Page 92 of Shadows of the Soul

I barreled through the remaining shifters and spied Hudson with his beast at his side, pushing those they could reach toward the gates. I pumped my legs faster. Stephen’s gaze narrowed as he saw I wasn’t slowing down. A foot from the edge of the cavern, I bent and leapt into the air. My beast helped to propel me toward our target. He whipped out a hand as I cleared half the space. I prepared to land and tackle him to the ground. I’d make this quick and brutal. I had no time for pompous posturing. Heaven’s army was on its way, and I needed to be ready.

Heat scalded my leg, and my flight was interrupted as someone yanked me down. The world disappeared, and the breath left my body as I descended. I glanced down and found a monstrous three-headed black scaly beast with its claws wrapped around my calf and its jaws hanging wide open to display row upon row of sharp needle-like yellowed teeth. Dear god, he’d opened the pits of Hell and unleashed a legion of creatures which would lay waste to this world.

Jagged rocks caught my arm as I tumbled down the black rabbit hole. I looked up. The sky was a rapidly shrinking bolthole, and I knew in my heart once it winked out, I would never see it again. My spine ached with the force of my beast. She wanted to be free, to save us. If I unleashed her now, I might never be able to return to the self-imposed restraints. I could take my chances in Hell. It would be safer than what was coming. But Maggie needed me, my family needed me. The three-headed monster’s claws dug deeper. I screamed in frustration and pain before unleashing a wave of power. The monster’s six eyes widened before he released me. His scales rippled with fire as my power buried deep. Then he was incinerated, his ash floating above me as I spun past.

I closed my eyes and readied myself for the inevitable landing. Hell was buried in the crust of the Earth. It was a different dimension that required a journey, sometimes a fall, sometimes a tunnel—occasionally I’d heard of people actually going up to Hell.

“Cora!”

My eyes flew open. No, he didn’t, oh you stupid, stupid fool. Hudson grinned at me as his body hurtled toward mine.

“What the hell are you doing?” I shouted as the wind whipped my face.

He cocked a brow. “Falling with you. Where you go, I go. I got the surviving shifters off your property lines, including Maggie and the cubs. Didn’t think you could run off on fresh adventures without me, did you? We’re a team.”

I smacked a hand over my forehead as my hair whipped around. “You’re insane.”

“Where my mate goes, I go.”

Ugh, he wanted to do a U-turn on our relationship while falling down a hole to Hell. Talk about under duress.He jumped for us,my heart argued. Yes, yes, we can discuss the finer details if we live to see the next sunrise.

Hudson twisted his body and dived toward me. His hand snapped out, and he grabbed my arm.

“Good going, hero. Now we are falling together.”

“Who said you weren’t a romantic?”

“Ha ha.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Plan? I don’t have one.”

“Right. Prepare yourself then.”

“For what?”

He gripped my arm tighter, then flung his free arm out and tried to grasp the jagged rocks. They sliced into his forearm and hand like a hot knife through butter. Blood wept down his flesh.

“Stop,” I cried out. “They are as smooth as silk and sharp as steel. You’ll never get a grip on them.”

“Designed by who?”

“The Devil, Principal, we are literally on the road to Hell.”

I can save you both, my beast whispered in my mind.Let me.

My heart thrummed in my chest like a hummingbird. Hudson’s intelligent gaze surveyed me with interest, like he knew there was an internal struggle taking place. Damn him. I could have fallen to Hell, but I can’t take him with me.

“Let me go,” I yelled.

He frowned and gripped me tighter. “No.”

I refrained from rolling my eyes. He was picking a hell of a time to be chivalrous.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

Deep deep down—yes, I trusted him. Maybe not with my heart, but ironically with my life. “Yes,” I shouted. He smiled like I’d made his day.

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