Page 105 of Victoria's Discovery

Victoria gasped, heart seizing when she saw Thegan teeter on the edge, his momentum almost sending him tumbling out of the vehicle. Vi’kail grabbed his shirt and hauled him back in at the last second.

Sucking in a shuddering breath, she shoved off the wall and stumbled forward, meeting Thorn halfway. He lifted her to his chest, tucking her close then spun around and ran. Victoria squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath when she felt him leap out of the vehicle.

He landed with a jarring thud, running forward to bleed off momentum, but he managed to keep his feet. He set her down just as the runner came to an abrupt stop.

Four huge beings immediately jumped out and ran at them. She barely had a second to take in the dark brown fur covering their bodies, the thick silver collars around their throats, and faces that reminded her shockingly of werewolves.

The guys surged forward to meet them, coming together in a flurry of fists, claws, and growls. She was so intent on watching the fight and alternatively scanning the buildings around them to make sure no one snuck up on them that she almost missed a fifth being coming around the opposite side of the runner.

He wasn’t much taller than her, with large milky eyes and a face that, for reasons she couldn’t put her finger on, reminded her disturbingly of a spider. But that wasn’t what had her insides freezing.

In his hand was a gun, and he was aiming it at Thorn.

Victoria didn’t think, she ran.

Barreling into him, she knocked his arm away with one hand and punched him in the face with the other, but there wasn’t enough force behind the swing to actually hurt him. Faster than she expected, he whipped around, trying to point the gun at her.

Gasping, she grabbed the thick barrel, struggling to keep it away from her. They fought for possession of it, both grunting and straining against one another.

A soft thwack sounded just as warmth splattered her face.

It took at second to understand what happened, but realization sunk in when the person went limp, his legs slowly crumpling beneath him, sending him falling to the ground in a motionless heap at her feet.

His face was… gone. Just gone. In its place was a mess of blood and meat.

Bile rose up her throat, but she swallowed convulsively. A fine tremor started in her hands, moving up her arms until it felt like her whole body was vibrating. She wanted to drop the gun, but her hand was frozen. She couldn’t unclench her fingers.

Turning slowly at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, she met Thorn’s gaze, saw the fear, sorrow, and gratitude in his bi-colored eyes just before he gripped her shoulders, twisting her this way and that, searching for wounds.

“Are you hurt?” He wiped at the blood on her face, smearing it, then shook her a little when she didn’t answer right away. “Vee! Speak to me!”

“I– I’m okay.”

“Gods’ tears,” he breathed, enfolding her in a tight hug, his heart pounding wildly against her ear. Vi’kail and Thegan rushed to them, patting her down with frantic hands. “She is unharmed.”

The four werewolf beings were on the ground, unmoving.

“Crik me. Keep her here. Thegan, help me put them in the back.”

Victoria watched in a detached way from Thorn’s arms as Vi’kail and Thegan loaded the bodies into the back of the transport and closed the doors, hiding what they’d done.

She could feel shock trying to set in and fought against it. They didn’t have time for her to freak out over killing someone.

Focus on something small.

Her gaze slowly lowered to the gun still gripped in her hand.

I still have the gun.

Having a way to protect themselves was a good thing, even if the weight of it in her hand didn’t feel good, even if the sight of it brought that horrible image of the being’s ruined face to mind.

Be practical. Think like Aria.

When the guys came back, she blinked hard and tried desperately to focus. She wasn’t helpless. She had to do her part to save them.

As comforting as Thorn’s arms felt wrapped so tightly around her, she pulled back, wanting—needing—to stand on her own. He made a noise in the back of his throat but relaxed his hold when she looked up at him, something in her expression making his own soften. He didn’t let her go far, holding her tightly to his side, but it was enough.

“We should take the transport back home, right? We need to go home,” she murmured, her voice sounding shaky even to her own ears.

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