Lachlan pulled him back onto land. Cam lay on his back, soaked and shivering with shock. There was a soft, stretched kind of noise outside his periphery, and then Lachlan stepped back into it, naked and human. Traces of transformation magic danced over his bare skin.
‘Cam,’ he said hoarsely, kneeling by his side. He cupped Cam’s face with both hands, stroking thumbs over his cheeks. ‘Cam, can you hear me?’
Cam managed to nod. His vocal cords felt fried.Everythingfelt fried.
‘Good god, Cam.’ Lachlan’s voice was nearly a sob. ‘What was that? What happened? What happened to you?’ His hands moved fretfully over Cam’s face, gentle as a whisper but full of panic.
Cam licked his dry lips, forced them to work. ‘W-werewolf…’
‘Hush,’ Lachlan said, drawing his lips over Cam’s. His breathing stuttered. Cam felt a droplet land on his cheek. ‘Hush, love.’
‘Step away from him.’
Bryce’s voice cut through Cam’s frozen daze. It was hard and mean, and was accompanied by the click of a cocked crossbow.
‘N-no!’ Cam jerked into a sitting position, throwing an arm across Lachlan’s chest. He found the magical blare of Bryce’s shape in the dark and shouted—or at least, croaked loudly. ‘L-leave him the h-hell alone, Bryce! He’s with me!’
Bryce took a step forward, crossbow still aimed at Lachlan’s head. ‘That thing is a monster, Cam. He’s not what you think.’
‘He’smymonster,’ Cam yelled back. He felt Lachlan grip his shoulders, steadying him. ‘You don’t know a goddamn thing, Bryce!’
The crossbow lowered an inch. ‘Are you in your right mind, lad? Sure your brain ain’t fried?’
‘I’m s-sure.’ Cam stretched out his Scorched arm, pointing at the crossbow. ‘P-put it down. If you fire that thing I s-swear I’ll burn you too.’
It wasn’t an idle threat. If there was one thing that might recall the flames right now, it would be Lachlan’s life in danger.
‘Seriously, kid?’ Slowly, Bryce placed the crossbow onto the ground.
‘What happened to the… the werewolf?’ Cam asked, racking his hazy memory of the past ten minutes. After the burst of fire he’d lost track of everything else.
‘It ran,’ Bryce supplied. ‘Didn’t fancy being roasted alive, I s’pect. Or it saw your… friend… coming before I did.’
The pause was loaded and accusatory. Cam chose to ignore it. Right now, Bryce could think whatever the hell he liked.
Lachlan interrupted, words quiet but sharp. ‘What happened?’
Cam rubbed his temples. His Scorched arm and most of his right side was still numb, though he could feel the chill encroaching within his wet clothes. ‘Saw the werewolf,’ he mumbled.
‘It attacked,’ Bryce added.
Cam glared up at him. ‘Youshot at it!’
‘Damn right, I did! The thing was about to have you for dinner!’
‘It might not have,’ Cam argued shakily. ‘I think it was trying to speak to me.’
Bryce actually scoffed. The throaty sound sent a shudder of fury through Cam’s chest.
‘I bet it said your name or some such, eh, lad? Well known distraction for some of these beasties.Cleverbuggers. They’ll mimic a babe’s cry if they think it’ll get ’em closer to a meal.’ Bryce tapped the crossbow with his boot. ‘Don’t worry though. I’ll get the bastard again. Got this loaded with silver bolts, see. It’ll be weaker, now. Easier to find. Easier to kill. Before it hurts anyone else.’
‘Maybe you should get on with that, then.’ The tone of Lachlan’s voice shocked Cam. Normally so mild, so bright… it wasn’t right to hear it dripping with venom.
He glanced at Lachlan, saw steel in his gaze as he stared Bryce down. He was surely freezing but didn’t shiver in the slightest, every muscle tensed.
Bryce cocked his head, then shot a sardonic grin in Cam’s direction. ‘Feel I’m not welcome, lad. You sure you want me to leave you in the hands of your… monster? Awful state you’re in. You should see yourself.’
‘I’ll be fine,’ Cam muttered, though he didn’t feel like it. But he’d much rather be in Lachlan’s care than Bryce’s.
