Page 61 of Twisted Ties

I spin on my toes, raising my hands, and I’m knocked clean off my feet, landing down hard on the path, the immense weight of a creature pinning me to the ground.

I try to scream but terror seems to freeze the sound in my throat and I stare up into a pair of glowing chestnut eyes, a huge snout, teeth like blades in a strong jaw and endless mounds of thick black fur.

The creature looks like a wolf, only it’s easily three times the size, and though its face is that of a wolf’s, there’s something human about it too – the curve of the cheek, the intelligence in the eyes.

The creature snarls in my face, its teeth extending, droolstreaming from its mouth onto my face and its claws piercing the skin on my chest.

I can’t move, my arms pinned by the weight of the creature, and if I attempt to shake him off, it’ll have its fangs in my throat before I’ve even summoned my magic.

It continues to growl, the noise becoming angrier, then it lowers its snout, its warm breath brushing over my face. Its black nose quivers as it draws in breath. Then its eyes darken.

“You,” it snarls.

And I’m not sure if I’m imagining the sound in my head. Or if the words really were said by this beast.

“Get off me,” I say as calmly as I can. “And I won’t hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” The creature’s lips curl in amusement, and it huffs through its snout. Then it lowers its jaw to my throat.

Now. Now I need to fight back, I have nothing to lose. It’s going to kill me anyway. I squirm under its weight, its body immense and muscular, far larger than mine. It’s hopeless. The thing pins me still, drawing the sharp points of its teeth down my throat.

“So pretty,” it says. “So young, so delicate. No wonder you’re driving him to distraction.”

“Let me go!” I yell, not understanding the beast’s words, hoping someone might hear me.

The beast’s tongue hits my skin next; wet and warm, it glides up the column of my throat. “You taste so very good, little pet. Could lick you everywhere.” The tongue slides higher over my chin and up my cheek. “Would you like that?”

I close my eyes. The beast’s voice contrasts to its appearance. Silky and velvet in my ear. More magic? What is this thing? And how the fuck can it talk?

My magic sparks in my fingertips, ready, and the hook in my belly spins around and around. I search for something, anything. A way to free myself.

“Going to eat you, little pet.”

I gasp in horror but then a force slams into us both and the beast is knocked off me. It whines, landing on its side and skidding across the gravel. As quick as a flash, it springs to its feet, though, standing up on its hind paws and growling in the direction of the assault. I scrabble backwards, trying to find my own feet, searching the darkness for whoever has come to save me.

No one. Nothing. Only darkness.

The wolf beast snarls, then launches itself forward, meeting something solid in the thin air. It snaps its jaw and magic flares in the air.

I hear a man groan, breath panting.

More magic sparks and I lift my hands to fire my own. But where? At what?

“I know you’re there,” the beast snarls, whimpering as magic singes the fur on its back, then running and locking its jaws around something I can’t see.

Another groan. More magic.

My eyes flick around the scene, straining in the darkness, trying to make sense of the nonsense in front of me.

The wolf howls as magic hits its back leg. And then it’s spinning, snapping, howling and growling, magic the color of blue swirling and sparking around it.

Then more pounding. I turn, arms raised ready for another attack, but it’s Stone, sprinting towards me. He skids to a halt beside me, eyes swimming from me and then the beast as it continues its dance, dragged and cajoled towards the dark trees.

“Are you all right?” Stone pants, eyes darting over me. I nod and then he’s following after the beast.

“Stone!” I scream.

“Get out of here, Rhi! Go to my office and lock yourself inside. Don’t let anyone in but me.”