Outlaw (Wolves of Royal Paynes #4) - Kiki Burrelli Page 0,92

I was confident they at least knew how to use their teeth. Proving my point, Sitka lunged at a charging soldier, opening his shadow-wolf jaws before dropping the man, making it look easy. He fell back in position with blood dripping from his muzzle.

As more of their men fell, the remaining soldiers proved they weren't as stupid as I thought and dropped back, running in all directions just as long as it was away.

Some stayed, which only meant they were more afraid of Thalasso than they were of us.

In less than fifteen minutes, an army became a handful of frightened men, the only thing standing between us and our goal. The gate sat behind them, a circular stone opening that must've been an old well at some point. It emitted an orange, otherworldly glow that smelled strongly of sulfur and rotting meat.

Claus had shared what would happen if we failed to close the gate. The gate would erupt with hellfire, killing anyone standing within fifty feet who wasn't a demon. As the fire spread, the lesser demons would emerge, sniffing out the first thing they could find to kill and eat. I had a hard time believing any of these soldiers knew what was in store for them if their master was successful.

The omegas shifted again, quickly grabbing one another's hands before standing in a half circle facing the gate.

Behind them, Knox dropped his rucksack to the ground, pulling out two medical kits. While still bent over, Knox's shoulders tightened. At the same time, the hairs on my nape stood up, but I kept my face down, to Quinlan.

"I have to say, I'm disappointed." Thalasso had a voice like butter—mixed with arsenic.

We could barely hear him over the animals' sounds. His men slunk from the woods like ghosts, surrounding us and the gate. The relief of the men behind us who'd remained was palpable even while their fellow soldiers raised their guns.

Every one of them aimed at only one person. I yanked Quinlan behind me, while Knox hauled Jazz with one arm to the spot beside him.

Like his men, Thalasso had eyes for only one of us. His black eyes narrowed but with something that looked more like curiosity.

"I expected Pierce to fail, like he has every other time."

The man in question hobbled forward, looking somehow worse than the last time we'd seen him, and he'd looked like shit then. One eye was completely swollen shut. He had a cracked lip and cradled his injured arm at his chest like it was an infant. The dirty bandage smelled of infection.

"I don't like being lied to," Thalasso growled and lifted the back of his hand as though he would strike him again before he let it fall heavily on Pierce's shoulder. "But I am a fair master. I told you you would be rewarded if you were right, and you were, so you shall." Thalasso brought his wrist to his mouth and bit down. Dark blood poured from the self-inflicted wound. He smeared his wrist over Pierce's face. Our former leader yelped, clearly expecting another punishment. What he got was a face covered with demon blood.

He licked his face, tentatively, until that first swipe into his mouth. His tongue slid immediately back out, licking his face like a dog who'd recently been given peanut butter. Thalasso brought his wrist to Pierce's mouth, and his hands flew up, holding Thalasso's gift in place while he sucked greedily.

Thalasso ripped his arm away, and the effect was immediate. Pierce stood straight. His swollen eye opened, disappearing as it should've, had he been able to heal like he once had. The cut on his lip healed. He lifted his left arm from his chest, ripping off the filthy bandage to reveal a hand growing from the end.

Sitka made an angry noise.

Thalasso turned his back on Pierce's transformation, his eyes finding Quinlan once more. He arched his nonexistent brow. "Where's Claus?"

"He's on his way," Quinlan snapped.

The soldiers snickered.

"Always trying to be fashionably late, that one. Doesn't matter. You're all too late, unless you're here to sacrifice his brother," Thalasso sneered. He looked over our heads, to his remaining guards. "Do not let that one anywhere near the gate." He gestured toward Quinlan. "I didn't think you had it in you. Really. So much for true love. Thankfully, Pierce's knowledge of you has proved his most useful asset. He said there was no way you wouldn't try to close the gate. He said you'd try to use