20
Jaxson
The Dark Wolf God—a creature of nightmare and legend. Now he was here, separated from us only by a small expanse of water.
An ocean wouldn’t have been enough.
He wore the form of a man, but I knew that was a lie. There was no humanity there, only cruelty and malevolence and hate for all of us who walked on two legs.
Awe nearly overcame me. His signature was like the rumble of an earthquake, and stronger than that of any mortal I’d met. He was like the Moon, but everywhere she was bright and warm, he was cold and dark.
Every part of my soul wanted to charge forward, to wound and slash and kill or die trying to protect my mate. But I had no doubt that we couldn’t stand before him.
“Time to go,” I growled.
Sam exhaled. “I’m with you on that. Let’s get the fuck out of here, Savy.”
The god cocked his head like a predator and closed his eyes. His mouth moved, and even though I couldn’t hear what he whispered, I could read his lips. Take her.
Savannah rushed over to a fallen log and pulled her jacket out from beneath. “One sec. The talisman is in—”
Her voice cut off as one of the Fae creatures burst from the underbrush and grabbed her by the throat. My mate kicked and fought, but she was off balance, and the creature hauled her toward the forest. Then they were gone.
Everything turned red as rage filled my mind, and my wolf fought for release. All thoughts of the Dark God vanished, and without hesitation, I charged to where she’d been.
Their scent was gone. Had they teleported?
Fear clawed in my chest, and I looked around wildly, scanning the trees, but there was no sign. Suddenly, with a flash, they reappeared briefly at the base of a large oak thirty feet away. Savannah struggled and elbowed the Fae creature in the face, and then they disappeared again.
What the fuck was going on?
“Get Savy and open the portal,” Sam growled from behind me. “I’ll try to buy time.”
I flipped around. Triple fuck.
Sam stood rigid, her moonstone gripped in her palm, staring down the Dark God as he approached.
“No, you’re not! Get the fuck over here, Sam!” I bellowed, infusing my voice with command. She was beyond brave, but I wasn’t going to lose either of them.
Savy materialized, this time alone. She staggered back, claws dripping with blood. “How do you like that, tree bitch?”
I charged to her side, my protectiveness in overdrive. “Open the portal!”
I turned to make sure Sam was with us, and my blood froze.
Like prey transfixed, she hadn’t moved an inch. The Dark Wolf God stalked toward her with a predatory curiosity that made my skin burn.
“Run! Now!” I roared, unleashing my presence.
Thatsnapped her out of it.
She turned and bolted. But the Dark God chased, delight in his eyes. I charged to intercept, with Savy suddenly at my side.
She threw up her arms and raised a black wall of shadowy bands between them—but the Dark God simply ripped his way through and was on Sam in a matter of strides.
She stumbled, and my heart stopped.
As she landed in the dirt, Sam whipped around and hurled her moonstone. It slingshotted through the air, striking the god in the chest. A flash of light detonated, and a forcefield of blinding magic swept outward like an impact wave.
Stones, leaves, and branches tore free and whizzed through the air. I braced Savy and myself against the trunk of a nearby tree and turned my back to shield her from the blast.
My ears were still ringing after the light died away. Sam climbed to her knees, and shock and disbelief flashed across her face.
A shimmering sphere of light wrapped around the Dark God, caging him like a beast.
The Moon’s magic, meant to power the binding spell, now bound him instead.
I had a sinking feeling that it wouldn’t last long.
The Dark God’s gaze locked on Sam, and there was no question that he intended to murder her. Rage radiated off him, and he roared. The ground shook, and the surface of the pond churned, but his prison held.
“Release me!” he growled. His voice was thunder and fury, yet cold and imperious like a mountain. “You do not know what you are doing. I would free you from your cages of concrete and steel and lies.”
“Fuck that!” Sam yelled as she scrambled to her feet.
Several glowing cracks formed in the shimmering sphere as he threw his shoulder against it.
“Let’s go!” Savy twisted free of my grasp and darted toward Sam with the crescent talisman in hand.
As I ran to join them, the Dark Wolf God turned his hateful glare on Savannah. “You.”