The outlier burst out of the water not far ahead of me, and I glimpsed Darian who was just managing to stay out of reach of the monster’s maw. He was doing well, but I didn’t know how long he’d be able to last.
The faintest flap of wings still sounded in the distance, and I thanked all the fucking seven devils that Garan and his gargoyles were on the way. They’d help slaughter the outlier.
I lifted my head again in time to see Darian disappear into the water, but instead of following him, the outlier’s red gaze locked onto me. I stopped swimming, treading water as I drew my wet sword from its sheath.Come at me, ugly.
The ocean swelled, lifting me higher as the outlier drew closer, and as the creature neared, I dived into the water, kicking hard to gain momentum. The sea beast followed after me, its huge body submerging into the ocean, and I maneuvered in the water, swimming to the side in time to miss the creature’s gaping maw.
The outlier slid past me at high speed surrounded by a cloud of bubbles, and I reached out, using my free hand to grab onto one of the massive, jagged spines protruding from its back. The force was so strong my arm was almost wrenched from my shoulder socket, but I held on, digging my claws into the creature’s thick bony flesh.
The sea beast dragged me through the water, and my arm protested at the strain, but I managed to keep my purchase as the outlier changed direction and headed upward again, its head springing straight up out of the water and its mouth stretched wide as if the creature was attempting to devour the sun. I could only imagine that Darian had been the creature’s true target.
The wind whipped at my soaked body as the ocean fell away beneath us, and my swiping gaze was quick enough to catch the gargoyles who now dotted the sky around us and rained arrows down on the outlier. Garan’s commanding shouts and the steady flap of the gargoyles’ wings were welcome sounds, but I didn’t let the gargoyles’ presence deter me from playing my part.
As I hung with one hand gripping the creature’s spine, I lifted my sword with my other hand and drove it down, grunting at the effort as the blade slid between the monster’s scales and bit deep into its pale-gray flesh.
The outlier let out a pained cry that resembled a strangled whale call and snapped its mouth shut before curving over and diving back into the water, taking me with it. I kept my lips sealed as I held on to the spine, letting the creature carry me deep into the ocean. Down it swam until the water turned frigid, and all light was sucked away, leaving only darkness around us. Something bumped consistently against my leg. The wall of a cave? There was no way to tell.
Eventually, the creature changed course, and as the water lightened, I realized it was heading upward again. Darian appeared beside the outlier, and he gave me a grim nod before raking his claws along the creature’s side, his fingers sliding between its scales and staining the water black with blood.
I gripped the handle of my sword, wrenching it back out before shifting my hand to a different spot and driving it back in. My body was so ridiculously weak that my hand shook at the strain, but the blade sunk in deep, and the outlier let out another pained cry as it burst straight up out of the ocean again. Sunlight washed over me as I still clung to the beast, the water running from me in rivulets and dripping from my hair and sodden clothes.
This time, the gargoyles were more prepared. All eight of Garan’s team had come, and each of them was as brave and formidable as their leader was, their hard bodies unaffected by the sunlight and made for war. Thick arrows speared into the outlier’s five eyes, and a gargoyle flew in close, almost lowering himself into the creature’s open maw before he dropped a sparking wooden barrel down into its gullet. The creature bucked and cried out as its eyes became a bloody mess, and my body swung from side to side as I held on.
Garan barked at his team, and the winged guardians flew away from the creature.
Drop now, Locke, Garan’s hard voice sounded urgently in my mind, and I didn’t waste any time. Abandoning my sword, I lifted my feet to press my boots against the outlier’s body. I removed my clawed hand from the creature’s spine at the same time that I kicked off, diving backward into the air. My wings flared out, and I flapped them furiously as I fell. I careened toward the ocean, my body dropping like a bag of rocks, but before I slammed into the water, the wind billowed under my wings, and I lifted into the air.
Copying the distance of the gargoyles, I flew away from the outlier, and as I reached Garan’s side and turned around, the top half of the outlier exploded into a mess of blood and gore that shot out in all directions.
A small, fleshy piece of scale and skin landed on my cheek, leaving a trail of warm wetness as it slid down my face, but I hardly noticed it as it fell away. I watched as what remained of the outlier crashed back to the ocean, the weight of its body creating waves in the water.
I hadn’t seen Darian near the beast when I’d jumped, but I spotted him a safe distance away, looking on as the sea beast’s body bobbed in the ocean, fire continuing to burn away what remained above the surface.
Heaving out a sigh, I stayed there, hovering in the air near the gargoyles. My gaze remained fixed on the flickering flames as I thought of how our world was beginning to crumble, and I hadn’t found a way to stop it. Despite Warrick’s efforts from his lab in the mountain, we still knew nothing of why the curse was now affecting the animals and creatures of this world.
A dark cloud settled over me as I thought of what would happen in the nights to come.
~ Kade ~
Imadeittothe beach before Asher did. As soon as the pain had started in my chest, waking me from sleep and signaling Raine’s weakening life force, I knew something was wrong. Instantly, I shifted, surrendering to my wolf side. In my beast form, I had sprung from my bed, my huge paws carrying me swiftly down the winding tunnels of the mountain as my claws found purchase, gripping the stone floor.
Asher wasn’t far behind me, his heavy footsteps echoing along the walls as he ran.
Something wasn’t right. Locke wasn’t the monster he thought he was, and I knew he wouldn’t have intentionally put Raine in a situation that would result in her death. Whatever the reason for her weakened state, all I knew was that I needed to get to her.
I ran until I’d broken through one of the doors that led to the outside and only stopped when the sun shone on my fur and the crisp mountain air tickled my nose. Back when I was a boy and the curse had first given me my wolf form, my wolf side had seemed like a separate entity inside me. But now it was different. When I was the wolf, I was aware I was still me, just fueled with animalistic instincts that dominated my human side.
As I peered around at the stretch of rocky land that led to the city below us, my ears twitched as I tried to detect any trace of the human. OfmyMahare. As a wolf, the certainty that she belonged to me made my blood burn for her. She wasmyRaine, my female, and I wanted to claim her and howl to the world that she was mine and not to be harmed. If anyone hurt her, I would slowly tear them to pieces and make them beg for death.
The thought had saliva dripping down my fangs and my lips curling as I snarled. Dipping my nose to the ground, I sniffed, trying to pick up her scent, but neither Locke nor Raine had passed that way. Asher appeared from the mountain behind me, his axes hastily strapped to his sides, just as I finally picked up the faint traces of coconut and steel carrying on the wind. The scents came from the direction of the ocean, away from the city.
“What the fuck is that?” Asher said, and I lifted my head to see where he was looking.
Far out to sea, a huge monster with a body as wide as a small mountain sprang out of the ocean. My sharp wolf eyesight couldn’t spot Raine, but my instinct told me she was there and she was in fucking trouble.
Not waiting for Asher, I launched my powerful body forward, my large paws barely touching the ground as I raced toward the ocean. The sharp pain in my chest grew stronger with every passing second, and fear made me run faster as a growl tore from my throat and shattered the air.
I thought of Locke then, all too aware of how the sun weakened vampires. Even if he was with Raine, I knew he wouldn’t be strong enough to protect her. Not from an outlier that size.Fuck.My fear intensified then as I worried for my vampire brother, but I was quick to push the concern away. Even in his weakened state, Locke would be able to take care of himself.
