Page 56 of Whispers of Ruin
His attention shifted to the thick green leaves, vines, and trees surrounding him as more sounds of an attack came from ahead. Grasping Kaylia’s arm, he pulled her against his chest and locked her back against him as he swiftly drew the shadows around them.
“Shadows,” he whispered so she would know she was cloaked.
Holding her in his arms again caused a sense of rightness to envelop him. How was it that even now, while something stalked them from the jungle and others died, she could affect him like no other woman?
His fangs throbbed as the rush of her blood pulsing through her veins filled his ears. He’d never considered the vampire and dark fae sides of himself as opposing each other. They’d always been cohesive as he made his way through life, but something about Kaylia caused the vampire half of him to surge to the forefront as it sought to protect her.
She’d probablyhateto learn that.
Kaylia might not despise vampires as much as she once did, but he doubted she would like hearing that she aroused the vampire half of him in such a way. But he couldn’t deny his relentless impulse to feast on her again as his heart matched the rhythm of hers.
From his right, the loud crack of bone was accompanied by the screech of an injured immortal. No, not a crack; something had chomped on that bone and continued to do so as more screams and crunches filled the air.
The leaves before them rattled and parted as a sleek, black creature emerged from between the trees. Twice the size of the jaguars in the human realm, the catlike creature’s muscles rippled as it prowled toward them.
Its five-inch-long claws didn’t make a sound against the rich earth as it lifted its boulder-sized head to sniff the air. Two front teeth, at least a foot in length, hung over its lower jaw, and when it lowered its head, its golden eyes shone in the sun.
It wasn’t the creature he’d seen last night, but it would gladly eat anyone in its way. Its nostrils flared, and its head swiveled back and forth as it sniffed the air. The creature sensed them nearby, but the shadows kept them concealed.
Brokk brought his other hand forward, the one with the sword, and clasped it in front of Kaylia’s belly when its head swiveled toward where they stood. Though it couldn’t see them, its eyes locked on their location, and it sniffed again.
When another beast emerged from the thick foliage, the first animal snarled at the new arrival. They growled at each other, but the second remained crouched in the vegetation as a shriek came from somewhere behind them.
A lightning bolt broke free of the clear blue sky and slammed into the ground ahead of them. The crackle of electricity caused the hair on his arms to rise as an animal screeched before going silent.
The two near him and Kaylia swiveled their heads toward the sound but didn’t retreat to help their brethren. It was already too late for help as Brokk was certain Ryker hadn’t left the beast alive.
When the first animal lowered its head and crept closer to them, Brokk carefully shifted his hold on Kaylia to push her behind him. She stiffened against him and probably would have protested his repositioning, but she couldn’t do so without giving them away.
Brokk lifted his sword and prepared for an attack when the creature lowered its front feet and its ass rose in the air. Brokk’s attention shifted to the second one as it crept further from the jungle.
He’d have to remove his sword from the first one fast if he was going to take down the second predator. Thunder rolled across the sky, shaking the trees and ground as the first one sprang into the air, seeking to pounce.
It was only six inches from him when it started to twist, changing its trajectory and trying to get under his defenses. Brokk hadn’t expected the move, but his reflexes had him pivoting in time to plunge his sword straight through its massive skull and out the back.
He bashed the creature into the ground with enough force to spray debris out around him. Planting his foot on the beast’s jaw, he pulled his sword free as the second one sprang at him.
Jaws wide and with claws extended, the cat flew toward him with a grace that belied its colossal size. Brokk brought his sword up, but before he could swing at the creature, power swelled behind him as Kaylia lifted her hand and pushed a wall of air at the beast.
The cat yelped as it soared into the jungle before crashing into a tree. The crack of its back breaking filled the air as the tree rattled and the creature fell to the ground.
From behind him, someone screamed. Kaylia lurched toward the sound, but Brokk grasped her hand and pulled her against his side.
“Stay with me, or the shadows won’t cloak you anymore,” he said.
Not that they did much good against these creatures, as they could scent them out, but it was still some protection from them.
“We have to help them,” Kaylia whispered.
“We will, but stay with me.”
He took her hand as he led her toward the screams. He’d much prefer to get her somewhere safe first, but that was impossible in Doomed Valley.
CHAPTERFIFTY-THREE
Kaylia’s heartraced as she stayed close to Brokk while walking through the jungle they’d already traversed and toward the screams of the dying. Despite the foliage having already been chopped away by numerous swords, it was still difficult to navigate their way back to the others as trees and leaves had fallen in to block the path again.
They only made it a few feet before coming across one of those giant cats feasting on a witch. Kaylia’s hand fluttered to her mouth as her stomach churned and everything inside her revolted.
