The Super Jerk Trilogy (Now 3-in-1)

12. Don't Let the Light Go Out

{Zachary}

"Sarah!" I leap forward, but talons catch the back of my suit and pull me back. The sound of big wings beating the air tell me it's Trevor who's stopped me. "Let me go! I have to get to her!"

   He releases me and changes back, all in less than a second. "No, Zach. Can't you see that's exactly what he wants you to do?"

   "But I can't just–" I see Gremlin yank Sarah to her feet, but she collapses again just as quickly. "Sarah!"

   "So you really do care." Gremlin sneers without turning around. To Sarah, I hear him growl, "Get up, girl. Now."

   "She's my girlfriend, Gremlin. Just because you treat yours like sh–BS doesn't mean everyone does." I tense and narrow my eyes. How I wish I had Trevor's laser-beam power right now. I could vaporize Gremlin and his henchmen right here on the spot.

   "That," he says, pulling Sarah up roughly as she struggles to her knees. "Is none of your damn business. The way my relationship ended was between us two and no one else."

   "You just made it my damn business, Gremlin, by involving Sarah." I take a step forward, despite being restrained by Trevor, towards him.

   "Well, then. Seeing as we're not going to get into pleasantries" — with that word he grabs Sarah's hair and jerks her back against him — "I think we'll get down to the real business."

   "What business? You've been up here destroying cars for the last twenty minutes. Or was that all a distraction?"

   "Don't test me, Tsunami." He tightens one arm around Sarah's middle, making her squirm. "I can incapacitate your girlfriend real quick."

   I feel my hands curl into fists. "Let her go, and then maybe I'll talk."

   "Think I'll keep her here for a little longer, how's that sound, sweetheart?" He runs his hand up and down her torso, painfully slow. He even dips two fingers up past the hem of her shirt, and I see her stiffen when they touch bare skin.

   "Stop it," I say angrily, feeling Trevor tense next to me at that. "You have no right to touch her like that."

   "Says who, huh? You?" He flattens a hand over her stomach and sneers at us, nipping at her ear. She lurches away and he grins lecherously. "Maybe I like her more than Blue Bolt's sister. What d'you say, darlin'?"

   "Let. Her. Go." Trevor speaks up this time, eyes blazing.

   "You want me to let her go? Fine." He tosses her to the ground. Then he gestures to the squid-human creature, lurking behind him. "All yours."

   Before Sarah can get up, the big black half-human, half-squid slithers towards her, wrapping a tentacle around her ankle and yanking her towards it. When she's close enough, it grabs her around the neck, dangling her in the air as it squeezes. She struggles, weakly, but no matter how much she thrashes she can't get free.

   "Daddy could do a lot worse to her, believe me." Gremlin strides forward. "So what's it gonna be, Tsunami? You or her?"

   I narrow my eyes at him. "You."

   The bridge rumbles, sending cracks across the asphalt. I can feel the water coming, with a harder tug in my chest. Then a sphere of water, as tall as the bridge, explodes over the railing and swallows Gremlin with one gulp. I see him struggling around inside as it tumbles him like a washing machine. Then, with all my strength, I make a throwing motion. The sphere goes flying out towards the harbor, soaring so far it's barely a pinpoint before I see it start to fall towards the water. Good riddance.