more than you,” I tease.
We have no more time for talking as they come at us then. We have to fight our way through them to get to her. I slash and stab, breaking necks and ripping them apart with my claws as Khalid fights by my side. Their blood coats us, their bodies spongy on the ground as we battle every inch of the way. One attacks from the front, and I fling myself at him, knock him to the ground, and then snap his neck and twist. I leap to my feet and stab out with my claws at another one approaching from behind. It goes on and on. My heart hammers with adrenaline, and my animals roar in pleasure as they get to rip through the masses to get to her. At some point, they surge around us, separating Khalid and me, and we drift farther and farther apart as more zombies flow over the hill. Those supernatural ones wait at her side while she grins at us, enjoying watching us as we fight for our lives.
Then I hear him, Khalid. “Lilith, stop this! This isn’t you, stop!” he yells, and I look over to see he’s close to her, but he’s still fighting, growling, and throwing zombies away as he tries to get to her. Even now, he’s trying to save his sister.
Lilith turns her power on him, though, and he’s vulnerable. He won’t fight back, and I know she’s going to kill him. I can’t let that happen. I gather everything within me, all of my animals and the new knowledge I got when I touched her—the knowledge of what the Fate meant and what she told me… I can take her powers.
I charge.
I fling myself over zombies, slide through their legs, and climb over them, stabbing as I go until I’ve almost reached her. I see her raise her hand, and I know what’s going to happen. But I won’t let it. “Hey, bitch face,” I shout as I throw a knife. She turns, stopping the knife in mid-air, and with a snarl and a jerk of her head, it turns and soars back at me. I don’t even have time to move as it embeds in my stomach. Groaning, I look down and see the blood, and then her power hits me once again.
I fight through it to get to her while Khalid screams my name and tries to reach me, but he’s restrained by two zombies. All of her anger is aimed at me now, that power building and building. The whole world turns black with it. The earth rolls, and roars sound until, with one last pulse, it stabs through me like an electric shock and I’m thrown again.
Once more, I sail through the air, but this time I know it won’t end well.
“Remi!” Khalid screams as I smack into a tree and slump to the ground. Agony rocks through my body, my hands covering my stomach as every bone breaks. She sets fire to my insides with her power, ripping me apart, and then I hear another voice.
“Lilith, enough!” comes the ground shaking roar, and for a moment, everything stops. I lift my head, my eyes blurry, and see the huge outline of a man stepping from the forest. It stops her though, and her power leaves me. I slump to the ground, my heart skipping a beat. I’ve felt pain before, but never like this. Even my animals are circling inside me to try and protect me, but I know I’m hurt. Badly.
“Stop,” the newcomer demands.
“Never, but I’m afraid I have to get going. It’s not time for the end just yet!” She laughs.
“I won’t let you,” the stranger replies.
“Then you have a choice—save your brother and his mate or stop me.” She chuckles. “Choose, my love.” I feel a flash of energy, and when I look up, she has disappeared in a black mist.
But the zombies are still here, and Khalid is fighting the never-ending horde of zombies left behind, all apart from the supernatural ones. I struggle to get up, to get to him, but my eyes start to fail me. There’s a buzzing in my ears, and my body is flashing hot and cold and won’t respond. My shift won’t come over me, I’m too hurt.
The last thing I see is the stranger stopping before me as he faces off with the zombies.
Choice made—to save us.
To lose her.
Then I pass out.
KHALID
I don’t even have time to