Page 18 of Psycho Pack

That's more like it.

"Stop!" Ivy's voice cuts through the chaos. "Don't hurt him! He's innocent!"

Thane barks out a choking laugh as the Knight continues to crush him into the ground. "Not… really... a concern... right now..."

I tighten my arm around the Knight's throat, trying to choke him out. But it's like trying to wrestle a fucking dragon. His mechanical arm whirs and clicks as he reaches back, trying to grab me. Those foot-long talons slash the air inches from my face.

"Get the fuck off my bro!" I roar, grabbing another rod and wrenching it free. More blood pours from the fresh wound as the Knight roars in what has to be pure agony, but he still isn't stopping.

It's like hecan'tstop.

His dark blood soaks through my clothes, making my grip slippery. He doesn't stop even when Wraith drives one of the rods I tore out straight into his side, digging into what has to be organs.

"Stop! Please!" Ivy screams again, her voice cracking.

Both Wraith and the iron monster freeze. The whole building shakes as another explosion rocks the foundations, but the Knight stays frozen, his glowing blue gaze flicking back to Ivy.

"You don't have to do this," Ivy says, softer now. "You're not what they made you."

For a second, I'm pretty damn sure the Knight's gonna prove her wrong, but then he staggers back from Thane.

Thane rolls to his side, spitting up blood.

I drop from the monster's back, my ribs screaming in protest. Black blood keeps dripping from the holes where I ripped out those metal rods as I grab Thane by the leg and drag his ass to a safer spot.

Fuck, I hope Ivy's the monster whisperer she seems to be now.

Wraith moves like liquid shadow, putting himself between us and the Knight. His ruined face is a mess of blood trickling down his exposed sharp teeth, but he just stands there, chest heaving, staring the bigger beast down.

The Knight's glowing eyes lock onto him.

Two monsters sizing each other up.

Then the Knight's head drops.

Another hollow growl echoes from his mask as he looks at Ivy one last time. Before any of us can move, he stomps off the way he came, the oversized chains dangling from his back dragging behind him and leaving sparks in his wake. The sound of his slow thundering footsteps fades into the bowels of the facility.

Holy.

Fucking.

Shit.

"Fuck yeah!" I whoop, spinning around to fist bump Wraith. "That's how we do it, baby!"

Wraith's head snaps toward me, blue eyes instantly feral. His fist connects with my face so fast I don't even see it coming. My head cracks against the wall and I slide down, tasting blood.

"Again!" I clutch my bleeding face, glaring up at Wraith. "Every fucking time with the nose. What the fuck did my nose ever do to you?"

He looms over me, his mangled face totally unreadable other than vague confusion in his eyes. Fuck, he's jarring. In a metal way. But still.

"It's called a fist bump, bro," I say, exasperated. "It's friendly. Little wildcat's gotta teach you some social cues."

He keeps staring down at me for an uncomfortably long time. Then his massive fist extends toward me, slowly and carefully, and his scarred knuckles bump against mine.

I blow a puff of air that stirs my hair, which is somehow plastered to my face. Gotta get a damn haircut before I end up with a mane like Thane. Plague can rock it, but we can't.

I wipe blood off my busted nose and haul myself up, keeping one eye on Wraith. But he's not paying attention to me anymore. His massive frame is already curled protectively around Ivy, who's pressing herself into his arms like she can't get close enough.

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