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Riley cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the crowd. “Colton, I’m not feeling very well. I want to go home.”
CHAPTER9
Anger churned in Colton’s blood like adrenaline. It pumped with the force of a jet engine, taking flight from the runway. His alpha wanted to tear Steele apart. To rend him limb by limb. This was not a sparring match. His mind was a haze of red fire, looking to be quenched in death and destruction.
He turned to Riley when she spoke. His instincts splitting in two at the sound of desperation in her voice. Fear had a specific taste, and it rolled over his tongue in spicy reverence. The need to kill warred with the need to console his mate and abide by her wishes. He growled, unable to reconcile the emotions beating inside him. He was grateful when Steele made the decision for him, backing away as he spoke.
Steele’s alpha receded. “Colton, you’ve been affected by the demon’s bite. You need to calm down.”
The red haze receded as Colton continued to look at his mate’s worried face. “You’re right.” He resumed his human form and walked to Riley’s side. “I’m sorry.”
She slipped her arm around his waist, bringing a warmth to his soul that had his warrior backing down, seeking the comfort she offered. “It’s okay. Anaisa warned me that you may be more aggressive. It’s a side effect of the demon venom.”
He turned toward Steele. “I’m unfit for leadership unless this infection can be cleared. If it is not, you know what to do.”
Steele’s eyes laced with pain as he nodded. “It will be done.”
Multiple members of the clan spoke up, talking over one another. Some agreed, while others were outraged asking for an explanation for such a harsh punishment.
Colton held up his hand. “For those who aren’t aware, I was bitten by the demon general. His venom has infected me. It is not clear what I will become. It may be something unrecognizable. Should that happen, you will take care of my woman.”
The breeze whistled through the trees, an owl hooted in the distance, but not a single man spoke.
Riley put her hand on Colton’s chest. “We will find an antidote.”
Colton placed his hand over hers. “I’m confident that we will, but I must plan for the worst. I owe it to my clan and to you.”
Steele turned to the clan members. “We will honor Colton’s wishes.”
The clan bowed respectfully, then dispersed into the trees.
Riley looked up at him with a questioning look. “What just happened?”
The last thing he wanted to do was cause her pain, but her protection would always be his first priority. If that changed, then he deserved to die. “If I challenge Steele prior to being cleansed of the infection, the clan will kill me.”
“What?” Riley asked incredulously.
“It was the right thing to do. I’m not myself. I feel the demon blood inside me, infecting my organs, and my reasoning.”
Her face softened. “Are you in pain? Is there anything I can do?”
Colton assessed his body. “There is no pain. At least not anymore. I feel more powerful. Hungry. The need to kill a strong, so I will use constraint in this area. Hunting wouldn’t be a good idea right now.”
“What should we do?” She asked.
Colton glanced towards the clan members moving into the forest. “I need to talk to Dannika. Let’s go to the Wolf clan.”
When she nodded, his shadow enveloped hers, needing the connection to calm his rumbling soul. He was in a turbulent sea of emotion, unable to reach the temperate oasis that had filled him since meeting Riley. He didn’t want to alert her to the dangers that lurked within his soul, within every shadow warrior. Demons were a double-edged sword. The ones within the shadows were used for the good of humanity. Saviour’s. Those same souls had once killed by the thousands. The souls of the same demons attempting to annihilate their species.
They traversed the pathway quickly, then coalesced just outside the entrance of the wolf caves. The moon had set with clouds whispering by, creating a gloomy gray cast upon the grass. He didn’t want to think of it as a dark omen, but in his heart, it was exactly that. A precursor to his death. What happened to a female shadow if she lost her mate? It was a question he didn’t want to answer.
He led Riley into the caves, immediately running into Darren.
The cartographer’s eyes lit up when he saw Riley. His eagerness bubbling from a soul as sweet and exuberant as he was. “Riley, it’s so good to meet you.” He shook her hand. “You look a lot like Dannika. I would love to paint the both of you.”
Colton smiled. “Riley, this is Darren. He’s the cartographer, he creates the maps for all the shadow clans. He is also an incredible artist. He drew the pictures on Dannika’s walls that you were admiring last time we were there.”
“Those pictures are amazing, Darren. You are incredibly talented.”
