So we eradicate them, take out the culprit who is crafting the curses, and we win.
My father chuckled and sucked in his breath. My power had begun to leak out of his body. I readjusted, trying to keep it better contained. It took everything I had not to show my emotion to him and start weeping like a child.
It won’t be an easy task, he managed. They are making war machines. They don’t care if it goes against nature. They want to win at all costs.
How many were there?
There were at least three in the first group that followed us out. If they bite you, they spread their vile curse. Their bite will change a human to wolf, but for us it means death.
There was a deafening boom behind us.
I jumped, shielding my father’s body with my own.
Rourke was down and the Screamer was ambling toward us. Anger and fury fueled me as I leapt forward. “You want me? Is that what you want?”
“No.” Ben’s voice hit my eardrum a second before I sprang. “You must not engage it.”
Too late. Better me than my father. I lunged, my arms wrapping around its chest. The force of the electricity blinded me, trying to buck me back, but I held on, digging my claws into its decaying flesh.
It roared.
“I will not let you kill us,” I groaned. The voltage was agonizing. My face contorted in pain. I tried to funnel the energy out of me as fast as I could, but I couldn’t do it quickly enough. Once it filled me up completely, I would either pass out or my heart would explode. “I don’t care if I die,” I yelled, “but I’m taking you with me.”
“Your death won’t be necessary, Hannon.” A familiar and the most welcome voice I’d ever heard sounded next to me as the Screamer was efficiently ripped off me.
I collapsed onto the ground, my body ringing with nasty aftershocks. I struggled to catch my breath. Tyler and Danny hovered over me with worried expressions. “I’m … fine.” I coughed, rolling over onto my knees. “Go … protect Dad. He needs … Ray.”
“Sorry it took so long,” Tyler said, stepping back. “We ran into a group of mouthy vamps who tried to stop us.” A look of horror flashed over his face as he spotted our father in the bushes.
“Ray is a wee bit occupied at the moment.” Danny crouched next to me. “But it looks like he may be freed up in a second or two.”
Ray had the Screamer by the throat.
But that wasn’t even the most unbelievable part. He appeared to be pulsing with the same kind of energy as the Screamer.
“What is he doing?” I said, staggering to stand. “Why is he lit up like that?”
“I have no idea,” Danny said. “But it’s a fairly incredible thing to witness if you ask me.”
Rourke paced back and forth on the other side of the fight, ready to spring if Ray collapsed. I was glad to see him back on his feet. The look on his face was pure determination. No doubt he was pissed the Screamer had gotten the best of him.
“You’re not gonna mess with me again,” Ray yelled. “This time I’m making it permanent.” He maneuvered the Screamer to a kneeling position. “You don’t get to eat me or any of my goddamn friends.”
It was nice to hear we’d graduated to friends, but the entire ordeal between them was so strange I stood there unmoving, the aftereffects of the energy still ringing in my ears.
“Jessica,” my brother yelled. “What do we do now?”
My brother’s voice shook me out of my stupor. I ran over to where he sat with our father. “I don’t know.” I knelt again, plunging my hands back into my father’s fur. “We need Ray. But even if he can kill the Screamer, that isn’t going to save Dad’s life. I don’t understand what Ray needs to do.”
Jessica … my father’s voice trickled weakly in my mind. Don’t worry about me. Defeat … that thing … before it kills you…
Dad, we’re not leaving you. They have this handled. Please don’t give up on us. I talked to a seer and she said Ray would help us. You need to stay alive—
“Jessica! Move!” Rourke yelled.
“Argh!” I spasmed and fell forward as white-hot energy raced through my body once again.
The Screamer had me in a choke hold.
It had escaped Ray’s grasp. My back arched as my hands clawed at its forearm. Its mouth was right by my ear, its dirty fangs an inch from my neck. “I will have you.”
I shot my elbow into its ribs and tried to force it backward. We have to try and absorb the energy. But my brain was too fuzzy and I couldn’t catch my breath.
Ray yelled behind me, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
In front of me, my father rose on unstable legs, Tyler springing up next to him. My father growled and bit the air, wanting to help me. I pushed back into the Screamer with everything I had, trying to put space between us and my family. If my father got his teeth onto the Screamer, it might be enough to finish him off.
Dad, get back!
“Jessica,” Rourke yelled from above me somewhere. “Hold on!” There was movement all around me. I was spinning out from the Screamer’s hold.