CJ lashed out and slammed home one of the stones, knocking it back some, but it came again, this time at her. Kiani put two in its side, but its forward momentum carried it into CJ, knocking her down. As the dying Nsanga went to bite down on the meat of her shoulder, Ares tackled it away and savagely started stabbing it in the throat until it stopped moving. Breathing hard, Ares rolled off the dead lizard and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling overhead.

  For a moment, everyone stood still and breathed.

  “Small,” the medic said in Swahili, helping CJ to her feet. “No big.”

  CJ and Kiani nodded their agreement, translating for Ares.

  “She’s right,” CJ said, “they weren’t the larger males.”

  “Still plenty big to me!” Ares chirped, still on the ground. He sat up and wiped his blade clean on his pants. “Sorry… What do we do now?”

  A bellowing cry got them moving to the alcove’s entrance. They checked left, finding nothing else coming their way…but they also found the slain girl staring back at them.

  The two youngsters screamed at the sight before the medic and nurse could block their views. CJ knew what needed to be done.

  “Stay,” she said to the medic. “Protect.” She motioned to the two kids. Maybe seeing the girls crying swayed her into agreeing, CJ didn’t know, but both she and the nurse nodded and backed the small group into the alcove across the hall. Hopefully, the blood would drive any other approaching Nsanga to its brethren’s bodies and not to them.

  “Go,” the medic said, pointing to the city, “help.”

  CJ nodded and smiled, gripping her staff tightly. Then, she, Kiani, and Ares headed for the arched entrance in search of Logan, Fitz, Zeus, and Fayng. Where they were, they had no—

  Shouts erupted to their right as Fayng rolled out of the second story of a building, crashing to the ground, tangled with the limbs of a man-sized Nsanga. But only she stood. Dripping with blood, but alive.

  CJ hurried with the others down the right-hand perimeter road checking every doorway and window for the rest of their team. As they neared Fayng, they could hear a war ensuing deeper into the city as the rumble of a building coming down resonated around them.

  “The Nephilim?” she asked, holding Fayng still.

  Fayng nodded. “Yes, battling the Nsanga.”

  “Are they having any luck?” Ares asked.

  “I’m not sure,” she said, holding her side. “We didn’t stay to watch.”

  “Speaking of we…” CJ said. “Where are—”

  “Cass!” a voice called.

  She turned and sighed in relief as Logan, Fitz, and a heavily limping Zeus, came stumbling out of a building further down the outer road.

  Zeus’ left leg was soaked with blood, but he looked decent enough to travel. Logan had a cut above his right eye and a welt forming on his cheek but otherwise looked unscathed. And Fitz…

  “Did you even fight?” CJ asked, noticing that he looked completely fine—same as before anyway.

  Fitz scoffed at her. “Psssh, buggers have never seen something move so fast.”

  “He…” Zeus said inbetween breaths, “had more ammo left.”

  “Cheater,” Logan added, standing tall but looking exhausted.

  “Where are the others?” Fayng asked, looking around.

  “They’re okay,” CJ said, “they’re waiting for us back in another tomb.”

  “Another?” Logan asked.

  CJ cringed and faced Fayng. “We were attacked…”

  “We…” Kiani said, stepping in, “we lost another.”

  CJ held out the staff. “She fought well.” She then offered it to Fayng who shook her head.

  “No,” she said, “she’d want you to use it. I have my own methods.”

  “Um,” Ares said, “sorry to interrupt, but can we leave now?”

  Determined, Logan headed off without a word.

  “That a yes?” Ares asked, looking at Fitz.

  “I believe so, mate.”

  “What’s the weapons situation?” Logan asked, slowing as they neared the front gate leading back to the entrance tunnel.

  “Kiani and I are good,” CJ said, holding up her gun.

  “I have one more clip for each of you,” Kiani added, handing them out.

  “Kinda wish I’d gotten a couple of those back earlier,” Zeus said, laughing. He gladly took the offered cartridge and loaded it, sheathing his knife.

  “Give one here,” Fitz said, doing as Zeus did.

  “Here,” CJ said, offering her empty gun back to Logan.

  “What about you?” he asked, taking it and loading it.

  She held up her staff.

  “Is that a stick?” Fitz asked eyebrow raised.

  She handed it to him. “It’s more of a flex-bow.”

  He looked over the fist-sized stones on either end. “Right, melee-style.” He handed it back to her. “Any good with it?”

  “Yes, actually,” Kiani said, quickly. “She handles it quite well.”

  “Shhh,” Logan warned, motioning for the others to stay back while he checked to see if the coast was clear down Main Street.

  He knew it wasn’t, but he needed to figure out how close the fight was. They could hear buildings crumbling everywhere, echoing around the dome-shaped cavern. For all he knew, Goliath and the Nsanga horde could be right on top of them.

  An explosion of rock got the group moving, diving out of the way, as the nearest structure collapsed. Goliath rolled through, swatting away one Nsanga after the other. The giant looked to be on the losing end of things, bleeding from dozens upon dozens of bite and slash marks. A few of the wounds were already oozing the viscous yellow sludge associated with the Nsanga’s venom.

  Logan shivered upon seeing it.

  “Run!” he shouted.

  They did, fighting off whatever stragglers they had to. Thankfully, most of the surviving creatures were too preoccupied to notice them—or maybe they didn’t even care they were there. Goliath was the real threat, one that was baked into their species’ history as the enemy.

  Lucky us, Logan thought, letting CJ and Kiani go in first.

  “Find the others and move,” he shouted, waving in Ares, who was helping Zeus, in next. Fitz manned the other side of the arch as they waited for Fayng.

  “Move it, Fayng!” Logan shouted.

  But she stopped, sensing something. Goliath rolled onto his back and looked their way, a far off look in his yellow eyes as multiple Nsanga continued to tear at his flesh. She began to speak to the monster, bowing when she finished. Turning, she walked between the two dumbfounded Aussies and continued down the perfectly cut stone tunnel.

  “Um…” Fitz said, still stunned, “what was that?”

  Logan stayed quiet and watched their rears. Goliath roared again and sat up, feeding off what humans called a “second wind.” He then faced the remaining Nsanga horde, at least a dozen of them, and charged, claws outstretched, rampaging back deeper into the city.

  “I thanked him,” Fayng replied.

  “For what?” Logan asked.

  “Yes,” Fitz added, “do tell.”

  “For making me.”

  Logan and Fitz slowed and looked at each other. They didn’t know what to say. If it had been either of them, they would’ve been appalled knowing that their family lineage started with that of evil. Not bad people either, literal evil. The worst in history—myth or not.

  She stopped and faced them. “I wouldn’t be here, three millennia later, right now, without his blood. He may be a horrifying monster, responsible for an untold amount of death, but he was also responsible for birthing my people…” her eyes fell to the floor, “…my family. That is something to be thankful for.”

  In a strange way, Logan agreed. Fitz too, by the look on his face. Something in the man changed after meeting Fayng. He’d been alone in the jungle with no support and yet was alive now. Fayng must have seen something in Fitz worth saving—worth saving them all.

  “Over here!” CJ shouted, waving them to a right-side alcove.

  They entered as Fayng knelt and hugged the two younger girls. Then, she stood and did the same to the medic and nurse.

  Gotta get them real names, Logan thought.

  “We need to keep moving,” he said, holding his hand out to Kiani.

  She took it and squeezed. “Is the waterfall still the plan?”

  Everyone looked to Fayng.

  She nodded. “There’s a passage behind it but it’s a tight fit.”

  Everyone sighed in relief.

  “But,” she added, “it hasn’t been used in years. I’m not sure what to expect when we arrive.”

  “You mean if,” Ares mumbled, all eyes on him. “What…? Look…we aren’t out of the woods yet. Just don’t celebrate too prematurely.”

  “He’s right,” Logan agreed. “Stay focused and ready for anything.” He headed for the tomb’s entrance. “Let’s move out.”

  They did and hugged the wall, heading back down the dim corridor. As they moved off, the sounds of Goliath’s grunts and the Nsanga’s shrieks lessened and lessened. Whether it was one, or all of them dying, or just them moving off into the city to finish their battle, no one knew. Truthfully, they didn’t want to. If they did, that meant they were right in the thick of it again and no one wanted that.

  From what they could tell, there were very few Nsanga left in the nesting grounds, and those that remained were no match for any of them. Most just stayed away. Logan realized he must have really pissed off the one that bit him since the smaller ones he’d seen here didn’t attack him now.

  Probably just scared it into action, he thought. Just my luck…

  They tiptoed through the nests, seeing that most of the eggs either hatched or were trampled. Fayng must’ve made an irresistible target, bleeding Ru’kan—Nephilim—blood within their lair. It could be the end of the Nsanga species as they knew it, or for most of the world, didn’t know it.

  Logan’s knee gave out as he stepped in a shallow depression in the ground. Luckily, Kiani hadn’t left his side since reuniting, catching him as she continued to grip his hand tight. Neither one of them wanted to let go.

  “You okay?” she asked, squeezing harder as Logan flexed the joint.

  He nodded, weary. “Tired.” He grinned. “Could use a latte.”

  Fitz snorted a laugh from behind. “Latte? I could use a bloody lager right about now…maybe six of ‘em.”

  Logan just shook his head as he stepped carefully around the last snake hole. Then, they were clear, moving further and further away from the first, and hopefully only, Nephilim city to ever be found. And, as everyone agreed, it would remain their little secret. No one would ever know. He’d make sure of it. He owed that much to Fayng, and especially Baird. The latter gave his life protecting theirs.

  Protection.

  In the end, Baird showed Logan what he also felt. Saving the lives of others was more important than what happened to yours. He wholeheartedly believed in that since joining the army right out of school.

  And it’s not stopping now.

  35

  Passing Baird’s body was the most difficult part of their trek through the nesting grounds. Not looking was actually the hardest part for everyone, except Fayng. She didn’t even attempt to look over and see her son for the final time.

  It’s because she already said her goodbye, Kiani thought, seeing his hulking form just out of her peripherals. It took everything in her not to go over and double-check that he was actually dead. She couldn’t imagine waking in a place like this, left for dead, but really not. She was terrified as it was. Being alone and thought dead… She didn’t want to experience that. No one should.

  But, if Fayng has no doubts, none of us should.

  She also didn’t want to be alone either. Ever.

  Logan had barged his way into her heart, kicking down its untrusting walls—its defenses. She knew without a doubt that he would never do her wrong. Time and time again in their brief stint together he showed her his true character. Logan Reed was as honorable a man as she’d ever met. She glanced to her left and smiled at CJ, squeezing Logan’s hand harder.

  “I’ll come with you.”

  Both CJ and Logan stopped. “What?” They said, replying in unison.

  “I’ll come back to Tanzania with you,” she met Logan’s eyes, “if you’ll have me?”

  Logan stroked her cheek. “Of course you’re welcome. I’d like that.”

  “Just let me know when the baby shower is,” Fitz said, walking by.

  Kiani smiled as Logan could only close his eyes and shake his head.

  “This way,” Fayng said from the front of the group, heading towards the team’s original entry point. As long as the way was still clear, they’d be able to move swiftly through the tunnel and return to the cavern housing the Ka village.

  Heading towards it, the group came to a stop when CJ glanced behind them. “Um, guys? Where’s the female?”

  Everyone snapped their heads around and gasped as they all saw that the forty-foot-long corpse was gone, taken. Logan looked back at the entry tunnel and saw that it was just big enough for Goliath to fit in if he crawled on his hands and knees. They couldn’t take the chance of it catching them.

  “New plan,” Logan said, moving again. “Take the high road.” He pointed to the much smaller outlet up and to the right as he spoke. “It won’t be able to follow us.”

  Kiani was going to mention that it was the same path Baird used to enter the grounds but instead kept it to herself. Thinking of him more than they all were now wasn’t going to help any of them at the moment.

  Everyone agreed and ran for it. They’d have to stand on one another’s shoulders to scale the fifteen-foot height, but with Fayng’s superior strength, they should be able to do it with minimal effort.

  A thunderous bellow startled everyone, its origin unknown as it rang, echoing around the cavern. But after what they’d just gone through, they knew what it was. And it filled each and every one of them with dread.

  “Goliath…” Fitz said, backpedaling. “We need to go, now!”

  And so, they scampered to the chamber wall, linked hands, and lifted Fayng up first. She quickly laid on her stomach, reaching down for the two children first, lifting them with ease. Next was the medic and nurse followed by CJ and Kiani. The injured Zeus was lifted next, earning a grunt of disapproval from the operator as he applied pressure to his injured leg.

  “Now you, Ares,” Logan ordered, “move it.”

  He nodded and stepped into Logan and Fitz’s hands. The two men grunted as they drove the stout man skyward. It wasn’t until Fayng latched onto his wrist and his weight lessened that the Aussies could let up some, relaxing their flushed faces.

  “Bloody hell,” Fitz said, leaning up against the wall, catching his breath. “Getting old sucks, don’t it?”

  Logan just patted his shoulder and put his back on the wall, locking his fingers together. “Your turn, mate.”

  “So,” Fitz said, stepping into his hands, “age before beauty, is it?”

  “Something like that,” Logan replied, putting everything he had into it.

  “Hate to disappoint you,” Fitz said, reaching up, “but you’re second in both those categories. I’m a regular George-fuckin- Clooney.”

  At first, Fitz didn’t make it, just barely missing Fayng’s outstretched hand. Logan couldn’t get him high enough on his own. But knowing what was coming, he dug deep and pushed harder, feeling his lower back tighten in protest. Finally, Fitz’s weight was gone as he was pulled up and over into the tunnel.

  Logan turned, panting and looked up as Fayng leaned out. She quickly descended and stumbled, exhausted. Logan knew how she felt. He’d been in his fair share of scrapes over the years, but none of them were even remotely close to this.

  “I’ll lift you up and follow,” she said, “but we need to hurry before—”

  Logan tackled Fayng to the ground as the dead female’s body slammed into the wall next to them. Forty-feet of dead lizard slapped to the stone floor beside them, its faceless head landing only inches from their faces. What was worse is that it blocked the other entry point, cutting them off from taking a secondary route. Like before, Logan would much rather take the high road. Now, he wasn’t even sure they had time to make it. They’d have to figure out something else.

  A grunt announced the thrower’s arrival as Goliath stepped out of the darker middle section of the nesting grounds and into the lighter outer ring. A guttural growl, like a bear or wolf, but deeper, followed as it took them in. It then stepped forward again, eyeing Logan and Fayng.

  “Go,” he whispered, pushing her along the wall, remembering there was another exit. “Door number three. Back the way we came.”

  She didn’t acknowledge but started to her left nonetheless, never taking her eyes off the monster. Logan did the same, keeping a hand on her arm as they moved. It growled again, sniffing, still moving toward the above tunnel.

  “Can’t it see us?” Logan asked, keeping his voice low. From where he was, he could just make out the beast’s face, seeing its eyes were now a milky white. Before, they were a yellowish color. Something had definitely happened to them.

  “It’s the poison,” she replied, “it’s affecting him, killing him.”

  Like a neurotoxin, Logan thought, it's shutting down Goliath’s nervous system and whatever else it can sink its teeth into.

  “Keep moving,” Logan whispered. But it must have been louder than intended. His eyes went wide in fear as the monster turned towards them and breathed in deep, inhaling their scent.

  “Bollocks.”

  Both Logan and Fayng instantly ran for the backup exit where they would once again find the medic’s and nurse’s settlement. If they could make it there, they’d hopefully be able to lose it in the other tunnels.

  Like the one Fayng rolled out of before.

  He had no idea where it’d lead to, but at this point, anything was better than where they were at the moment.

  Almost there, Logan chanced a glance behind them and instantly wished he hadn’t. Goliath had a one of his massive hands spread wide, ready to ensnare them both.