Page 31 of Blood Pack Beginning

“I don’t think it’s far.” Diego began to jog down the track, only to yell, quite unnecessarily, “Train coming.” As if the rumble filling the tunnel didn’t give it away.

They flattened against the wall as the subway roared past, the noise and wind of it turning their heads.

Once it sped out of sight, Diego chuckled. “Remember that time we surfed the subway in that spot where it comes up above ground?”

He did. They’d both been much younger, late teens, and full of brashness and the boasting that came with new friendship. Amir met Diego and Cyrus in Moon Dew after he moved in with Lorelei, with Diego usually accompanying Cyrus when he visited his aunt.

They continued to follow the ghoul scent until it abruptly ceased.

Diego frowned as he glanced around. “Where the fuck did it go?”

Smooth walls. No exits. It had to be somewhere.

Amir strode a few paces farther up the tunnel, only to whirl. “It’s like it disappeared into thin air.”

As the tracks began to rattle again, Diego’s eyes widened. “Or it hitched a ride after leaving a false trail.”

Meaning they’d chosen the wrong direction. “We’d better catch up to Cyrus and Sasha.” Because they’d be facing at least two ghouls, maybe more if the monsters had been riding atop subways, which acted kind of like running water, disrupting trackable scent.

First, though, they had to flatten again lest the subway splat them like bugs on a windshield. Once it passed, they began to run, sprinting back in the direction they’d come from, whipping by the empty subway platform that saw little traffic this time of night.

As they followed Cyrus’ scent, because Sasha’s remained enigmatic, Diego huffed, “I’m smelling more than two ghouls.”

At least four had walked these tracks, but how many more rode in?

At least they didn’t have to contend with any more trains, the late hour seeing them run less often, if at all. It meant they could hear the thud of their steps as they ran, but of more concern was the distant strange shrieks of some creatures, and the snarl of a wolf.

By the sound of it, Cyrus fought the ghouls, and it appeared he’d shifted, not a bad idea. Amir began tearing at his shirt as they neared the battle. Diego instead palmed some daggers and dove through a jagged hole in the wall. Amir grunted as he yanked down his pants and then cursed as he kicked off his shoes. He began shifting even as he moved for the entrance to the cave where the skirmish was in full swing.

He entered to find a chaotic mess that included flying bodies—ghoul bodies, he should clarify. Sasha and Cyrus stood hind to back, the latter snarling and snapping at the ghouls darting for them, while Sasha efficiently wielded a dagger, slashing and hacking at limbs. Another ghoul went soaring when Cyrus grabbed hold and shook it like a rag doll before letting it go, the momentum sending it across the cave. Sasha also sent one airborne, her empty hand flashing out in a closed fist, the impact to a ghoul’s face enough to lift it off its feet.

Hot damn, that woman could handle herself in a fight.

Diego worked his way to them, blades flashing as he rotated them, trying to clear a path. Amir took advantage of his bulkto charge, head down, using his body—and hard skull—to ram, bowling ghouls out of his way until he reached Sasha, who crooned, “Is my good Puppy Chow gonna fetch me some ghoul heads?”

Fuck yeah, he was. Amir might have never fought ghouls or anything fiercer than a racked buck who didn’t want to be dinner, but that didn’t stop him from attacking. He tore into the monsters, quite literally; his teeth snagging and crunching, his claws tearing at rubbery flesh. Pouncing a ghoul and taking it to the ground to ravage its throat.

“Fucker!” Sasha exclaimed, causing Amir’s head to swivel. While she’d been busy dispatching a monster, one had managed to latch itself to her arm and chomped at the flesh. Cyrus snarled as he launched himself at the ghoul, ripping it free before crunching its head.

A fleeting smile hit Sasha’s lips as she crooned, “What a good boy.”

In reply, Cyrus flicked his tongue against her bloodied arm, cleaning the ragged edge of her injury, a common practice among Lycans. Something about the saliva in the wolf shape quickened the healing process and prevented infection. Doubtful Sasha needed it but interesting, as it showed Cyrus cared about her wellbeing.

Movement had Amir once more fighting as a fresh ghoul came at him.

And died.

There might have been more than a dozen foul creatures in that room, but they were no match for three Lycans and a kick-ass vampire.

By the time the craziness ended, they were the only ones standing, bearing only scratches and gore. So much gross gore. As the adrenaline of battle faded, Amir found himself trying to spit the acrid taste from his mouth.

Ugh. He’d be gargling a bottle of mouthwash as soon as possible.

A grimacing Sasha eyed her gummed blades and spattered body. “Pierrot is going to kill me for ruining the leather seats in the SUV.”

Cyrus chuffed in amusement.

Sasha glanced at him. “Keep laughing. You and the other furball will be riding in the trunk.”

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