They picked up speed, teeth bared, growling and attack-barking, crossing the distance between them and Khain, skirting houses, coming up to the last house between them and Khain—a noise like cannon fire split the night. Instead of going around, Canyon leapt onto the porch of the house, then its apex, planning to jump from there to Khain’s throat. He crested the roof and saw Khain tear the top off house Reynard and Marcus were in. Canyon leapt for the monster, then twisted in midair to avoid chunks of roofing flying at him. Glass broke and boards splintered. Something big hit Canyon in the back of the neck, knocking him loopy. He dropped back to the roof of the house and shook his head.
Khain pitched pieces of debris to the ground and stared down into the destroyed house. Reynard stood near a door, arms folded, staring up at the demon calmly.
Behind Khain, a red fox darted into the forest at lightning speed. Khain’s head swung that way, but Reynardjumped onto a desk, grabbed the top of the free-standing wall and muscled himself upwards until he was standing on what was left of the roof of the house.
He shouted at the demon and put his fists up. “Let’s go, big man! I’m right here!”
Khain focused back on Reynard and grinned an evil grin.
Canyon leapt for Khain. Khain threw a giant elbow and smacked Canyon flying. Canyon jumped up and darted in again, calling out to Reynard inruhi, not knowing if thefoxenwould hear. We’re here—twowolvencoming in fast. Keep him in the Ula if you can.
Reynard’s mental voice came back strong.Don’t worryvodvod, I’m not going to the Pravus without a fight.
The night exploded with light and sound. Canyon was mid-leap and could see nothing. He landed on the ground, still blind. He sensed his brother right there with him, growling and running at full speed. Canyon leapt again and slammed face first into something that hadn’t been there a moment before. He shifted at high speed, wolf to man and back while he was running, constantly healing himself, seeing flashes and hearing explosions, then the high keening cry of a fox.
Canyon’s vision cleared a little, enough to see that he’d run into an uprooted tree. He clambered over it. A red fox flew through the air above Khain. Khain grew bigger with a demonic roar and tried to grab the fox. It twisted, came down on Khain’s face and went for the giant eyeball with teeth and claws out. Khain screamed and grabbed his face. The fox ran up onto his head, around the hand and down to the other eyeball, growling and yipping.
Don’t let him get a hand on you!Canyon shouted, knowing instinctively that’s how Khain would pull Reynard into the Pravus.
Reynard’sruhiamplified a hundred-fold and he yipped a war-cry.His brain! I kill it!
Canyon reached Khain and attacked his leg, behind the knee, digging and ripping with his teeth, clawing his way up Khain’s body, trying to give Reynard more time. Black ichor filling his mouth and nose, spilling down the front of him, threatening to choke him. He growled it away and clawed his way up the giant body chewing for vital organs.
Brain. I kill—KIIILLLL!Reynard screamed again.
Khain slapped a giant hand to his own giant face and the night exploded in more white light. Canyon went flying through the air head over tail, somersaulting through debris. A two by four smacked him in the head and then he walloped into the side of a house, cracking the wood. He stuck there like a giant fly, and then he fell to the ground with a liquid thud, ribs broken, cartoon stars in his vision.
Canyon blacked out.
33—The Demon Comes Yesterday
Reynard Van Crimson dug with teeth and claws through the most disgusting flesh that ever existed. It moved around him, both decayed and alive, fighting him as he dredged for brain. He shouted to thevodvodagain, damning every lesson he’d ever been taught that Khain could not be killed.
SMACK.
Khain’s giant hand came around and caught him on the back and with an explosion of fire and light, they were sucked out of the Ula and into the Pravus. The air choked Reynard, hurting his lungs. The demon struck again. Reynard’s back snapped in a dozen places. He shifted, healing, not feeling pain, only trying to stay alive.
Khain plucked Reynard off his face and squeezed him in a giant hand, crushing his ribs, breaking his spine again. Reynard shifted and shifted again, trying not to die.
Khain pulled his arm back, then threw Reynard like a baseball. Reynard curled midair, protecting his head. He slammed into a rock wall, pain exploding in him. He shifted as he fell to the ground and shifted again, willing himself to hang on. Khain scraped him off the ground and whipped him at the wall again.
Stay alive, just stay alive, just stay alive,he panted to himself, shifting and shifting and shifting. Khain stomped on him, then picked him up and whipped him at another wall, shouting and swearing. Reynard landed on the hard ground and shifted as best he could, his strength flagging.
“That’s enough,” a male said softly. “He learned his lesson.”
Reynard recognized the voice as one of his uncles, but in his agony, he couldn’t think of his uncle’s name. Curled on his side on the floor as a man, naked and ice-cold from blood loss, he wiped blood and ichor from his eyes, trying to see. He was in a large area, walls like a cave, with no color but grey and drab. Males of all ages, all from his family, stood and crouched all around, watching, some pressed against the jagged, cracked wall, their faces filled with horror and shock.
Khain turned to the male who had dared to speak, slowly, his face murderous. Khain grabbed the male up and threw him against another wall. Reynard winced, finally remembering his uncle’s name. Rhogun. Uncle Rhogun dropped to the ground, twisted and broken, then shifted into anarctophox, an oversized fox the size of a bear. He stayed where he fell, silently watching Khain.
Khain pointed to two males and said, “Hold him.” The males hesitated and Khain’s temper blew. He grew even larger, then kicked an enormous, booted foot through all thefoxen, scattering them, shouting and swearing and roaring in rage.
“REX!” Khain shouted like an explosion, making Reynard clap his hands to his ears.
Rex Brenwyn appeared from nowhere. Reynard growled softly at the sight of the traitor.
“Hold him,” Khain told Rex, shrinking down to man-size and motioning at Reynard.
Reynard panted on the bare ground, gathering his strength, considering his options, knowing what was coming. He could run but he could not escape the Pravus—allfoxenknew that. There was nowhere to hide in the Pravus—allfoxenknew that too.
