Page 38 of Lost in Barbarian Space

“I can’t abandon Behati. He’s an archeologist, Colm, not a soldier.” To leave the man here would be a death sentence.

“Then we’ll all die.” Colm reached under his furs and drew his sword.

Feeling desperate, Honor contacted the Drake. “Drake, any life signs? Can you pick up Dr. Behati anywhere?”

“I can’t detect Dr. Behati’s signature, Honor,” Ning said. “I see your three signatures…wait—” A sharp intake of breath. “Oh, my God. There are faint signatures appearing around you! Three, no, four, no…ten. I can’t tell what they are, but they have you surrounded!”

It set Honor’s nerves alive and she pulled out her laser pistols. “We’re surrounded. Ten intruders. Get to the ships…now!”

“Go!” Colm jerked Honor toward the marlin.

They started running. She stumbled through the thick snow. A lone howl echoed in the fog, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She gritted her teeth.

“Keep moving,” Colm growled.

It couldn’t be much farther to the marlins. She saw a shadow move in the fog and she tensed. Then the black shadow was gone.

She tripped over something and landed on her knees in the snow. What the hell? She looked down.

“Oh, God, Dr. Behati.” The archeologist was lying face-up in the snow. His face and chest were covered in splatters of blood. He’d been…mauled by something.

Then Colm was there. He saw the archeologist, cursed, and then leaned down and lifted Behati. He tossed the man’s body over his shoulder. “Keep moving, Honor.”

She pushed off, and tried to keep pace with Colm’s long strides. They reached the first marlin, where Derek was scrambling into the pilot seat. The man’s chest was heaving.

Colm dumped Behati’s body in the other seat.

“Jesus.” Derek blanched white. “Is he alive?”

“Barely,” Colm answered. “Now go.”

Honor kept up her stumbling run toward the second marlin. She cursed. The snow was too damned deep. Suddenly, Colm swept her off her feet with strong arms and pressed her against his fur-covered chest.

He charged ahead, and she heard Derek’s marlin take off. Its lights shone across the snow in front of them…

Illuminating the huge creature emerging from the fog.

Every muscle in her body froze, and her breath lodged in her throat. “Colm.”

He set her down and pushed her behind him. He raised his sword.

The beast was larger than Colm, with shaggy, white fur covering its muscular body. It had huge jaws.

“It looks like a winter wolf,” Colm said. “But larger.”

Honor pulled her laser pistols and aimed them at the beast. “Best way to kill them?”

“Before they kill you.”

The wolf leaped.

Colm moved fast. He swung his sword into the air, his fur coat spreading out around his large body.

But the wolf was wily, leaping out of the way.

“Honor, back to the marlin. Now.”

“I’m not leaving you.” She clutched her pistols harder, when something made her look behind her.