The Wolf's Witch (book 1)

33. Gancanagh

Kaitlin:

I dozed in and out of consciousness. All I remembered was using the last of my magic that I could gather despite my injuries to buy us more time from the hellhounds that circled us around the truck.

Red Plaid dropped Leon on the floor and fired shots. Patty, his shotgun partner, shot too from near the store.

If they survived this, I was going to owe them big time for this.

Samhain screamed at me from where he held his own against a vampire that kept trying to get away from him.

Let's just say Samhain wasn't happy that I'd run out into danger and consoled himself by munching on the vampire's head.

I missed who jumped at who but Leon forced his change part way and wrestled with a hound while on the pavement. Weak as I was, I figured I would at least get out of their way. I stuck to crawling under the truck for cover as I observed as little as I could from my angle.

When Leon tried to keep what I suspected was the hellhound's mouth open, I used the last of my energy to slid him my sword.

Leon caught the movement and wiggled for it.

When his hand finally gripped the handle, he screamed out in pain as it seared his hand. The sound was more agonizing than my stab wound and was a byproduct of the fact that my sword didn't recognize Leon. If anything, it recalled the many times I'd held it up to him in annoyance.

The irony of how things were now wasn't lost on me.

The last thing I remembered was someone dragging me out by my ankles.

----

I awoke in the connivence store next to handful of chocolate bars that were mocking me. I caught sight of the messy attempt of first aid on my abdomen and reached to freeze the wound. I had panicked but the situation now suggested that those hands that pulled me out had been friendly ones. 

There was a persistent sound near me that pulled my attention to it.

"They-they-they," the boy hiccuped and I recognized him as one of the twins I'd freed. One of them had survived after all and sat, knees to his chest while muttering to himself. There was trails of tears down his cheeks, "They got Madeline too. Madel-" He shut his red swollen eyes. 

I didn't recognize my own voice when I spoke, "I'm sorry." 

The twin jumped.

I saw red plaid in my peripheral vision as it drew close. Concerned eyes swooped over me and narrowed into my face methodically, "You're awake." 

Maybe it was all the murder and fear in the air until just now but I noticed it just then. He wasn't a regular civilian. His shot was way too good and his eyes just then were too measured and controlled while assessing me. He must've served somewhere. 

I didn't see a point in asking now. There was no need for him to recall more bad memories. My eyes skirted behind him and I took in the sight of Leon. Someone had tried applying first aid to him as well. He was mostly red bandages. He must've barely succeeded in helping to kill the hellhounds.