The Wild Hunt (Downworlder Series, #1)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Love and War

Her scent was hard to track, the smoke was distorting everything, blanketing everything, drowning out the scent of warmth and sunshine. I inhaled deeply still, trying to process the scents, trying to pick hers out. She needed us. Our little Sutton. Our little piece of moon. The twisting ribbon that had tied itself around the organ in our chest that beat so frantically at the thought of losing her.

Screams of those dying filled our ears as I ran through my Doyen's streets. My beast railed against my control, his anger was all consuming. Our bit of sunshine had been taken from us, that loving bit of warmth ripped from our arms and taken from our reach. Claws forced out from my nails. My Doyen had taken her. I thought we had been friends but he had taken what was have been given to my beast and I.

 I darted down an alley way, the sound of ferals snarling and snapping echoing off of the buildings. The dragon lady had let her children out to play and I could see just why it was a bad decision to get on the side of her that would leave your skin scorched. A tall man dropped in front of me and I bared my teeth at his sudden arrival. My beast snarled and snapped his jaws in warning, urging me to run through him to reach our moon.

"There you are, caveman." He looked relaxed underneath the blood spatter on his face and the ash on his clothes. I narrowed my eyes at him. He was familiar but we weren't sure where we had seen him before. "You look constipated when you think. Thought you would want to know." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and I took a threatening step forward, a heavy growl rumbling our chest. We would not play games, not tonight when little Sutton with laughter like bells needed us to get her.

 "Don't get your panties in a twist. I am here to be your guide. I know where that bastard took her." His eyes flashed dangerously and I narrowed my eyes a touch more. We knew this male. He was our pale ribbon's family. He was a part of her group and had warned us off before. The ferals had been with him.

"No get?" If he cared for her he would have gotten her. I gave a harsh growl as he shook his head. Pack was everything, family was everything. He should have gotten her if we were unable.

 "I don't have a death wish. I am fairly positive that the only person going to get into that building is a fucking army or you. As the army is clearly busy tearing shit apart, that leaves you." He pointed at me before he reached out a hand, it shook slightly as if he were scared but there was no scent of fear too him. "Please. From what I could see she is in fucking rough shape and I can't get to her." There was an edge of pleading to his voice that had us relaxing just a fraction. He needed our help, he needed her safe and he sought us out knowing we was the only one who could get to her. I gave him a nod.

"I get her. Take me." I focused on him intently and he let his hand drop before he nodded and ran at the wall, jumping up and yanking down a rusty fire escape. I stared at him as he scurried up it. My beast bared its teeth. We preferred the ground.

 "I hope you aren't afraid of heights, caveman. This is the fastest way to her." He held the fire escape down with his foot and I nodded. We didn't like climbing but I knew it had its uses. I followed him quickly, the old metal groaning its protest at my bulk. We shut out the strange feeling that left us wary and our instinct that told us to stay on ground level. We needed to get to our beam of moonlight back.

The rooftop allowed us to see the stars and the wide expanse of sky but it also showed us the damage the dragon lady was doing to my Doyen's territory. Fires. So many fires that had black clouds of billowing smoke covering the stars.

The male reached out and thumped my shoulder before taking a running start and leaping over to the next roof. I blinked after him before backing up and doing as he did.He was fast but my legs had power. They carried me over the gaps of the buildings and across the rooftops. My beast lending me his strength, ignoring the fact we were above ground where we were more comfortable.