The Inception (Book #1 of The Inception Trilogy)

chapter ten

CHAPTER TEN

HARRY WISHES SHE WEREN'T so persistent on proving she doesn't trust him. He figures that's the true reason why she's out here instead of locked safely away. A trap? As if he would ever sacrifice someone for meat--and not just her; there's a pregnant woman, an injured girl, and two little kids down there. Does she consider him so shallow as to offer them up for some sick ploy for pride and amusement?

Who knows. Maybe she does.

Despite her constant babbling that she can handle herself, Harry now has to look after the both of them. He has no doubts she can fend for herself, but there's too many for her to take on without any altered advantages like Harry and the rest of them. He wishes she had something more than a mere dagger to defend herself with.

On a good day, Harry can flash his fangs and narrow his dark red eyes and the others will leave him alone. They'll sense he's much more experienced, much more adapted with the moderations on his body. An experiment gives off a certain aura only other experiments can detect, and his aura is nearly always one of warning. The others won't take him on unless they feel provoked.

Provoked like having an all natural human next to him.

That'll certainly boost their determination to bet against the odds. They'll see Harry and Eve as outnumbered, even with Harry's dangerous vibe. Eve is worth the risk of death for them, and he doesn't want to ponder the many things they could--would do to her if they succeed in their attack.

Which they won't, of course.

Not with Harry still breathing.

His fingers twitch at his sides when the first few experiments break through the mass of trees. His intention is a clean fight with some quick neck snaps so Eve and him can go on their merry way uninjured. The last thing that needs to happen is another injury like Delia's; there surely won't be any hope left if that were to be the case.

The experiments are spread out enough that Harry can do as he planned, meeting them halfway and twisting their heads before they have time to realize it's happening. He really doesn't enjoy fighting, especially when the people resemble him. They are still people, after all, simply modified ones. Some of them might've lost their faith in being human, but their heart still beats and they still die like any human would.

Knowing those two things is what keeps Harry grounded in his own faith that he's still whoever it is he used to be. Wouldn't it be ironic were he to end up being cruel in the past?

Eve skillfully takes out any experiment that gets too close to her, shoving her dagger into their throat and ripping it out just as quickly. When one doesn't fall straight away, she slices their neck until they collapse.

Harry is impressed, but he's seen her in action. When she was hounded by those four experiments-gone-wrong, she held her own and managed to come out, for the most part, unscathed. Yesterday with the single experiment in the tree, Eve had shot the arrow clean through her leg, and it had been a fair distance from the ground. She was smart and strategic. Harry admires her strength.

Unfortunately, the experiments they've taken out were newer and lacked all control over their abilities. It isn't until Harry hears cackling that he realizes the ones closer to his genetic maturity have yet to attack.

He grabs Eve's wrist, gripping it tightly so she can't pull away, and runs the opposite way from the door in the ground concealing four defenseless people. Eve notices this and picks up her pace, so Harry trusts her to stick close and lets go of her wrist. He can hear the experiments' footsteps abruptly change direction as they follow her scent.