Page 39 of Maddie
“Come along,” Maddie said as he subconsciously fell behind. “It’s only another two miles or so. Just over that ridge.”
Noah squinted into the distance where the ground rose into a slight silver crest. Without stopping, he slid his backpack down and removed the gun Maddie had given him. There was no bloody way he was chancing a werewolf encounter without it. After a quick check to make sure the safety was still on, he stuffed it into the waistband of his trousers.
As he slung the bag back over his shoulders, he caught Maddie staring at him. More specifically, at his stomach where the bottom of his shirt caught on the handle of the gun, showing a sliver of skin. “What?”
“Nothing,” she said, arching a brow.
A knowing grin curled his lips as he fixed the fabric to hide the weapon. She liked the way his body looked—that much he knew—but it seemed as though she was remembering their time together last night. The way she slid her wet folds over his length nearly drove him wild with the desire for more. If the way she had moved was any indication of how she would ride him with his cock buried deep inside her, it would be otherworldly. And then she’d taken him into her mouth... It wasn’t only that he enjoyed what she did with her body either. He was getting more attached. Every day she grew on him a little more, and knowing himself, it was only a matter of time before he would want more than sex. Once he and Alice were cured, he would be leaving though … he needed to remember that. Remember the way her tongue flicked over the tip of his cock, her hand pumping him, and—enough.He swallowed hard at the memory and forced his mind in another direction.
Monsters.Soon they would face them in order to get the cure and he had no interest in doing so with a stiff dick.
“How long do you think it will take to get the cure once we reach the swamp?” he whispered in case any enemies still lurked near the lake. They likely had heightened senses just like Noah. He was willing to bet their sense of smell was even better than a vampire’s.
Maddie chewed her bottom lip before answering, “Depends.”
“On…?” he prompted when she didn’t elaborate.
“How long it takes to find where it is, how much interference we receive, and many other things, I suppose.” She scowled. “No one has ever mentioned how far apart the landmarks are. First, we have to find the giant fang. Then we go left until we reach the floating baskets, and finally swim toward the east until we see the glowing fish. A landmass with a lake is there—the cure will be at the bottom.”
Well, that didn’t seem very encouraging. The last thing he wanted to find in a swamp full of beasts was a fang. “Why would the werewolves keep it hidden if they hate vampires so much? Why not let you cure yourselves?”
Maddie opened her mouth and paused, shooting him a perplexed expression. “That’s a good question.”
“Don’t sound so surprised.” He nudged her shoulder playfully as a low rumble sounded in the distance.
“We should be quiet from here on,” she whispered and retrieved her own gun from her bag.
Every step closer they took toward the ridge—and the wolves living beyond that—the faster Noah’s heart pounded. Random trees sprouted along the rocky landscape. Someone had arranged boulders and smaller stones into spiraling circles or, for all Noah knew, maybe they were just naturally arranged that way. It was admirable either way, and if the circumstances weren’t so shitty, he would’ve ventured closer to check them out.
The walk didn’t take nearly as long as he’d hoped, but as Maddie led him to the crest of the ridge, relief washed over him. He was so close to saving Alice.
Remember why you’re doing this.
Easier thought than done.
He glared down at the pristine swampland, silver, twisting trees sprouting from crystal-clear water. Clumps of what appeared to be white algae floated in patches, and a stagnant scent tainted with a hint of wet dog permeated the air. Noah rubbed at his nose, the odor overpowering him.
Maddie tapped his arm and motioned for him to follow her. She took quick, light steps down the incline, and he followed, the weight of foreboding growing every minute. They were in the open, wearing dark colors against the bright white landscape, without an ounce of coverage to hide in. But he needed to trust Maddie. She wouldn’t risk their mission or their lives, especially if it would affect saving her sister.
When they finally hit level ground again, she leapt through the tacky mud until they reached a large, light gray boulder. They darted behind it and peeked over the top. Noah sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of werewolf homes. Or what he assumed were their homes. Twisted, woven branches formed dozens of floating domes at least eight feet tall that resembled wolf dens. In one of the nearest, a gray tail flopped out of the round opening.
A rumbling growl—of annoyance more so than warning—prompted Noah to remove the gun from his waistband. He hoped the damn beast was having a nightmare. But that was probably just wishful thinking.
Maddie nudged him again and pointed to a moss-covered path on their right that led through the swamp. She held a finger to her lips and crept out from their hiding place. Noah tiptoed behind her, his gaze sweeping side to side. From another one of the floating dens, a large brown snout, slightly open, poked out, revealing teeth as long and wide as his fingers.
Oh, we’re fucked…
The beast also seemed to be asleep, heavy breaths coming out in lazy huffs, but not all of the dens appeared occupied, which meant the residents had to be lurking around somewhere. Under their feet, silver bugs buzzed where they crawled, appearing like tiny pebbles, and claw marks scarred the trees. Some were fresh, others more violent. One trunk was nearly clawed in half, the top leaning on a neighboring branch for support.
The deeper they traveled into enemy territory, the more frequently they witnessed the signs of werewolves. Bones jutted from the pathways, snapped and crushed, and a severed human leg floated in the water. A gym shoe still lingered on the foot and frayed denim clung to the rest of the limb. Slivers of flesh peeked out near the top, black by decay.
Maddie grabbed Noah’s wrist and pointed excitedly to a tall tree stump, covered in old scratches. At some point, long ago, judging by how weathered the exposed innards were, the tree had been sliced in half at an angle to resemble a …
A fang.
It did look like one, even if a little lopsided. They turned left and the path narrowed. Noah fell in line behind Maddie, his heart pounding harder as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. She had mentioned the next landmark would be floating baskets, so he turned his gaze to the water. A low growl filled the air, followed by a yelp, and he clutched the gun tighter. The sound hadn’t come from the immediate area, but that didn’t mean the predators weren’t lurking nearby.
A few minutes later, Maddie screeched to a halt without warning, and Noah slammed into her back. He swung around, searching for danger, but instead of a werewolf crouched to attack, his eyes landed on metal cages. Massive cages. Big enough for him and Maddie to fit inside together and still have room to move about. Thank fuck they were empty, though it didn’t make him feel any better. If they were caught, would they end up in a cage as a snack for later? He unconsciously grabbed Maddie’s hand.
