Chapter 8

EIGHT

Tara

I'm pulled out of my sleep by something other than the rhythmic breathing of the men crowded around me. There's a faint noise, and an awareness of something else. I try to go back to sleep, but whatever disturbed me continues to do so.

My eyes flutter open, and I blink into the semi-darkness. The fire has gone down, but it still casts a warm glow on our campsite.

I smile. My men are around me again like a protective cocoon of muscles. Each of them looks younger in sleep. My gaze moves first to Garrick. The giant man has kicked off his blankets and spread out so far he's half lying on the dirt. Arlys is beside him, neat and proper even in sleep. I think back to our conversation earlier and something stirs in my heart. Something I'm trying to rid myself of before the wolves disappear from my life forever. Rinan is at my other side, and his golden good looks are somehow even prettier in the light from the fire. And Drogo? He looks young and strangely innocent as he sleeps.

These men… it's like they've stolen my heart.

A soft sound makes my head jerk up. I see nothing in the dark trees around us, but I know I won't be able to fall asleep again unless I check it out, so I untangle myself from my blankets and get up. After I slip my shoes on and slide my dagger back into place at me belt, I step just beyond the firelight's reach and still myself to listen for whatever I sense is out there. Probably just a little night critter, but I need to ease my nerves.

The still forest offers me nothing but quiet, so I start walking deeper into the woods, alert as I move for any sign of danger, just in case. But the night is silent, bathing everything in pretty moonlight. There's motion, but just the leaves dancing in the trees, stirred by a cool breeze.

I shiver. This was silly.

I'm about to turn around, but without warning or a sound, a hulking figure emerges from the darkness. A monster. It's massive, with broad, muscular shoulders and a thick, sturdy body. As I watch, frozen in horror, its mouth opens slowly, revealing long, jagged teeth the size of my fingers, glistening in the dim light of the fire.

Fucking hell.

A putrid smell overtakes me as the wind shifts, and I know it's close. Too close. I need to get away, but I also don't want to move and draw its attention.

So I hold still as it slowly moves around the forest, sniffing and looking around. It turns its back to me, and every muscle in my body tightens as I prepare to run. But then it turns towards me, and the blood drains from my face.

Our eyes lock. It's pale expression is wild. Enraged. Before I can even draw in a breath, it starts running at me. Its huge body vibrates the ground with its every move.

I scream and take off running, trying my best to not trip on fallen branches or rocks in the dark. Some part of me knows I should just run for my men, but an image of that monster reaching them when they're still asleep and unprepared makes me switch directions.

The monster is on my heels, so close I can smell its rancid breath. My heart pounds painfully against my ribcage as I run for my life. Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm trying to think of a spell that could save me from this situation, but none comes to mind. I'm simply overwhelmed with a deep fear that this is how I die.

Run faster!

The monster's heavy footsteps echo behind me, but I don't dare to look back. That'd be a death sentence. I just have to trust that I might be able to run fast enough and far enough away to escape it.

Suddenly, howling splits the air, so close it seems to be all around me. I chance a glance back, and the monster has stopped, staring around for the source of the sounds.

There's a flash of movement. A dark shape in the moonlit night. Arlys' green-eyed wolf flies at the monster's side, mouth open and teeth bared, ready to rip it to shreds. He latches onto the monster, but the creature simply reacts by lifting a giant, clawed hand and wrapping it around Arlys. With a flick of the creature's wrist, Arlys is thrown against a tree with a sickening thud that reverberates through the quiet forest.

It's quiet, so quiet that Arlys' whimper sounds deafeningly, tearing at my heart, making me want to stop running to see if he's okay, but the monster is already on the move again. His attention is back on me as he snaps branches, continuing to come closer.

I start to run again, my breathing coming fast. Where are the others? Still asleep?

The forest becomes a blur as I race ahead, trying to stay out of its reach. My only goal is to escape, but this monster doesn't seem like it can be stopped. Glancing back again, I spot Rinan's wolf form, his light blue eyes blazing in the moonlight, crouched down and ready to attack.

Before I can decide whether or not I should warn him, Garrick's bear form appears and leaps at the monster. But instead of crashing into the giant beast, Garrick swipes at the monster's chest, tearing deep gashes into his chest. The monster roars, enraged, and lashes out at Garrick with a backhand swing that sends him crashing onto the ground.

"Watch out!" I shout as the beast bears down on Garrick.

The bear shifter rolls and is on his feet before the monster can attack again. They circle each other. Both are panting, brimming with anger and violence.

Suddenly, the monster leaps forward, clamping down on Garrick's arm. The bear throws back its head and roars, but slashes his claws angrily over the monster, until he manages to dig his claws into the monster's neck, and the bastard unclamps its mouth. When it pulls away with blood dripping down its chin, I cover my mouth to stifle the scream that wants to escape.

What the hell should I do? How can I help?

Before I can decide, shapes leap from the shadows. Three wolves all jump on the monster's back, digging their teeth into its pale flesh. The monster goes crazy, staggering around. He bashes his back against the tree, smashing the wolves against the tree in an attempt to knock them off, while Garrick struggles after him.

The miserable creature reaches for its back and grabs the brown wolf – Drogo – and yanks him off like he weighs nothing at all. Drogo hits the ground in front of the monster with a whimper, and despite its size, the monster knocks Garrick out of the way and closes in on Drogo. It lurches forward, muscles rippling and jaw open.

Pinning Drogo to the ground with his claws, its jaw closes around Drogo's neck. The wolves leap off his back and back on it, trying to distract it, biting every inch of flesh that they can get. One clawed hand yanks Rinan roughly off and flings him, but it doesn't distract the monster from the wolf on the ground. Garrick tries too, but it's not enough. The beast's strength and size are untouchable.

He's trying to kill Drogo. I have to do something.

Desperate, terrified, I tug on my magic, lift my hand and point at the monster, and say, "Melt."

I don't know what I expected, but the blood-curdling scream was not it. The sound echoes through the forest as the monster's flesh starts to bubble and blister, the white skin fading as he staggers away from Drogo. The wolves drop off of him and Garrick scrambles backward, everyone watching in shock as dark fluid oozes from its wounds, mingling with the black blood that's now everywhere. The creature seems to collapse in on itself, bones snapping and crackling under the intense heat my magic created.

My heart races. I feel sick.

The stench of burning flesh fills the air, and my stomach clenches. I retch violently into a bush, embarrassed by my weak stomach. It's just… horrifying, and not like anything I've ever seen before. I've only heard of this type of Battle Magic, but seeing it right in front of me is another matter completely.

And I did it. Me. Some of the most difficult magic for any witch to harness. I used my magic to… kill.

I put my horror to the side. Drogo isn't moving. He hasn't moved since he was attacked, and it doesn't look like he's all right.

What if he's…?

Fear grips me so tightly that it's hard to breathe, and I run to his side, praying that he's okay.