the nomad’s arms behind his back, cuffing his hands and feet in shackles while the other wolves close in on Arcayos and me.
Damon lifts his eyes to us. They blaze yellow with anger. “Run,” he growls.
22
Reasons Why
That one word—run—says it all for me.
Anything we do here will only make things worse. If we fight—if he kills a wolf—he will only dig himself deeper. Tyruse will never stop until he is dead.
And if I end up being forced to kill one of them, then I am a dead woman walking.
Panic chokes my throat closed.
Arcayos scoops me into his arms and races for the trees so suddenly that I nearly drop my gun.
Pounding shakes the ground behind us as the wolves give chase. Snarls and howls fill the air. Arcayos’ feet hammer the forest floor, his arms like steel holding me to him.
There’s a loud thud, and Arcayos is thrown forward. He rolls, taking me with him. I slam into him, the wind whooshing out of me. He rolls again, putting me under him.
A wolf is charging at us, turning my world into fur and fangs.
“Arcayos!” I scream.
He pivots to his feet, blocking the wolf’s path to me. His sword flashes into his hand. The wolf slams into him, sending him onto his back.
Teeth sink into the demon’s arm and Arcayos roars in pain. His sword thrusts upward into the wolf’s chest. Blood covers his hand and cloak.
Catching my breath, I throw myself to my feet. Another wolf heads straight for him. I leap into its path.
“Cassidy, no, run!” he shouts.
The wolf turns its attention to me, bounding into the air.
I duck. The beast overcorrects and lands behind me with a thump. I whip around as it comes for another charge and draw my pistol, firing a shot. The wolf slams into me.
I could have sworn I hit it right in the chest, but it’s pinning me down, very much alive.
Arcayos looms over me, and his sword thrusts into the wolf’s back before he throws the animal off me. It crashes to the forest floor, bloody.
Next thing I know, I’m in Arcayos’ arms, and he’s leaping up into the trees, his sword gone.
Men’s growled shouts and wolf snarls chase us into the night.
“Anyone who lets him get away answers to me,” Tyruse roars. “We have lost enough brothers to him!”
High above the ground, Arcayos leaps from tree to tree, lightning swift. I cling to him, burying my face in his neck. Howls and snarls fill my ears. Cold fear ices my blood.
When we reach the car, Arcayos drops to the ground. “Keys!”
I’m not going to argue; he’s a much better driver than me at high speed. I toss him the keys. He rushes me into the car and then scrambles into the driver’s seat. Wolves streak through the trees at us.
The engine roars to life, and he tears down the path to the main road.
A wolf streaks out onto the road in front of us. Arcayos swerves, narrowly missing it. We tear down the road toward Chance, leaving a snarling pack behind.
Only when the wolves are far behind us do I stop watching the rear window, waiting for them to appear.
“How the hell did that wolf manage to bite you?” I squeak. I hate that I sound panicked. “Bullets bounce off you as if your skin’s made of Kevlar. Shouldn’t it have broken its teeth on your arm?”
There is an alarmingly large glistening spot on the forearm of his cloak. The cloth is torn. Arcayos’ face looks a little off-color, and for some reason, he’s still wearing his demon face, something he seems to only do when he fights or wishes to use it to make a point.
He swallows thickly. “Do you remember the blade that demon struck me with in Hollow Park the second time we met?”
“Yeah.”
“It was a Hellinon blade coated in a poison designed to kill the Champion. Blades coated in it are the only thing that penetrates my Shield.”
“The force field.”
“Yes.” His voice is raspy and low. He shakes his head as if shaking off a fly. “The wolves must have coated their teeth and claws with it.” He’s gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles.
“Shit. So this can kill you.”
He nods.
“Oh, fuck, Arcayos, are you going to turn into a werewolf?”
“No way to know. I have never been bitten before.”
Lovely. As if we didn’t have enough to worry about.
He glances at me. “Are you all right?”
“Oh, I’m fine. The wolf just knocked me down.”
He sighs. “I am