Page 86 of Primal Hunger
White hot energy crackles through the portal, blinking out my view of Tyler for a moment. My heart skips a painful beat, and it seems the portal has stopped growing. It’s still not as tall as I am, even with my short frame, but it’s enough for me to fit through. Especially if I get a running start.
With a deep breath, I brace myself and run toward the opening. I only have one shot, and I have to make this count.
I grit my teeth, picking up the pace, prepared to leap. I’m nearly there, just a step from the split.
So close. I’m almost home.
My feet leave the ground as I dive forward, tempted to close my eyes as the blinding white light gets closer.
Then, something slams into me, snatching me out of the air. The breath is ripped from my lungs as I get my bearings, and I realize Syros has me in his hold.
“What the—” My words are cut off by a dangerous soundingsnapas the portal blinks out white again. It cracks and sizzles, the circle completely white and glowing, and then Tyler is there.
His eyes settle on Syros, whose massive paws are still around me, and he screams.
“Erin, run!”
“You have to close it,” Syros demands, his growly voice drowning out Tyler’s protests. “Now.”
He lets me go and pushes me out of the way, going for the radio.
“No!” I cry, moving after him, but not nearly fast enough. “Stop! I can make it through. I can—”
“Let her go, you monster!” Tyler yells through the portal, though I can’t see him past Syros’ giant form. “You… you beast!”
Syros stands to his full height and roars, his rage directed at Tyler. I guess I should be glad the portal didn’t open wider—myGrim probably would have launched himself through it to rip out the poor guy’s throat.
The Grim then kneels, reaching for the radio, and I catch a glimpse of the portal once again. Tyler is there, watching with pure horror painted over his expression as he fumbles with something in his hands. He steps back, positioning himself, and raises a shotgun, pointed directly at Syros.
The scream doesn’t leave my throat before the gun goes off, the blast echoing through the clearing and making my ears ring. Syros roars again as he slumps to the ground, and my blood turns to ice.
My world slams to a stop.
No.
An invisible fist wraps around my chest and squeezes as I watch him crumple.
No, no, no.
He rolls onto his back, his mouth tipped up toward the sky, and I rush forward, nearly tripping over my own feet to get to him. I fall to my knees, shock making my limbs numb and my blood cold, and quickly scan him for a gunshot wound. When I find the bullet hole, my heart sinks.
It’s just under his ribs, gushing a steady stream of dark blood. Nausea churns in my stomach.
“Syros,” I say, immediately pressing my hand to the wound to staunch the blood flow. It doesn’t help much, the thick crimson liquid seeping out between my fingers and drenching my hand in seconds. My stomach turns, and I frantically look around for anything I can use to pack the wound.
The closest fabric is back at the cabin, but he’s losing blood with every second that passes.
“Fuck, Syros, please don’t die.” I rip my tank top off over my head, leaving me in just a bra, and press the material to thebullet wound. My eyes bounce between his dim eye sockets and the wound, panic lancing through me.
Shit.He’s losing a lot of blood, more than I’d expect.
Did the bullet hit something vital?
“Leave him, we’ve got to go,” Tyler demands, but I ignore him. I can’t focus on anything but the Grim in front of me, and his rasping breaths.
“Erin,” he says, and the word is a knife to my heart. His eyes slowly find mine, and I position his head on my lap to cradle his skull. “He’s right. You have to go.”
Tears burn the corners of my eyes, and I shake my head in refusal. “No. I’m not leaving you like this.” My gaze tracks down to the bullet wound again, noting how blood has soaked into the thin tank top. I don’t know what to do, he’s losing too much blood too quickly, but I can’t leave him like this. Not when he’s injured because of me.
