Chapter 29

Iran with Angel strapped to my back, Captain keeping pace easily. The Russian mob had turned on itself two days ago, and we'd barely gotten out. I don't know what set them off, I didn't speak Russian but there was a lot of excitement. Chatter. The city New Orleans was mentioned. Two days, Angel and I had been on our own. We were running out of supplies, and I had no idea where we were. I'd used up a lot of my energy getting us out of the compound. I wasn't sure I could light so much as a matchstick with my fire.

The forest here was so thicker than when we'd entered, and I could barely see through it.

Angel started to cry. "It's okay, it's okay," I whispered, trying to hush her. I had a little food, and a blanket, but not much else. "We'll find somewhere to go."

Captain let out a low woof, his black-tipped ears swiveling.

I turned in the direction he pointed. Back the way we'd come. "They've found us."

Fog rolled in through the trees, obscuring any clear shot at someone. I pulled my handgun out of the holster. I wished it was Eleanor or Dinah.

Angel whimpered as I pulled her off my back and set her on the ground behind a massive tree stump. "Captain, guard." I pointed to my little sister and the Belgian Malinois lay down at her feet and put his head in her lap. She cooed and grabbed at his ears.

I didn't want to think about what would happen if someone shot me. If I died. Captain couldn't feed her. He could get her to safety maybe. Keep her warm.

Tears slid down my cheeks, I couldn't stop them. I was so tired, so tired of being afraid.

"Little man, where did you go?" The thick accent was attached to the man that Killian had thought was our friend. Of course, he didn't know that he wouldn't be here to protect us.

I stayed quiet as Molov drew closer. "Come now, little man. That fight is over. The ones with the wings, they are fleeing! We have won!"

Hope flared in my chest. That meant . . . that meant my mom had done it. She'd saved us.

My lower lip trembled. But she wasn't here. Which meant . . . I was on my own. Maybe for good this time.

Molov snapped his fingers, and I heard the whine of the wolf-hybrids he kept in his kennels. They would sniff us out in no time.

They would tear us all apart and eat us while we screamed for mercy. I'd seen it. I moved away from Angel and Captain. "You'll kill us," I said, shifting behind the trees. "You want me dead."

"It is the price of being your mother's children. We can't have more monsters like her." He laughed and gave a whistle. The wolves came in from all sides. I spun and shot one in the head as it leapt at me. But it wasn't enough. I ran to the center of the trees, where Molov stood. He had his hands on his hips. "You don't want to be eaten, do you?"

I whipped the gun up and shot, nailing him in the shoulder, spinning him away from me. And then I ran. I would take them as far from Angel as I could. It was all I could do for her.

I was so tired, my own abilities dodged me. I'd used them up in escaping the compound.

The mist seemed to roll with me as I dodged branches and leapt over fallen logs and rocks. I slid down a slope and tumbled at the bottom, twisting my leg.

I got up, but knew . . . I was done. I turned to face the wolves, picking them off until my gun was empty.

I scrambled backward as they kept coming, snarling and low to the ground.

"They will feast on you! You fucking little shit—" Molov laughed and then . . . nothing.

I braced myself fists up as the wolf closest to me launched at me.

Captain burst out from behind and took the wolf to the ground, snarling and fighting for me. "Captain, no!" I yelled.

Where was Angel?

I tried to stand. Another wolf leapt at me and . . . a massive gray dog covered in scars took it down, snarling and snapping, pulling its throat out. That one didn't wait, it went after the next wolf closest, then the next before Captain even finished the first off. Gun shots filled the air and the wolves that were left ran, scattering.

A figure stood at the top of the slope, her body outlined in the fog. My heart constricted. I tried not to cry. I tried not to, and failed.

"I knew you'd come for me," I whispered.