But the longer the rustling went on, the more that hope turned into dread. My chest tightened.
Then, out of nowhere, a cat-like creature burst through the treeline and lunged at me.
I screamed and dove, barely avoiding its first strike. Grabbing my pack but not bothering to sling it over my shoulder, I ran. As fast as I could.
Behind me, the beast snarled and crashed through the underbrush. I jumped over fallen logs, tried to weave between trees, but it was faster. And gaining.
I turned just in time to see it leap again, and this time I didn’t have time to dodge. I raised my pack between us as we hit the ground. The creature landed hard, pinning me beneath its weight.
I kicked. Thrashed. Shoved the bag into its mouth as it snapped and snarled. Teeth tore through fabric, missing skin, for now. But it wouldn’t be long.
I screamed and fought, kicking as hard as I could, but it was relentless. Wearing me down.
Jax’s face flashed in my mind. Then Ava’s.
Ezra. Zaffir. Even Briar and Thorne.
One by one, they passed through my memory, in brutal clarity, as the creature clawed for my end.
And then a hot spray hit my face. The weight on my chest went slack.
Blood soaked through my shirt and dripped down my neck, warm and wet. The creature slumped.
Dead.
Fear clamped around my heart like a vice as I struggled to crawl out from under the creature’s weight. But it was too heavy. I couldn’t move. Panic rose sharp in my throat.
“Hey, hey, Hollis, don’t worry,” a voice said, low and gentle. Familiar. “We got you.”
The pressure lifted as the creature was heaved off of me. I scrambled upright, heart pounding, and found myself staring at Briar and Thorne Grey.
They looked like hell. Mud streaked their faces, their clothes were torn and smeared with dirt and dried blood. But I’d never seen anything more perfect.
I lunged forward and wrapped both of them in my arms. Briar let out a surprised gasp, but then melted into the hug. Thorne gave a dark little chuckle right in my ear.
“Thank you,” I whispered, pulling back, wiping at my face. “I really thought that was it.”
“Not a problem, love,” Thorne said with a crooked grin. He bent down and picked up a blood-slicked rock, his makeshift weapon. When I looked back at the creature, I saw the dent in its skull.
“Not bad for a little improvisation, huh, sis?” Thorne said, tossing the rock once in the air and catching it.
How he could still joke and find humor out here was beyond me. But I was grateful for it. Grateful for both of them.
“Yes, yes, you’re the almighty hunter, and we should all sing your praises,” Briar deadpanned, crouching to examine the body of the creature. She glanced up at me, eyes tired but warm. “So, Hollis. What do you say?” She grinned. “Let’s eat.”
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Briar
The momentI heard Devrin’s startled yelp as he was shoved from the plane, I knew what was coming.
I leaned toward Thorne and whispered, “I’m going to pull my chute right away. It’ll slow my descent. By the time you jump, you might still see me falling. Aim for me. Don’t waste time when they call your name.”
“Chute? What do you mean?”
I rolled my eyes, not that he could see it through the blindfold. My brother was brilliant. Logic, math, science? A prodigy. But sometimes he was alarmingly slow on the uptake.
