Demon Puppet

Chapter 7

A low howl pierces the air, and the wolves quickly tear away, whimpering and snarling at each other in confusion. My eyes fall on an ink-black wolf towering above the others. His eyes narrow at me, and he bares his teeth. In seconds I am flat on my back again, swallowing the lump of fear in my throat as the alpha leans down and takes a big whiff, his teeth frighteningly close to my neck. 

Finally, I heard his voice. What on earth are you doing here, Noelle?

I exhale in relief and push his enormous snout away from me. I'm with--

Kill it! Kill it! The pack voices erupt in my head again. Kris and I whirl around, and he quickly snaps his teeth, crouching as the fur on his neck stands on end. 

You came here with HIM?! He roars. 

"Came here with me," Hero growls, his brilliant red eyes glowing, "and leaving with me."

We'll see how pretty your eyes are when your face is in pieces, Kris snarls.

I quickly move in between Hero and the pack. "Wait, please!"I say, holding up my hands. "Kris, this was an accident!"

The wolf stares at me before its face and body begins to change. Soon, a tall, naked man stands in front of me. My face turns bright red. I freeze, wanting desperately to look away but unable to. Hero coughs, and I hear his voice briefly in my mind. 

You never blush like that around me, he pouts. 

I growl. This is not the time or the place, Hero.

"Leaving us to rot in that cell was no accident," Kris says, folding his arms across his chest. He tilts his head, his eyes never leaving my face. "Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere."

I exhale, relieved. "Yes."

His lip curls, and his teeth begin to sharpen as his eyes flash. "But first, I quite literally have a bone to pick with this monster."

"Wait!" I shout again, moving forward and laying my hand on Kris' chest. His warm, smooth, bare chest. My face turns red again. "What can I say to keep you from--"

"Tearing him to shreds?" Another voice interrupts. I glance out of the corner of my eye and spot Kai, stark naked and snarling at Hero. Why naked? Why are they all naked? 

If you want, I can get naked too, Hero offered.

"Hero, this is not the time or the place!" I snap out loud, my face burning. I look up at Kris' face and try not to look back down. "Kris, please! We are just passing through! Just let us keep going..."

"Oh, there is no way I am letting you continue, especially when you are traveling with that," He snapped, gripping my wrist gently but firmly and pulling me behind him. 

Hero stiffens suddenly, his eyes locked on Kris' hand on my wrist. "I will give you one chance, wolf, and one chance only, to remove your hand from her arm before I remove it for you."

Oh good god, this is too much testosterone, I groan mentally. "Kris, please, let go of my wrist... We aren't here to fight you."

"You, I will forgive since you were human then," Kris murmurs. "But him, I will never forgive. Besides... there is someone else who is dying to get revenge on that fiend." He glances at me over his shoulder. "Someone else who made an oath to protect you."

My eyes widen. "Someone else... You mean someone else escaped the ruins?"

"Apparently," Kris nods. His eyes narrow at Hero again. "Although I'm tempted to let my brothers tear you limb from limb, I'm curious to see what will happen when the others arrive."

"Others? More than one person survived?"

Kris snorts at my remark. "We are immortals, little Warden, and not nearly as stupid as he makes us seem." He glances at Hero and smirks. "I would say it was even....easy... breaking out of that vault."

Hero growls and advances, and I quickly move between them again.. I look over at Hero, begging him to stay calm. His eyes briefly meet mine, and he curls his lip in a sour grimace. If you dare suggest that I do absolutely nothing, I shall be very.....irritated.

I almost reply when suddenly a hand brushes my arm and a nose presses against my neck, sliding up and down so slowly that I got goosebumps. Baekhyun pauses by my jugular vein, and I stiffen, my vision flashing red for a moment. Finally, he pulls away and exhales, sending a puff of air along my throat.

"She smells different," he murmurs quietly to Kris. "Her scent has changed."

"I know," Kris mumbles back.

I'm not waiting any longer, Noelle, Hero says stiffly in my mind. That disgusting four-legged cretin had the nerve to be that close to your neck and place his scent on you in my presence.

If you fight, they will tear you apart, I plead.

I've beaten them once, Hero challenges. What makes you think I can't do it again, princess?

My heart begins to pound. Hero only called me princess when he was about to stir up trouble. Hero, please... My nightmares flash before my eyes, and I swallow thickly. I can't watch them die again.

"They're plotting something," Kai hisses, bending into a crouch and lunging. "Look at their eyes!" 

Kris quickly throws his arm up, halting Kai's attack. "Wait!" He snarled. "I won't waste any more time. Bring them both to the den."