by Ramona Gray
They approached Mia and she let go of Reese’s hand and crouched next to her. She petted the wolf’s fur gently. “I’m sorry that my brother was rude to you, Mia. I will make him apologize. He’s just cranky because he hates humans.”
She glanced up at Reese and mouthed the word ‘sorry’. Reese winked at her before wrapping her arms around her torso. The wind was blowing heavily and she was starting to feel nearly frozen to the bone.
“Come on, Mia. We need to get back. Our alpha will be angry with us if we let the human freeze to death. I will make us some tea and we can talk about how awful my brother is.”
Mia whined softly and Raina smiled at her. “I know. Are you ready to – “
She stopped and Reese frowned at her when she stood up abruptly and turned around. She inhaled deeply, and a trickle of fear went down Reese’s back when she realized the young shifter was starting to swell.
“Mia?” Raina whispered. “Do you smell that?”
Mia lifted her head and sniffed the air before starting to whine again. Raina clapped her hand over the wolf’s mouth and gave her a frightened look. “Be quiet!”
“Raina? What’s wrong?” Reese scanned the woods as she moved closer to the two young shifters.
“We need to go, human.” Raina was trembling badly. “You must run quickly. Do you hear me?”
“What do you smell?”
“A mantorian,” Raina nearly sobbed. “We have to go. We have to run and we have to hide before…”
She trailed off as the thick bushes to their left shivered wildly.
“Too late,” she moaned and the hair on the back of Reese’s neck tried to stand up at the pure terror in Raina’s voice.
The bushes parted and a creature emerged from the shadows. A startled scream peeled from Reese’s throat before she could stop it. The creature had the body of a man but all resemblance to a human ended there. It was over eight feet tall, pure white in colour, and giant white wings covered in tiny feathers sprouted from its back. Her frightened mind guessed its wing span to be at least ten feet. Her gaze drifted to its face and another whine of horror escaped her throat. It was the face nightmares were made of. The skin on its face was covered in the same tiny feathers that adorned its wings, and its eyes were huge, pulsing orbs of red that glowed brightly. Where its mouth should have been was a gaping hole lined with hundreds of small razor-sharp teeth, and two large feelers sprouted from the top of its skull. They rubbed together making a horrible buzzing noise that Reese could feel in her bones. The sound made her want to throw up and pass out at the same time and she took a stumbling step backward.
“Human, run!” Raina suddenly shouted as Mia, her tail between her legs, darted past her. Raina shifted to her wolf form, her clothes shredding around her, and with a frightened bark took off after Mia.
“It’s the goddamn mothman,” Reese said in a breathless little voice as she took another step back.
Run, you fool! Her mind screamed as the creature tilted its head and stared at her.
That was a brilliant fucking idea. Reese turned and ran after the two wolf shifters. Behind her she could feel more than hear the sound of the creature rising into the air. Its wings flapped loudly and it made that inhuman buzzing sound again. Just ahead of her Raina barked loudly, and Reese screamed at her to run faster as the beating of the wings grew closer.
She screamed when the creature’s hands tipped with black claws, closed around her body. She was lifted into the air and she beat at the creature as it stared curiously at her. Its tongue flicked out, long and black and coated in a slime-like goo, and touched her cheek delicately.
She shrieked in disgust and punched it in the chest. The buzzing grew louder and her shirt ripped with a soft purr when the creature threw her to the ground and flew past her.
“No! Get away from them!” She screamed as it swooped down on the frightened wolf shifters. She struggled to her feet and ran toward the creature as Raina howled in fear. It had landed in front of the two young shifters and both of them had flattened to the ground. Their bodies shook with terror as it reached for them.
“Get away from them!” Reese screamed again before throwing herself on to the back of the creature. She shouted in disgust and horror when the creature’s wings flapped against her face. They were hideously warm and she spat out a mouthful of feathers as she hooked her arm around the mothman’s thick neck and squeezed as hard as she could.
The creature reached behind, grabbed her around her throat and tore her from his back with ease. He held her by her neck in front of him, her feet dangling and her body swaying as she beat frantically at his hands. Her face was turning purple as the creature opened its mouth and hissed at her.
Reese, her oxygen cut off, fought bitterly for her life. Black roses bloomed in her vision as her struggles weakened and her hands fell to her side. There was a loud howl of anger and her eyes widened when she saw Kane in his wolf form come bounding out from behind a tree. The creature hissed at Kane, its feelers moving frantically back and forth as more shifters appeared.
It turned his glowing gaze to Reese’s face for a few seconds longer before it threw her into a tree and turned to face the shifters. She hit the tree with a muffled thud and fell to the ground, screaming shrilly when her left leg bounced off a large boulder and blinding pain shot through it.
* * *
Kane howled in anger and fear when he saw his mate dangling in the mantorian’s grip. She stared at him with wide and frightened eyes before the mantorian threw her into a tree. She screamed in agony and his wolf snarled angrily at the sound.
The mantorian was rising into the air, unwilling to face five full-grown shifters. Kane leaped upward and wrapped his powerful jaws around its foot. The mantorian squealed, its wings beating frantically at the air as it lifted Kane upward. Radek, growling ferociously, took a running jump and snagged the mantorian by its left leg. The two shifters dragged it downward and the creature squealed and writhed when Befloc and Borek fell on it and began to tear its stomach open with their sharp teeth.
Kane squirmed past the flapping wings of the mantorian and plunged his fangs into its throat. Its blood, black and horribly bitter, filled his mouth and he snarled and tore the soft flesh wide open before releasing his grip. As blood spurted out of the mantorian’s neck in a black torrent, he raised his face to the sky and howled deafeningly.
* * *
Radek in his wolf form, bounded to his sister and nudged her with his head. She whimpered and licked at his face before running to wear Reese was collapsed at the base of the tree. Raina shifted and crouched naked next to her as behind her, Kane sunk his teeth into the mantorian’s neck.
“Radek! She’s hurt!”
Radek shifted to his human form and studied Reese’s leg. It was lying at an awkward angle and when he touched it, she made a harsh cry of pain and glared at him. “Get away from me, shifter!”
“Radek?” Raina’s voice could barely be heard over Kane’s triumphant howl.
“Radek!” Raina grabbed his arm in a tight grip when he didn’t reply.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” He gave her an anxious look.
She shook her head before pointing to where Reese’s shirt was torn. “Her shoulder, Radek.”
Radek stared at the claiming mark on her shoulder before cursing loudly and yanking up the fabric of her shirt to cover it. “Do not speak of this to anyone, Raina. Do you hear me?” He muttered as Dagon approached.
She nodded and bowed her head in submission when Dagon stopped in front of them. “Does the human live?”
“Aye, Dagon. I believe her leg is broken though.”
“You think?” Reese snapped.
“Can you walk on it, human?” Dagon asked.
“Oh sure, no problem,” she sneered at him. “I’ll get right on that!”
Dagon blinked at her fury and took a step back. He made a harsh noise of surprise when Kane shoved him out of the way with a loud snarl. He knelt next to Ree
se and cupped her face.
“Are you all right, Reese?”
“Do I look okay, shifter?” She scowled.
A small smile crossed his face and he stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I’m going to lift you. It will hurt your leg. Are you ready?”
“Give me a minute,” she muttered. She took several deep breaths, steeling herself against the pain, before nodding. “All right.”
He lifted her easily into her arms, trying to support her broken leg as best as he could but she shrieked in pain. Her entire body stiffened before she slumped against his chest.
“Is she dead?” Raina cried.
“No. She’s fainted from the pain. It’s better for her,” Kane said grimly.
Cradling Reese gently, he strode through the trees toward home.
Chapter 23
Reese stared up at the ceiling of Kane’s cabin. The cabin was filled to the brim with shifters and she wished they would leave. Anna and Asher both leaned over her and stared at her pale face. She ignored them grimly as Asher patted her arm.
“You’re even braver than I thought, human.”
“Did you really attack a mantorian, human?” Anna asked.
Reese didn’t reply. The pain in her leg was relentless and it was taking all of her concentration not to throw up.
“Leave the human alone.” Radek tugged on Anna’s arm and she and Asher moved reluctantly away as Radek stared down at her.
She closed her eyes and didn’t open them again until Adina spoke to her. “Reese, open your eyes, my love.”
She blinked wearily at the blonde woman. “It hurts so much, Adina.”
“I know,” she said soothingly. “Drink this. It will help with the pain. Can you sit up?”
“I don’t think so,” she muttered.
Before she could try, Radek pulled her gently into a sitting position and Adina handed her a cup of steaming liquid.
“Drink, Reese,” she urged.
She sipped at the foul-tasting liquid as her leg throbbed and burned and her stomach rolled with nausea.
“My leg is broken.”
“Aye, it is,” Adina said softly. “I need to set it, Reese. It’s going to hurt badly, even with the tea.”
“Maybe you could drive over to the drugstore and get me some morphine. What do you say?” A weird warmth was starting in her stomach and she thought the pain in her leg wasn’t quite as bad.
“What does she mean?” Radek asked curiously.
“Nothing,” Adina replied quickly. “The tea is making her a bit foolish, that’s all.”
“Foolish,” Reese sang softly. She finished the liquid in three large gulps and smiled at Adina. “I feel better.”
“Good.” Adina stroked her hair. “In a few minutes, I’ll set your leg.”
“Have you done this before?”
She nodded. “Aye, don’t worry.”
“Where’s Kane?” She asked suddenly. The cabin was full of people but she couldn’t see the familiar bulk of Kane anywhere and she suddenly, desperately, wanted him.
“He’s getting a few things for me. He’ll return shortly.”
“Do you promise?” She clutched at Adina’s hand.
“Aye. I’ll be right back, okay?”
Reese nodded and Adina slipped away as Radek continued to study her.
“What?” She scowled at the shifter.
“Why did you save my sister’s life, human?”
“Go away, Radek. I don’t want to talk with you right now,” she muttered.
“Tell me,” he insisted. “Why did you attack a creature you had no chance of defeating to save a girl you barely know?”
“Because I like your sister!” Reese snapped at him.
He stared silently at her and she closed her eyes. “Please leave me alone.”
* * *
“Will these work? They were the straightest I could find,” Kane asked Adina anxiously. They were standing by the main fire outside and she looked over the branches he had gathered. Like she instructed, he had peeled away the bark and she tested each of them.
“Aye, they will work to keep her leg straight once I have set the bone. Do you have rope?”
“Aye, Raina has gone to fetch it.”
“Good.” She hesitated and then patted the large shifter on his arm. “She will be all right, Kane. She’s young and strong and the break is a clean one.”
He nodded and she hesitated before glancing at Dagon’s home. He was standing in the doorway watching them silently and she gave him a tentative smile. He nodded impassively before disappearing into his cabin and she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Are you ready, Kane? I will need you to hold her down while I set her leg.”
His face paled and she patted his arm again. “I can have Hanif and Theran help me.”
“No,” he said hoarsely. “I will not leave her alone in her suffering. Did you give her the tea?”
“Aye and it is helping but it will not be enough to ease her pain when I fix her leg. You must be prepared that she will scream.”
He nodded and pulled a short branch from his pocket. He had stripped it clean as well and he gave Adina a sick look. “I thought she could bite down on this.”
“It is a good idea,” she said softly. “Come, the sooner we do this, the better.”
* * *
“Open your eyes, Reese.”
Her eyes popped open and she smiled with relief at the large shifter. “Where have you been?”
“I was gathering some supplies for Adina to help fix your leg.”
“That’s nice of you.” She reached out to touch his face and, acutely aware of the shifters in the room, he caught her hand and placed it gently on the bed.
She sighed before staring hazily at the roomful of shifters. “Please make them leave. I don’t want them here.”
He nodded and stood up to face the others. “Leave. You do not need to be here.”
There was some grumbling and he snarled viciously at them. The shifters bowed their heads and scurried from the room as Adina held Radek and Borek back.
“Thank you,” she sighed as he sat back down beside her.
“You’re welcome, my love.” He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. “It will be all right. I promise you.”
She nodded and groaned loudly when Adina eased her skirt up to her thighs. “Are you ready, Reese?”
She nodded again and made a short sound of fear when Borek placed his hands on her right thigh and Radek rested his hands on her right arm and shoulder. Kane snarled at them and Adina said quickly, “We will need their help to hold her steady, Kane. It’s better if she doesn’t move.”
He nodded and cupped Reese’s cheek when she tried to raise her head to look at her leg. “No. Look at me, Reese, only at me.”
She latched on to his hand with a panicked grip and he stroked her face soothingly. “Be brave, my love.”
She stared up at him with wide eyes. She wanted to be brave but oh she was afraid. It was going to hurt, hurt badly, and she had never been more afraid in her life. Her heart was thudding like a freight train in her chest and there was a weird buzzing in her ears. She was breathing in short, harsh pants and there was suddenly not enough oxygen in the room.
“Reese?” Kane’s voice was filled with alarm and Adina leaned over her.
“You breathe too quickly, Reese. You must slow it down. Do you hear me?”
She continued to pant as her eyes rolled with fear, and then Kane was there. His warm hand cupped her face again and his forehead rested against hers.
“Like this, my love,” he whispered, his warm breath washing over her. “Do what I do.”
He took a deep breath in through his nose and she tried to mimic him, letting her breath out through her mouth as he exhaled. She continued to mimic him with long flat inhales through her nose and harsh exhales through her mouth until the buzzing was gone and the light-headedness had passed.
“Good,” he whispered before kissing h
er on the mouth.
She stared at the piece of wood Kane was holding. “Bite down on this.”
She opened her mouth and gripped the smooth wood firmly with her teeth as Kane kissed her forehead. She was still holding his hand and he kissed her knuckles lightly before lowering her arm to the bed. He held her hand in a tight grip and slipped his other hand under her torn shirt to press against her shoulder. He stroked the scar with the tips of his fingers before pressing her firmly into the bed. “We’re ready, Adina.”
He smiled reassuringly at Reese. “Look only at me, my love.”
Reese stared into his dark eyes as Adina gripped her leg. Her hands were warm but she trembled violently at her touch and moaned lightly when pain shot through her leg.
“Steady, Reese,” Kane murmured.
Adina pulled on her leg. Reese, sweat rolling down her face and her jaw clamping down on the stick between her teeth, cried out. The pain was enormous, like nothing she had ever felt or even imagined. As it filled her world with bright, unending agony, she tried to hold back the scream building in her throat.
It was impossible. As Adina pulled again and new agony flared in her leg, she shrieked piercingly and tried to buck free of the men holding her down.
“Hold her!” Adina said sharply.
The three of them with pale and grim faces, pressed their considerable weight on to the screaming, trembling woman. Kane stared down at his mate. Her face was completely bloodless and he could see the deep bite marks on the wood she held in her mouth.
“It is all right, my love.” He tried to speak soothingly but his wolf was howling in misery over his mate’s pain and it was hard to think past its relentless call.
“Almost there,” Adina said. She pulled again and Reese gave one final shriek of pain, her entire body arching upward before her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed on the bed.
Kane, feeling sick to his stomach, pulled the piece of wood from her mouth and smoothed her hair away from her face. His hand was shaking badly and he nodded when Borek gripped his shoulder. “She will be fine, Kane.”
