Page 55 of Touch of Evil

It takes some muscle and speed to put enough space between us. I swim in a zigzag pattern to avoid those freak hands. With the motion of the lake and all the debris I’m trying to avoid, I struggle to reach what remains of the wall.

My paws dig into the rock. It brittles beneath my weight and almost right away, I’m back in the water. I try again, fighting for each stride I make, all while checking to make sure Emme hasn’t fallen.

Waves splash against my tail. I’m making headway, just not fast enough. This place will cave inward in one shot and it’s filling faster than we planned.

I jerk my head up, hoping like hell Emme still has room to breathe.

Pure fucking joy has me wagging my tail when I find Emme cowering in a small groove within the wall.

“Bren,” she says.

I can’t tell if she’s crying or if she’s just wet. It doesn’t damn well matter. I’ve never been so happy to see this pretty face.

She clutches my neck, her slender arms giving warmth and love all at once. “You’re here,” she stammers.

Jesus. Her lips are blue, her skin is the color of my ass, and she’s shaking out of control. Ichangeto speak to her, wishing to heaven and back I could just hold her.

“Time to go, baby,” I tell her. “You ready?”

She glances up to what remains of the translucent shield, her gaze targeting a hole just big enough for two. “Not really,” she admits.

I smile. Or at least try to. “Neither am I, but I say we haul ass anyway.”

She chokes back a sob and a laugh, the way she does when she knows we’re absolutely screwed and scared out of her mind, but somehow still believes we’ll make it anyway.

Ichangeback to wolf. The moment I feel Emme settle onto my back I take one last leap of faith.

Together we bust through what remains of the ceiling. And hell, has kicking ass never felt so right.

I’m no longer swimming. I’m propelling myself to the surface like a shark ready to maul anything that gets in my way.

Emme’s little. That means she has little lungs. The pressure of moving this fast could burst them, ’cept drowning will kill her just as fast.

Hang in there, Em. Don’t you give up on me.

My hind legs pump hard, fighting against the instinct to slow and permit my wolf’s essence to finish healing me.

Emme’s hold loosens and her body starts to float away just as we break through the water.

Ichange, wrenching her into my arms.

The moon basks us under the best damn light I’ve ever seen and I’m holding the best girl I know.

“Yeah,” I holler. “We made it, baby!”

Emme coughs and swipes at her face several times. She blinks away the droplets coating her thick lashes and throws her arms around me.

The shore, it’s not too far away, and the docks are only a short swim away at best. I should start swimming, get her to land and safely back home.

Like a jackass, I don’t move. I tread water and just look at her, smiling till my face actually hurts.

“Bren,” she says, holding me close. “I can’t believe, I mean, goodness. I can’t believe we did it.”

“No, baby,” I say. “Youdid it.”

The smile she greets me with should be illegal. I maintain my position, taking her all in beneath the moonlight’s haunting glow.

It’s been a crappola of a night. Dawn isn’t far away, and neither are the docks. Still, I don’t move, stealing more time with just me and Emme.

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