Dyami lifted his arms to deflect the blow, grunting as the weapon bounced off him without even a scratch. Summer’s symbol had worked. His wolf paced in the background, too weak to come out. Summer was right—whatever she’d done to him earlier was fading…fast. Without his wolf, he was practically defenseless. To make matters worse, the poison seemed to be lashing him more violently, as if it sensed another Huntress with evil intent.
“What the fuck?” Talia said, anger exaggerating her features.
“She must have etched on him.” Vic shrugged.
Talia lifted her second weapon. “Why isn’t he transforming?” She moved toward him. “What’s the matter with you, beast? Why are we not provoking your wolf to come out and play?”
Dyami felt Summer behind him, her little body tense and shaking as she peered around his side. She couldn’t possibly be making sense of all this, even after what he’d confessed to her earlier. There hadn’t been enough time to tell her everything so that she would understand.
“He must be sick,” Vic offered quietly in an effort to keep Summer from hearing. “We just need to subdue them both, separate them, and then you’ll get your pelt.”
“You people are crazy!” Summer screamed, her voice sounding near hysterical. “What do you want from us?”
“It’ll all make sense to you soon, love.” Vic positioned himself so that he could see Summer better. “I’m not going to kill him, I swear. You just need to trust me, okay?”
Dy snorted. The bastard wasn’t lying—that was the shit part of it. A Hunter couldn’t kill a werewolf, only a Huntress could do that.
“Trust you?” Summer snorted, her hands clenched tightly into Dyami’s shirt, her body vibrating against him. “That’s hilarious, Vic! You can’t be serious!”
“Listen…Summer, right?” Talia said as she motioned subtly for the men to position themselves.
Dyami watched, his muscles coiled waiting for the attack. If he could get Summer into the bathroom, maybe she’d still stand a chance of getting away through the small window. He was screwed—there was no doubt about it—but maybe he could give Summer a shot at getting away. Let her make the choice later to find Vic, if that was what she wanted, rather than being taken by force.
The bathroom door was only a couple of feet from where they stood. She might just be scared enough to get her ass out of there without him.
“I know this all seems very strange to you,” Talia continued.
“Ya think?” Summer shifted when Dy did, as if she’d read his mind, understanding instinctively that he wanted her to get into the next room.
Talia chuckled. “I, too, grew up thinking I was human. Not part of the Order’s fold. I had no idea that I was a part of this amazing legacy. Destined to battle the beasts. I must sound insane to you, but I have no other way of explaining it. You might not trust Vic completely right now, but in a few moments everything will make sense. I promise you that.”
“I am not buying what you’re selling, lady, not even a little bit. You people run around hunting us, throwing knifes, swords, whatever that thing is…and you expect me to just accept it? Think, oh yeah, that’s totally normal, I’ll just go along with those crazy folks and everything will be okay.”
“‘You’ll be hunted by your love.’” Talia turned her free hand out, palm up. “I told you the truth once, didn’t I?”
Summer gasped. “Oh my god, you’re the homeless woman.”
Dyami felt as a tremor ran through Summer’s body. His muscles twitched. He wanted so badly to launch himself at them, annihilate them all, get Summer away. But without his wolf…
“You just need to have a little faith, Summer. Just like you did that day.” Talia’s voice had grown soft, her words taking on a rhythmic quality that reeked of magic.
Talia locked eyes with Summer, her pupils growing large, seeming to leech all the color that was there. “Have faith in me, Summer. I’d never lead you astray. We are sisters. Born to fight the beasts.”
“I d-d-don’t understand,” Summer stammered. “None of this makes any sense.”
“Don’t listen to her, she’s casting some kind of spell,” Dyami said “Don’t look at her, Summer. It’s a trap.”
Talia chuckled. “Really, beast? You expect her to believe that?”
The Hunters moved closer, just as in sync as Dy and Summer seemed to be, tightening their ranks and moving closer. Only a few steps more and he’d be able to shove Summer through the bathroom door and into safety.
“And what if I say okay, sure, I’ll go with you? Would you let Dyami leave unharmed?”
Dyami growled. “No deal.”
Talia sneered at him. “Nah uh, can’t do that. Won’t even lie to you there. This man, this beast, is our enemy. Once you bond with your Hunter you’ll understand your role as a wolf slayer. There will be no debate whose side you’re meant to be on. Remember what I said? ‘You’ll be hunted by your love.’ This”—she pointed at Vic—“is your love. And he searched for you, hunting until he found his soul mate. Trust me on that, Summer. He’s the only man who you can be happy with. Within him lies all of the answers you seek. He can give strength to your magic abilities, explain them, enhance your understanding, make you powerful.”
“What do you know about it?” Summer’s voice rang with uncertainty. She seemed intrigued by this woman’s words, falling for it.
“Don’t listen to her.” Dyami pulled Summer closer to his body as if he could shield her from Talia’s words.
“Just know, if you can’t make this choice for yourself, we will make it for you.” Talia edged forward. “You cannot side with the beast.”
“Really, you expect me to believe that Dyami’s some kind of monster?”
“A monster, a beast.” Talia shrugged. “However you wish to call him, it’s all the same.”
Dyami could feel the edge of the doorframe against his heel as he shifted them again. He pushed his hands back, holding Summer’s hips and forcing her behind him more.
“He can transform into a wolf, Summer. That’s what we’ve been trying to show you. But there’s something wrong with him.”
“A wolf.” Summer froze. A heartbeat passed. “There’s nothing wrong with Dy. He’s stronger than you.”
Dyami’s pride surged. She may not understand or fully accept it, but she wasn’t buying into the Hunters’ shit.
“That’s a lie and we all know it.” Vic leveled his gun at Dy’s head, determination set on his face. “Beast, whatever she used to protect you is gone. I can feel it dissipating. I’m not going to miss. You should thank me for being merciful. At least you’ll be unconscious when Talia takes you out.”
Dyami pushed Summer back, crouching as he did. He yanked her along with him, pulling her down. She let out a startled yelp as Vic’s gun went off and wood from the door splintered above their heads. Dyami spun and shoved her into the bathroom. Her eyes went wide as he forced her in, her fingers losing grip on his shirt, his arms, finally his hands.
“No!” she screamed.
He shook his head, reached for the door to pull it closed, then felt the bite of something hard embedding in his back. Poison burned once again, amplifying what was already there. He collapsed into Summer, knocking her down under his weight as his beast roared within. His body contorting, spasming, unable to transform, to defend, the poison from another Huntress’s weapon searing through him.
There was a growl. He couldn’t tell if it was his or not, his ears ringing, vision fading. He breathed in Summer’s scent. Her hands were covered in blood as she reached behind her and whipped a towel forward. She yanked the blade out without hesitation, putting pressure against the wound as she tried to staunch the flow.
She was hysterical, the Hunter’s hands reaching to her that she batted away, screaming, cursing, fighting to stay with Dy.
And then she froze, time seemed to anyway, her tear-soaked eyes wide with disbelief, with fear, with confusion.
Dyami craned his head, squinted his eyes, the glare of the afternoon sun shining a halo around the one thing he never thought he’d see again. The biggest motherfucking black wolf he’d ever known came crashing into the room.
Mayhem had arrived.