Lila Carter's breath caught as the claw scraped the roof of Sheriff Reed's station, a slow, deliberate screech that set her teeth on edge. The dim lights flickered, casting jagged shadows over the bloodied group huddled inside. Ethan Blake stood beside her, his hand still on her knee, warm and steady despite the fresh cuts on his chest and thigh. Damien Voss twirled his knife, smirking, blood crusting on his cheek and side. Maya Torres gripped her pipe, her bruised face set in a scowl, while Zara Quinn sketched furiously, her whispers lost in the hum growing louder overhead. Ben Cole cradled his sister Liz, her scarred body trembling, and the nameless girl from the mill rocked nearby, muttering about "cold hands." Dr. Clara Evans stood by the table, the glowing disc casting green light across her sharp features.
Sheriff Tom Reed slammed a fist on his desk, glaring at the ceiling. "Damn it, what now?" The disc pulsed faster, lines shifting like a living map. Clara adjusted her glasses. "They're locking on," she said, voice calm but tight. "This is their signal."
Lila gripped her bat, Jake's torn shirt burning a hole in her pocket. "Then we hit them first," she said, standing. Ethan rose with her, his jacket still draped over her shoulders, his blood smeared on her hands from their last fight. "We're with you," he said, voice rough but sure. His closeness steadied her, even as her heart twisted—Jake was out there, and here she was, leaning into Ethan.
Damien stepped closer, his smirk widening. "My kind of plan, princess." His hand brushed her arm, bold and warm, sending a shiver through her. Ethan's jaw clenched, but he didn't move, tension crackling between them.
A crash shattered the standoff—the window exploded inward, glass spraying. A Xytheran landed in a crouch, gray skin gleaming, claws extended. Its black eyes locked on Liz, and it hissed, lunging. Ben shoved her behind him, swinging wildly, but it batted him aside, slamming him into the wall. He crumpled, groaning.
Reed fired his gun, bullets punching into the alien's chest. It shrieked, gray blood spurting, but kept coming. Ethan tackled it, fists pounding its skull, while Damien drove his knife into its spine. It collapsed, twitching, and Maya finished it with a pipe to the head, panting. "Stay down," she spat.
The roof buckled, more claws tearing through. Two Xytherans dropped in, one grabbing Zara. She screamed, sketchbook falling, as it pinned her to the floor, claws ripping her shirt. "No!" Lila yelled, swinging her bat. The crack sent it staggering, and Damien slit its throat, blood spraying her face. Ethan pulled Zara free, her pale skin scratched but alive.
The second went for the girl from the mill. She shrieked, kicking, as it dragged her toward the window. Maya leapt, pipe cracking its arm, but it backhanded her, sending her crashing into a desk. Reed fired again, hitting its leg, and Lila charged, bat smashing its skull. It fell, gray blood pooling, and the girl scrambled back, sobbing.
Silence fell, broken by gasps and groans. Ethan helped Maya up, her lip bleeding. "You good?" he asked. She nodded, wincing. "Bastards hit hard." Ben staggered to Liz, clutching her, while Zara retrieved her sketchbook, hands shaking. The girl curled into a ball, whispering, "They won't stop…"
Clara checked the disc—still glowing, pulsing wildly. "More are coming," she said. "We can't hold here." Reed reloaded his gun, scowling. "Then where? This is my station."
A new voice cut in—playful, sharp. "How about somewhere with booze?" They turned as Kieran Holt strolled in, Gorse Hollow's bartender, his blond hair tousled, a shotgun slung over his shoulder. He grinned, all charm and teeth, eyeing the carnage. "Heard the commotion. Figured you'd need a hand."
"Kieran?" Lila blinked. They'd flirted at the bar sometimes—light, harmless—but seeing him here, armed, shifted something. His blue eyes flicked to her, warm and bold. "Hey, gorgeous. Rough night?"
"Understatement," Maya muttered, brushing blood from her lip. Kieran chuckled, then sobered, nodding at the dead Xytherans. "What's with the uglies?"
"Aliens," Damien said, wiping his knife. "Xytherans. Experimenting on us—breeding, mostly. Their race is dying." Kieran whistled, low. "That's messed up. Explains the screams lately."
Reed glared. "You're not deputized, Holt. Get out." Kieran grinned wider. "Nah, I'm in. These things trashed my bar last week—owe 'em some payback." He winked at Lila, and her cheeks heated, caught off guard. Ethan tensed beside her, while Damien's smirk turned icy.
The hum surged, shaking the walls. The disc flared, and Zara gasped. "They're here!" The ceiling caved, a massive Xytheran crashing through—bigger, broader, its skin darker gray, claws like blades. It roared, a sound that rattled their bones, and charged Clara. She swung her lamp, cracking its arm, but it grabbed her, slamming her to the ground. The disc skittered away, glowing brighter.
Kieran fired his shotgun, blasting its shoulder. It shrieked, dropping Clara, and Damien leapt, knife sinking into its chest. It slashed back, cutting his thigh deep, blood gushing. He grunted, twisting the blade, and it fell, shaking the floor.
Ethan pulled Clara up, her glasses cracked but her expression steady. "Thanks," she muttered, retrieving the disc. Damien staggered, clutching his leg, blood pooling. Lila rushed to him, tearing a strip from Ethan's jacket to bind it. "Hold still," she said, hands slick with his blood. He smirked despite the pain, leaning into her. "Knew you cared, princess."
Ethan loomed over them, fists clenched. "She's helping, not flirting," he growled. Damien's smirk widened. "Jealous?" Lila glared at them both. "Stop it. We're dying here."
Kieran laughed, slinging his shotgun. "Love the drama, but she's right. What's the play?" Clara held up the disc. "This tracks their ship. We find it, stop them." Reed grunted. "And get killed? No chance."
"They've got my sister," Ben snapped, voice breaking. "I'm going." Liz stirred, moaning, "They… cut me… inside…" Her hands pressed her stomach, scars red and raw. The girl whimpered, echoing her pain.
Lila stood, wiping Damien's blood off her hands. "They've got Jake too. I'm done waiting." Ethan nodded, stepping close, his heat grounding her. "We all are." Kieran grinned, twirling his gun. "Count me in, gorgeous. Can't let you have all the fun."
Damien pushed up, wincing, his hand brushing Lila's hip as he steadied himself. "Wouldn't miss it," he said, voice low, eyes locked on hers. The air thickened—Ethan's loyalty, Damien's danger, Kieran's charm pulling her in three directions. Maya rolled her eyes. "Great, more testosterone."
A new scream pierced the night—close, female, cut off fast. They rushed outside, fog swirling, green lights pulsing low. A figure staggered from the alley—a woman, mid-thirties, her dress torn, blood streaming from her arm. She collapsed, gasping. "They… took him… my husband…"
Lila knelt, heart pounding. "Who?" The woman's eyes fluttered, fading. "Tall… gray… dragged him up…" She slumped, breath stopping. Reed checked her pulse, shaking his head. "Dead."
Kieran cursed, gripping his shotgun. "They're picking us off." Clara studied the disc, lines shifting. "Ship's near—north, by the farms." Ethan grabbed Lila's hand. "We go now." His touch was firm, urgent, and she squeezed back, torn but resolute.
Damien smirked, limping closer. "Lead on, princess." Kieran winked, falling in step. "Stick with me, gorgeous—I've got your back." Their voices wove around her—Ethan's growl, Damien's tease, Kieran's play—building her harem, her shield.
Reed stayed with Ben, Liz, and the girl, muttering about "crazy kids." Clara led the way, disc in hand, Zara trailing, sketching the dead woman's face. Maya flanked Lila, pipe ready. The fog swallowed them as they moved north, the hum vibrating their bones.
A shadow loomed ahead—a barn, abandoned, its roof glowing faintly green. The disc pulsed wild, and Zara whispered, "It's there… their ship…" A low whine split the air, and the barn doors shuddered, splitting open. A Xytheran stepped out, taller than the rest, holding a limp figure—Jake.
Lila's heart stopped. "Jake!" she screamed, lunging forward. His dark hair hung over his face, shirt torn, blood dripping from his chest. The alien's claws dug into his neck, black eyes locking on her. It hissed, a guttural command, and more shadows moved inside—dozens, waiting.
Ethan grabbed her, pulling her back. "Wait!" he hissed, arms tight around her. Damien drew his knife, grinning darkly. "Time to dance." Kieran aimed his shotgun, winking. "For you, gorgeous."
The Xytheran dropped Jake, charging. The barn erupted—claws, screams, blood—and Lila's world narrowed to one truth: she'd fight, or she'd die.