Page 17 of My Demon Desire
Outside, Reis moves faster than I've seen him before and I pause, thinking why he cares so much for a human he doesn't know. What is it that he's not telling us?
My gut twists as I dart between trees. The beast within me shifts to my third form. I bound on all fours, my horns and claws extending and sharpening. I sniff the air, catching her scent on the breeze. The woods are quiet, but I keep my mind trained on the human's trail.
If the queen finds out about the human and that we took her in instead of contacting her, we'll all suffer the consequences.
A red-hot rage flows through my veins, knowing I should have never left the mortal with Kaden in the first place. It was foolish to think it would not come back and bite me in the ass. We have to find her and fast, or none of us will be safe.
What if she leads the queen's men right to us? I take off into the night, determined to track her down and get her back before anyone or anything else finds her first. Whatever fate has in store for her, I will make sure I'm the one who decides it.
I keep my focus on the human's scent weaving through the forest. It would be too easy for her to get lost in the woods alone, or worse, to run into one of the queen's patrols. If they find her before we do, that would be even worse; their torture wouldn't be short or kind. A mere, frail human like her would beg for death.
My pace quickens. I will reach the human before they do. I must. She will not suffer because of my sin and Kaden's stupidity.
The thought of her hurt makes my chest tighten. I can't let that happen. I can almost taste her terror and desperation in her scent as I push harder, faster. My heart races, drumming against my breast when her trail is suddenly gone.
I stop, chest heaving, spinning in a circle.
She was here, her fear rolling off her skin and coating the air around me. Where the fuck happened to her? Then a tendril of scent like rotting flesh and fresh grave dirt hit my senses.
Fucking Sluagh! It must have found her and taken her to its lair. Bastards weren't known for their patience in sucking out a victim's soul. And its wings give it a huge gain over me running as fast as I can.
But I can't give up.
Determination drives me forward. I have to try. I have to see for myself if she's still alive even though everything I know tells me she's dead and not even Reis's magic can bring her back to life. I shouldn't care, but I do. I'm her only hope if she's not dead yet. And I can save her from a slow and terrifying death if I can reach her in time.
With a growl, I tear through the woods with more urgency than before, my heart beating faster than it ever has.
CHAPTER7
ANNALISE
The dragon crams its head into the crevice inside its cave where I’m stuffed, trying to keep from getting eaten.
My heart pounds so hard that I feel like I’m having a heart attack. Its tongue flicks out to graze against my shoulder. I kick against its muzzle as best as I can, anything to keep it from killing me. Panic is filling my muscles and I feel like they’re made of lead.
Then the creature sniffs the air, its head jerks over its shoulder. With a roar, it leaps away from me.
Panting, I peek out, seeing where the dragon has gone and hoping I can run away if it leaves the cave.
At the entrance, a huge black wolf with red eyes is there watching. The wolf is larger than any dog I’ve ever seen. And horns… it has got horns on its head. What kind of wolf is this?
As if unconcerned that its facing off against a dragon, the wolf just lowers its head, baring its teeth like its not facing off against a creature twice its size. I look between the two beasts. Is the wolf starving and wants to fight the dragon for its food… me?
Maybe I can dash out of the cave while they fight? I push out of the crevice, pressing myself against the rock wall as I slowly shuffle toward the opening.
The wolf’s gaze flicks to me, and I swear I can see it thinking. But the dragon’s tail lashes out, knocking me down. I fall on my ass, pain radiating across my hip.
With a snarl, the wolf lunges at the dragon. I shudder, crab-walking backward.
With talons and a tail, the dragon swipes wildly, emitting loud screeches. But the wolf is too fast and powerful, dodging each attack. Both of them move in a blur that often I can't make out what's happening.
Hot blood sprays across my face like mist, and my stomach lurches. With frantic movements, I wipe the blood off.
The dragon twists itself out of the way but not before the wolf manages to take a chunk out of its wing with its horns. And the wolf isn't unscathed either — it has a deep gash on its side and is struggling against the dragon’s thick hide.
The two creatures collide with claws and teeth. Fur sheds and ragged gasps fill the cave. Blood splatters across the ground as they fight, their exhausted breaths fogging in the cold air.
The dragon and wolf clash in a blur of movement, with the dragon swiping wildly with its claws and tail while emitting loud screeches. In a burst of flames, the wolf dodges the attack, its fur singed, but not on fire. Then it rams its horns into the dragon’s neck and the dragon roars.
