Dark Desire After Dark

45

The explosion in the distance distracted the Wendigo just long enough for Holly to bolt to her feet and sprint past them. The sky rained embers as blast after blast rocked the castle, towers collapsing.

Holding her ribs, she raced down the riverside, slipping on the rocks. The Wendigo gave chase, running with a lumbering, uneven gait, their long, knifelike claws bared.

More emerged from the shadows before her, forcing her to dart back toward the town. She realized they were maneuvering her, but there was nothing she could do about it—

Once on the main street, she scanned the area. Their eyes glowed out from around the corners of buildings, from roofs, from inside homes. Dozens of them.

Need a weapon…anything.

There! Behind a home. Her gaze fell on an ordinary wood ax, wedged into a stump. She limped to it, tearing the ax free. Getting a good grip, she swung it, growing accustomed as she sized up her foes.

Wendigo stalked closer.

Monstrous. Up close she saw they had dripping fangs and smelled like rotten meat.

There would be no hacking with the ax—she couldn't afford to have her weapon get stuck in one of their bodies. No, she would use full-forced swings, taking their heads cleanly off their necks.

Just when the larger ones tensed to leap at her, night turned to day. The last mighty tower erupted in a plume of fire, bathing the valley in light.

The nocturnal, north-dwelling Wendigo shielded their eyes. As they hunched with wet hisses, she raced past the line of them.

She chanced a look behind her. I'm outrunning them! They couldn't catch her.

By the time she neared the edge of the town, she'd left them in the dust. Free! Still running, she passed the sign.

And slowed…

Prosperity.

Three hundred and thirty-three villagers had sought to make a life here. There'd been no prosperity awaiting them—only terror, then gruesome, agonizing deaths.

They'd been lured here by a promise that was far different from the reality. Just like her.

Lured by the hope of a better life, or by the love of a demon—what did it matter?

She stopped, breaths fogging in the growing chill. The Wendigo thought another meal was here for them. A piercing fury bloomed within her. How would they like to be the prey for once?

Furies are predators. Valkyrie are warriors. I'm both.

Something inside her…clicked. Things became clear.

She turned back, surveying the town. Without the heat from the forge, flurries began to swirl.

The old Holly would be screaming that this wasn't rational. But she wasn't the old Holly.

Briefly setting down her ax, she wrung her clothes and hair out, then bashed the ice off an evergreen limb. She rubbed the needles all over her, disguising her scent.

She doubled back, creeping around buildings as she made her way to the chapel. At the entrance, she stole inside, her calculating gaze flickering over the boarded windows.

Ax in hand, she leapt up onto one of the exposed rafters. Crouching there, she slowed her breaths, calming her heart. Awaiting.

One by one, they entered, hunting, sensing her. She tilted her head, dispassionately eyeing her quarry as her foremothers had before her.

When the chapel was filled, a bolt of lightning flashed over the valley. The largest one finally craned its head up.

With a shriek, she dropped down between them and their only escape.

She lives.

Cade forced open his eyes once more. She'd screamed, not in fear but in fury.

The blast had catapulted him all the way down to the valley. The impact mangled his body, splintering bones out from his thighs and forearms.

But she lives. And she was in jeopardy once more. Gritting his teeth, he began to shove bones back under his skin, as he gazed around him, wary for his enemies.

Why hadn't he been attacked by the Wendigo? Why weren't they attracted to the scent of his blood?

Though he couldn't yet stand, he would reach her somehow. She'd believed in me.

He'd fucking crawl to her if he had to.

Just as he was about to shove his femur back into place, he stilled. That goddamned sword…

It was still strapped to his back.

"Where do I go now?" she whispered, as she closed the church doors behind her. There was no answer, nothing but echoing silence.

She'd swept death over this place. Yet she felt little of the satisfaction she'd expected, only gut-wrenching sadness from Cadeon's betrayal.

So alone…

By the time she'd reached the edge of the town once more, her clothes and hair had frozen. Ice formed on her eyelashes.

As Holly turned in dazed circles, shuddering from cold and shock, she felt warmth from above. She raised her face in confusion.

The northern lights.

They waved and floated so peacefully, calling to her, beckoning like opened arms.

Without thought, Holly ran headlong toward them, into the darkest wilds, with no other thought than to follow the lights….