Page 7 of Madness Behind the Mask
I can’t lose her.
Can’t lose her and our kids all in one day.
Whimpering, I race for the wall, knowing it’s my best chance to get Sau off her. She’s still wrapped around my mate in her shadow form, clinging like a disease.I want to plead with her to let her go, to tell her she might be able to save her father if she goes back now, but we can’t speak in our wolf forms. Can’t bargain. Can’t beg.
All I can do is run for the magical wall and hope there is enough of Siome left by the time we get there that she can heal at least somewhat. That she can close the wounds of her missing legs and survive as an amputee.
Justsurvive.
Please.
I can’t lose them all in one day. In one hour. One damn moment.
One damnmistakein thinking that I could take the Shadows by surprise. She can’t die because ofme.
Howling, I near the wall.
I glance behind me and catch those beautiful red eyes I have woken up beside for the last decade. They are dimand distantinherpain.I squeeze her hand and whine low, letting her know we’re almost there.
The shadows have consumed her up to her waist now.
The pups are gone, our children eaten by the monsters called forth by Sau Shadow.
A little girl.
A murderer.
Heartless and cold like her father.
Siome and I had names picked out.
A nursery completed in our excitement.
But Sau has taken all of that from us, molded by the sins of her father.
Turning myhead around, I burst through the wall, my red hair rising as the magic shimmers around us.
It takes a second for people to notice our blurred forms.Our speedistoo fast for them to seeclearlybut they can clearly see something is here. Doubleglances turn intoopen mouths, but I ignore them all asa white wolf darts past me to take care of them before they can scream and alert more people to our presence. Throats slit, they sink to the ground,uselesswitnessesto a world they should have never seen.
Their deaths are on my hands, but in the end, they are mere innocent bystanders I value less than my mate. I would sacrifice this whole fucking city if it meant I could save her.
My fingers tighten around Siome’shand as it slackens completely. I look behind me, fear in my every breath.She’sin her human form. She can’t heal as well in it.She has to heal.Baby, you have to heal!
Whimpering,I turn downthealleyset up as our fall back.Wolvesstandin both buildings, keeping an eye out, and a hidden doorliesflush against the wall on my right.
Slowing, I watchwith terrible hopeas the shadowsfinallyfall off my mate,but it quickly turns to sheer agonywhenI see the damage they have wrought. She has no legs left, just a bleeding hole that’s pouring organs andpartialfour-month-old fetusesoutonto the cobbledstreet. The monsters in the shadows have eaten too muchof her, the life flickering out of her eyes making me howl as I cradle the upper half of her body, the only part left.
An answering howl of pain comes from the end of the alley, and I lift my head to see the white wolf from earliernow sprayed in the red of his kills, blockingSau’sexit.She’s back in her human form, huddled against the wall, her eyes wide, her arms down at her sides, exhaustion all over her face.The wolf shows his teeth as he advances on the little witch, and I let out a whine as I’m forced to let go of my love.If he gets to Sau before I can, he will kill her for harming his baby sister,and as much as I wish her dead, I need her alive to heal Siome. The only hope of my happiness lies in the hands of my enemy, and it is a terribleposition to be in.
Layingmy matedown as gently as I can, I jump over her body and entrails, overour pups that never got a chance to breathe, to rub their noses against ours before we chased them around the yard. Forcing down my desire to fall into his arms and share our grief, Iface off against my brother-in-law. Pain hits the air in high-pitched notes that resonate inside my chestas he begs for the chance to get around me and rip Sau to pieces.
I want to let him.
I want to let him so fucking much.
But Sau is a healer and Siome’s only hope.
I tackle him, my teeth going for his throatfor a quick pin, but he dodges, so I only get his shoulder,andwe roll across the street. My clawsrakeinto his side,his dig deep into mine, but thesuddenpainis nothingunder the agony already breaking meapart.
