Nero and Skeiri teleported in. Skulduggery pulled his revolver and Nero dived on him and they both disappeared. Valkyrie raised her arm, energy crackling, but Skeiri’s palm opened, just like she had seen Razzia’s do, and a tentacle – just like Razzia’s, except green – shot out, and that tentacle plunged right between the open zip of Valkyrie’s jacket.
Straight into her chest.
Valkyrie gasped. Stepped back. Both hands closed round the tentacle. It was warm. Slick. It pulsed with life.
She dropped to her knees.
Inside her chest, the head of the parasite squirmed.
Skeiri held up her other hand. Her palm opened. The second parasite readied itself. Aimed right at Valkyrie’s face.
It launched but Valkyrie caught it one-handed. It snapped at her.