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By the time we’ve gotten past five homes, my instinct for danger is blaring.
There’s a smell in the air.
It’s not the normal mustiness of the Lost Land. There’s something else.
Something rotten.
Wind whistles as it blows on the outside of the city, but somewhere mixed in with the noise, I hear a howl.
My fingers tighten around my sword. When I lift it, Ro is startled by the defensive action.
“What’s wrong?” she murmurs, unaware, because it’s easy to write off the haunting wail as a blustery sound effect of the breeze.
“I heard something,” I reply, being vague on purpose because I don’t want to frighten her.
I’m pretty sure there’s a predator in our midst. If it’s what I suspect, as humans would say, we’re in deep shit.
A second later, there’s a low growl to my right.
Catching Ro’s wrist, I halt. “Don’t move.”
She obeys, not even questioning why.
Another growl comes, louder, closer, and impossible to miss. The sound draws our attention to a shadowed alley between two houses. In the darkness, a pair of yellow glowing eyes peers at us through a broken gate hanging off its hinges.
Gasping, Ro glues herself to my backside while peeking around my arm. She’s touching me in so many places. With her upper body pressed against me and her hands grasping the sides of my waist, the physical contact makes different parts of my system awaken.
I welcome the flood of endorphins. I let my body react to her and to my own fear. I want to be as hyped up as possible because I’m going to need all the adrenaline I can acquire.
That pair of eyes multiplies, becoming four, then six, then a dozen.
Dread falls heavy in my gut because I know for certain that my suspicion is correct.
“Fuck,” I rasp through gritted teeth. “It’s a pack.”
“A pack of what?” Ro hisses with a quiver.
Dark figures come toward us with stilted movements, and I catch a glimpse of sharp teeth dripping with saliva. “Lycans.”
Kai
“Be very still,” I command quietly, observing how slow and methodical the lycans are as they come toward us. “Do not run. Quick movements will activate their prey drive.”
“Lycans?” Ro gulps, winding her arms around my middle and squeezing like I’m an anchor keeping her in place. “I thought they were extinct. Someone told me they were hunted and killed long ago.”
“In Valora, yes, but this is the Lost Land. They could exist here. Or Armand could be creating them, but whether they’re real or not doesn’t matter. We learned that with the flower attack. I don’t want to frighten you, but they can hurt us. They could kill us. What’s worse is…”
“What’s worse?” Ro asks, trembling.
It’s only fair to let her know what we’re dealing with. “They’re contagious. They can turn others into what they are with a bite or a scratch. We absolutely cannot let them get close enough to touch us, and don’t write them off as dumb animals. They might be feral, desperate, and a bit insane, but once upon a time, they were people.”
The lycans haven’t emerged yet, and I quickly weigh my options.
Getting away on foot won’t work. Lycans are hunters. They crave the chase, and with four legs to propel them instead of two, I’m betting they’re faster than me.
So I’m going to have to fly.
But where to?
