Page 125 of Awry
Then the entire area is suddenly alive with transformed shifters.They swarm in on silent paws, hooves, and wings from the direction of the clubhouse.They gallop, leap, and wing their way past us, attacking the unaffiliated bikers.A creature in the form of a red fox with multiple tails leads the charge, so large that she easily comes up to my shoulder.Shrieking as if she’s exalting death and all it entails.
Kitsune.Cayley.
The bikers discharge their dire-fueled weapons.Pained snarls and sharper shrieks fill the air.The rain obscures my vision.
Still running, I follow theknowingas it guides me through the shifter war zone.
DeVille and Presh stay with me.
A fucking glowing satin-white pegasus lands in front of us, right in the path of theknowingand forcing us to stumble to a halt.Kris is sliding off the mythical creature’s back and flinging herself into DeVille’s arms before I even fully recognize her through the rain.
Chains grabs for my shoulder from behind, but his fingers slip off my soaked-through sweater.
The pegasus — Doc Z — rears up and slams both her front hooves into Chains’s chest.
I grab the teens and spin us all, twisting us around the pegasus as she pummels Chains.
More dire energy explodes between them.The pegasus shrieks in pain.
“No!”Kris cries, trying to yank free of me and DeVille.
But I keep hold.I keep running.
A thick fog is rolling toward us from the beach.Theknowingguides us within it.The fog muffles sight as well as sound— making it clear that there’s nothing natural about it.The rain continues to assault us.But I don’t take the time to ponder what theknowingshields us from and what it doesn’t.
Unable to see or sense more than a couple of feet ahead, I slow my pace.
Kris is sobbing, pressing herself to DeVille’s chest enough to impede his stride.Likely noting my look, Presh tries to console her friend quietly, though her own deep-purple eyes are wide with terror.Shimmering with whatever power is in the slow process of manifesting within the emerging awry.
Seeing that purple hue in Presh’s eyes, I realize that my own eyes are glowing so strongly that they reflect back against the thick, light-gray fog as it begins to slowly part before us.Theknowinghas quieted, as if we’re momentarily shielded from whatever destiny is coming for the three teens at my side.
One of the berserkers — easily seven and a half feet tall, with the bulk of a grizzly and a much longer reach — suddenly appears out of the fog.It pivots, snarling, as if it’s just sensed us as well.The berserker’s head is set slightly forward, shoulders rounded.Jagged sharp teeth bristle in its wide mouth, dripping with blood-tinged saliva.
And it’s not slowly dying from Muta’s venom, as Breaker did.
Fucking Kris shrieks and literally drops in place.
I have no idea if she’s fainted or simply lost her mind.
DeVille manages to keep Presh on her feet, though Kris almost takes her down as well.
The berserker’s attention snaps to the prey so willingly making itself available for consumption.
DeVille shoves Presh behind him.
Theknowingis still inexplicably tugging us gently forward.Right into the claws of the berserker.
I might be a believer, but even that gives me pause.
Kris twines herself around DeVille’s leg in utter stupidity.So she hasn’t fainted.She’s just a fucking moron.
My right arm goes heavy as Muta takes on his bushmaster form, slithering up my arm under my sweater and out the collar to curl over my shoulders.He’s going to be seriously pissy about getting so wet, though getting his fangs into another berserker might mollify him some.
The berserker stalks toward us, chuckling and darkly gleeful.
DeVille presses Presh up against my back, sandwiching her between us even as he reaches down and tries to drag Kris to her feet.
Anchored on my shoulder, Muta rears up, hissing at the berserker, who is about to attempt to eat us.
