raw and terrified that it made Tera’s chest crack.
A sharp pain tore through her stomach.
Tera doubled over, gasping. Her hands flew to her belly, and for one horrible, frozen second, she thought the worst.
’My babies—’
"System! Please check," Tera moaned, crying.
She was going to rip Kiri’s head off if she lived through this.
[SCANNING!]
[...]
[Foetal status is stable!]
[The babies are fine, Host]
[(ó﹏ò｡)]
[The pain is caused by physical strain and stress on Host’s body!]
[Host must calm down!]
"Don’t—"
’DON’T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!’
[Elevated stress hormones are putting additional strain on the pregnancy!]
[(っ◞‸◟ c)]
[Host must control her breathing and reduce panic!]
Tera pressed her forehead against the top of the bear cub’s head and forced herself to breathe.
She wasn’t fine.
When would this thing leave?!
[Host’s mates have sensed Host’s extreme distress through the bond]
[They are on their way!]
Tera’s blood ran cold for an entirely different reason.
’No! Tell them not to come!’
[(っ◞‸◟ c)]
[This system can only communicate with Host]
’That thing is massive! They could die! I don’t want them anywhere near—’
[Xavi has killed a corrupted beast before]
[This is not the first time beasts have faced such creatures]
’You don’t know that! That thing is fucking huge! What if—’
[They are coming]
Tera pressed her lips together so hard they went numb.
Another swipe. Another chunk of stone torn away.
It terrified her by the second how relentless it was!
Tera looked around the tight space, scanning for any escape route. They could not keep waiting like this!
A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she had to brace herself against the wall to keep from slumping.
[HOST!]
[Blood loss is accelerating!]
[Host must apply pressure to the wound!]
’With WHAT?! There is no space to even move. Just leave me!’
The monster suddenly screeched in pain.
The clawing at the entrance stopped abruptly.
[BEAST MALES DETECTED!]
[THE MONSTER HAS TURNED TO ENGAGE!]
Tera heard the snarls and roars erupting from outside the crevice. She could not believe they were actually fighting that monstrosity.
Tera didn’t move. She couldn’t bring herself to look either, but she hoped they would survive.
A face appeared at the crevice opening.
Bessier.
He looked terrified, his eyes wide and his face pale, but he reached in anyway, his hand stretching toward the cubs.
"Come out! Quickly! It is safe!"
The cubs didn’t move. They clung to Tera, trembling too hard to function.
"Go!" Tera urged, her voice cracking. "Go with him! It’s safe now! He’s here to help!"
The cubs vigorously shook their heads, refusing to budge.
Suddenly the scuffling stopped, and with a final, gurgling roar that trailed off into a wet, rattling groan, it was over.
Tera was shocked at how quickly it had ended, but she still couldn’t move. Her arms were locked around the cubs like iron bands.
[The corrupted beast is down!]
[Host must move now!]
[Blood loss is critical!]
[If Host does not receive treatment soon—]
"Come out!" Bessier urged. "It is dead!"
"It’s okay," Tera whispered, patting their backs. "It is dead now. You heard him. It’s safe."
They looked up at her, tears streaming down their faces.
"I will be right behind you. Go."
They finally moved, crawling toward the male on unsteady legs. Tera watched them go, relief washing over her even as another wave of pain rolled through her stomach.
Her body had been running on adrenaline and terror for so long that the moment the immediate danger passed, everything shut down at once. Her vision swam, her limbs felt too heavy to move, and the wound on her back pulsed with a deep, nauseating throb that matched her heartbeat.
Was she going to die?
She was barely halfway through the gap when someone pushed the young male aside.
Xavi.
His golden eyes found hers, and they were so full of terror. His bloodied hands reached into the crevice, and he pulled her out.
The moment her body cleared the rocks, his arms closed around her.
Then he stiffened.
His hand had pressed against her bloodied back, and the expression that crossed his face shifted from terror to rage.
He wished he could kill the corrupted beast multiple times over for causing her such pain.
Ermin rushed towards them from the dead beast’s form, his chest tight with panic when he saw Tera in Xavi’s arms.
"Water!" Xavi shouted, about to rush to tend to his mate’s wound, when Tera saw Kiri.