Chapter 11 · The Pact Bites Back

Jonah’s scream cut off so fast Mia almost ran straight into the dead gate.

One second his fingers were scraping against the black light, reaching for her. The next, the moon door snapped shut with a sound like a giant lock turning.

Mia hit it anyway.

Her palms slapped cold metal. No seam. No handle. Just the rusted maintenance wall where the gate had been, still smoking around the edges.

“Jonah!”

Nothing.

Behind her, something huge slammed into the control room door.

Carson caught Mia around the waist and dragged her back just as the wall blew inward.

“Move,” he snarled.

“I’m not leaving him.”

“You’re not helping him by getting eaten.”

A gray shape came through the dust low and fast, too many joints in its legs, teeth shining wet under the emergency lights. Carson shoved Mia behind him and fired once.

The shot hit the creature in the shoulder.

It barely slowed down.

“Carson!”

He dropped the gun, grabbed it by the throat, and drove it into the concrete floor hard enough to crack tile. His hand was changing again. Nails stretching. Knuckles thickening.