Page 40 of Bold Angel
A huge gray wolf, its fur standing up in a ruff around its neck, its teeth bared in a vicious snarl, crept toward her into the clearing. Caryn’s heart leapt, then set up a pounding in her chest. She grabbed a stone on the ground near her hand, turned and threw it in the big wolf’s direction. The animal dodged the stone and continued slinking forward.
“You will not get my fawn,” she said, determined to protect her tiny charge, searching frantically for something she might use for a weapon. Her fingers locked on a stout oak branch just as a second wolf crept into the clearing.
“Sweet Jesu… there is more than one.” More even than two, she saw as a third began to stalk her. With trembling hands, she lifted the heavy barren branch and came to her feet, placing herself between the wolves and the tiny frightened deer. Perspiration trickled between her breasts and dampened her palms, making it difficult to steady her grip on the limb.
Her heart beating fiercely, Caryn glanced back toward the camp. A cry for help welled in her throat, but her instincts said she had wandered too far to be heard, and the noise might set the animals in motion. Instead she picked up another stone, balanced it carefully in her hand, then hurled it at the nearest wolf. The great beast yelped as the rock found its mark, darted a few feet away with its tail tucked low, only to return a few moments later.
A fourth wolf appeared beneath an overhanging alder and Caryn’s stomach tightened. She looked back to the fawn, her own life now at stake as well as that of the deer. Even should she turn and run, it was uncertain which of its prey the wolves would follow.
Better to face them, try to kill one of them and hope the others might turn on that one for their feast. She had heard of such things, though without a better weapon chances were slim she could accomplish the task.
Caryn raised the tree limb and steadied it against her shoulder. Behind her the fawn made a whimpering sound of fear. Caryn’s own fear made her throat so tight she could barely swallow. Sweet God in heaven, if only she hadn’t wandered so far away.
***
Ral stood in silence among the shadows of the forest, terror slicing into him like an ax of well-honed steel. In the clearing a few feet away, Caryn stood facing him, though she had yet to see him. Between them stood the deadly slashing jaws of four savage gray wolves.
As quietly as he could, Ral pulled his sword from its scabbard, the metal making a slick whir against the sharp-edged blade. His fingers tightened around the leather-wrapped handle as he watched Caryn lift a heavylimb and steady it against her shoulder. Spotting the tiny fawn behind her, he guessed in an instant what had happened: His wife had discovered the fawn and the wolves had discovered her. He damned her to hell for the soft heart that might get both of them killed.
“Ease away from the fawn,cherie.” Moving toward her a step at a time, Ral’s soft command jerked her head in his direction.
“Ral…” His name came out on a whisper of air. It was the first time he had heard her say it and it told him how great was her fear.
“Circle around to your left, until you reach the trees.”
“But the fawn—”
“Do as I tell you. Keep the limb in front of you. Take each step slowly. Do nothing to alarm them.”
She glanced back at the fawn and for a moment he feared she might not obey. Then she eased to the left, and the wolf crept toward the fawn, its ears laid back, its teeth bared, its tongue lolling out. The wolf on the right, a sleek dark female, growled low in its throat, crouched till it nearly touched the earth, then sprang forward, making a rush for the fawn. The animals had chosen their prey, and Caryn might have escaped if she hadn’t cried out and swung her makeshift weapon to protect the tiny deer, her blow connecting with the huge wolf’s powerful shoulders and knocking it into the dirt.
“Christ’s blood!” The wolf was up and running in an instant, and so was Ral, the others rushing forward to join in the kill.
Ral swung his blade toward a tall gray, silver-backed male, severing the head, then turned to catch another in the hindquarters, his blade biting in, blood spraying over his chest as the wolf went down. Two more he hadn’t noticed raced forward. He heard Caryn’s scream, swung his sword, and steel sank into bone and flesh.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Caryn raise the limb, saw her swing, heard the whine and snarl of athick-furred male as the wood connected. The blow did little damage. The animal gained its feet, crouched and sprang. Ral leapt forward and swung, slicing into fur and rib, but before he could jerk the blade free, another sprang onto his back.
“Ral!” Caryn screamed as he went down, rolling with the beast in the dirt, turning to grip the savage wolf by the throat, fighting to hold its slashing teeth away. He dodged the snapping jaws, pulled back the head and twisted, breaking the animal’s neck. Before he could loose the carcass, a second wolf attacked him. He felt a tearing across his shoulder, grabbed the animal’s mouth, and felt the razor-sharp teeth sink into his hands.
“Run!” he commanded Caryn, spotting the dark silhouette of another huge beast. Nausea swept over him at the thought of what the beast would do to her, then he realized the attack was meant for him.
“Ral! Dear God, Ral!”
“Run, dammit!”
But she only raced toward him, swinging the stout oak limb, striking the wolf in the head just as it leapt into the air. With a snarl and then a whimper, it hit the ground at his feet. The limb descended again and again while Ral fought the wolf atop his chest, finally able to cut off its air supply until it went limp and still.
Bleeding from the gash in his shoulder, he dislodged the heavy beast and staggered to his feet, his gaze searching for the animal Caryn had been fighting. He spotted the wolf and realized she had slain it. His gaze swung to the left and he saw her racing toward him. A small cry escaped as she hurled herself into his arms.
“Ral!” Tears streaking her cheeks, she clung to his neck, and he tightened his hold around her.
“’Tis ended, Cara, ’tis over. There is nothing more to be afraid of.”
She only cried harder, repeating his name, her small body shaking with the remnants of fear. He held her andstroked her back, his hands still bleeding and more than a little unsteady.
“The time for tears is past,” he soothed. “You are safe and so is your fawn.”
Caryn pulled away to look at him, the wetness making tracks down her cheeks. Her braid had come undone and thick dark auburn hair rippled like flame around her shoulders. He brushed loose strands away from her face, felt the silkiness wrap around his fingers. Then she saw the vicious slash across his chest.
