Lisette stumbled to her feet while clutching her middle. Blood gushed from her stomach, painted the forest floor. It was the result of those silver fragments. She hadn’t taken care of them. How was she moving? Last time I had seen her, she’d already surpassed her limit. Somehow, she had surpassed it again. Her clinging wet hood and mask hid most of her face, but I saw those writhing veins. They were like worms about to burst from her wan skin.
Several more gunshots bang, bang, BANGED and a bullet ricocheted off a rock, sending up a spray of detritus.
Lisette bent down, untangled the pack’s shoulder strap from my ankle. She was about to sling it over her shoulder, but I grabbed it. Her grip was weak enough that I won. “I’ll carry it.”
“Go,” she said, and we ran.
CHAPTER 41
ADANO
I kept on Lisette’s heels when I could have outrun her. Hireh and Pua cleared the first line of trees and turned, heading for a denser area. Concentrated foliage lashed at me and Lisette when we pursued. Bushes poked their leaves and branches into our heavy, wet cloaks, but we overcame all resistance. Pua began stumbling over everything in sight, though. Hireh had to fight to hold her steady.
When we had run for several minutes and reached a small clearing, I said, “Stop.”
Lisette had slowed to a crawl, but she protested. “We can’t stop.”
“You need to stop most of all.”
Pua plopped onto the ground. Hireh fell beside her, wrapping her up in her arms for a moment before asking, “Shouldn’t we get farther away?”
“Yes,” I said, “but Lisette is bleeding out and therefore leading a trail straight to us. Oh, and she’s dying.”
Hireh leapt to her feet. “What can I do?”
“Someone needs to extract the silver fragments stuck inside of her.”
And this was the perfect place to do it. Shade Forest lived up to its name. The sun didn’t exist down here, below the canopy. It was so dark it could have been the dead of night. No wonder Pua was groping around blindly at the forest floor without Hireh there to guide her.
I shed my dripping hood, content with the knowledge that the sun wouldn’t burn me. Then I set down Hireh’s pack. “All right, monster,” I said and stripped off my gloves. “Lie down. Hireh, do you have a knife in here, or must I play doctor with Lisette’s swords?”
“I do.” Hireh went to the pack and grumbled at the general wetness of it before handing me a knife.
“Hireh,” Pua said.
“Stay there, Pua. I’ll be back after we have Lisette taken care of.”
“But I hear something.”
“What kind of something?”
“Maybe an animal?”
“I’ll take care of this,” I said. “Check it out if you want.”
“All right.” Hireh pulled back her sopping hood, following my example. “I won’t go far.”
“Take my gun,” Pua said. “I can’t see anyway.”
“It’ll probably still work,” Lisette added. “It wasn’t underwater too long, but don’t stake your life on it.”
“Got it.” Hireh waved. “I’ll be careful.”
Now that I was left mostly alone with the monster, I hissed, “Lisette, I told you to lie down.”
Lisette dropped onto her ass. She didn’t have the strength to stand anymore and she was shivering, lips turning blue. I knelt beside her and pushed on her collarbone while supporting her back with my other hand. The leaves caught her in a gentle embrace, and the trees whispered a warning I didn’t have time to decipher.
“Are you going to fillet me with that thing?” she rasped.
“I’m going to save your life.”
“How? Have you done this before?”
“No, but I know where the fragments are.” I paused. “I should give you a branch to bite down on.”
“No need. I won’t bite my tongue. I’d take the fragments out myself if my hands weren’t shaking.”
“Hard-ass.”
I glanced at the knife’s thin metal blade. It was sharp and almost more needle-like than knife-like. Perfect for the task at hand.
I took a breath.
First, I sliced through the ruined synthetic-leather stuck to Lisette’s wound. A-grade materials were tough, even for a knife as sharp as this one. Lisette didn’t flinch—which pissed me off. I hadn’t gone in deep yet, but it should have hurt. Damn slayer.
I didn’t make the hole in Lisette’s leathers any bigger than necessary, and I didn’t warn her when I plunged the thin blade into her. She blinked, gritted her teeth. I didn’t have to dig around because my aim was good. The tip of the knife’s blade touched silver, and I flicked my wrist. The fragment followed the blade as I withdrew it and dropped to the forest floor, harmless and silent. Smooth as silk. Not even Ednis the Wise could have done that.
“That’s one,” I said. “Two more to go.”
Lisette’s voice was airy when she asked, “How do you know that?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
The scent of Lisette’s rich, bitter blood settled in my nose. I’d never smelled anything like her blood. It was… Damn, it was intoxicating—even when it was partly black.
Gods, I could have used some blood. My mouth watered at the thought of it, but I swallowed and kept working.
I had to pry open Lisette’s wound with my fingers to get the next two fragments. She was messed up from healing and tearing so many times. Her raw flesh wasn’t firm the way it would have been. It was almost mushy.
The last two fragments came out with the same deep thrust and flick of the knife’s blade.
By this point, Lisette was panting and sweat dripped from her forehead. Just as her black veins receded, her stomach began to heal. The worst of it stitched itself back together before her insane boost of strength was sapped for good.
“You have amazingly good timing,” she said. “If you had started or finished a second later, I wouldn’t have healed.”
“Yeah,” I said, “I am amazing.”
Lisette’s eyelids were heavy, showing violet-red eyes through thin slits. She would be dead weight for the next couple of hours. Drinking blood would make her vomit. Ideally, she should rest for twenty-four hours.
I, on the other hand, was starving and could sate my hunger. I licked Lisette’s blood off my fingers, my hands, until every last drop was bitter on my tongue and in my belly. It wasn’t much blood, but it contained safe residual traces of Lisette’s super strength, so it filled me. The itching that followed meant my light sunburn and the last of my scabs had healed.
Lisette’s eyes dilated.
I grinned. “Fuck off, monster. Don’t look at me like that.”
She blinked and her pupils constricted, because this vampire actually had some self-control.
“Time to make some rules,” I said. “Number one and most important: you never get to touch me again. Got it?”
“That will make it hard to save your life in the future.”
“Saving my life is the only exception.”
“Understood.”
I placed my hands to either side of her head, fingers catching on strands of her wet hair and leaves and grass. I hovered over her, bared my fangs, and activated my venom. A drop of the acidic liquid fell onto Lisette’s cheek. And she didn’t flinch. “Are your promises real, monster?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to protect me until I reach my destination in the east?”
“Yes.”
“Why? I don’t understand. You weren’t lying, were you? Not during that last session, not about ESCAPE. It was real. Ivy… You said Ivy left me a message.”
“She did.”
“And? Give me the short version.” I wanted the long version, but I didn’t want it from Lisette.
“She loves you. She wanted you to know that, more than anything.”
My eyes stung and my venom dried up. “I hate you, Lisette. Gods, I hate you.”
“I know.”
/> And I hated that tears blurred my vision, fell from my eyes, and dotted Lisette’s face. Crying was useless, pointless, and now I’d done it twice in front of this monster. I was so vulnerable in front of this monster.
“It was supposed to be me and Ivy,” I sobbed. “Not you. Not them.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying that. Stop.”
I dropped my head. It wasn’t intentional, but my forehead met Lisette’s chest. I didn’t feel the wet synthetic-leather covering her, nor did I feel the shape of her. I only felt her heartbeat. It was smooth and calm and wonderful and warm and I listened. Really listened. Because none of that was true. Her heart echoed my own, fluttering and throbbing. Lisette showed nothing on the outside, but this, her heart’s rhythm, revealed the truth.
I had already seen that Lisette wasn’t unbreakable. Now I knew she wasn’t unshakable, either.
And she didn’t touch me.
In the beginning, Lisette had meant to use me to return to the slayers. In the beginning, she wasn’t against lying to me to reach her goal. But something had changed. She said sorry. She said the slayers had abandoned her.
What else?
She went back inside the burning reproduction center for someone named Fyefa, but I didn’t see Fyefa here.
“I don’t mean to interrupt,” Pua said softly, “but Hireh hasn’t returned, and I’m getting worried.”
I stood and ran my fingers along my scalp to stop my bangs from oozing water into my eyes. Then I wiped my eyes, my cheeks. I’d had more than enough of water for the day. “I’ll find her.”
A cool breeze leaked through the whispering trees. I folded my arms and bit down to stop my teeth from chattering. The wind intensified, low growls accompanying it. That wasn’t the trees.
Glowing yellow eyes dotted the gaps between trees. Heat signatures revealed creatures stalking forward on four legs and someone else running on two legs.
Hireh burst from the trees as one of the creatures snapped at her. She yanked Pua to her feet and I did the same with Lisette. Without a word, the four of us clustered together until our backs were touching.
Lisette’s hands shook as she rested them on the hilts of her swords.
I swallowed and asked, “Werewolves?” Perhaps I should have known better, but my mind was reeling.
“Wolves,” Lisette answered. “Better odds.”
“Better odds, my ass.” The pack was large—I counted fifteen wolves—and they weren’t small.
The biggest wolf of the pack had a sleek gray coat and orange eyes. I didn’t know much about werewolves, but I knew less about wolves. This one was the leader, though, the alpha. He closed in first, black lips curled back to show off his impressive teeth.
Lisette drew her swords and Hireh raised her gun as the alpha began to circle us. His eyes locked onto Lisette. Even weakened, he saw her as the greatest threat.
“Wait,” I said and inched in front of Lisette.
“Are you trying to get cut?” She shoved me with her elbow, but she couldn’t move me. Not like this.
“Put your swords away. If you don’t, the only one who’s going to get cut is you. You can barely hold them.” I raised my hands and the alpha cocked his head. “Maybe we’re in their territory. Maybe they’ll let us go if we move slowly, quietly.”
Who was I kidding? I didn’t know, but I was almost certain these wolves weren’t hungry.
“I’m going to move back, away from the alpha,” I said. “Follow my lead.”
“But we’re surrounded,” Hireh countered.
“You have a better idea? We’re in no shape to fight. We won’t win.” Since I didn’t hear a gunshot, that meant Hireh hadn’t attacked them, so there was a possibility they’d let us go. It was slim, but a possibility.
“Adano’s right,” Lisette sheathed her swords. “I’m in no shape to fight anyone, not even wolves. Let’s move.”
“On my signal,” I said.
I counted down—three, two, one—and we stepped away from the alpha in unison. The alpha didn’t move. None of the wolves did. So, we took another step. Pua squeaked and Hireh grabbed me as they both fell. I reflexively curled my fingers around Lisette’s wrist to keep myself upright, but then we all went down.
The alpha didn’t like that. He attacked, quick as lightning. His jaws were around my throat, teeth as sharp as a well-honed blade, and I closed my eyes, anticipating him biting down.
Then the icy wind shrieked through groaning trees. It blew fiercer than any time before and pinched my ears, my cheeks, my nose. This time, the trees demanded I listen. They said, Know him as you know me, for he is also of Prime.
My hand was on the alpha’s furry head. I didn’t know how it got there or why the wolf seemed to vibrate under my touch. I didn’t know why he withdrew his teeth and settled sunny-orange eyes on me.
White seeped through at the edges of my vision until it consumed everything. Splashes of color painted a picture: a den in the forest hiding a white wolf whose coat was striped red because of a gunshot wound. Her chest rose and fell with effort, shallow and labored. She was nearly dead.
When I blinked, the alpha was above me. He threw his head back and let out a howl that warbled and broke. Louder and louder it grew until his breath was expended.
Nothing moved.
Everything and everyone went silent—except for me.
I brushed the alpha’s left ear, feeling out the shape and thin skin, the small hole where a piece of it had been torn off, and said, “Don’t cry. I can help you.”
The alpha blinked, eclipsing the two suns burning in his skull.
And I can help you.
Adano and Lisette’s story continues in Primal Magic. Click/tap here to get the book (kestrapingree.com/primal-magic).
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Prime
World Guide
Gods
Yessma: the vampire goddess.
Lureine: the werewolf god.
Cor: the human god.
Prime: the world.
The Prime War: the world war that has existed since the beginning of time.
The three species
Vampires
Vampyres: male vampires.
Scamps: vampire children.
Bloodsuckers: a derogatory term used by all other species.
Werewolves
Base form: a werewolf’s human-like body.
Moonlight form: a werewolf’s wolf-like body.
Wereas: female werewolves.
Cubs: werewolf children.
The Mate Claim: the powerful bond that seals a werea to a werewolf.
Maneaters: werewolves who feed on humans.
Humans
Tethered: humans turned werewolf.
Thralls: humans turned vampire.
Meat: a derogatory term used by maneaters.
Blood: a derogatory term used by vampires.
The High Kingdom: the kingdom that “rules the world.”
The High King: the king of kings.
The High Queen: the queen of queens.
Tech: technology.
Tech fields: hotspots that connect the tech tuned to their unique wavelengths while located inside their dome-like range.
Gliders: vehicles created by vampires.
Pactputers: portable computers.
Commsbuds: communications buds.
Portacomms: portable communicators.
Moonlight: the energy that gives werewolves their power, but it can only be absorbed on a full moon.
Lightning stones: stones that store and release electricity.
Lunalite: a mineral that amplifies moonlight and is found only at the bottom of Lake Luminous.
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Only one of them was destined to be king.
Werewolves
follow the most capable alphas. It's instinct.
Moonlight is the simplest way to gauge potential because it underlies all abilities—most importantly, strength.
The greatest kings wield more moonlight than anyone, and they will be succeeded by sons who can wield even more.
Tarish and Kashe ve Lupin were both Princes of Howling Sky as cubs, but Kashe was prepared for kingship while Tarish's title was eventually revoked.
These days, Tarish is a captain, Howling Sky's best. He's content serving the older brother who adores him and couldn't ask for more. Until recently.
Tarish is in love with a lowly guard. Their relationship is a secret, but secrets never stay buried. Kashe will learn the truth, and when he does, Tarish must make an impossible decision.
Will Tarish obey his king or overthrow him?
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From Blood to Ashes
Novella: A Prince of Howling Sky
Prologue: Vampyre
Book 1: Vampire Captives
Book 2: Primal Magic
Book 3: Hellfire Strike
Nightshade Academy
Episode 1: Awakened Vampire
Episode 2: Bloodlust
Episode 3: Auras and Colors
Episode 4: Den of Demons
Episode 5: Deadly Contract
The Lost Princess of Howling Sky
Prologue: Phantom Fangs
Book 1: Taken by Werewolves
Book 2: Saving the Werewolves
Book 3: Queen of Werewolves
Marked by the Moon
Book 0: Her True Wolf
Book 1: Her Brave Wolf
Book 2: Her Fierce Wolf
Book 3: Her Wild Wolf
Book 4: Her Noble Owl
Vampire Captives (From Blood to Ashes Book 1) Page 21