“I’ll take point with Riley.” Doyle hooked on his own tanks. “Annika and Sawyer on their six. As soon as everyone’s on board, we head back.” He looked at Bran. “For Christ’s sake, don’t drop that thing.”
He jumped into the pool, and when Riley followed suit, did a surface dive and was gone.
Bran gave Sasha’s hand a squeeze. “Ready?”
“We have to be.”
“I’m with you.” Holding the shielded star close to his side, he went in the water with her.
Sasha swam away from the light, but looked back toward it twice until she saw Sawyer, then Annika, iridescent tail flashing, coming behind them.
She pushed herself, quickening her strokes so Bran wouldn’t have to slow his own to keep pace with her.
Away from the cave and the light she got a better sense of just how far and deep she’d traveled. Fresh concern for Sawyer had her turning to look back.
Something flashed toward her, sharp teeth gleaming like silver, eyes glowing virulent yellow. Defenseless, she could do nothing but try to evade. Bran swept a hand through the water. She felt the power of the current even as what came at them—and what came with him—spun away.
When Bran gestured for her to go up, to surface, she shook her head. She saw both Riley and Doyle slashing at oncoming beasts with their diving knives. She wouldn’t desert friends.
She prepared to fight, bare-handed, saw Sawyer slam his knife into the belly of what looked like a small shark with a massive maw. Annika’s tail slashed out, swept a line of them away with a force that turned them to oily black smudges on the water.
Something hit her like a battering ram in the back, sent her tumbling helplessly in the water. Three circled her, maws wide, teeth gleaming. She punched out, kicked out, adrenaline screaming through her as her fist seemed to sink into the spongy ooze of their bodies.
Lightning struck; their bodies exploded.
Annika streaked by, tail slashing attackers, as she pulled Sawyer with her.
Bran wrapped one arm around Sasha, and rode the lightning to the surface. He all but shoved her up the ladder onto the boat where Sawyer leaned over the rail coughing up water.
“Annika,” he managed. “She went back. Riley. Doyle.”
Before Sasha understood, Bran pushed the star into her hand, and plunged back into the water.
“No!”
“Stop.” Though he staggered a bit, Sawyer grabbed her arm before she could go over the side. “Take the star into the wheelhouse. Keep under cover as much as you can. I need a fucking tank.”
He unhooked hers, would have put it on, but Riley surfaced, gripped the ladder. Setting the tank aside, Sawyer leaned over to help pull her up.
“How bad?” he demanded.
“Bran blasted some of them. If he hadn’t—” As Sawyer had for her, she reached down, grasped Doyle’s arm.
“Bran. Annika.” Clutching the star, Sasha ran to the side of the boat.
“Right behind me. Find something to hold on to,” Doyle warned them. “We’re getting out of here fast.”
Lightning snapped out of the water, and Bran with it. Even as he pulled himself up, Annika flew up, the powerful sweep of her tail shooting off light. In midair, she flipped to the boat, landed on her hands, then just tumbled to the deck.
“She’s bleeding.” Sawyer dropped to his knees beside her.
“Who isn’t?” Riley demanded, but she lowered as well. “How bad is it?” she asked Annika.
“Not very bad. Not like before. But . . .” Her eyes widened, and she pointed toward the sky. “Look!”
More came, like a swarm of wasps.
Doyle started the engines, pushed them for top speed. As they bulleted over the water, Sawyer shook his head. “Not going to be fast enough.”