The Filthy Claws: Out for Blood (Exiled Book 2)

by J. K. Jones

“She can’t have you,” Micah says sternly. “I won’t allow it.”

  Shit. How could he forget? The blood pact he made with the goddess. Eventually, she’ll come to collect. Ryu turns to look at Micah, cupping his cheek. “It’s okay. I already made peace with it.”

  “Well, I haven’t,” Micah grits out. “I’m not going to. I’ll figure out a way to stop her from coming for you.”

  Years ago, he never expected things would be as they are now. Even if he could go back in time, he would do it all again. The lives he saved are worth the sacrifice. Vuneas is known for her retribution. She won’t take kindly to being thwarted. Ryu doesn’t want Micah to make any unnecessary trouble for him. If and when the goddess comes, they’ll deal with her then. Ryu gently thumbs the red bracelet on Micah’s wrist.

  “I’m sorry.” Ryu pecks his lips. “I didn’t think how much this would affect you. I was in a dark space then. I never thought we would get back together. I don’t regret my decision.”

  “I know. You did what you thought was necessary. I must do the same.” His black eyes hold a willfulness that tells Ryu Micah won’t budge. Even if it means bringing the war to the gods themselves, Micah will find a way to keep Ryu here.

  Ryu laughs, although it’s awkward and hollow. He doesn’t want to think about it. Leaving Micah after getting him back would be hell on earth.

  “Let’s not talk about it.”

  “Agreed.”

  Micah is quiet for a moment, trailing his fingers down his hips. “We can get married in a week.”

  His brain short-circuits. There’s no way he can plan a wedding in the middle of a goddamn war. Not only will it be a logistical nightmare, but half the wolves don’t even want him as Micah’s mate. “But—”

  Micah pushes him onto his back and enters him swiftly.

  “Ah.” Ryu yields and spreads his legs. His hole still feels tender from before. Micah covers his body, sweetly peppering his face with kisses and whispering words of love and affection.

  “A week.”

  “How about never?”

  Laughing, Micah presses him farther down into the mattress. It’s wonderful. So much so that his eyes prickle with joyful tears.

  Chapter 53

  Ten thousand soldiers march onward in a constant beat of step after step. The vibrations in the ground will make sure even the Deaf know this army is coming.

  Ryu watches them keenly, lingering on the Filthy Claws standing in strict formation with the Silvercrest Howlers. Marissa leads upfront with General Sato. They run drills and march through the encampment so that the Filthy Claws can learn their fighting style. Several vaccination clinics have been set up. Ryu personally oversees the distribution and the immunization of the Filthy Claws. Micah has set up a bunker for them in case anything were to go wrong.

  Although things are going well, something still doesn’t sit right with Ryu. He bits his lips, gripping the railing on the balcony tightly.

  Timewalker. What does that mean? Is it possible the Bloodhound Prince can move between different dimensions? If so, what would that mean when they try to kill him? Could he be killed? Ryu sighs deeply, weighing the pros and cons of each. If it’s a battle between the gods, then Ryu can only do his part and act as the vessel for Vuneas until instructed otherwise. Ryu looks at the sky, taking in the darkening clouds. Water pellets his skin as thunder roars in the distance.

  Smiling, he catches a few drops on his lips. It’s glorious. In a few days, they should’ve everyone vaccinated, and they can launch a full-scale attack on the Silvercrest Howlers clan. Micah wants to be married before they leave, and Ryu can’t find it in his heart to deny him. They should’ve been married a long time ago. Ryu takes the stairs to the bunker, nodding to several wolves.

  Micah wants to meet him at the shrine of Thogues, the god of virtue, in the west wing to discuss something important. Ryu isn’t sure exactly what it is, but he knows that time is of the essence. They’ll have to work quickly to mount a surprise attack on the Filthy Claws. The shrine is small with minimal decor except for calligraphy. Incense burns incense, and on the table lie several offerings.

  When Ryu enters, Trmon welcomes him with a warm smile.

  “What’s the big emergency?” Ryu asks him, then looks at Micah, who sits prostrated before the altar.

  Trmon grins. “You’ll find out.”

  Ryu hands over his weapons and washes his hands. He doesn’t speak but kneels beside Micah and bows as well. They sit in silence for a few moments, both of them offering up silent prayers. Then Micah gets up, and Ryu follows him out.

  Once they are outside, Micah takes him into his arms and kisses him softly. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Ryu’s heart thumps wildly in his chest, and his cheeks heat when he thinks about Trmon watching them. “How are you?”

  “Better.” Micah kisses him again and flicks his hair over his shoulder to expose his Māku. “Don’t hide it. The world needs to see it.”

  Wolves often get possessive over mating. Micah’s tone doesn’t surprise him. What does is the look of utter devotion in his eyes. Almost like he can see right into his soul.

  “Okay, I won’t.”

  Micah nods, then turns around. “I want us to be married here tomorrow. Marissa has offered to gather a few women to cook and prepare. There’s a building nearby we can set up for dining afterward.”

  Ryu hums his response, looking around the area. It’s nice, quaint, something he knows Amaya would’ve approved of. Micah’s preference for having a Shinto wedding seems practical. The Filthy Claws have several Shinto priests available who can stand at the altar while they perform the ceremony. Ryu imagines standing in the center of the room while several wolves stand behind tables containing sake and small pieces of fruits. Shinto ceremonies rely heavily upon purification. Ryu knows that most of the clans are interested in seeing the mating ritual take place.

  “Three cups, three sips, three times,” Ryu mumbles.

  “San-san-ku-do ceremony.” Micah grins. “Three oaths taken three times, poured into three cups, and swallowed in three sips. What do you think?”

  “Brilliant.” Ryu throws his arms around him. “I can’t wait.”

  Micah smiles down at him. “Me either.”

  They kiss again, and Ryu sighs deeply into his mouth. Elation bubbles in him, the excitement of finally merging their lives and becoming one.

  “Are you two finished?” Trmon asks. “I don’t think my eyes can take any more of this lovey-dovey shit.”

  Ryu pulls away. “Sorry.”

  “General Hasegawa is asking for you, something about a disturbance in the east.”

  “Okay,” Micah replies, then pecks Ryu again. “Find me later.”

  “Yes, Alpha.”

  Ryu watches them walk away, his heart in his throat. God, he’s so in love. Too in love. Left on his own, Ryu wanders in the gardens, smiling to himself and thinking back on how he got here. After this, he can’t wait to relax and rest his mind, only looking for ways to rebuild the future. The Filthy Claws clan will prosper. With the help of Ryu and Micah, they can create a formidable clan. It’s exciting, exhilarating even.

  Lightning flashes through the dark sky, and by the time he’s back at the entrance, his leather jacket is soaked. Heavy clouds blot out the sun, making shadows descend upon him. The air chills. The buildings look more delipidated than ever before.

  Chapter 54

  Something doesn’t feel right. A sharp silhouette emerges from the darkness and strides toward him confidently. The man has broad shoulders and a slim waist. Ryu unsheathes his katana.

  He smells of death.

  Thunder roars as heavy rain, mixed with snow and chunks of ice pour down. Ryu takes a menacing step forward with his sword drawn. The hairs on his arm stand on end. His breath hitches as the man stretches his hand out and a sword materializes out of thin air. It’s long and curved, like a scimitar.

  A flash of white and red makes him reel back. No. Ryu staggers, his
heart thumping like mad. Impossible. Arima Kihei is here. Ryu’s stomach turns. Fear settles in his core. For weeks, he’s dreamed of the Bloodhound Prince, the ravenous monster ripping apart his life and destroying everyone he loves. It’s all obliterated. Their plans, their strategies—everything. Even the immunization of the Filthy Claws clan.

  The final string of hope snaps.

  The panic nearly strangles him alive.

  Women and children are here, vulnerable people who won’t last a second against a Lycan army. He’s failed them again. Ryu looks around frantically, trying to figure out his next move. Sound the alarm. Evacuate the city. Ryu tells Micah frantically through the link. He vaults onto the closest rooftop and lands in a crouch. From this position, he can leap onto the roof of the pavilion, using the trees as cover. It’s the only way to make it back to the encampment without being spotted. Uncertainty teases his mind.

  Ryu rises slowly, getting ready to leap. The hairs on his neck stand up. He throws his weight back, just in time to dodge a wicked slash of silver zip by his face. He pivots and clashes his sword against his opponents.

  Arima Kihei sprints forward, slicing his sword, meeting Hikari head-on. The impact makes sparks fly and his arms judder. Raw, black resentment mists out from the ground, from the sky, from unseen pockets all around him and takes on mass, waiting for their master’s command. He’s too powerful. Ryu’s arms shake. His hold is precariously slipping as Hikari wavers.

  “Boo.” Arima Kihei grins, his lips pulled back to reveal protruding fangs. His eyes glow a deep demonic red. “Tsk, tsk, Ryu, how could you be so sloppy?”

  Damn him. Ryu snarls, baring his teeth. This is bad, very bad. His grip on Hikari is tight, bruising, as he fights to maintain composure. “Fucking bastard.”

  “Music to my ears.” Arima Kihei chuckles heartily. His blade gleams bloodred, pulsating with a vengeance. Ryu deftly dodges the first strike, narrowly missing the wide swing of his sword. Their swords clack and clang. Hikari is burning brighter and brighter, lighting a fire in his blood. Ryu rages, springing back before punting forward. Fucking bastard. Ryu hates him down to his bones.

  “I hope you don’t mind.” Arima Kihei grins. “I brought a few of my friends with me.”

  Ryu ducks just as a fierce Lycan sail over his head. The creature lands hazardously. His massive claws scrape across the shingles, ripping it to shreds. That filthy rat. Ry is seething. No true Samurai would fight this dirty. More Lycans scale the building, their massive bodies eclipsing the sky. Fucking hell. Ryu grips Hikari and uses his power to split the sword in two, but it won’t budge. He stares at it in disbelief. Arima Kihei laughs loudly. “You didn’t think I would let you try the same trick twice?”

  What’s going on? Ryu frantically tries to infuse Hikari with spiritual power, but the sword doesn’t move. Fuck it—Ryu rushes forward, swinging his sword wildly as he meets the Lycans head-on. They are strong, but one swipe of his sword with the wolfsbane has them shrilling in agony.

  Arima Kihei attacks, meeting his sword blow by blow, forcing Ryu back toward the edge of the rooftop. A Lycan swipes. His vicious claws catch his ankle and slice through leather and skin. Ryu cries out. The pain tears up his thigh and embeds deeply into the muscle. He hacks the Lycan’s arm off in a blistering rage.

  As he slices off their limbs, green smoke emits from their wounds. Their bodies are malformed. Their hind legs look like a mixture of man and beast, their snouts foam, and their eyes glow a feral red. They snap their jaws viciously, the sound like the crack of a whip. Ryu gasps. Blood seeps from the wound and doesn’t stop. Oh no. He isn’t healing.

  No time to think. Arima Kihei punches him in the face. Ryu loses his footing and tumbles off the building. His heart plummets, and his breath leaves his body as he back slams against the concrete. Ryu grunts upon impact. Blood spurts from his mouth.

  Shit. He rolls just in time. Arima Kihei’s knee comes crashing down beside his head. His vision blurs. He struggles to find focus as he staggers to his feet. Arima Kihei smirks. Raindrops sizzle, emitting steam when they hit his sword.

  The Lycans inch forward, snarling with jaws as sharp as spears. Ryu lets loose, spins and leaps, and cuts them down swiftly. They screech in terror as he moves faster than lighting, slicing and dicing them all to shreds. Adrenaline courses through him. The pain in his ankle throbs intensely, but he can’t stop. The battle is a dance; he knows the moves like muscle memory. It’s an all-out brawl. Ryu against five Lycans with Arima Kihei fluttering in and out of the mix. By the end, his jacket is torn to pieces. He pants as sweat and blood trickle down his brow. Raindrops hit his skin like anvils. It’s bruising and numbs all his other senses. Ryu whips into focus, blocking the deadly swing of Arima Kihei’s sword.

  They fight harder. Panic sparks through him. How long can he keep this up? Ryu tries to go on the offensive, intending to kill, but finds out quickly that Arima Kihei isn’t so easy to outmaneuver.

  Chapter 55

  The Bloodhound Prince moves like a demigod. His swordsmanship is rapid and strident, astonishing fluid and elegant, as calligraphy but needle-sharp and precise—unequivocally lethal. Ryu falters, unable to keep up, and Arima Kihei kicks him hard in the chest. He can’t win. Ryu is frantic, screaming in frustration as he charges forward. Arima Kihei beams, evading each lunge earnestly.

  To Ryu’s horror, he meets every slice, every thrust, and every block. It’s like he knows his next move. It’s absurd. The more their swords meet, the more strength he gains, as if it’s whistling a piercing melody, a demonic beacon.

  “Give it to me.” Arima Kihei’s eyes flash red. He burrows down with an insurmountable force.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ryu erupts with fury, attacking him with everything he has. Hikari’s light dims, fading into the dull silver of his original blade. He can’t win. Not like this.

  “There it is.” Arima Kihei’s nostrils flare. “Give it to me.”

  “Go to hell.” Ryu sweeps his legs and knocks Arima Kihei onto his ass. He flies off the building and runs like hell to get away from him until his lungs burn in his chest. How the fuck is he getting more powerful? Ryu rips the remainder of his jacket off and wraps it around his ankle, which bleeds profusely. He groans when he realizes that he’s been poisoned. The Lycans’ claws must be laced with something. They can’t fight. They need to retreat. Ryu sprints toward the encampment, stumbling on dirt and debris. Several buildings have toppled, and smoke smolders the air. People are running for their lives. Lycans swarm the area like ants. They come in thousands—tens of thousands.

  Ryu’s eyes prickle with tears. Their homes are gone. What’s happening? Micah. Ryu calls desperately through the link.

  Micah. No response. Ryu races through the inner cities, killing Lycans and freeing as many people as he can. Over the ridge, he sees the encampment. His heart beats wildly in his chest. Maybe he can—

  The building explodes.

  The blast blows him several feet backward. Ryu crashes through a brick wall. The harsh impact judders his bones. His muscles strain as he coughs blood. Ryu groans. His vision nearly whites out from the pain in his ankle. His lungs pump like bellows, driving air in and out as he forces himself to get up. His army. All the wolves—gone. His stomach roils.

  Where is Micah?

  The civilians shout obscenities, and the remaining Silvercrest Howlers help those buried under debris. Ryu tries to feel out the Māku, but it’s blocked. He can’t feel anything anymore.

  Clawing his way out, he finally reaches the side of the road. The entire area is wiped out, the mass armies and might of the Silvercrest Howlers grounded into dust. Ryu’s heart shatters as he takes it all in. They’ve lost everything. He needs to be strong. He needs to find his mate. Then he’ll fucking kill the Bloodhound Prince once and for all.

  “Is that a threat or a promise?”

  Thunder roars, and lightning crackles. Levitating in the sky, his silhouette against the darkening clouds,
the Bloodhound Prince is like a god. He commands an army of legions. They all flock toward him like insects. The winds pick up and turn into a rancorous tornado, causing wolves to be swept up and thrown fifty feet into the air.

  “Give it to me, and this will all be over, Ryu,” Arima Kihei says, his voice carrying over the terrorizing winds.

  What does he want? Ryu clenches his fist in a fury that sparks in his core. What the hell does he fucking want from him?

  “Everything. Become my vessel. Become my second. Come into me and let us be one,” Arima Kihei replies in a mocking tone. Can he hear his thoughts? Ryu stumbles away, clutching his head. Is that how he was able to breach their encampment? “Thanks to you, I’m more powerful than I’ve ever been.”

  “Prick.” Ryu wipes the blood from his mouth and takes off down the street. He reaches through the link again and finds he can hear muffled voices.

  Micah. He cries desperately. Still no response. Frantically searching every building, Ryu finds himself near the back of the encampment. The double doors are broken, hanging off their hinges. There’s a chance Micah might be in there.

  “Micah—”

  “Shut up.” Deryn clamps his hand around his mouth. He pivots behind a crumbling wall. Ripping his hand away, Ryu turns around breathlessly. Deryn looks awful with his split lip and his left eye bruising black.

  “Where’s Micah?”

  “Good to see you too,” Deryn snaps. “He’s in here badly wounded.” Ryu pushes past him, his heart in his throat. General Sato and General Hasegawa look the worse for wear, but Ryu is in too much turmoil to care.

  “Micah,” Ryu exclaims, panic pulsating through him.

  “I’m here.”

  He rushes forward and falls to his knees in front of his Alpha. “Micah.” Ryu’s voice breaks, his arm lies limp and useless at his side, and his leg is nearly torn to shreds. “Micah.”

  He cups his face, and Ryu can’t stop the flow of tears.