The impulse to release his beast flashed through him, but it might hurt her in its frenzy. Canna let it free, need to think—
A blast of fire struck not a dozen feet from them. He jerked around to shield her from boiling mud and superheated grit. It spattered his jacket like acid.
The boulder above tumbled over the edge, right as one of his scrabbling feet met bedrock. He kicked with all his might, sending them flying over the landslide onto solid ground.
“Hurry, Munro!”
He sprinted into the trees, but the sulfuric stench of fire demon told him their pursuers closed in fast.
Under her breath, she said, “Do you scent any spring-trap portals nearby?”
He inhaled. “Aye. Few miles away.”
At his ear, she said, “Get us there.”
He glanced down at her. “Those types of rifts are one-way. You planning to take a trip?”
With a ruthless look, she said, “No. They are.”
The wolf nodded with understanding and picked up speed.
She’d dreamed about employing the Cursed Forest’s arsenal against immortals, but since those portals moved, she’d never been able to locate one in advance. Now Munro had scented a fresh rift, could take them directly to it. “Leave a trail even a fire demon can follow.”
“This plan only works if they canna scent the trap. You had better hope the flames and smoke have done a number on their noses.”
“Counting on it.” As with most immortals, their greatest strength produced a balancing weakness.
With dizzying speed, Munro weaved through miles of trees, then crested another rise. A gulley dropped away at their feet with a sheer rock wall on the far side. “The portal’s at the bottom of that ravine.”
“Can you scent where it leads to?”
“Nowhere good. I canna tell what that realm is, but it reeks of . . . stomach acid.”
“Perfect.”
Between breaths, he said, “You think this will work?”
In theory! she thought. But she made her tone confident as she said, “Of course it will.”
“If things go south, we’ll be trapped in a kill box.” Even a Lykae would have difficulty clearing that rock face with a human in tow, much less as demons fired on them.
“This is our only chance. Unless you can outrun four teleporters while carrying me?”
Curt shake of his head. “No’ without hurting you.”
“Then we’ll stick to this plan. Stay here until they get closer. When I give you the signal, make it look like we’ve just managed to get this far, then head down the ravine to skirt behind the rift.” She’d heard from older hunters that one could walk directly behind a portal; like a sheet of glass, its depth ended almost where it began.
She watched for the demons over Munro’s shoulder. “Wait for them. Steady . . .”
Munro muttered, “Nerves of steel, mortal.”
“Honed from years of practice, wolf.” When she caught sight of them, she squeezed his arm and murmured, “Go.”
He charged down the saturated hill, then used his sense of smell to sidle around the invisible portal.
Once they were behind it, she said, “Follow my lead, okay?”
“Aye, general.” He set her on her feet just as the demons made the rise above them.
The four males were almost as large as Munro, with the same dark claws. The similarities ended there. Ridged horns protruded from their broad foreheads, and their eyes were black with excitement to have trapped their prey.
Despite their aggressive growls filling Ren’s ears, her familiar focus suffused her as she pulled free her blade. She called to the demons, “If you want to collect the bounty on us, you’ll have to get past me first.”
They shared glances and guttural laughs.
Beside her, Munro’s body was coiled as tightly as a spring trap, his beast hovering at the surface.
“You’re laughing—yet you aren’t attacking.” Ren gave them a pitying expression. “I think the little demonlings are afraid of a woman, and a mortal to boot.”
Their palms grew redder, balls of flames appearing. Tendrils of smoke rose from their hands to slither around their faces and horns, making them look even more sinister.
What was that insult a demon hunter had taught her once, the one notoriously offensive to demons? Struggling to recall it, she yelled in rusty Demonish, “Your horns are as firm as rotten turnips!”
Eyes gone wide, all four demons roared with outrage and charged down the ravine—
Directly into the portal.
WHOOSH! The rift sprang shut behind them, creating a vacuum that shook the forest. As Munro clasped her against his chest, trees shuddered, and pine needles rained down over them. Birds jetted into the sky.
Once the woods had settled, Munro drew back, casting her an awed look. “Indomitable female. How’d you know that insult would do the trick?”
She shrugged, then said, “You’re on fire.”
“I was pretty good myself, huh?” He gazed at her as if he wanted nothing more than a kiss. Had it consumed his thoughts?
Something had. “No, Munro. You’re literally on fire.”