Page 24 of The Serpent and the Silver Wolf

He twisted, eyes flashing over his shoulder, but there was no time for them both to dodge. His body coiled over hers, braced.

The impact landed with athud, driving a grunt from deep within him. Then his arms collapsed around her as he dropped fully.

“Kazuma!” she gasped, hands scrambling under his arms, lugging them both through the grit. He didn’t respond, head slumping onto her shoulder as she dragged them back inch by inch, scooting on her butt acrossthe uneven ground.

“Don’t you dare fucking die on me, snake!”

Dust hung thick in the air, refusing to settle as stones clattered down the slope.

“Don’t be dead.” She adjusted Kazuma’s body, winding her arms under his shoulders as the words tumbled out over and over. “Don’t be dead.”

Then she hauled his limp form behind a jagged boulder just wide enough to shield them from the direction the strike had come from. Pressing trembling fingers to his throat, the sound of falling stone still crashed down around them.

There. A faint beat beneath the pale skin.

“Thank the stars.”

Relief surged as her palms moved over him, checking his ribs, his head.

He could have died.The thought nearly blinded her, curling her hands into fists before she forced the rising anger down.

Focus.

She hesitated at his neck, fingertips sifting through his hair, sliding gently beneath the base of his skull to check the alignment. Too much pressure and she could do damage. Not enough, and she’d miss something critical.

Destroy them.The darkness within her fanned the building rage as fangs cut through her aching gums.

He groaned, leg twitching.

“Back’s not broken either. Good.” Her eyes squeezed shut, trying to stay calm as the bloodlust grew.

But he could have died. The darkness snarled, pressure building beneath her fingernails until the claws broke through the skin, black and taloned.

Blood pounded in her ears.

It was too late. She needed to break someone apart, devour them. Her vision was going dark, tainted red. Her nails scraped the stone beside his ribs, unintentional, and far too close. She drew her hand back fast, crouching lower.

No. Not him. Her forehead pressed into his shoulder.

Not him.

“Don’t move.” Her cheek grazed his. Word barely audible. Barely human. “Do not move until I get back. Your back or neck could be seriously fucked.”

“What?” he groaned. “Where—?”

“I’m going to manage the fucking threat,” she growled, sitting back on her heels.

Kazuma’s brow furrowed. He blinked hard, then opened his eyes again. They tracked sluggishly until they found her face. And widened. Just a fraction.

She knew what he saw.

Fangs bared. Eyes gone black. Claws tipped and twitching.

But he didn’t flinch.

“Kill them for me, would you?” The sigh passed his lips before his eyes closed again.

“I do not need to be carried, pet.”