Page 10

Marinah

Finally, something to kill. Ms. Beast was ecstatic. Gripping the Mortuary sword high, I charged a hellhound larger and stronger than the ones we’d seen on the island. I didn’t stop to consider what this creature truly was. It wanted me dead, and that was reason enough to end it.

Toxic saliva dripped from its razor-sharp teeth, and its unblinking, semi-intelligent eyes locked onto me as it charged. With the sword held steady in my massive claws, exactly as I’d been trained, I swung. A crimson spray exploded around me, and the hound’s head sailed through the air, landing against a tree with a loud, wet smack.

“Yes!” I cheered, already spinning to find my next target.

Kill, Ms. Beast roared the moment my gaze landed on Garret. My sword lifted instinctively, and I was nearly on him when Axel’s clawed hand clamped down on my arm.

“Marinah!” he shouted.

The sound startled me, clearing my head just enough to realize what I was doing. This had never happened before. Ms. Beast hadn’t recognized Garret as a friend, and I didn’t understand why. “Thanks,” I mumbled to Axel, relieved he’d stopped me. “I don’t know what happened.”

“It’s the mating rage combined with the hunt,” Axel said with a slight grimace. “Your hormones are still out of whack. Remember that. And also try remembering we don’t kill our friends.”

Ha-ha. Not funny. “I’ll do my best.” I glanced quickly at Garret, who, thankfully, seemed oblivious to the fact that I’d almost taken his head off. Then my eyes shifted back to Axel. He was covered in gore, his massive chest straining against his leather harness, looking every bit as deadly as the rest of us. It wasn’t a sight I’d forget. “Methinks your pacifism has taken a backslide,” I said dryly.

Axel blinked slowly, the sharpness in his eyes softening slightly. “I’ve only ever had problems with killing for the sake of killing or harming innocents. Hellhounds, or anyone who’s a threat to us, I can deal with.” A strange expression crossed his face. “I would rather heal, but I’ll have no trouble annihilating the soldiers who wiped out the village.”

And that would be sad. Axel was a great healer because he cared so deeply. Killing humans would weigh on him, no matter what he said.

“Are you two going to chat all day, or can we get moving?” King called from behind me.

Axel stepped back quickly, lowering his eyes. King might tolerate him to a point, but Axel knew better than to push it too far. “Ready, master,” the doctor quipped. Crazy man.

King rolled his eyes, then gave me a quick wink. I needed to figure out what it was about Axel that let King throw off the mating rage so easily. If I could bottle it and spray down every man who looked at me, I’d call it a win.

Within an hour, the blood drying on my skin started itching like mad. Scratching didn’t help. My claws simply sliced through flesh, making it worse. Another hour passed before King noticed. He called a short halt, eyeing me with exaggerated suspicion.

“Do you have fleas?” he asked, deadpan.

If I didn’t itch so badly, I’d have punched him in the nose. “Big ones, and I’m afraid they’re jumping on you,” I said, rubbing the palm of my clawed hand against my leg, which didn’t do a thing to alleviate the itch.

King blew an imaginary flea off his arm or at least I hoped it was imaginary. Did hellhounds carry fleas? I’d never thought about it before. “Is there a solution to my itch problem?” I asked, trying not to sound desperate.

“Lake ahead.”

“Have I mentioned I love you lately?”

He grinned. “Not nearly enough.”

“Get this dried blood off me, and I’ll double my efforts.” I turned toward the nearest tree and started rubbing my shoulder against it, bending up and down in a pathetic attempt to scratch the unreachable spots.

“You’re an embarrassment to Shadow Warriors,” King said, laughing.

“You can’t possibly not itch,” I said, turning to look at the men. Beck, as expected, remained a stone statue. Even if his crotch were infested with lice, he wouldn’t dare scratch. Axel gave me a half-smile, and I was about to turn away when Labyrinth swiped at his arm, leaving a furrow deep enough to draw blood.

Garret, staring at the ground, finally spoke up. “I itch like crazy, and I’m man enough to admit it.”

I would have hugged him if it wouldn’t have gotten him killed. Instead, I turned to King. “You’d better find that lake fast. The fleas have infested us all.”

King growled at Garret but thankfully left it at that. Without another word, he led us to the lake. If itching hadn’t been my top priority earlier, I would have smelled the water sooner. The scent abilities that came with being a Shadow Warrior were pretty amazing; I just needed to remember to actually use them. Or, more accurately, pay attention to them.

“Last one in is a rotten hellhound!” I yelled, bolting for the water.

King caught up to me easily, wrapped an arm around my midsection, and kept running toward the shore. Even in my massive Warrior form, he lifted me like I weighed nothing.

“Hey! I need to get my Doc Martens and leather straps off before getting wet,” I protested, squirming in his grip.

“You need to completely strip,” he replied matter-of-factly. “We’ve had this happen before with fresher hellhounds. I’ll block the men’s view while you wash the blood off.”

I didn’t want to dwell on what fresher meant. It was easier to think of hellhounds as terrifying beasts rather than what they really were: genetically modified, reanimated humans. Nope. I’d stick to the image of them as large, vicious dog-like creatures. It wasn’t until King showed me one suspended from the ceiling that I’d been able to see the human features hidden beneath the monstrosity.

A shiver ran through me at the memory, and I pushed it aside. Thinking about dead, warped humans was better left for another time.

I checked behind us. The men waited in a tight group, their backs to the water. I didn’t bother mentioning to King my lack of breasts in this form or how utterly unattractive I looked with gaping jaws and deep-set eyes. King was King, and nothing I said would change him. But I couldn’t take the itching for another second.

Laying my rifle aside, I unbuckled my pack and let it drop. The amazing boots Maylin had given me came off next, followed by my sword and the assortment of weapons strapped to me. Unbuckling the chest straps with my Warrior hands took the longest, but I’d gotten better at it. Those straps carried everything: water, knives, ammo, and, as a bonus, they looked incredibly cool. If I had to go around with muscles up to my ears and teeth that could rival a great white shark, I deserved something that looked badass.

My pants and undershirt were last, and my patience was at an end. It took every last bit of willpower I possessed not to destroy them. I tossed them into a heap, then decided they might as well join me in the water for a wash. I’d put on my spares afterward.

“Are you not coming in?” I asked when King stayed where he was, just watching me.

“This is a quick break. I’ll bathe with the men.” His eyes burned into mine. If my hips weren’t currently deformed monstrosities, I might’ve given them a sexy sway just for him.

The water was cold, and I hated it immediately. I stepped in anyway. After eight more steps, I sank down until the top half of my body was submerged. Grabbing a handful of sand, I started scrubbing the blood from my skin and alleviating the itch.

I was about halfway through when movement at the edge of my vision caught my attention. I froze, my heart pounding. A bloodcurdling scream tore from my throat before I could stop it.

King, still fully clothed, was in the water instantly, sword drawn. He grabbed me, lifting me to him while his sharp eyes scanned the area for the threat. The other Warriors splashed into the water behind him, weapons ready.

“There, there!” I cried, pointing frantically toward the source of my terror. My voice came out shrill, but my massive jaw, designed for housing rows of deadly teeth, dulled the effect. I sounded more absurd than terrified, but I didn’t care.

King’s massive body turned; his arm raised. “Is there a hound below the surface?”

“No!” I screamed again, trying to scramble away from him. He wouldn’t release me. “It’s on top of the water, you damned idiot. How can you not see it?” Desperate, I climbed his frame, my foot bracing on his shoulder, until I was crouched on top of him, my entire body out of the water and precariously balanced.

Without moving, King barked, “A snake?”

I didn’t like his tone. “Yes, a snake! Don’t just stand there, kill the fucking thing!”

The serpent in question apparently decided his life would be safer elsewhere. Its long, slithery body glided atop the water, barely making a ripple as it changed direction and disappeared. I finally let out a breath and became aware of the unnerving silence around me.

I shifted my gaze from where the snake had vanished and caught sight of Beck, Labyrinth, and Axel standing slack-jawed in the water, staring at me. Turning farther, I spotted Garret on the shore, failing miserably to hide a grin.

I was still squatting on King’s shoulders, and the last thing I wanted to do was get back in the water.

“Do you plan on coming down anytime soon, or should I just walk to shore with you up there?” King asked, his tone laced with laughter.

With little grace, I eased myself off him, accepting a small assist from his hands and letting out a few grunts as I was lowered back into the water. My eyes darted warily, scanning a ten-foot radius around me for any signs of the snake.

“You’ve seen enough. Go back to shore,” King growled at the others.

A snicker broke the silence, quickly followed by Beck’s unmistakable laughter. It was a sound I’d only learned to recognize since Missy had entered his life. “I’m glad we finally have someone to climb trees,” he said. “Since the last Warrior died doing it, we’ve been needing that position filled.”

Axel, Labyrinth, and even Garret burst into full-blown laughter. It didn’t let up, even after I finished scrubbing the hellhound crud off me. It finally paused when I stomped out of the water, my feet making loud, wet squelches in the dirt, and grabbed my pack. King stood with the men, all of them facing away. I stuck my tongue out at their backs, a ridiculous gesture, but I didn’t care.

Dressing while wet and dealing with three-inch claws was an exercise in a different form of humiliation. At least I could enjoy the fact that the men were still itching their asses off while I went through the process.

One of them said something I couldn’t make out, and they erupted in laughter again. Once I was dressed, I gathered my soggy clothes and hung them over some low shrubs. Then I turned to them. “Your turn. Hit the lake.”

The sound of weapons and buckles being dropped met my ears, followed by splashes as they entered the water. I stood guard with my back turned, nursing my wounded pride.

“There’s a snake, watch out,” Labyrinth yelled.

Of course, I looked. They were using a long stick, tossing it into the water like they were searching for something. I marched toward the shore, shouting, “It was a huge snake!” I held out my hands, spreading them as far apart as I could to demonstrate its size.

Their laughter drowned out anything else I tried to say in my defense.

“King, I don’t think we can have a Shadow Warrior afraid of snakes. It’s insulting,” Beck called out, making sure I heard him.

King lifted his fist to his chin, pretending to contemplate. “You might be right. I’ve heard you can snake-proof pets. Maybe we can find someone to teach Marinah.”

“Hahaha, keep laughing,” I muttered, kicking water in their direction. That only set them off again.

I sighed, knowing one thing for certain: I’d never live this down.