A sharp breeze whips between the buildings and helps clear my head as I gaze up at the sliver of a moon, which looks appropriately like a reaper’s sickle tonight.
Those fuckers chose a pretty night to die. And if I go with them, so be it.
But Brylee won’t.
I spin on my heel and head back into the castle because I’m going to gather my brothers, and then we’re going to do what we do best.
Transform from men into monsters.
3
BRYLEE
We drivefor less than half an hour—not nearly enough time to leave the country.
A burlap sack is thrust over my head as I’m jerked out of the van. The grip on my arm is almost bruising, but I don’t allow a single whimper of pain to escape.
Cold night air bites at my skin, but I welcome the chill and the reminder that I’m still alive. Still breathing.
For now.
Where the hell are we?
What do they have planned for me?
Fear kick-starts my heart, causing it to batter my breast plate. It almost sounds like a death knell, keeping time with each step as I’m marched to my end.
Boom.
Step.
Boom.
Step.
Boom.
I try to take in my surroundings—what do I hear? What do I smell? What do I feel?
Cars. I hear cars. A few honks, which makes me believe we’re in a semi-populated area.
I inhale but only detect car exhaust and something woodsy. Are we near a forest? The smell is too dampened for me to know for sure.
And for what I feel…
Nothing, except for the hand bruising my arm and the crunch of asphalt beneath my feet. Loose asphalt, though, which makes me believe this is a road or driveway that hasn’t been cared for recently.
You just have to be smart about this, Brylee.
You can’t give in to your panic.
I force myself to suck in a scorching breath, the air itself seeming to be made of razor blades, before loosing it. I do this a couple more times until I’m able to hold on to even a modicum of calmness.
I know immediately when we step inside. The loose pebbles beneath my boots morph into something solid—probably cement. The air here is stale and smells vaguely of copper mixed with something else, something distinctly tangy.
They lead me forward a few steps and then abruptly jerk me to the side. I stumble over my feet but manage to right myself before face-planting.
“In here,” one of the Noths instructs, pushing at my back.
