The Taint of Wolves

Boom

Chapter Thirty-Three : Boom

The smell of the Ravagers lingered in my nose. I walked back as if I hadn't a care in the world, ignorant to the attack that was incoming. A calm had washed over me, the thrill of the fight soaring through my veins before settling back. The farm-dog Dusty ran up to me as I approached, his backside shaking as he whined and prodded me for a pet.

"Hello good boy." I knelt in front of him for a moment, rubbing a hand over his head. He lapped at my hands and my arms. I wondered if there was a Ravager watching us right now? Would they wait until I noticed them?

"Nova?" Easton appeared in the doorway, concern crinkling his brow.

I kissed the dog on the head, before weaving my fingers around his collar. He didn't fight me as I began to tug him inside. "There are Ravagers in the hills. More beasts like Adken."

His eyes flashed a bright gold. "Are you sure?"

"I am. I caught their scent."

Easton tried not to react. That burning gaze of whiskey brown, darkening by the second, tracked the horizon. "Your family have a cellar. Get them into it."

The corners of my mouth twitched. "You don't want me to hide in it too?"

Easton glanced at me over his shoulder. "First, I know you never would. Second, I cannot hold off a group of Ravagers by myself for very long. I will need all the help that I can get."

I smiled. "You trust me to watch your back?"

"Without a doubt." He said it solemnly, before sliding out his phone. I watched the tension roll across his shoulders, his voice becoming gruff and commanding. It was Blav on the other side, his voice warped by static and growing agitation. I let go of Dusty and he trotted into the kitchen merrily, tail wagging.

"Dusty!" Marianne Linden cried. "You're going to get your dusty paws all over our floors! Get out!"

I followed the dog inside. "He stays."

Mam blinked at me. "Excuse me?"

"You need to get into the cellar." I began to pull knives from the block and setting them down on the counter. Knives wouldn't do anything to a Ravi creation – at least, not when wielded by humans, but I wanted to give them some semblance of comfort.

"Why?" Nyssa slid off the stool, her question like a whip.

"Because bad people are coming to kill you. Or worse." I began to pull out food. Just in case. The three of them watched my quick, calm movements with growing confusion.

"What's worse than death?" Nyssa scoffed.

"You could turn into a monster like me?" I side-eyed her. "You could end up doing terrible things to survive and end up with your family believing the worst things about you are true."

"I would never kill someone." Nyssa shook her head.

"I never said anything about killing people."

"So," Nyssa scoffed. "You're trying to lie now and say you haven't killed people? I read your report."

"You read a report. A report crafted by doctors who didn't understand what they created." I stepped closer to her, listening to the thump of her heart as she tried to follow her fear. Her breathing shallowed as I loomed over her. I pressed a glittering claw, broken from a mangled, morphed hand. "I've done monstrous things. I have gutted people, right here. I've torn off their heads, their limbs. I would do it all again to those who threatened me or mine, or who dared to lock me away."