Page 73 of Winter’s Teeth

Kissing didn’t solve our problems, but it sure did make me feel a little better.

When he pulled back an inch, I whined, trying to pull him back in.

“Hang on a second,” he whispered.

I opened my eyes, finding him peering over my head to the window.

“What is it?”

“I hear something.”

My heart stuttered, and I bolted upright.

Chapter 32

Sitting up fast, I sniffed the air, yet nothing but the damp scent of leaves and rotting wood from the cabin permeated the room.

No animals.

“I thought someone was supposed to be on guard,” I whispered.

Fox crept over to the window, crouched and silent with every step across the old floorboards. The half moon high in the sky outlined his figure, broad and dark, like something out of a nightmare. Yet I felt inexplicably safe with him.

My nightmare.

My misunderstood monster.

Hopefully Everly would understand when I got her back. I planned to keep Fox around if I could.

With my heart in my throat, swollen lips, and flushed cheeks, I sat up on my knees, readying to sprint for the hills with Fox. My ankle would just have to suck it up a little longer.

“Is it my friends?” I hissed.

Fox put up a hand, telling me to be quiet as he slunk away from the window and towards the door.

A crow called loudly, making me jump right before a man let out a guttural cry of pain.

“It’s Corbin,” Fox said on a fast breath. He stood tall, motioning for me to approach.

I jumped up and latched onto his open hand just as his other shifted into a long, hairy claw that crushed the door handle with an easy grip. The shift rippled up his arm, giving him enough strength to throw his shoulder into the door and break through it a heartbeat later.

He tugged me through, and we didn’t pause to assess the scene. The man left on duty was on his knees, blood dripping from his eyes and down his cheeks. Scratch marks marred his face, like something had clawed him up to blind him.

Turning away from the ghastly scene, I limp-ran, doing my best to keep up with Fox.

My pathetic gait wasn’t good enough though. Without warning, he turned and threw me over his back.

I yelped. “Fox!” I protested. He was still recovering. He was bruised, beaten, and exhausted after almost dying again.

“I’ve got you,” he insisted.

Another figure appeared on our left, keeping pace, and I gasped.

“It’s just Corbin,” Fox said calmly as we crashed through the forest, making our way somewhere only he and Corbin knew the way to.

“Seth’s gonna be pissed when his eyes heal,” Corbin grunted.

Once my panic eased, I recognized his dark mop of hair and the black liner around his eyes that gave him the appearance of an adorable raccoon. I sprung forward, a dam of emotions breaking open, and threw my arms around him. “I could kiss you, Corbin Winter!”