Bronto's Revenge (Barbarian Lust, #2)(40)

One was very distinctive and Bronto rested his head against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut. Suddenly the pained cries stopped. Dread hung in the air.

“Go,” Zypher whispered while giving his shoulder a nudge. “We can’t stop now.”

Sucking air through his nose and steeling his nerves, Bronto inched forward. He kicked a rock that skidded across the stone floor, making enough noise to sound an alarm. He veered off the path to a dark section carved in the wall. It was big enough for two men at most and only a second passed before Zypher was standing beside him.

A gut-curdling scream pierced Bronto’s ears. He clamped his teeth and clenched his fist around his rifle.

“Keep it together,” Zypher advised. “We’re too close to f*ck this up now.”

Bronto filled his lungs through a shaky breath and stepped back into the path. Vulcan was squatted near the opening of the lightened area. He glanced around the corner then bolted backward and dropped to his ass, hanging his head.

Bronto’s guts churned. Not once in nine years had he witnessed Vulcan react so grimly. What the hell was taking place inside that room?

It took every morsel of strength to avoid bursting inside and demolishing the place. Trying to mentally prepare himself for the worst, he stepped over Vulcan and looked in.

Jesus God!

He back-slammed into the wall and inhaled while trying to compose himself. A slight foot-tap on the ground stole his attention and he glanced at Zypher. He was moving closer and pointing in the direction of the room. Bronto nodded then peeked inside again.

Three women lay on what looked like hospital gurneys. Their gray fur clothing signified they were from the Mountain Slayers tribe. Clear, thick tubes were inserted into their jugular veins. Blood flowed through the tubes into buckets on the ground. Fifteen aliens, if not more, hustled around the room. A mutant wandered aimlessly in a circle.

How many rounds were left in his magazine? Hopefully enough to shoot every one of the motherf*ckers.

Where’s Ivy? Where in the f*ck is Ivy!

Again Bronto turned away.

“Psst.” Zypher’s eyes widened and he nudged his chin at the room, goading him to gather his wits.

If Zypher witnessed what took place in there he’d lose sight as well.

Another scream rang through his ears.

Ivy’s scream.

His guts exploded. He glanced inside the area, his eyes frantically darting from wall to wall. Two women lay lifeless on the ground in a corner. Their abdomens were cut open and their female reproductive organs were gone. He forlornly shook his head at the decaying corpses.

He swallowed while a feeling of dread consumed him. Three little creatures were chained to the wall beside the bodies. Creatures that looked exactly like Birmon. In the opposite corner, one of the two missing dinosaur babies lay huddled and chirping in fear. The other was bound with ropes. A small tube was inserted into its stomach, draining its blood.

Vulcan stood behind Bronto and laid a hand on his shoulder. Bronto quickly reassessed the room. It resembled an experimental lab or hospital operating room. Heavy equipment lined the back wall—ovens or incubators or some type of heating devices. Tubes of all thicknesses and lengths were attached to what looked and sounded like breathing machines. One clear tube pumped air down the throat of a baby T-Rex where it lay strapped to a gurney. Apparently it’d perished but the aliens fought to keep it alive using the artificial means. Broken dinosaur egg shells were stacked in piles sporadically placed around the vicinity.

What the f*ck? He wouldn’t believe it if he hadn’t seen it.

Just then two more species emerged from a dark tunnel, dragging Ivy. Each had a hold of her arms. Her feet scraped the ground as they hauled her into the room. She writhed between them but appeared too weak to actually fight. A trail of blood spread from the crook of her elbow to her wrist.

Bronto’s heart stopped.

He had to get her out of there now. Right. Fucking. Now.

He nudged Vulcan with his elbow then nodded at Zypher. Whether they were ready or not, he was going in.

The green sons of bitches had his woman and he wasn’t leaving until he’d blasted every last one of them to hell.

He raised three fingers and folded them one at a time, signifying a countdown. When the third finger struck his thumb, he flew into the room and opened fire. Vulcan was beside him within the span of a breath and began knocking the aliens off one at a time. Long arms stretched across the room from all directions in an attempt to steal the weapons but Bronto and Vulcan blew the species to pieces. Bodies splintered apart and blood and guts sprayed the air.

The two who held Ivy turned around and raced for the tunnel, tugging her by the arms. Bronto aimed at the backs of their heads and plugged a bullet into each of their skulls. Ivy screamed and dropped to the ground, covering her ears.

When not a single alien stood, the gunfire stopped. Bronto dashed across the room and lifted Ivy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung so tightly he could barely breathe. Once he had her safely in the tunnel, Zypher emptied his magazine into the equipment, disabling the machines. The room filled with dark-gray smoke and sparks fizzled in the air.

Vulcan quickly released the women on the gurneys and carried them one at a time into the large area just inside the mouth of the cave, where he laid them down, then he ran back into the room. By the grayish color of their skin Bronto knew all three females had passed but Vulcan hadn’t realized it until he’d returned with the animals.