Page 34 of Shadowed Bond

“I was handling it; stop hauling me around like I’m a doll!” she snaps, her aura rippling through the water as I see her create something like a barrier over it, keeping the black tendrils at bay.

“You ain’t no doll, Princess, you’re fucking annoying; dolls don’t have mouths on them,” I growl, watching the dark tendrils retreat.

“I do not have time for this. I’m sending the signal so we can get out of here,” she says as she fiddles with her Schattensicht. Only then do I realise my hand is still on her waist; my fingers tighten involuntarily, making her still, her eyes locking with mine. I can hear her heart racing, then her gaze dips to my mouth for one tiny, dangerous second before looking back into my eyes.

Fuck.

This is not the time.

As if in agreement with me, the tear pulses and then the water beneath our feet is covered entirely in black. Her power erupts, and it breaks through and begins wrapping around us. I let go of her and raise my hand. We were warned to keep the use of power to a minimum until necessary, and right now we have no other fucking choice, even if it will only draw more crap through that tunnel.

My wolf rises within me, and the snarl that leaves my throat is not entirely human.

Before the monster can reach me, I slam my power forward. Water erupts between us, crashing into its chest with enough force to hurl it backwards. It smashes into the wall, claws scraping the stone, but instead of falling, it twists, screeching, and starts hammering at the tunnel around it as if it’s looking for another way through.

Or a way out.

“Na,” I mutter, lifting my hand again. “You don’t get to run now.”

I flick my wrist, and the water rises in a brutal spiral, gathering speed until it becomes a cyclone in the narrow tunnel. It roars towards the monster, tearing loose dirt, broken stone and poisoned water into its current, and when it hits its target, the creature screams, digging its claws into the wall as the force drags it back towards the tear it came from. But it never makes it; my cyclone tears through him with no mercy.

“Ares!” Charlotte’s hand closes around my sleeve.

“Is the signal sent out?” I ask, feeling the weak tug at my energy.

“Yes,” she replies.

“Good, then they know the location. We get the fuck out of here. Now.”

I’ve barely taken a step when I hear a snarl far louder than the previous one, and then something way too ginormous comes through the crack.

“This is where you get to run like Cinderella, Princess,” I growl as I raise a barrier of water to stop the giant motherfucker with one hand, and with the other, I split the water beneath us and create a path for her.

“I am not leaving you!” she says, spinning around.

“Fucking hell, woman!” I growl as the large monster bangs against my barrier, making the entire tunnel shake. “Arden! Go!”

“No,” she says, and she turns and channels her power into mine. I feel the calm strength and that control of hers seep into mine.

But it’s too late; I hear the distant rumble before rocks and dirt begin tumbling down from all directions.

Turning, I grab her and drag her down the tunnel, only for it to collapse ahead. I stop in my tracks as we back up again. I turn back to the beast that is still trying to get through, only disturbing the already collapsing tunnels.

I look up just as I see the tunnel roof give way, raining down on us. Charlotte targets a few of the larger boulders, making them explode before they can land.

I grit my teeth, blasting some others away, but it’s fucking futile. It’s too much. I throw up a barrier above us as stone and rubble hammer down against it.

“You cannot hold that forever,” she whispers. “You’re using poisoned water, Ares; it’s weakening you.”

“Really?” I growl as I strain to hold up my barrier. “I had no fucking idea.”

“I can’t even use mine properly.” Her admission makes me still for a second, because we’ve been walking through it for ages.

I grit my teeth as I feel our powers collide sharply, and then it shifts, and her power wraps around mine.

She’s giving me her strength, just as I had shared mine with her back at the Blood Moon Pack during the last battle…

I suddenly remember Mom and squash the thought – not now.