Page 41 of Cry of the Firebird

"There's something in there," he said raggedly. "Something alive."

"They are thorns. We need to get away from here first, and we can worry about cutting them out later."

"Tell me if you feel sick in any way. We don't know what will happen with those things inside your body."

"Deal. Go and get your things. I'll be downstairs," Anya said, picking up her pack and sliding her knife down the side of her boot. Trajan reappeared wearing a black leather jacket and had a pair of sunglasses pushed up on his dark hair.

"They are ready and waiting for you," he said quietly.

Anya nodded and went to move past him, but he grabbed her, holding her tightly. The shock of him hugging her wore off, and she wrapped her arms around him, the fear inside of her easing just a little.

"Yvan told me about your hands. Whatever it is, we will fix it, Anya," he said.

"I'm sure it's nothing," she lied, stepping away from him. "We need to go."

Yvan, Izrayl, and Cerise were waiting for them outside in the midday sun. Cerise was in a long fur coat and was smoking a cigarette. She looked at Anya's hand but didn't mention the scars.

"Izrayl, I'll carry your clothes in my pack," Trajan said.

"Always looking out for me, big brother." Thevolk krovigrinned.

"I don't think the ladies will want to see your naked body when you change back."

"Their loss," Izrayl said and started to shed his clothes. Bones began to snap, and black fur burst from his brown skin. His long hair formed into a ridge of fur down his back, and in seconds, a large wolf was looking at Anya with big amber eyes.

"God, that won't ever stop being amazing," Anya whispered in awe.

The wolf sniffed the air once before he trotted off into the trees.

"Shall we?" Cerise said, following him with a swish of her fur coat.

"Please tell me if you start to feel unwell or strange in any way," Trajan said to Anya.

"I promise. You all need to stop babying me."

In front of her, Yvan gave her a nod, and she knew he watched her too. With an inward sigh, she set off after Cerise.

They kept a quick pace through the forest of birch and pine trees. Anya slipped on pine needles and wet logs, but each time Yvan or Trajan was there to catch her before she went down. Her hand had started to itch terribly, but she refused to scratch it in case they began to fret over her.

"So how did you meet Trajan? Did you know each other in the Underworld?" Anya asked Cerise, wanting something to distract her.

"Oh, god no. The Greek Underworld isn't exactly a social place," Cerise said with a delighted laugh. "Should I tell her, Trajan?" He was walking in front of them, and with every memory returned to her, she liked him more.

Just so you know, I missed you too.Anya had been awake enough to have heard that, and she wasn't going to forget it anytime soon.

Trajan shot them both an amused look over his shoulder. "There's no way I can stop you, and you know it."

"True," Cerise agreed. "Okay, Anya, picture this! I had finally worked off my debt to Eris and had been released from my servitude. I popped up to the surface and woke in an alley, disoriented and with the worst headache. I hadn't taken on a human form before, and I had no idea where to start. I made myself invisible, so I wouldn't scare the life out of anyone I met and began to search for my perfect form. I hadn't even gone a block before I saw her. The most beautiful woman in the whole world. Ava Gardner was on a movie poster for 'The Killers' outside of a run-down old theater. She was divine. This form I wear now was an inspired creation of that picture," Cerise explained and flicked her long red hair.

Trajan fell into step beside them. "I'd felt that something from the Underworld had surfaced, but by the time I found her, she had been caught and charged with murder."

"The man was already dead, darling. I was trying not to let a good meal go to waste," Cerise argued while stepping over a fallen branch. "Long story short, Trajan arrived and saved my hide. He taught me how to do things in a less obvious way. Hospitals and morgues work best, so it all worked out. Now we'll use what power we have to save your hide the way he saved mine. I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't help out. Trajan pouting is theworst."

"I can only imagine," Anya said with a laugh, looking between them. "I like your matching sunglasses too. They are adorable."

Both Cerise and Trajan were wearing Wayfarers, but Cerise's had dark red frames to match her hair. With Trajan's tousled good looks, leather jacket, and lace-up boots, he was far too stylish to be hiking in a muddy forest in Skazki. Anya was doing her best not to check out his ass, but she was only human, after all.

"We aren't twinning it or anything. We are creatures born in darkness, and the light hurts our eyes. Trajan is practically blind even inside. That's why he wears contacts or glasses," Cerise explained and pulled in the back of his coat playfully. "You wait until you see his reading glasses. He looks so nerdy."

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