Page 62 of Corbin
She’d been breathing hard but seemed to calm down after Ares touched his snout to hers.
Ares jerked back around and scented the air. He lowered his head and began stalking in the direction of the noisy jackal shifters who raced in on top of them. Ares ground out a deeper snarl, warning death would follow.
Caught unprepared, the jackals started shifting without pulling off their clothes. They made high screeching noises and cackles.
Ares ran at the closest one, ripping into the half-human, half-jackal’s throat in mid-shift. Blood flew everywhere. Ares dropped the jackal’s neck and focused on the next one that had shifted all the way.
This one had bright yellow eyes and stood almost as tall as Ares. That was unusual for a jackal. He would not be so easy.
Opening a mouth filled with razor-sharp fangs, the jackal cackled with delight. His animal body had muscular legs and a chest warped out of shape.
This would be bloody and fast.
Corbin hoped Ares could hold his own long enough to find a vulnerable spot on that monstrosity.
Ares and the jackal dove at each other, jaws snapping and claws ripping. The jackal twisted unexpectedly and snapped at one of Ares’ legs, barely missing.
No, the jackal managed to rip open the side of that leg.
Corbin steeled himself against the pain, which felt worse than a standard cut. Could it be from Jugo Loco poison in the jackal’s body? Ares had been right. This was like the drugged-up shifters they’d fought in the Yukon.
When the jackal had his jaws on Ares’ snout, he could have killed Corbin’s wolf. That the jackal hadn’t gone for a kill meant he intended to take them prisoner.
Pixie chose that moment to step forward, distracting Ares, who snarled at her.
She backed up.
The jackal released Ares, but Corbin’s wolf got a claw across his shoulder. Ares swung around and went headfirst into the battle again. He had a way of jacking up his attack to a whole new level, which he did now. Acting oblivious to the pain, Aresused bigger claws to rip the jackal’s neck open. With the jackal in retreat, Ares kept up his buzz saw impersonation until the jackal fell to the ground.
As fights went, this one had been quicker than Corbin expected by the time Ares broke free and stumbled sideways. Not good. He could feel warm blood running down his wolf’s damaged leg and shoulder.
They had to heal or risk losing consciousness due to loss of blood.
Ares waited as the jackal lay on its side panting for air. Some shifters might play possum at this point, but blood spewed from the jackal’s neck. He’d been the more arrogant one this time, which was unusual given how Ares usually held that title.
When the jackal gave his last breath and stilled, Ares lifted his head and howled a victor’s call. He stood on shaky legs. Energy boiled through his body. Corbin grunted at the blast of power, but agreed with his wolf’s decision to heal the worst now so they could move ahead.
Eirene’s beautiful wolf stepped tentatively over to Ares when Corbin had worried that she’d run away. Ares still shook from blood loss but didn’t turn on her.
Ares seemed confused, of all things, which Corbin found almost funny.
Pixie continued until she paused, lifting her nose to reach Ares’ snout. She licked at the cut on his muzzle. Ares stopped shaking and had no comment.
The female wolf had shocked him.
Corbin had a feeling Pixie had acted on her own with no encouragement from Eirene.
He hadn’t seen Ares be this calm since before Corbin’s mother had tried to drown him as a pup. He would love to ask Eirene what was happening with her wolf.
The wind kicked up with the storm gaining strength. Rain came down hard, knocking Ares out of his shock. He gave Pixie a quick lick and then drew a deep breath into his wrecked body.
Ares asked Corbin,Where do we go?
Back to Eirene’s apartment. My motorcycle is there, and we need to get cleaned up. You need time to heal.
Give directions. Not much time.
His wolf never admitted to any weakness, but the more abrupt Ares spoke after a battle signaled concern over blood loss. Corbin knew firsthand how badly Ares had been injured and worried about his wolf feeling lightheaded soon.
