When I didn’t answer, Emma asked, “What about—”
“Shush.” I held up my hand as my ears pricked at a strange sound. One I had heard before, one that was getting closer and closer.
It was the sound of whirling sand.
“Fuck.” I grabbed Emma and spun her around, tearing away from the sound and what accompanied it. As we ran, another sound joined that of the swirling wind behind us:demons cackling as they grew nearer, appearing on either side of us as they began to pin us in.
One of the demons lashed out, trying to grab Emma’s hip. I lunged out, swatting it away with a clawed hand, snarling. If we had the time, I would have shifted and gotten her to get on my back, but it would have cost precious seconds. So we kept running.
At least until we came to a steep rock face, with demons flanking us on either side, blocking off either exit. We’d been led straight to where they had wanted us, and there was no easy way out, not two-on-ten.
Make that eleven, because when we turned back to look at the way we had come, the sand wraith loomed in front of us.
“I’ve been looking for you,” it hissed in its gravelly voice.
Both Emma and I knew it wasn’t talking about me, even if its attention hadn’t been entirely focused on her.
Emma reached for the canteen of water she carried everywhere, preparing to let it out. But the canteen was gone, lost somewhere in our race to get away. I remembered the wraith that had made a dash for her and realized with a sickening dread that the canteen had been its main target, rather than Emma herself.
The wraith laughed, the sound like rocks scraping against one another. “It seems you’re out of tricks,” it said, stepping forward.
Sand stung my face as granules tangled in my hair. Without even thinking about it, I moved to block his path to Emma, a low growl reverberating in my throat. The wraith paused, staring at me with those unnerving, glowing eyes.
“Step aside, wolf,”it hissed.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” I said, my hand out, keeping Emma behind me. “Sorry, but if you’re going to go after Emma, you’ll need to go through me.”
It leered, then gave a gravelly laugh that grated against my ears.
“That can be arranged,” it said, then lunged toward me.
Chapter 15 - Rachel
I felt a flash of rage and adrenaline through the mating bond that caused me to stumble while sparring with Amelia. As I tried to track that sensation, I fell to the ground, tripping over my feet.
“Are you all right?” Amelia appeared next to me, crouching, her face creased with worry.
“Fine,” I muttered, standing up on shaking legs. “But I have to run. I’ll see you later.”
Without waiting for Amelia’s response, I raced out the door and sprinted to my car. I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was that Sam was in danger and I needed to be with him, a primal need so acute and potent it was nearly debilitating, stronger than it had ever been before consummating the mating bond. A tug pulled right behind my heart, as if it were a string guiding me to wherever Sam was.
A tiny voice told me I should stay away, that I wouldn’t be able to help. I squashed that. I wasn’t going to be able to stand by and let whatever was happening happen, not when I could sense it all through the mating bond. I couldn’t stand even the thought of feeling this connection suddenly sever while I was sitting on my hands. I refused to accept that there was nothing I could do. Though still furious with Sam for his earlier comments, that wild, overwhelming need to be near him, to help him, overrode any irritation. I started the car and peeled out of the parking lot.
I followed that tug, hurrying toward it as fast as possible as my heart thundered. When the terrain grew too rough for my car, I killed the engine and ran on foot, continuing to follow my instinct, as if my wolf was calling to her mate.
Noises came from the other side of the rocks. I crouched, all but crawling on my belly as I stalked forward. Slowly, I pulled myself up to peer over.
Panic lanced through me as the sight on the other side of the boulders unfurled. Emma and Sam were pinned against a rock, surrounded by demons, too many of them to fight. And right behind the demons was a large creature made entirely of swirling sand, save for its glowing eyes.
I had only seen the wraith once before, when it had attacked the oasis. It had been at a distance. Seeing it this close sent my heart racing as my breath went ragged, as if just being in its presence could instill terror. My mouth went dry, and part of me wanted to turn and run the other way. But there was no way in hell I was doing that. Not with Sam and Emma in danger, not when this creature threatened my pack, and there might be something I could do about it.
I crouched back behind the rock, trying to think of how to proceed. I was out of sight. The wraith hadn’t seen me. If I could figure out a plan, maybe I could help Sam and Emma get away unharmed.
Dragging myself back up, I peered over the edge again, trying to get a better feel for the situation. The wraith leered down as Sam continued to glare up defiantly. The imps continued to inch closer. One lurched toward Emma, claws outstretched, and Sam snarled, lunging forward and swiping at it with a clawed hand. Another moved while Sam was distracted. As I watched, Sam shifted, morphing into a familiar giant wolf that blocked the imps from Emma.
“Your dog is loyal,” the wraith noted with a sneer. “Come quietly, and I’ll make his death quick and only a little painful.”
Emma didn’t cower. She glared up at the wraith, refusing to move as she folded her arms. “What do you want with me, anyway?” she demanded. “Why aren’t you just killing me?”
