MattI reached for Celeste’s hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. She returned the gesture, her eyes locked on the pyre in front of us. We’d buried the dead Schreibers out in the woods, our own we planned to honor in the old way.Brodie succumbed to his injuries the night of the attack, his healing powers unable to contend with the silver powder the Schreibers used to tip their blades.We found James’s body in the woods, a bullet hole through his head. His siblings, Andrew, and Kelly stood together, tears streaming down their faces. Ted hovered near them, his hand on Andrew’s shoulder. I could barely bring myself to look at them. I kept seeing the triplets together in that motel room, laughing over their pizza.Seth and Jenna stood together. He’d taken a silver bullet to the leg, and he leaned on a makeshift crutch Enzo had found him. It was basically just a large stick, but it did the job. Despite the bullet being removed, it was the sort of wound that took a while to heal.Th
We arrived in Huntsville just as the sun was beginning to set.Golden light illuminated the desolate street–weeds working up through the concrete, bordered up buildings sloping ever more sideways, and graffiti painted across almost every available surface.Matt parked beside the others, in what was one a parking lot for a grocery store. The windows of the store itself were broken, and the shelves looted. The town had been abandoned for almost thirty years, yet cars still sat against the curbs and the church at the end of the road remained untouched, its stained-glass windows still in place.“This is nice,” Fiona said as she climbed out of the car. We all got out and surveyed the town.“Why did people abandon it?” Jack asked.“Economy failed,” Nina answered, coming around the side of the car. The rest of the group followed. “People just started leaving in droves.”“Also, the ghosts,” Ted pointed out.“Oh, so now you’re a believer?” Fiona taunted. “Feeling the supernatural energy now th
The reinforcements arrived just after midnight. We were sitting in the church when Andrew tore into the room, breathing heavily. He’d been on patrol with Jenna when they caught the scent. A few minutes later, a broad, middle-aged man walked to the church. He was dressed in black fatigues, with several guns at his belt and a long sword strapped to his back.“General Bukowski,” Nina said, jumping up to meet him.He shook her hand. “We’ve set up a perimeter around the town, and we’re going to camp out in the woods tonight.” His gaze roved over the small group. His eyes lingered on me and Matt for a moment before flitting away. “We encountered no signs of any Crescent wolves on the way in.”Nina nodded. “Alright. We should speak.” She gestured for Enzo to follow, then the three of them disappeared into the night.“Well, it’s bedtime for me,” Fiona said with a yawn.Everyone else seemed to agree, and we all wandered downstairs.We had our sleeping bags spread out across the floor of the ba
We woke to the sound of screaming. More than just one person. Their voices were filled with such horror that it set my heart racing. The screams cut off abruptly, but Matt and I were already awake and alert. We’d slept in the back of his car, naked and tucked under a blanket he kept in the trunk for emergencies.“What was that?” I asked, reaching for my clothes.Matt was struggling to get his jeans over his hips in the narrow space. “I don’t know, but we’d better find out.”We stumbled out of the car, shrugging our coats on over our shoulders. I tied my boots so fast it was almost a record for me, then we were running toward the sound of the screams, Matt with a gun in his hand. We weren’t the only ones. A crowd was gathering outside what had once been a library.Dawn had just broken, and golden light spilled across the street. Figures in black rushed toward the building, their guns drawn. They must have been the reinforcements Nina’s father sent. I didn’t recognize a single one of th
JackHe needed some time alone. He’d had enough strategy, doom-and-gloom, and blood for one day. When no one was looking, he snuck around the edge of the church, leaving them to their subdued dinner. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice as he carefully closed the door behind him. He didn’t want to be around anyone. Not even his sister.He especially couldn’t stand that his father was still around. He planned to fight with the rest of them, and Jack couldn’t help the small, ugly part of him that hoped his father got hurt. What right did he have to come back into his life and play the hero?The scent of dirt hit him the moment he stepped outside, and he took a moment to breathe the smell in. It smelled like spring, and he allowed himself to appreciate it for a few seconds. What if he never saw another spring? This could very well be his last.Lazy clouds drifted across the sky as golden light spilled down across the abandoned town. Was this the last sunset he’d ever see? He didn’t know w
AlyxHe wiped a hand across his mud-splattered face, leaving a trail of blood. Alyx hardly noticed or cared. He was too intent on reaching his brother. Ronan would want to hear how the mission went, and what he’d learned about their enemies. There wasn’t time to waste cleaning himself up, making himself presentable.Eye tracked him as he wove through the camp. Men and women bent their heads together and whispered. Most looked weary as he strode past, some downright scared. He liked it that way. They should fear him. The entire world should fear him.He’d lost the one person in his life who understood him, who really meant something to him. His best friend. His brother. Nothing in this world, or in any other, could stop him from getting his vengeance. He didn’t even really care if they won this war, not anymore. As long as he made them suffer. As long as he got to see the look on Celeste’s face when he took what she loved away from her, the way she stole his brother from him.“You’re b
Matt pulled me closer, nuzzling into the back of my neck. Around us came the sounds of muffled snores and heavy breathing. How they were managing to sleep, I had no idea. I’d been trying all night, but my mind wouldn’t turn off.I knew we didn't have much more time before the Crescent wolves brought the fight to us. We’d either walk away from this or we wouldn’t. Something in my gut told me that this could be my last night, and I didn’t want to fall asleep and miss it. Matt was here with me, his arms around me, and it was a real possibility we wouldn’t make it through tomorrow.The thought sent panic clawing through me. Those nightmares of Ronan ripping Matt’s heart from his chest flashed across my mind.Beside me, Fiona shifted in her sleep, rolling closer to my brother. He was lying on his back with his wounded arm held close to his body. She pressed her nose into his shoulder. After a moment, Jack put his good arm around her, holding her against his chest.Today hadn’t been the tim
JackHe pulled Fiona along behind him, panting through the pain in his arm. She was trying to keep pace, but she couldn’t run as fast as him.“Go on,” she panted. “I’ll meet you on the roof.”He didn’t answer. There was no fucking way that was happening. He just tightened his hold on her hand and kept running, his gaze set on the apartment building. They’d reach it together before the wolves came or not at all. He wouldn’t–no, couldn’t–leave her behind.Howls cut through the air as pink light replaced the dark, lighting the graffiti lined street. Around them, their allies got into position.He finally reached the front of the building and pulled the door open. The wound on his arm was already screaming at him, but he breathed through the pain. He didn’t have any choice but to do so.Fiona shut the door behind her and together they jogged up the stairs. He didn’t let go of her hand. He couldn’t bring himself to until they reached their positions.She propped the roof door open again, a