SOUL DORM

68

Then he kissed me...

***

CHAPTER 68:

ONE NIGHT

"Mars!"

"Enough, Olive!"

"Mars!" I said again, not looking at him but at what was behind him.

I began to back away, trembling, as I tried to point at what I saw. My arm barely made it halfway before Mars noticed something was wrong. He followed my gaze and staggered back, almost falling over if not for the chair he grabbed onto. The sight was something straight out of a fantasy. I couldn't believe I was still on my feet.

In the middle of the columns was a... thing. It resembled a wolf, but it definitely wasn't a living one. Where there should have been skin and muscle, there was only bone. It was a skeleton. Sparse tufts of fur clung to its skull, back, and tail. A purple light oozed from the empty sockets of its eyes, spreading into the room through the gaps in its snarling teeth. This must have been what a guard dog looked like in this realm.

There was no time to be shocked. The creature lunged at us, and all I could do was scream. Mars, quicker on his feet than I could ever be, snatched up a nearby chair and swung it into the air. Just as the wolf was about to bite him, he brought the chair crashing down on its head. It didn't seem to cause much damage, but it dazed the beast momentarily. Instantly, Mars was by my side, covering the distance in two quick strides and gripping my wrist tightly.

"Run!"

With him pulling me along, I had no choice but to follow. He led us toward the cave we'd come from, but our escape was cut short by another wolf blocking our path.

"Damn it!"

Mars's head whipped back and forth, his gaze flicking between the wolves. He released my hand and shifted behind me so the wolves flanked us on both sides. I wished I could hear his thoughts. Fear was about to drive me insane. Yet, fate seemed to think that wasn't enough. A third wolf stepped out from between the columns directly before us. We were in deep trouble. One wolf might be manageable, two a challenge, but three? That was certain doom.

"Mars..." I moaned against his back, my hands clutching his t-shirt.

"When I say three, turn and start running. Don't wait for me."

"What?"

"Three!" Mars yelled.

He lunged forward so fiercely that his shirt ripped from my grasp, leaving me clutching at empty air. I tried to turn around as he had instructed, but I froze at what I saw. Mars had savagely kicked a nearby statue, sending it crashing to the ground in pieces. He snatched up a chunk of the debris and hurled it at the first wolf, striking it down with deadly precision. He didn't pause; another hefty shard was already arcing toward its next victim. But the third wolf was too quick; it was already charging at us, fangs bared.

Instinctively, I bolted. The rock on the ground was hefty, nearly bending my back, but adrenaline surged, and I heaved it up. I hurled myself between Mars and the wolf just as its jaws snapped shut, its teeth clashing against the rock with a horrific sound. The impact knocked me backward into Mars. He quickly hoisted us both up. Grabbing my hand firmly, he didn't need to say a word. We ran as if our lives depended on it, faster than we'd ever thought possible.

Before long, the wolves were hot on our heels again. Mars knocked over statues as we dashed by, hurling pieces at any wolf that got too close with sharp accuracy. I got in a few lucky throws myself. Yet, it seemed our efforts only fueled their rage. We couldn't keep running in this endless maze. The corridor we'd entered from was far behind us, and there was no going back. What lay ahead was unknown—possibly even a dead-end.