Page 42

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

I break t’rough a boulder, growlin’, foam on me lips, breath wheezin’. I can almost see ’er in the ’aze now…a shadow in me mind, golden, deep brown skin, fierce green eyes, dark curls tangled in me claws… no,me arms…

I shake me ’ead, ’owlin’ as I ’it me head on the broken boulder, not understandin’ the deep searin’ pain in me chest.

“AAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO UUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

Another strangled roar bursts from me t’roat raw as I charge forward, a maddened, blood-soaked t’in’ wit’ only one t’ough’ left:

Find it! Or die tr—No! Dyin’ is’na an option!

Sumt’in’ flickers in me mind… a smile… a moan… a whisper o’ passion, an’ profound sadness ovacomes me.FIND IT! FIND IT!

From the corner o’ me eye, a flicker o’ movement ahead. Befer I can even see wat it is, I know it’s wat I’m searchin’ fer. I lock eyes on ’er… the bein’ t’at consumed me, causin’ ’er tu go still with shock.

Murdoch!

I hear in the deep recesses o’ me mind, but not clearly… I jus’ step forward, wantin’ ’er…

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

“AAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,”I howl, takin’ another step forward, but sumt’in’ steps in between me an’ me obsession… me mate… everat’in’ INEED.

I blink t’rough ’azy red eyes, cockin’ me ’ead tu the side.

“Brother! I see yu’ve finally losttu the madness! Look at yu! Yer a pure beast!”the t’in’ laughs, gratin’ me ears.“But it’s too late… brother,”’e grunts, ’and around ’er t’roat.“She’s mine, now! ’ow du yu feel? Yer about tu lose everat’in…again,”the t’in’ cackles…

I meet ’is gaze, teeth bared in a snarl, seein’ its ’and on wat is mine… an’ I feel me blood boil, mind shatterin’ as sumt’in screams inside me. A rage, severe possession, the desperate need tu take wat is mine. Me body trembles, teeth snappin’, eyes glowin’ bright red. I turn feral, claws sharpenin’.

No one will take wat is mine from me!

No one.

I lunge as me eyes widen, crazed, na stoppin’ even wen he t’rows ’er at me. I jus’ growl, swattin’ ’er out the way, eyes only on the fecker t’at dared keep me from wat I want!

“N-NO! W-WAIT! BROTHER, W-WAIT!”I size ’im by the t’roat, liftin’ ’im from the ground like a rag doll, claws sinkin’ deep intu his flesh. My grip tightens until ’is gasps turn tu chokin’ gurgles.“PU-PLE-PLEA— ACKKK… BRO?—”

I screech,slammin’ ’im intu the ground wit’ a force that rattles the earth itself. Me fist connects wit’ ’is jaw in a sickenin’ crunch. He fights, but t’ere’s no point as a snarl tears from me t’roat. Me teeth find ’is shoulder an’ I bite, tearin’, rippin’ it apart .

“MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!”