Page 37 of Witch Untold
“Okay, so there are monsters in Alaska, but what makes you think they’re headed for the town?” Sloane asked.
Bramble gave her a withering glance. “What does a predator do when hungry?”
“Feed,” Lauris answered for Sloane.
“These things are ravenous. I felt it. And the nearest source of sustenance is the town.”
“This makes no sense,” Sloane said. “Where have these monsters been? I mean, how come they’ve not attacked before. How is the town still alive? Maybe they feed off…other stuff?”
“I don’t know, do I?” Bramble snapped. “I saw the fuckers, and I ran because that’s what a sane person does, and trust me, there ain’t nothing out here to feed this lot. Nothing except what’s in that town. Walking meat sacks, blood bags on legs. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet over there, and those toothy fuckers are coming for it, napkins tucked into their fecking collars, claws out.”
I noted how dark her eyes looked in her face. She was spooked, seriously terrified. And if something terrified Bramble, then it fucking terrified me, because that tiny bundle of crazy wasn’t afraid of anything.
I caught Bramble’s eye. “How many?”
She glanced my way and shook her head slightly. “If I had to take a guess, I’d say it was a fecking horde.”
I picked up the pace. “We need to warn people.”
The town loomed closer and a road came into view. We were almost there, and the monsters couldn’t be far behind us. Barrow had a rough population of around four thousand people. No one said it, but there was no doubt in my mind that we were all thinking it—how the hell would we keep four thousand people safe from a horde of monsters?
Chapter Twelve
The wide, icy streets of Barrow were empty. String bulbs hung between the aerial posts that lined the road, giving the place an almost festive feel, and weak amber light spilled out of windows, making patches in the snow.
My sword bumped my hip as I walked, reminding me it was there, even though it was hidden by glamour.
It was early here, maybe ten in the morning, but there wouldn’t be any sun till late January. I didn’t know how they lived like this, in eternal darkness day after day.
I couldn’t do it.
I needed to feel the kiss of the sun’s rays on my face every day. To soak it up. But some outliers, like the Sons of Adam, lived for the dark.
I bet they were pale as fuck.
“You’d think there’d be people out and about,” Sloane said. “Might be dark but the day has begun.”
“Sleepy vibe,” Lauris said, pulling his hood over his head. I guess he didn’t feel the cold like we did, but he needed to look the part. “Feels like the world runs at a different speed here.”
He was right. This place had a different vibe. As if we’d stepped out of time somehow. But we hadn’t, and the coming threat wouldn’t be slowed down by it.
We trudged up the road with no idea where the fuck we were going. “We need to find a police station. Alert the authorities that a threat is coming.”
We should surely see someone soon.
“And say what?” Bramble said. “What’s our story? Monsters are coming?”
I shrugged. “We say whatever we have to. Get the police to issue an alert and spread the word for people to stay indoors.”
Sloane shook her head. “I doubt the things Bramble described are gonna let doors and windows stop them. We need to get everyone to a secure location where we can protect them.”
“There’s no time,” Bramble snapped. “Those things are coming. Cora’s right. The best we can do is warn people to stay indoors. Then we cut them off as they enter town and fight.” Her pupils dilated in fear.
“You want to fight a horde?” Lauris asked. “There are four of us.” He shrugged. “Admittedly, I’m equal to about three of you, but still, I doubt it’ll be enough.”
Bramble pressed her lips together and ducked her head, picking up her pace with angry strides. “We either fight or we run, and I’m not about to let innocent people die if we have even a slight chance of saving them.”
I felt it too, the need to protect these people, but the odds were seriously against us. And if we were going to do this, the decision had to be unanimous, taking into account the huge risk.
