Dark Shadow (Book 1 in DARKNESS DUOLOGY)

Thirty-Seven: Fair Warning

When my eyes opened sometime in the night, I had to blink a few times, trying to adjust to my dark room. I didn’t move so I could focus my hearing on what I had heard. But now there was nothing. Just the soft breathing of Emory next to me. I could have sworn I heard something. I got so used to waking up to any little noise the past month that maybe now it was just my imagination.

Letting out a slow breath, I turned my head to check on Emory. He was lying on his stomach having spread himself out on the mattress some time during the night. One of his feet was lying on my chest and I grinned, shaking my head as I carefully shifted him into his spot.

Taking the covers, I placed it over Emory after pulling him closer to me. I still felt drowsy and just as sleep was going to take over again, I heard something. I quickly sat up, blinking a few times then frowned at my door. Wolf eyes taking over, I saw that Vicky was also sitting up which wasn’t surprising since she was a light sleeper.

Vicky looked at me, whispering that she could hear something. I nodded that I could hearing something too but that I don’t think it was inside the house. I shoved the blanket off me, making sure to check on Emory one more time before following Vicky out into the hall.

We made our way down the stairs, careful to not make our steps too heavy. Once downstairs, Vicky mouthed, while pointing, that she’d check the living room and kitchen. I nodded, turning to the dining hall and raised a brow, looking around but nothing was out of place.

Shaking my head, I frowned that maybe Vicky and I were just paranoid because of Madilynn. Raking my fingers through the front of my hair, I sighed, making my way to the living room to meet Vicky.

A small, fragile scratching was picked up and I whipped around, my gaze looking around until I heard the scratching again, coming from the front door. I hesitated, brows furrowed as I walked over. My hand lingered over the doorknob, but then the scratching started up again. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath before unlocking the door and yanking it open.

At eye level I saw no one.

I frowned, squinting but then I heard a meek whimper and looked down. A gasp escaped, my eyes wide on the bloodied wolf collapsed on the porch. It slowly shifted; its hind legs grew long and slender, along with its torso and arms. I immediately recognized the silvery-blonde hair barely visible under the red hue.

“Vicky!” I shouted, kneeling beside the bloodied figure on the porch and brushed back their hair, tilting my head as the panic filled my voice. “Iota?! Iota, can you hear me?!”

I looked into the house again, just as Vicky ran out. Her eyes wide and tearful. I shouted at Vicky to run and get my parents. I growled at her when she was still standing there, stunned.

Vicky shook her head, turning away and ran up the stairs. There were already footfalls from what I could hear upstairs and Vicky’s panicked voice.

“Iota…” I whispered, careful to not touch her too much. I didn’t know how badly she was hurt.

The woman’s eyes barely opened when I spoke to her. Her face had dried blood streaks down her face like war paint. They were from deep claw marks. Iota’s hair was matted with her blood and the rest of her body carried more deep claw wounds and bruises.

Iota was drifting in and out, finding it hard to swallow as she lifted a shaky hand. Her long fingers touched my cheek. “I found you…” was barely whispered.

The porch light came on and I looked up as my parents came outside. My mom gasped, kneeling next to me and was already assessing the injured she-wolf.

Mom’s eyes widened in panic.