He would hate himself. He would?—
He ripped the man’s arm from its shoulder, spraying blood and flower petals. The man screamed, his mouth wide in anguish. The crowd’s responding shriek was deafening.
The rest of the people in the field didn’t notice. They continued tossing flowers, dancing, or waving at the crowd. What did they see? Adoring, cheering people? A city of love?
The man’s face twisted in confusion and agony, and Luvic tore his throat free.
I reached the stone wall, boosted my hands on the surface, and leaped onto the field. In my underwear and my bra. Without any weapons. I hit the spongy grass, bending my knees to absorb the shock of dropping ten feet.
The roar in the arena shuddered and swelled and shoved me toward Luvic and Last. I sprinted across the field, my heart flinging itself in front of me. Pumping my arms, I veered to intersect Luvic. He’d torn through three more people, using teeth and claws.
His mouth was foaming, and his muzzle was blood-covered. His eyes glowed orange-red. I swore, over the crowd and my heart’s pounding, I could hear the eerie jackaltooth rattling in his throat.
I didn’t know what I was going to do. I had no plan; I only knew I had to stop him.
The Luvic I knew would be horrified. If he was somehow aware of what was happening, he was horrified.
Across the field, Last spun in a circle, dizzily tossing flowers and laughing.
Luvic howled, pulling a man’s intestines free. I was only twenty feet from him. Sweat dripped down my skin, and I dragged in apple and mint scented air.
He clawed the air in front of a woman and snarled. She tossed flowers into the air.
“Luvic!” I screamed. “Stop!”
He shook his head, flinging blood from his gray fur. Then he turned from the woman and caught sight of me. When his orange gaze hit me, I nearly stumbled from the force of it. His upper lip curled over his bloody teeth, and he snarled. The hackles on his back stood on end, and in response, the hair on the back of my neck rose.
All his attention was focused on me. His eyes glowed, a bright ember suddenly blown on and violently swelling. My muscles locked. He gave me the exact look the jackaltooth in the Bard tunnels had given me before leaping onto me and tearing me apart. In that moment, I felt the echo of their claws tearing through my stomach, ripping at my limbs, and snapping bones before they finally—blessedly—tore out my throat.
I was only ten feet away now. Luvic was bigger than any of those jackaltooth. His muscles rippled under his fur, the tendons twisting, the muscles flexing. He crouched and then sprang through the air, shooting at me.
I saw my death in his eyes.
This wouldn’t be the first time Luvic had killed me. But it would be the last.
I braced myself, preparing for the pain of rending claws. Then, right when I felt the hot draw of Luvic’s breath scoring my throat, Justice slammed into Luvic’s side.
They rolled past me, skidding through the grass, Luvic snarling as Justice punched his knife into his side.
They somersaulted across the field, a blur of gray fur and tattooed man. Justice jabbed Luvic’s maw. Luvic snapped at Justice’s throat, his teeth grazing his skin, sprouting blood. Justice ducked under Luvic’s lunge and kicked the back of his hindlegs, dropping him to the ground. Luvic swiped at Justice’s bare chest with his claws. Four long, bloody lines swelled. Justice dropped to his knees, and Luvic lunged. From below, Justice slammed his fist into Luvic’s throat.
He grabbed Luvic’s neck, wrapping him in a choke hold. Luvic rammed him into the ground and thrust him around, trying to dislodge him. Justice held tight, even when there was a loud crunch.
“Mari,” he shouted through gritted teeth. “What’s your plan?”
I didn’t have a plan. “Knock him out?”
“Then what? I’m not carrying this Bard out of here.” He said “Bard” like a swear word. Then added, “Do you see the crowd?”
Yeah. I saw them. They were still wild and screaming, but the tone was shifting. If we stopped their slaughter party, there was going to be hell to pay.
“Luvic!” I said, dodging as he bucked and slammed Justice against the ground again. “Luvic. Stop it! I said, stop!”
“Not working,” Justice said, wrapping his arms tighter as Luvic twisted and snapped at his throat.
Luvic bucked and managed to slide another claw down Justice’s side. Blood leaked from his abdomen, and Justice swore.
“Do you know how happy it’d make me to kill you? It’d be the best. Day. Of. My. Life.” He punched Luvic in the head—a sharp, vicious jab.
