SFFS

Another part of chapter 2 from my novel Firstborn. And before you ask; yes I did just kill my main character in the second chapter of the first book of a 13 book series. Just sayin'.

Enjoy

The air in front of me popped and a Lizardman materialized out of thin air: this one was clearly different from the others. Its hide was a different shade of gray, lighter and milkier and its eyes shone yellow and were shaped like a cat’s, rather than a reptile’s. Its joints were more slender and its muscles more wiry, perfect for speed attacks. Its tail, which, according to the few depictions I’ve read, Lizardmen used as a sort of counter-balance to aid them walk on their hind legs, was shorter and stouter, as if its owner had evolved beyond the purpose of needing a tail. Its long snout was considerably shorter, as was its neck. But the real danger was the claws; the unusually straight, sharp claws it bore on each hand were serrated on one side.

 To my knowledge, none ever had serrated claws, or indeed any of the features that this particular specimen bore which, I realized with morbid horror, were self-inflicted. The monster’s crocodile smile widened and it dawned on me that this monster, unlike its primal brethren, was intelligent.

Then with a blur it plunged one clawed hand into my chest.

As I fell onto my knees and onto the ground, I thought, Did that giant gecko just chuckle at me?