Page 99 of Savage Claim

When I refused to turn toward him, Fane came around to my side and leaned against the counter. His gaze drilled into me until I finally opened my eyes. “You didn’t have to run away.”

“I just needed a minute.” I took a deep, shuddering breath. “It’s like they’re talking about a different person than the one I encountered that night. You saw him in my memories, in my nightmares. That wasn’t the same guy.”

Fane’s lips thinned to tight lines. “No, it wasn’t. Warin was never vicious or cruel. Something was wrong, and I’m going to figure it out. Then I’ll make those responsible pay.”

My heart thumped against my chest because it didn’t seem like he lumped me into that group anymore. He cupped my cheek, his thumb sliding across my bottom lip. He wanted to kiss me, but a struggle raged within him. It was the same song and dance with us from the beginning.

Before he could make a move, Fane’s muscles tensed at the same time as goose bumps erupted across my flesh. And then a piercing scream ripped through the night.

Chapter

Thirty-Five

After the shrill scream rang out, Fane and I bolted through the house and out the back door to find the others out of their seats and facing the line of pine trees and oaks. Creatures emerged from the forest, their eyes—some scarlet while others were unnatural shades of neon—burned with hunger and blood lust.

Oh, shit.

Adrenaline shot through my veins as more than a dozen sub-demons and dux demons approached, snarling and snapping their jaws. Giant worms slithered across the ground, leaving behind a slimy trail, and monsters nearly as tall as me hobbled on spindly legs.

“Why the hell are a bunch of demons here?” I hissed. “This wasn’t Barric’s doing.” Even if the head alpha knew our location, he couldn’t order a horde of demons to attack us.

“I have no fucking clue.” Fane assessed the scene, his muscles coiling tightly and tattoos twitching.

As Nora pushed Dylan toward the house, Ephraim and Preston shed their shirts, poised to shift.

“Go upstairs to your room and lock the door, Dylan.”

He scoffed. “No way! I want to fight. I can shift, and I’m old enough.”

“Now, Dylan!” A growl curled around Nora’s words, but the panic and fear for her youngest were evident. “This is not up for negotiation.”

“Listen to your mother, Dylan.” Ephraim faced his son, fur sprouting from his neck. “You aren’t ready for this. Trust me.”

Dylan had no idea how dangerous this was. As the dux demons approached, the crazed look in their eyes registered. They weren’t in their right mind and wouldn’t care if Dylan was just a kid. We were all the same to them. Food or entertainment.

The youngest Anders spun and marched toward the house, his fists clenching and sneakers pounding the grass. I’d never seen Dylan look so hurt and upset.

“He’ll get over it,” Fane said into my mind. “I’d rather him be pissed than hurt.”

“I know.” I turned back to the advancing enemies as Wrath and Kesa inched our way.

Wrath shook his head. “They can’t be reasoned with. The sub-demons are drawn by the promise of bloodshed while the dux demons are in some kind of psychosis.” His brows dipped, and he swallowed hard as if this actually pained him. “It’s not their fault, but we can’t take any chances. We have to put them down.”

Kessa used a thin scrunchie on her wrist to tie her long raven locks into a ponytail. “What’s affecting them? We need to prevent it from getting worse.”

“I’ll find a way to stop this. I promise.” Wrath cracked his neck. “But for now, it’s kill or be killed.”

“Fane,” Ephraim called. “What are you thinking?”

The demon shifter rolled his huge, powerful shoulders as he studied the approaching enemies. “We’ll take the dux. You guys focus on the sub-demons. Stay focused and move fast.”

Ephraim gave a curt nod, and he and Preston shed the rest of their clothes as they began to shift. To my surprise, Nora was already in wolf form, her honey coat gleaming in the moonlight.

“I’m going to shift,” Fane said.

“Go ahead.” I snatched a transformative hilt out of my boot and activated the blade. Old habits die hard. “I’ll stay on two feet for this one. I can always drop the sword and use my teeth and claws if necessary.” Fully shifting wasn’t the best idea since I had almost no experience fighting in that form.

The fierce look Fane gave me sent ripples of heat down my back. Without words, he told me to be careful.

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