Chest heaving, the Dire Wolf braced his hands against the tree trunk and hung his head. “Forgive me, Visata,” he choked out.
The watching lizard lowered his eyes, feeling like an intruder upon Gage’s private grief. Slowly, he backed away until the wolf’s tormented sounds faded into the mist. Otto’s own anguish throbbed like an open wound in his small chest. Was there truly no way to spare Katy from being sacrificed for those other females?
Lost in desolation, Otto wandered aimlessly through the woods until he came across a sunlit, dead tree covered in lichen. Perched on one gnarled branch was another lizard, watching him curiously. Otto scampered closer, his heart lifting a bit. Perhaps talking to one of his own kind would soothe his spirit.
The wild lizard was smaller than Otto, his brown skin streaked with darker bands. He seemed unafraid as Otto approached, and his head tilted in what appeared to be a friendly greeting.
Gathering his courage, Otto called up to the fellow reptile. “Hellos.”
The wild lizard blinked slowly, but didn’t respond. Still, he peered down at Otto in obvious interest and welcome.
Taking this as an invitation, Otto began to unburden his troubled heart. “My mistress… She troubled,” he shared mournfully. “She caught vile snare that not her fault. Two ladies she don’t know will live if she die. But they die, she live. Katy not die … or Otto”—he pointed to himself—“die, too.”
Saying it out loud made Otto’s heart ache all the more. The wild lizard crawled down the trunk, coming to rest on an adjacent branch and fixing Otto with an intent stare. Encouraged by his rapt attention, Otto went on.
“I save her, but how?” He shrugged. “I no hero. I just Otto.” He swiped at a tear with his tail. “Unless…” Otto slowly lifted his head as an idea took shape. Unless those two wretched lives could somehow be extinguished.
The wild lizard cocked his head, hanging on every impassioned word.
Heart racing now, Otto continued in a fervent rush. “I bite, things die.” His lips turned up slightly, revealing his sharp teeth. “All except Visata Dire Wolves.” He met the other lizard’s bright gaze beseechingly. “What if Otto bite females attached to my mistress?” He rubbed his little hands together as a plan began to form.
His feral little cousin did not react, but Otto was too caught up in constructing his daring plan to notice.
“Yes, yes! Could work,” he exclaimed, claws flexing in anticipation. “I stalk them wherever they are go. Otto good at hiding. And then I bite!” He mimed striking, lost in thought.
The machinations swirled around in his head. Those girls’ deaths would free Katy from the spell’s cruel snare. She would live and have her happily ever after with Gage, never knowing of Otto’s heinous, but necessary, act. His conscience pricked faintly, but he pushed it aside. For Katy, he would brave any darkness.
Filled with newfound purpose, Otto turned to his silent woodland companion. “Thank you listening to Otto. You are good buddy.” He touched the lizard’s nose gently in farewell. “I save my mistress. Luck me give!”
The little reptile slowly blinked his acquiescence. With a final grateful look, Otto scampered off into the underbrush. His pathwas clear. Katy’s life would be spared, no matter how bloody Otto’s own claws must become. Where love dwelled, sometimes darkness must follow. With luck, Katy would never know the true cost of Otto’s devotion. For her, his soul would pay any price.
When he reached the window that would lead to Gage and Katy’s room, Otto scurried up the wall to the ledge. The window was kept slightly cracked so he could come and go as he pleased. He peered in and saw Katy on the phone, as she was every evening about this time. No doubt talking to her two friends, Lola and Maddie. Otto couldn’t wait to meet them. They seemed to be just as odd as Katy, but also just as kind. Usually he would just go right in, but Katy’s words gave him pause. He pushed the window open a little farther so he could hear better.
“What do you mean, the women are missing?” Katy asked, her voice rising.
Otto strained his supernatural hearing so that he’d be able to hear the girls on the other end of the phone.
“Link called and said Slick had informed him that the two females who’d survived are gone.” It was the girl Otto recognized as Lola speaking. “Either they took off or Azure managed to nab them.”
“Who’s in control over at KOV now that Azure is in hiding?” Katy asked.
Otto had to bite his tongue to keep from answering. He imagined that it was most likely Azure’s great-nephew. He hadn’t talked with Katy about it yet because she slept so much, and when she was awake, she always seemed so fragile. Otto couldn’t bring himself to burden her with anything. So, he would let her rub his head and talk until she fell asleep.
“Wait. Back the truck up.” Katy’s voice drew Otto’s attention from his thoughts. “A demon? Like sulfur-breathing, from the depths of hell, honest-to-goodness demon?”
Otto froze. His entire body went still as stone as he focused all his attention on Lola’s voice.
“He’s an incubus, and he claims to know where Azure has slunk off to. Callon has given me the all-clear to go hunt him down.”
“Given you the all-clear?” Katy teased.
“Shut up.” Lola laughed. “Go tell Gage you’re going to follow a demon around the swamps of Louisiana and see how he takes it.”
Katy snorted. “I think I’ll pass. As it is right now, he’s had to replace several cell phones. They keep jumping out of his hands and hitting walls.”
Otto bit his bottom lip to keep from snickering. His mistress was funny.
“So you, Maddie, Taras, and Lyra are going to follow an incubus Demon into the bayou?” Katy confirmed.
