Cut to the Quick

Paul's tentacles wrapped themselves around him, trying to protect him from Maya's downward slash.


The knife, razor-sharp, sliced through their rubbery texture.  Paul raised his arms.  The blade was stopped only when it hit the bone of his ulna.


Maya pulled the blade back, slashing at the other tentacles waving around Paul's body.  Paul clasped a hand to his wound, trying not to look at the exposed bone.  He kicked out at Maya, hitting only air.


A couple of tentacles wrapped around Maya's wrists; her blade was inches away from Paul's chest.  The tentacles tightened, and Maya's blade fell.


"Let me go, Paul!" Maya cried out.  "Before it's too late!"  She kicked him between his legs, and Paul doubled over, his vision swimming in tears as bile rose up his throat.


Paul's tentacles didn't relax their hold on Maya.


Paul vomited on the floor, covering Maya's blade.  


Maya bent over, her teeth tearing into one of the restraining tentacles.  Paul had never been bitten before, but he barely felt the pain.  His bruised testicles were still commanding the lion's share of his attention.


The bitten tentacle relaxed its hold, and Maya broke free.  She reached for her blade, her grip tight despite the vomit that was slickening it.  


Paul's tentacles were still waving around, but they were moving slower now and didn't attempt to fend Maya off when she leapt on Paul.  Her weight pushed Paul onto his back.  His tentacles flattened beneath him, waving weakly against the floor's cold tile.  


"Why couldn't you just die?" Maya spat out.  Paul wasn't sure if she was talking to him or to what was growing inside him.


Maya struck Paul's left temple with the knob-end of her blade's hilt.  Paul's vision dimmed, but he didn't lose consciousness.


The consciousness inside him--Tal'Shen--wouldn't let him.  He could feel a shock coursing through his body.  He convulsed, but it wasn't enough to dislodge Maya.


Straddling him, Maya plunged her blade into Paul's chest.  The force should have been enough to pierce his sternum, but it met no resistance.


The tip of her blade hit the floor under Paul's back.  It had hit nothing inside him.


Maya's bloodied hands pulled away, leaving the blade inside Paul's body.  Something inside him pushed the knife back out.