Werewolves Be Damned - By Stacey Kennedy Page 0,81

to her feet and cut off his head with a quick swipe of her sword, putting an end to that bit of nonsense. Breathless and shaking from the adrenaline, she waited for another wolf to attack, only to discover they had retreated.

For a split second, she reveled in the notion the wolves had withdrawn their attack, but she knew better. They weren’t stupid. They were changing their approach. The dire situation she and Kyden now faced engulfed her mind. The wolves were about to attack en masse.

Horror caught Nexi’s breath and fear erased the adrenaline. There was no way the wolves would succeed if they came at them individually, but together, Kyden’s effort and hers would be useless.

More than six wolves lay dead at her feet, before half of them vanished under the magic of her sword. Pride filled her that Kyden had killed three wolves with nothing other than his bare hands—powerful fingers currently reaching for hers.

Tugging on her, he backed her up against the tree trunk, putting himself between her and the stalking wolves. He gathered her other hand, holding both of hers against his chest, and warmth slid around her.

Nexi prayed for a miracle, and she hoped that Valor and Briggs, and the Council, would show up in time to stop the horrific fate looming over them. She looked to Kyden, discovering he was gazing at her intently. His intense stare usually made her melt, but now sent despair washing over her.

No fear was held in the depths of his piercing eyes, only heartbreak. There, in his pained expression, she saw their fate: the werewolves would kill Kyden, then Lazarus would drain her dry.

The gravity of the situation overwhelmed her and with the cruelness she faced now, all her sadness washed away to blistering hot wrath. How could this be? Her hands trembled as fury shook her right to her bones. How could Lazarus win? Her mind swirled with the daunting situation, uncontrollable rage consuming every molecule in her body.

Drake couldn’t have been wrong. Life couldn’t have been that unfair. Fate couldn’t take away so much, and make them face death brutally. Kyden couldn’t die tonight. She wouldn’t allow this. Not tonight. Not now. Not ever.

“You can’t take his life,” she screamed at the wolves closing in. To Lazarus she yelled, “You will not take mine.” The warmth of her magic turned red-hot as it coursed through her blood, her muscles tightening, breath sharpening.

Over Kyden’s shoulder, the family home in which happy memories were made and in which she was loved became hazy—a large white blob of sorts. Her chest tightened as the warmth concentrated there. Her body quaked as hate for Lazarus enveloped her with a need to detonate.

A sudden breeze wrapped around her, startling her. She blinked, forcing her cloudy vision to focus. Looking up to the starry sky, she saw no storm clouds, meaning no thunderstorm had suddenly drifted over them.

Firm hands hugged her face and she turned, captured by Kyden’s tight expression. His voice sounded far away. “You need to calm…”

Glancing over Kyden’s shoulder to the wolves, she noticed they weren’t advancing, and their eyes were wide in fear. Looking to her right, she discovered Lazarus stood motionless too, and to her utter shock, his expression mirrored the wolves.

Why was he afraid?

The rigid blast of air increased, tearing around the yard, sending the trees to sway as if a tornado were closing in. The wolves’ fur fluttered in the wind, their loud howls echoing through the yard.

Confused, Nexi allowed Kyden to turn her head to him again, and his eyes were wild. Her lips parted to yell at him through the loud roar, but she discovered she couldn’t speak. The wind became too strong and it rumbled in her ears. The strength of the powerful air pushed her forward and she had to step one foot out to brace herself.

Heat raced through her, burning hotter as the seconds drew on. Until suddenly, the pain became unfathomable and it spiraled down into her chest. She screamed against the torture and she fought the flames, not on the outside, but blazing her on the inside.

The wind, the wolves and Lazarus, it all vanished around her as the flickers of fire coursed through her body, until a loud whoosh doused the flames inside. She snapped her eyes open, breathless and terrified.

Kyden stood in front of her while the wolves were on their bellies, shaking with fear. His fierce stare on her showed concern, but she discovered