Page 60 of Wolf's Bane
Footsteps rustled through the grass.
“Luis?”
Despite the moon’s illumination, pockets of deep shadows lurked at the edges of the pasture along the stone fence and the tree line. The stone circle stood silently on top of the hill, dark against the night’s sky.
The wind shifted, bringing the brittle scent of rain, parched grass, and something foul. Spoiled.
Death.
She gagged at the scent. It was too soon after the solstice.
A growl rolled through the night air.
Clutching her knife, Solenne moved to the direction of the house and resisted the urge to run. Running only encouraged a predator to chase.
Near the fence, she quickened her pace until she saw the figure blocking the path.
Hidden in shadows, it stood tall on two legs but was more beast than man. It lifted its head and sniffed the air, then crouched down. Two huge hands rested on the ground, as if ready to spring into action. Moonlight cast violet highlights on the shaggy coat as it crept forward.
“Alek?”
As soon as the question left her lips, she knew that was wrong. This was not Alek. If he could resist shifting during the solstice, why lose control of himself now? That delicate thread connecting them remained silent.
A growl, low and menacing, rumbled right through her. This had to be the beast that crashed into her home and licked her. The shadows hid much, and to be honest, she had not taken the time to look for unique features. The important point was they were not Aleksandar and they very much posed a threat.
Solenne stepped back. “Hello,” she whispered. “You don’t want to eat me. You’re in pain. Confused. I can help.” She moved to throw the entire contents of the basket but realized that she left the basket behind. All she had was her tiny silver knife, worthless for anything more than collecting herbs.
The beast crept forward, snarling.
She turned on her heel and ran toward the stone circle. The stones offered protection. She couldn’t rationalize how she knew that, but imagined that she could hide in the shadows. The stone marked a nexus point, and she hoped the excess energy would confuse the beast.
But it wasn’t a solstice or even a full moon. The beast should not have been there.
Her foot caught on an unseen rock, and she hit the ground hard. Her palms stung and her chest ached from the impact. Ignoring the pain and her ankle’s protests, she lurched to her feet.
The stone circle loomed above, promising shelter.
The incline grew steeper. Solenne kept her eyes focused on the stones, not bothering to glance back to check on the beast.
Sharp claws swiped at her legs, catching on her trousers. With a cry, she fell to the ground. Kicking frantically, she freed herself long enough to make it another two steps.
The beast tackled her. One massive hand in the center of her back held her in place. Solenne kicked and screamed. Luis would hear. He said he would join her. Where was her brother?
The beast buried its maw into her back, its breath hot and putrid against her skin. For the second time in her life, she was being inspected by a beast, and it was as horrible as the first.
Her fingers dug into the ground, pulling up clumps of grass. Without hesitation, she hurled the wads backward, showering herself with dirt and leaves.
Claws sunk into her calves, the pain sharp and burning. Wiggling away exacerbated the pain to a blinding misery. Her mind went blank, and her body stopped fighting to save itself a little suffering.
As the beast pulled her back, presumably to some den or secret location, she screamed. Her tunic rode up as she bounced along the ground, rocks digging into her stomach and face, but she did not cease her screaming. She’d scream until her voice failed or the beast tore her throat out. Whichever came first.
Footsteps pounded on the ground. Finally, Luis.
The beast eased its grip, and she rolled away, despite the burning pain in her calves. Lifting her head, she saw the base of the giant stone slab and crawled forward.
The beast pounced, slamming her to the ground. It howled a terrible song of victory.
A second howl answered.
