Page 11 of A Curse So Cruel

I hold my breath.Okay, there are three creatures and four shadow daddies. So that means…

Knox’s smirk makes me uneasy, and as his creature steps through the shadowy veil, entering our space, I realize why. The gigantic wolf is terrifying. Scars cross over its midnight fur, and its shoulders reach as high as my head, shadows bleeding around its inky paws making it hard to see where the darkness ends and its body starts. Dark red eyes shoot straight to me, and I shiver as the beast lifts its lips, revealing long dagger-like fangs.Of course, the meanest of the four has to have the scariest-looking beast.

Like it can sense my thought, the wolf’s fur bristles, standing on end.

Oh crap, can it hear me? I mean, what a beautiful beastie. I love your, uh…fur?I wince as the creature lowers its head and snarls as it steps toward me.

There’s no way I can outrun that thing, and I’m pretty sure all it would take is one good bite and I would be dead. As it stalks forward, I’m surprised when Raith’s lion matches the wolf’s movements and moves closer to me, almost…protectively?

I toss that thought away, sure I must be imagining it, but when Knox’s wolf takes another two menacing steps forward, the lion lets out a low growl that makes my bones rattle. A warning?

Galen’s stallion snorts and stamps his front hooves also staring at the wolf like he’s displeased.

Knox’s creature responds with his own low growl, and the sound rumbles up through the floor, vibrating up my toes. The wolf leans on his back haunches like he’s going to attack, and Knox, the asshole, crosses his arms, watching smugly. Clearly, he has no intention of calling his animal off.What the hell did I do to him?Why the guy hates me so badly is beyond me.

“Knox,” Thane barks a warning. “She’s a student.”

Knox ignores him, eyeing his wolf with satisfaction like he’s eagerly wanting to see how this plays out.

Guess that makes two of us.

I brace myself, because what else can I do? I stare at the creature’s massive jaws, suddenly feeling sick.Damn Galen for taking my portal ring.But I know if I had it, I wouldn’t use it now, anyway. Blake has been through enough. I wouldn’t risk letting this beast into her realm.Wings, dammit. Why couldn’t I still have my wings?

The wolf launches forward, and I simply stand there and close my eyes. I mean, if I’m going to die, I’d rather not watch as the beast uses me as a toothpick.Looks like I should have chosen to stay in the human realm.Sweat beads on my brow and a single tear slides down my face, because I’m about to die without even figuring out who I am.

A gust of air rushes past my face, and there’s the sound of claws tearing at the carpet, followed by a roar so loud my ears sting. Unable to help myself, my eyes snap open, and it takes me a moment to register what I’m looking at.

Soft black fur. Muscled limbs. And a mane with flickering shadows.

Raith’s lion stands in front of me protectively, half of its huge body blocking me from the wolf. The lion’s roar finishes, and the books stop shaking in the surrounding shelves. A steady ringing remains in my ears, and I stare dumbly, not quite sure what has just happened.

Standing beside Raith’s lion, Galen’s stallion stares down the wolf as well. Thane’s bear watches from the sidelines, but its keen eyes dart between the creatures, carefully assessing them like its ready to act if needed.

And then there’s Knox’s wolf. It lifts its head straight up into the air and lets out a howl that makes my chest ache, then it glares at the lion one last time, and finally takes its place by Knox’s side.

My knees wobble, fear still thrumming through my system as another tear leaks from my eye. “You’re such an asshole,” I hiss at Knox, not caring that I’m insulting him, because I’m pretty sure I just came close to death.

“You’re not wrong, sunshine,” Raith says. “Luckily for you, Kazer seems to have a soft spot for you.”

“Kazer?”

The giant lion twists his head around, staring at me with deep red eyes. He leans forward, sniffing my hand, and I stay perfectly still.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

The beast nudges me with his nose like he’s accepting my comment, and he moves his head away again, turning his attention back to the wolf like he still doesn’t trust the creature. But the wolf only watches silently, those predatory eyes alert.

“Yeah, Kazer loves pretty females as much as I do,” Raith says with a wink.

I smile, but as relief filters through me my knees wobble more.

“Whoa there.” Raith catches me before my knees buckle.

“Now, now, no keeping our little toy to yourself,” Galen protests.

“Kazer is the friendliest of the four,” Raith counters. “Makes sense for her to ride with me.”

My brows lift. “Ride? As in…”