Ma Tsawke (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty three

Lunging forward, Jake raises his knife, not holding back his swings as it pierces the man's face, he dodges other blows.

Quaritch pulls a submarine, separating them to give him time to catch his footing. Jake swings again, deflecting his blade, crossing his hands and jamming their weapons together, pushing it higher to Quaritch's face.

"Jake!" Tanhì calls out for him, torn between not wanting to leave her mate to fight alone and getting their children to safety, her children swimming away with Spider leading the group.

Jake doesn't turn to her, remaining firm in his decision on getting his family away from here, not seeing fire erupt around the water.

"Go with them!" They don't have a choice, the ring of fire forcing them to move back onto the ship.

"It's coming!" Tanhì pulls Tuk with her, grabbing Spider's arm to swim back to the ship. Kiri in front as the flames grow closer.

Quartich pushes Jake with his boot, kicking him back into the water, raising his knife to stab his chest.

"Hold onto each other!" Kiri listens to Tanhì, holding onto her's and Spider's arms as they walk through the gushing water, the current making it difficult to move through without slipping. Tuk screams out as they pass an entrance, water filling into the hole, Lyle emerges out of nowhere, grabbing her daughter's tail to stop himself from slipping into it.

Tanhì whips her head hissing at the man, she lets go of Kiri to tug Tuk to her, bringing her elbow down hard to the man's chest, grabbing Tuk's arms to throw her to Kiri when he let go, having stabilized himself.

"Move!" Tanhì tries to flee, the children heeding her words as Lyle grabs her arms, raising his knife to her. Tanhì pushes him, struggling with the current trying to get him off.

She sends a punch to his jaw, the man stumbling back from the force but not releasing his grip, taking her into the ship's opening with him.

"Mom!" Kiri reaches her hand out just as Tanhì disappears in the doorway, Tuk fighting in her hold to jump in after her.

"No, no! She said move!" Spider pulls their arms, trusting Tanhì's ability to make it out. He had to get them out of there.

Lyle wraps his hands around Tanhì's throat, knife being swept away by the water. Tanhì struggles for a minute to get to the surface, the recon not letting up as they are pelted and pushed along the metal walls.

Tanhì knees the man in his stomach, creating an opening for her to push him away so she could come up for air.

"This ain't ending till you're dead!" They float along the ship, Lyle lunging at her in the water, Tanhì pulls her knife out again.

She strikes him in the face, cutting a straight gash from the top of his eyelid to the bottom of his cheek before booking it for the deck, trying to climb the slippery stairs. She'd leave him there to drown.

Lyle grabs her tail, being hoisted up with it. Feeling the tug, Tanhì sends a kick to his face, knocking him back into the water as she runs to follow the light. She needed to get out or she'd drown with him.

Jake doges, managing to dissarm Quaritch, the man blocking his attacks, dropping the knife making him reach for it, stopped by Jake's swift kick. A submarine falls on the man, giving Jake the upper hand.