Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
The wolves were just as huge. Darkness seeped from their scalps to give them a shadowy mane. Those shadows also grazed different parts of their bodies, resembling fur. Rather than being filled with glowing rings, their irises glowed crimson. Their faces remained a little too humanoid for comfort, while their elongated mouths possessed far too many fangs. I gawked at both sets of immortals as icy raindrops pelted my skin, collecting in my lashes. I’d known what they were—in theory. Seeing them live and in person, well, there was no way I would ever survive a berserker’s rage or an encounter with a wolf. And here I’d been poking at the monster all this time!
Expecting the untransformed Callen to toss me into the car and join the fray, I braced. Instead, he switched directions, sprinting toward the circle of stones, carrying me straight into the action.
“Take me home,” I screeched.
“Wolves can tear through metal. The safest spot for you is inside the circle. Wolves can’t enter.”
A beast charged at us, fangs bared, but Callen used his free arm to bat the creature aside as if it weighed nothing. Another wolf lunged and bit his thigh, but he didn’t even wince before punting it in the face.
Claws swiped toward me. Callen twisted, taking the blow. The sight of his torn flesh…
“I want to go home,” I cried.
“I will die before I allow harm to come to you,” he vowed, “and I cannot die.”
A laugh bubbled up; a hysterical, broken sound. He could so die. A wolf only needed to remove his heart. But now probably wasn’t the best time to remind him.
All around us, berserkers shredded wolves, and wolves shredded berserkers, each attempting to hobble the other. Severed limbs flew. Blood sprayed, tainting rain puddles that collected over the ground. But the truly frightening thing? The berserkers were smiling. When they finished with one attacker, they purposely hunted another.
“The longer the wolves remain near the stones, the weaker they become,” Callen said, absorbing more blows meant for me.
I beheld weakened wolves? What must these creatures look like in full force? “Why did they come here?”
“Good question.” His lips thinned as he kicked a wolf several yards. “They know they can’t win, so why risk it?”
Halfway to our destination, a huge, snarling beast dove through mist, aimed straight at us, claws and teeth bared and the ready. My hands lifted in reflex to hold the monster at bay, but Callen palmed an ax strapped to his back and swung, cutting off the creature’s head mid-air. Hot blood splattered over my face.
Callen picked up the ax as we raced past, and another laugh bubbled from me. Blood. On my face. Searing me to the core of my being. From a wolf-shifter who’d hoped to murder me. Words poured from my mouth, and I couldn’t stop them. “I need to shower.” The rain wasn’t enough. I required soap and sandpaper.
“I’m a little occupied at the moment, wife.” With only one arm available, the other busy holding me, he took down two, four, six more wolves, all while running up a hill.
Several of his men joined us, flanking his side, ripping through anyone who got in our way. Though the warriors had entered their battleheat, becoming true berserkers, they didn’t focus their menace on each other. They must be the exception to the ‘everyone dies’ rule.
The rain came down harder, and the wolves ramped up their attack. My heart pounded. Callen never missed a beat, somehow keeping me uninjured while brandishing his weapons. But sizzling rage had begun to pulse over his skin. I felt it. How long before he transformed and lost himself in a battle trance?
Can’t let him. “I demand a shower, Callen. Now!” On some level, I knew I wasn’t vocalizing the right thing. But the desire to shut myself into a stall and wash up grew urgent, overshadowing even my panic.
“Soon, I promise.” His understanding tone almost proved to be my undoing. Slash, slash. He ended two more wolves.
“Please?” It was all too much. Tears stung my eyes. I clung to him. “I’ll behave from now on, I swear.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. As we closed in on the stones, a line of wolves formed in front of us. Callen didn’t slow. Rather, he tightened his hold on me and dove, curling his body around mine. Like a living wrecking ball, we crashed into the wolves. I heard fierce snarls and felt acrid breath on my flesh, but I sustained no injuries. No bites or scratches.
We landed and rolled, Callen absorbing the worst of the impact. He popped to his feet, tugging me to mine. Oh my goodness! Bites and scratches littered his body, crimson wetting his mutilated limbs. He’d taken all damage upon himself, and it only sharpened his rage. Was a trance imminent?