“You sure you want her?”the other foxret from earlier replies.
“I know you smell the same thing I do,”the leader says.“She’s a worthy prize, and we have to kill him anyway. Besides, there’s many of us and only one of him. Once he’s down, we can take turns filling her with our seed until she struggles to walk.”Another chorus of answering barks and howls goes up.
Oh flippin’ heck. The foxrets are actually crazy.Raith isn’t looking at me, but I’m pretty sure he must sense my discomfort because he growls again, moving to block me from the view of the leader.
Seriously, where are the others?At this point, even Knox would be a welcome sight. He might hate me, but I’m pretty sure he’d help his brother. Worry goes through me then, because the foxrets had said their orders are to kill the men, plural. I can’t help wondering, what if the others are already hurt? And who the hell placed the order?
“Uh, no thanks,”I say back to the foxret, and I’m startled by the strange yips and barking noises that come out of my mouth as I speak their language.
“No?”His lips peel back to reveal his fangs as he gives me a crazed smile.“Mmmm this will be even more exciting if you’re unwilling. Besides, you must be for us. Why else would you be able to speak our language?”
I gape at him.Oh great, he really is a psycho. “Firstly, I have no idea how I can speak to you. Secondly, nope. There’s absolutely no way you can have me. I already have four arrogant shadow daddy mates to deal with, and trust me, you do not want to get in on that.”
The foxret’s smile wavers.“Shadow dad-dies?”he asks in confusion.
“Yeah,”I say firmly like he should know what I’m talking about.“And frankly, dealing with that is exhausting enough. I’m sure your kits, or whatever, will be incredibly…adorable, but they just won’t be from me.”
The foxret stares at me for a moment, and then he tips his head back and laughs.
“What did you say?”Raith asks, his face dark.
I sigh.“I asked politely for them to let us go.”
Raith’s lips twist into a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.“Ah there’s your problem, sunshine. You bothered askin’.”
As quickly as it started, the leader foxret abruptly stops laughing, and he barks to his companions.“Take him down. The moonlight’s wasting.”
Oh great, it looks like talking time is over.
Chapter Nineteen
~ Shade ~
The foxrets curve around as they advance, forming a semicircle of gnashing jaws as they move further into the clearing. Their fanged mouths hang open as if they’re already imagining Raith’s blood on their tongues. I don’t even let myself think about what they want to do to me. I can’t think about that now. A kernel of power stirs inside me, but I know it wouldn’t be enough. I back up closer to where I hope the cage is located, knowing full well that I’d only get in Raith’s way if I tried to fight.
“Watch out!” I shout as a foxret darts forward, snapping at Raith with his dripping fangs.
My mate is already moving, and he maneuvers his body, avoiding the creature’s teeth and plunging his blade into the foxret’s abdomen. Blood sprays, and the scent of their companion’s blood works the other foxrets into a frenzy. The remaining foxrets close in on Raith, snapping at the air. Their eyes are wild as they attack, and this time six of the foxrets lungeat him at the same time. They’re not as large as Raith, but they’re incredibly fast.
I can’t watch. Oh, crap. I can’t watch.I lift my hands to my face, but I can’t stop myself from looking through my fingers.
Raith’s shadows shoot out, wrapping around two of the foxrets and squeezing them until their necks break, but the other foxrets dodge out of the way, still sprinting for him. My mate snarls, his blade slicing through the air as he moves with lethal precision, his sword glowing in the moonlight. He plays with them as he carves through the creatures, never stopping. It’s a brutal dance of steel and blood.
Despite their incredible reflexes, the foxrets can’t keep up with my mate. One after another, they fall to his blade. More foxrets move to replace their slain brethren, but none of them can lay a fang or claw on him.
I watch transfixed, until the foxret leader, who had been waiting at the back of the pack, sets his sights on me. He breaks from the semicircle, curving around and moving with purpose as he slips away, heading straight in my direction.
Oh, crappity crap.I stumble backward, frantically fumbling around, my fingers slicing through open air as I search for the cage.Come on. It has to be around here somewhere.Raith had told me to get in the cage if he was clawed, but going in there to escape this maniac sounds just as good. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, and I try to reach for the power in my system, but I can’t focus it. Not when fear is curling around my neck and everything inside me is telling me to flee rather than fight.Oh, why couldn’t I still have my wings!
More foxrets fall as Raith carves through his attackers, but they’re getting smarter. The remaining creatures are learning how to dodge his counterattacks. Raith is busy defending off a foxret, when another jumps at him with its claws aimed at his throat. At the last second, Raith’s shadows wind aroundthe ribcage of the second foxret, lifting him into the air and squeezing until his bones crack and the foxret goes limp. Raith snarls, tossing the foxret away.
I turn my attention back to the advancing leader, and I slide a dagger from my belt. “Nice zenali creature,” I singsong nervously. “Your kind are dying. Why don’t you tell them to retreat? It’s not too late.”
The leader doesn’t seem to care, and he ignores the sight of one of his friends being beheaded. Instead, he stalks toward me, his dark eyes filled with lust as the moonlight shines down on us. “If we can’t kill the shadow demon, it’s better that the foxrets die rather than face his wrath.”
“Whose wrath?” I ask. “Who gave the order to kill my guys?”
The foxret ignores my questions. “But maybe I’ll be spared if I claim a mate with such…curious magic.”
