Page 42 of Wolf's Bane
“In here!”
The beast turned, grabbing her arm roughly. Solenne reached back to the sideboard, knocking over the decanter and fragile glasses. She struggled in the beast’s grasp, his claws digging in, but she did not release the tray.
Alek filled the doorway, menace rolling off him in waves.
The beast yanked her forward to use her as a shield. Her grip on the tray held, glass shattering on the floor. Swinging with all her might, she brought the silver tray around and connected solidly with the side of the beast’s head.
Its grip faltered enough for her to scramble away, still clutching the tray.
Alek and Luis surged forward, knives out. The beast swiped with huge hands, each claw a dagger in its own right. Each blow only seemed to enrage it, to feed its fury.
“Here,” Miles said, pulling her back into a corner behind the divan.
Furniture creaked and groaned before smashing. So many things happened at once. Another man shouted; it was Travers, snagging Luis’ attention.
The beast lunged, jaws dripping with spit.
Miles grabbed her hand in a crushing squeeze.
Alek jumped on the beast’s back. His fingers dug into the furry backside and clung on, despite how the beast twisted and thrashed. One large arm sideswiped Luis, knocking him to his back.
Miles scrambled forward, weaving dangerously like he was intoxicated, which he was. He wedged himself between Luis and the beast, his arm raised to shield them. Dull gray material caught the light.
Massive jaws clamped around Miles’ arm. He cried out, in shock or pain, she could not tell. From behind, Luis jabbed at the beast’s face with a silver dagger. Alek clawed at the back.
The beast swatted at Alek, like a horse swishing a tail at annoying flies. Nothing seemed to make an impact. Immunity to silver was impossible, yet it had a tolerance. Almost a resistance.
Solenne clutched the tray to her chest, suddenly realizing that the beast had to be ancient to have such strength. A decade, perhaps more, of living with the curse. She had only read of such beings in the family’s journals. Each came with a high price.
As if it could sense her thoughts, it turned a luminous violet eye to her. Blood matted its fur, like wet hair plastered to the scalp, making the disfiguring shift even more apparent. Yet the eyes were familiar.
Its top lip curled back in a grin.
“Out,” she said.
She had to get it out. It was not an unthinking creature. It came to the house for a reason, and she would not suffer to have it in her home one second more.
“Out!” She charged forward, swinging the tray and connecting solidly with that almost familiar face.
The beast squealed, stumbling back. Solenne labored under no illusions that she turned the tide, but three against one was not good odds. Four, including Miles. Luis and Alek would wear the beast down and corner him eventually. Until then, it was a battle of small gains and larger losses. Clearly the beast could withstand Luis and Aleksandar’s blades. One good bite and it would be over for either of them.
The beast released Miles’ arm, shoving the man back. One massive hand, disfigured with razor-like claws, swiped at Luis.
Her brother was not fast enough, catching the blow in the stomach. He stumbled back, dagger falling to the ground.
A roar—human and strangled with frustration—came from outside the window. Godwin leveled a crossbow at the beast and fired.
The shot went wide, catching Alek’s shoulder. The second bolt also missed, flying close enough to Solenne that she could feel the air move as it soared past. The beast howled, as if someone had hit it. Perhaps it realized it was outnumbered now by one injured hunter, an untrained hunter, a one-eyed hunter, a woman with a silver tray, and a drugged blacksmith.
If she hadn’t been so terrified, she’d laugh at their pathetic squad.
The beast reared back, throwing Alek to the ground, who snarled and snapped his jaws. Finally, the beast retreated through the window.
The tray clattered to the floor.
“What were you thinking?” Alek roared at her. He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, nearly lifting her off her feet.
Aleksandar
