“Help Raoul,” Erik says tightly. “I’ll hold them off.”
I’m all too glad to pounce on Philippa’s back and sink my claws deep into her body. Her howls ring in my ears as I lift her off Raouland throw her as far as I can—which isn’t far, since I’m not quite at full strength.
Wolf-Raoul struggles to his feet, panting and bleeding. Erik’s breathing is strained—he’s tiring quickly from using so much of his magic. And it’s going to be a few minutes before I’m fully healed—minutes we don’t have, judging by the sheer number of beasts prowling around us. Their growls, shrieks, chitters, and unearthly cries fill my ears, and their claws screech against the gym floor until I think I might go mad.
The stag who protected Erik changes form, turning into a panther, and I realize it’s the man I bit earlier—the one with the hideous blood.
But my surprise is nothing compared to Erik’s reaction. He recoils from the panther, eyes wide. “Lloyd-Henry?”
The panther ignores him and snarls at one of the other shifters.
“Have you been in the city this whole time? Withthem?” Erik says to the panther, his voice sharp with anger. “Why haven’t you—oh fuck, I forgot he’s in my head. He knows you’re here now. He’s coming.”
“Who’s coming? And who is Lloyd-Henry?” I exclaim.
Erik is staring past me, toward the double doors at the end of the gymnasium. “Lloyd-Henry is the man who resurrected me. As for the one who’s coming…I made an ally of sorts. He was supposed to wait for my signal, but he is too angry now. Stay close. Be ready.”
“You and Raoul need to quit keeping secrets,” I snap, but I turn to face the same direction as Erik. Wolf-Raoul stands beside me. I curl my fingers into the thick fur along his neck, and he moves closer, each of us instinctively seeking support from the other.
Thunder shakes the floor of the gym, drawing the attention of the shifters. The sound intensifies, vibrating the rows of seats,rattling the old scoreboard against the wall, eliciting growls of fear from the beasts.
Lightning flickers around the edges of the double doors, and more thunder rolls through the building. With a concussive blast, the doors burst open, and a tsunami crashes in.
The water leaps in foaming waves across the floor of the gym, almost as if it has a mind of its own. And perhaps it does, because through the spray and lightning and thunder strides a massive figure, bigger than any man I’ve ever seen. His huge red beard conceals the lower half of his face, but I don’t need to see his mouth to know that he’s absolutely enraged.
“Erik.” I grab his coat. “You tell me who that is right now, or I swear I’ll drain you within an inch of your life.”
“That’s Manannan, the sea god,” he replies.
Raoul makes a sound between a whine and growl, and I press my hand reassuringly to his neck. “Sea god. Right. Is he angry at you, or them, or…”
“As I said, he is a temporary ally of mine. His rage is primarily directed athim.” He points to the panther, who bristles and delivers a silent snarl.
I have more questions, but it’s impossible to speak over the onrushing waves and the crack of more thunder. Water flows across the gym floor, soaking my shoes, but the huge waves seem to avoid us, chasing down the shifters instead. One giant wave swallows two dogs and traps them, keeping them submerged until their frantic struggles cease.
It’s hard to watch, even though I know what the animals really are and the fate they intended for me and Raoul. I look down at the water sliding past my feet…and then I notice swirls of blood leaking from the body of Gil Leveque not far away. His skull is partly cavedin. One of the shifters with hooves must have trampled him while trying to outrun a wave.
It’s all coming true—the violence I feared would result from any relationship I might have with Erik and Raoul. But it wasn’t our fault. We didn’t instigate this. All we wanted—all Raoul wanted—was to live peacefully and happily together.
And his fucking sister screwed it up.
I glance at the spot where I threw her. She’s gone.
Frantically, I scan the bleachers, which are full of shifters trying to escape the flood. Some of them have switched back to human form and are clambering over the rows of seats naked, screaming, out of their minds with panic. Pity surges in me in spite of myself.
Maybe I’m not heartless yet.
I touch Erik’s arm. “It’s too much. They’re on the run already, no need to massacre them all. Can you tell him to stop drowning them?”
“I can try.” He sounds doubtful.
“Good.” Then I spot what I’ve been looking for—a white wolf slinking up the steps. She’s nearing the top of the stadium seats, where there’s an emergency exit door. “I’m going after Philippa.”
I run toward the steps too quickly, and my foot slips on the wet floor. Vampiric balance kicks in, and I right myself quickly, but not before I feel Raoul’s wolf at my side, ready to provide support if I need it. When I start up the steps, he follows me.
I look back at him, wincing. “You shouldn’t come. She might still have power over you.”
He whines.
