Page 97 of Land of Monsters

POP! POP!

Gunfire went off outside, voices barking and yelling, reconfirming someone new had joined the discord. My gut sparked with understanding, an instinct drawing me out the front doors.

The back end of the museum was crumbling, and one of the jeeps was on fire, the heat of the flames scorching my cheeks, the smell of gas watering my nose. A jumble of forms made their way toward the surviving jeep, shooting toward the back of the museum at the new assailants.

Joska and Samu shoved Rook into the back of the army truck, his body limp and unconscious, as Balazs climbed into the driver’s seat, Kalaraja slipping into the passenger side.

“No!” Raven hobbled down the steps, the jeep tearing away. “Nooo!” She tried to run after them.

“Raven!” I grabbed her, pulling her back into my arms as steady gunfire came from behind me, pinging off the bumper. The jeep squealed around the corner, disappearing.

A whimper cracked her chest, devastation sinking her into my embrace. The jeep engine drifted farther away, giving over to the sound of crackling fire and melting snow.

The back of my neck prickled with awareness, sensing people behind me.

“This reminds me of our time in Belarus.” A deep voice jarred my head to the side. A massive figure stepped around the burning car. “So once again, you’re welcome, motherfucker.”

I stared, my brain registering the two figures moving in closer, yet my mind still felt like it was hallucinating.

“Fuck the gods,” I whispered hoarsely, my gaze jumping from the man and woman, Opie and Bitzy perched on the woman’s shoulder.

“Funny, that’s what he wants me to call him at night.” The dark-haired woman lowered her weapon.

“I don’t need you to call me a god, princess,” he responded, his arms folding. “You’re already fucking a legend.”

They were not a mirage.

The Wolf and the Grey were here.

Warwick and Brexley had found me.

Chapter 19

Ash

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We raced through the chilly late morning air, the roar of engines filling the space between the two motorcycles. We ventured back to Bra?ov on the bikes Warwick and Brexley had stolen on their journey here.

The shock of them being here had me staring over at them every few minutes, but we did not dare to stop and chat until we were safe.

After hiding the motorcycles in an alley, my hand went to Raven’s lower back, navigating her into the brothel. Warwick and Brexley’s heavy presence behind us bristled my spine as we jogged up the stairs, the tension crackling like electricity.

Workers were stirring people awake, getting them up to repeat the night they had before, an endless stream of gambling, drug, and sex with as many clients as they could. All things I used to indulge in on a daily basis.

Now, I didn’t care to gamble, I no longer craved drugs, and the only thing I wanted was to screw all night was Raven. When did that change? I don’t know, though I felt like I got steamrolled by something I saw coming for miles, never getting out of the way, and now wondering how I got run over.

“Go get cleaned up. I’ll find you food and some clothes,” I muttered in Raven’s ear, leading her into the bathroom. She was still weak from the goblin metal, covered in blood, guts, dirt, and my semen.

Opie was able to get the cuffs off her, but her energy was low, and the guilt and fear she felt for losing her brother again screamed silently inside her. I could feel it, her emotion ripping through her, dragging her legs with every step.

“I don’t want to leave you.” She flicked her eyes back to the pair waiting for me in the hallway with concern.

“I’ll be fine.” My lips brushed her temple. “Go.” I nudged her further into the washroom.

She dipped her head, reaching for her torn, bloody sweater. Clearing my throat, I quickly exited before I could say fuck it and join her, trying to postpone the inevitable.

“In there.” I nodded to the room, Brexley and Warwick following me in.