Page 1 of Land of Monsters

Chapter 1

Ash

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Raven Haley Scarlet Dragen… I am the daughter of Queen Kennedy and Lorcan Dragen.”

I trudged through the snow, my breath resounding in my ears as the freezing night sheared my lungs. Deadweight dangled in my arms, my own energy hanging by a thread. It was her heartbeat, her warmth, that pushed me to keep going, to get us to safety.

Snapping my gaze from side to side, I tried to see through the encroaching darkness, plucking out the danger that could still be looming around, lying in wait for us.

Or maybe what I was carrying was the most dangerous thing of all.

“I’m a dark dweller… and a Druid. Not just a Druid but a natural obscurer.”

Alarm pricked up my neck at the rustling of brush behind me. I waited for men to step out of the forest, their bullets finding us in the night, the Russian Mafia coming to finish the job. Instead, a chilling chorus of howls from hungry wolves sang. Fear thumped a pulse in my neck. They could smell the blood covering us, wetting their palates.

Drained of magic, Raven curled into my chest. After her confession, whatever strength she had left gave out. Her system shut down and she fell to the rocky earth, her body going into healing mode. My body was close to blacking out, working hard to try and heal the bullet wound in my gut, but holding Raven ripped it open, causing fresh blood to trickle out, draining me of more energy than I was taking in from nature.

A low growl carried on the wind, chilling my blood and shoving out any thought except survival. I came to a stumbling stop, fear gripping my heart, when a deep snarl came from the darkness in front of us. More sounded from each side, the wolves circling their prey. In the dead of a cold, harsh winter, in an unforgiving land, food was scarce. And we were wounded and weak.

Over a dozen eyes reflected in the night, moving closer and closer. Various threatening sounds vibrated through the air, the wolves communicating with each other, ready for the alpha to give the attack call. Breath caught in my throat, my muscles locking as more of them inched closer. If I moved suddenly, they would strike.

Peering down at Raven’s pallid face, I swallowed back my trepidation. Black blood was dried under her eyes, nose, and mouth, making her appear more threatening than the things hunting us. Yet there was something delicate about her as well, so vulnerable, creating a frantic need to protect her. My gun was empty, my energy waning, but I would at least die trying to fight, trying to save her.

Going against my instincts, I slowly lowered her down onto the snow, my hand sliding back to the pickaxe on my backpack, anger curling my lips.

Twelve massive gray wolves surrounded us like a noose, teeth bared and snarling. When the Otherworld and Earthmeshed, the magic had transformed native animals. It had made them bigger. Stronger.

And they were hungry.

Stepping over Raven, I spun around, trying to keep eyes on each of them, but there were too many to keep in my sight. My back was always turned to a few. The moment I turned to one side, leaving myself unguarded, I presented them with an opening.

A growl shuddered up the back of my neck as I veered around, swinging the pick, the tip colliding with the wolf’s paws. It tumbled back into the snow, a yip echoing in the air like a cry of war, summoning the troops.

They came at me with relentless precision, eager to take down their prey. Swinging the pick and scattering a few back, I kicked out, my boot cracking against a wolf’s ribs while two more leaped for me, their teeth bared, saliva dripping from their mouths.

My howl of pain rang out when incisors sank into my arm. Swinging my weapon again, I nicked the one digging into my arm, prying it from me like a crowbar.

My attention was contained to one, leaving me wide open to the rest. Teeth snapped down on my calf, pain exploding into my nerves as the alpha shook his head, tearing through the muscle. My leg gave out, my body dropping to the ground. Once I was down, I knew it was over.

Another one went for my side when I tried to push back up, sinking its mouth into the open wound in my gut. A cry ripped from my throat as I tried to shove it off, pain causing me to tumble fully to the ground. I was dead. It was only minutes before they would tear into me, feasting on my flesh.

Raven would die here too, her family never knowing what happened to her. She would never have a full life… all because she followed me.

Get up. Get up now! Protect her!my brain ordered. My head lifted, my eyes squinting through the flakes of snow, spotting her body barely inches from mine. “Raven…” Her name was a rough whisper.

A wolf darted in for her, nipping at her arm, investigating the life left under the skin.

“No!” My voice was hoarse. Digging my fingers into the ground, I crawled to her. “Stay away from her!” I tried to cover her with my body as another one moved in. A growl vibrated the ground. Wrapping around her as much as I could, I waited for the end. I no longer felt teeth sink into me, my mind numbing the pain.

The air crackled with another threatening snarl. It was so deep I felt it wrap around my spine, boring into my gut. It took me a moment to realize the vibration was coming from under me.

Raven shoved herself up, her throat rumbling with a deadly threat. Black fur pushed out from her skin, the structure of her face changing slightly, her teeth pointed daggers. Deep crimson eyes flamed through the darkness.

“No.” Raven’s growl danced over the snow, razors bursting from her vertebra, her claws sharpening.

The pack stopped, one of them whining as it sniffed the air, sensing the danger. A change in prey and hunter. The alpha pranced, looking like it wanted to move in again, but wary of her. It understood she was the true alpha here. The one they should fear.

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