Page 72 of Hunted By Darkness

The abnormally large wolf shifted into a man, and he dropped Rilas’s decapitated head like trash. After casting a cursory glance at the demon’s body, he came over to my side and inspected the wound. “We were too fast for him. I doubt he’ll come in time. If I lick it—”

“Um, what?” I rasped. “Lick what now?”

Another bout of wooziness struck, and my head lulled back before I could finish my complaint.

Silas couldn’t look any unhappier if he tried, but he nodded in spite of his obvious distaste. “It’ll slow the bleeding and heal you enough to give us time. I don’t like it, but you’re losing too much blood, love. That demon bastard didn’t hold back. Without a strong healing potion—”

“You’re wasting time.”

Salvator pushed him out of the way and gestured to Tometi. The silent giant grunted and knelt down, holding me as gently as possible. The naked shifter changed into his wolf form again, eyes on me as if asking permission, but I was too confused to do more than offer a curt nod.

I was worried if I said anything, it’d come out sounding ungrateful and accusatory. And he was right. I was losing too much blood. I didn’t doubt Salvator suggested what he could out of concern I’d be overcome by my injury. They needed me.

The wolf crept forward, huffing. His insanely wide and long wolf tongue lapped at my stomach where the gash was.

“Fuck!” I ground out, pain lancing through me. I nearly arched back, but agony kept me in place. It was impossible to explainhow uncomfortable it was to have a massive tongue moving across my open wound, but it was definitely something I hoped never to feel again.

“Careful,” Tometi warned, tensing as he held me. “You need to be gentle with her.”

The wolf huffed again as if to say he already knew that and went back to his languid strokes. It was torturously slow and uncomfortable, but the itchy sensation of my injury mending told me it was working. I had to fight not to react too much because every contraction of my wound made the pain infinitely worse.

Cutting a nasty glare at the wolf, Silas shoved Salvator to the side so he could crouch close to me. He bent his head down and pressed our foreheads together, soothing me with a gentle touch to the face, while I was still cradled in a giant bear-turned-man’s arms and had a massive wolf licking my stomach.

Yeah, weirder situations didn’t exist.

“Shh, love. It won’t be long.” His eyes cut over to the wolf next to him. “Make it quick, yeah? I doubt you need to lick her the entire time, you wolf bastard. Enough saliva will do the trick.”

Saliva? Gross.

I dropped my head back again as another wave of discomfort spread through my waist. But it was cut short when my eyes caught on something. Black magic grew like vines from Rilas’s prone form. His head wasn’t where Salvator left it, either. It was closer to him.

What the fuck?!

“Wait!”

I tried to tell them what I saw, but the warning got stuck in my throat. Another slice of pain struck when the wolf’s tongue delved in too deep. I was left only to react to the uncomfortable anguish, ridiculously weak because of the blood loss.

None of my guys saw the vines webbing across the walls and floor. Even Tometi was wholly focused on my injury instead of what was happening around us. I fought to get the warning out, but I was too late. Silas and Salvator were swiftly overcome by the lightning-quick magic. Tometi tried to dodge its reach, but the vines got to him before he could get far.

I hit the ground with a groan and curled around my stomach. The vicious echo of my injury had lessened, but it still hurt enough to render me breathless and vulnerable. I quivered and tried to get to my feet, sensing him before he was next to me. I called on my magic, damning how weak I was, but my hair was yanked back so violently I gasped, and the pink flickered out of existence.

Rilas was glaring down at me, his head reattached to his neck. His clothes were saturated in blood, but I didn’t see any open wounds. Unlike me, he’d been completely healed. And it also appeared he’d somehow gotten out of his cuffs.

Fucking great.

30

Nika

Every breath was fire and agony.

“How kind of you to deliver the final piece needed for the ritual right to me, love,” he cooed, every word dripping with malice. “I’d been worried he wouldn’t show, but here he is. Ever the prince charming, this brother of mine.”

“Silas,” I moaned, crying out again when he tugged my hair.

Silas was strung upside down next to Salvator’s wolf and Tometi, all unconscious and unresponsive. Rage I hadn’t felt since my father’s death warped my thoughts.

Rilas tutted me with a finger and click of his tongue. “Sadly, none of them will hear you, darling.” Hand tightening on myhair, he crouched in front of me, holding a little rock between his fingers. “You missed one. Tragic.” His red eyes glowed brighter. “Try anything, and I’ll keep them awake and in anguish. I’ll let their pain be our ritual’s ambiance.”

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