Especially the kind that drew it to the height of bliss, flooding the brain with endorphins.
Following its instincts, giving into its wants, riding on its power wasn’t just a drug. It was life itself.
Jonathan withdrew his teeth and left Kim by the wall and turned.
Matt lay shredded under the front paw of a Sarvari. A rattling pop accentuated the blood bubbling from the holes in his chest. One swipe and he’d never recover.
Jonathan lunged. Black covered his hands, feet, chest. It spun from the length of his spine, weaving together, while his joints realigned.
He slammed into the other Sarvari, taking it to the ground.
There was only one way to save Matt. Jonathan locked his bite onto the other Sarvari’s shoulder.
It flipped backward, taking Jonathan with it. The movement shattered its scapula between Jonathan’s teeth, and Sarvari blood filled his throat. He released his bite mid-arc, landing with impossible grace for a creature so big.
Bennet emerged from the web of black, sweat covering his skin, chills racking his body.
Matt sat up. The worst of his wounds closed, becoming patches of bright pink skin. His gaze flicked to the space behind Jonathan, and the glare he wore evaporated.
Lee lay in the corner of the room. His body contorted under the assault of the VrK. His skin rippled, and his muscles shifted. Then, like a weakened seam, the dip of his spine split.
Failures weren’t common, but still too many for Jonathan’s taste, and he’d seen enough of them to know the signs. No filaments, no ichor, just an organism emerging from its chrysalis.
“Shoot him,” Jonathan said.
The guards remained motionless behind the wall of ballistic glass with the muzzles of their weapons protruding from the embrasures. Apparently, his father had made it clear whose orders they were to obey.
Lee made a pain-filled sound. “Help…” Fear ravaged his expression, and he reached out.
Matt struggled to stand.
“Stay there.” Jonathan held up a hand.
“Fuck you. He’s mine.”
“The VrK isn’t merging with him. It’s rebuilding him.”
The life in Lee’s eyes faded as a mass pulled from the shell of his body, dragging strings of mucus. Hair followed the path of skin covering cords of muscle, thickening its frame.
Waiting was stupid, Jonathan knew that, but some part of him always hoped, maybe even prayed, this time it would be different and the VrK wouldn’t spawn a defective.
Matt shoved Jonathan aside and rushed the newborn. He slammed into the animal, and they skidded across the ground. Matt disappeared under a spiral of black, transforming him into the wolf. He locked his hold on to the defective, who continued to expand, swelling with bone, muscle, flesh.
Did Matt really think he had a chance?
He bit, locking his teeth onto the defective’s shoulder, cleaving through flesh. Bone crunched and rivulets of black poured onto the floor.
“You fucking idiot.” Jonathan grabbed Bennet by the arm. “Get out of here.” He dragged the man to his feet. When he didn’t move, he shoved him toward the door. “Get the fuck out now.”
Kim stood leaning against the wall.
“Go, damn it.”
Bennet continued to blink.
The downfall of the sensory repressor was it slowed the brain’s ability to process and execute simple actions.
Kim pushed himself from the wall and took Bennet’s arm. They stumbled to the door.