Recon Marines II: Marine's Heiress, The by Susan Kelley Page A

sounds came from
behind the foliage growing near the wall. Deep shadows hid the area
underneath the plants even from Vin’s sharp vision. The scent of
fresh blood and spilled innards hung in the still predawn
air.
    Vin’s experiences had taken him to many
worlds. Each new planet had its own variety of life. Warm-blooded
beasts of fur and hair usually carried similar scents but this odor
reminded him more of vipers and cold scales.
    “ What is it?” Emma
whispered.
    Vin didn’t know and didn’t plan on
going into the bushes in the dark to find out. Some reptiles used
venom to catch prey and protect themselves. He’d seen men die
horrid painful deaths after encountering such alien creatures. He
retreated Emma and forced Emma to back up also, creating a larger
killing field in front of him.
    Though he couldn’t see them, he sensed
many sets of eyes upon him. A slight rattling of bushes close to
the ground meant many small creatures lurking in the shadows. He
hoped they were shy of something larger than themselves. But
animals traveling in packs had the courage wrought by
numbers.
    A small lizard hopped out of the
bushes, dark liquid glistening around its mouth. It traveled on its
long back legs that sported evil looking claws shaped like
sharpened hooks. It carried its front legs before it like tiny
hands on thin arms. Though the beastie stood only as high as Vin’s
knees, the teeth exposed by its gaping mouth hung as long as man’s
small finger. Even as he assessed it dangerousness, a half-dozen of
its companions bounded from cover to join it. The first one
chattered and chirped, and the others answered.
    “ I think they’re talking
to each other.” Emma wrapped her fingers in the back of Vin’s shirt
and tugged as if to pull him back.
    He resisted. Retreat would inspire an
attack. Moving slowly, he reached for his pistol. Even that slight
movement prompted the little beasts to spring forward. Their cries
rose in pitch as they flung themselves toward them.
    Vin’s first three shots each took down
a lizard but then the other four were upon him. The creatures sank
their teeth into his boots. Vin kicked out with his right foot and
threw two of them backward. They landed with startling agility and
raced toward him. He shot another one.
    Only the quality of his boots prevented
their knife-like teeth from chewing through to his shins. They dug
on his feet with the back claws and chattered in a rapid
nerve-jangling way. A small foot crunched into one of the beasts.
It tore away a piece of his boot as it spun away two paces from the
blow. Vin shot it.
    Emma kicked at another one, but her
blow skimmed over its back. Her momentum carried her off balance so
she stumbled away from Vin’s back. The vicious little creature
abandoned its fruitless attack on Vin’s boot and hopped toward
Emma.
    Vin pegged it, blowing its blood all
over Emma’s pant legs. He tried to shake off the last little animal
as it scrambled up his leg. Its needle-sharp front claws dug
through his pant leg above the top of his boots. They pierced his
skin as it pulled itself toward his vitals. He clubbed it with the
butt of his pistol but the strike didn’t faze it.
    His belt held a knife and as he reached
for it, Emma returned to the battle. She punched the reptile with
her small fist. It turned its head and hissed at her. Vin threw
aside his pistol and snatched it by its neck. His well-honed knife
sliced through its skin, muscle and backbone without hesitation. It
head tumbled down into the dirt, ending its spitting
outrage.
    Emma panted beside Vin and from behind
them came shouts and approaching footsteps. Vin heard no more
thrashing in the bushes and trusted his aim that all the reptiles
he’d shot were dead. Blood ran down Vin’s legs and into his
boot.
    “ You’re injured.” Emma
bent down and looked at his leg. The night had given way to gray
light.
    “ Why didn’t you stay
behind me?” Vin looked at the short boots she wore under her