Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Forty Four

     The moonlight illuminated Terra's figure in the darkness and Rhett could see that she wore a black halter top, cropped shorts, and boots. Her long hair was loose and hung down her shoulders, the length of it reaching her belly button. His eyes lowered to her hands that were out to her sides, claws extended fully like ten lethal weapons. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her nostrils flared as a snarl rumbled in the depths of her chest and throat. She threw her head back in a roar, opening her mouth to reveal glistening fangs.

     Rhett threw himself over Link as Terra snapped her head back and charged at the wolf. The wolf rebounded from its beating by Rhett and started toward her. Rhett shuddered in his spot. He turned his head to look at Link. His heart sank into his stomach when he realized that his glasses weren't on his face. 

     Link had his eyes squeezed shut as his lips trembled. He could hear the growls and the snarls as the two wolves grappled with each other. More stuff in his house had been smashed and obliterated in the brawl, much to Link's dismay. His eyes popped open when he heard something creak slowly, growing in sound when it finally snapped.

     Rhett swiveled his head to look behind him. His eyes widened when he saw a broken recliner hurling toward the two of them. He hurriedly scooped Link into his arms and rolled the both of them out of the way, the recliner hitting the wall two seconds after they'd ducked.

     Link cried out as a broken piece of the furniture smacked into his thigh. Rhett took the piece of splintered wood and without thinking, chucked it at the big wolf. It flung through the air and smacked it in the back of the head with a thunk. He narrowed his eyes and waited for it to run at him, but instead, it took Terra by the hair and tossed her through the nearest window.

     "Rhett what was that?" Link asked.

     "The wolf threw Terra out the window," Rhett whispered. 

     Link gasped. "My glasses. I need my glasses. We have to help her!" 

     Rhett looked about and saw that his glasses were at the foot of the stairs. He gently set Link on the ground and crawled toward the glasses, reaching his hand out in front of him. Before the tips of his fingers could hope to touch the frame, his wrist was grasped by a giant clawed paw. Rhett's eyes widened and he let out a cry, his stomach hitting the floor as he was dragged. "Link!" 

     Link pushed himself up onto all fours and watched as the tall brooding shadow dragged his tall friend up the stairs like he weighed no more than a small sack of potatoes. He hastily crawled about on the floor and patted the ground for his glasses. There wasn't enough light in the spot for him to see, and when his hands finally touched the glasses, he brought them to his face. He quickly stumbled to his feet and darted for the stairs.

     He was about to fling himself up when he was pulled backward by the collar of his shirt. He gagged as his collar cut his air supply off. He found himself pulled backward by an invisible force, and then he was forcibly shoved into the door. His head smacked the wood. A blinding pain shot through his skull and he swore it rattled his brain. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and whined. Link opened his eyes to find that Terra had him pinned against the door by the shoulders.

     He looked her in the eyes and they were dark. Darker than he remembered. Her skin was fairer, almost porcelain. Her cheek bones stood out more, along with her thin nose and well structured jawline. She took him by the face with her clawed hand and squeezed his cheeks together. His eyebrows scrunched but the terror was evident in his eyes. His heart thundered in his chest like it was going to burst. 

     She opened her mouth to talk. Her voice took on a sinister tone. "Why are you fighting something you know you want to become?" 

     Link pondered her question for several seconds. He couldn't understand where this had come from when they hadn't seen her in a few days. "What are you talking about," he choked, his voice small. He had to admit that he wanted to crap his drawers, although a few days ago Terra was ostensibly harmless. The guys had only suspected that she was responsible for killing the miniature horse, but now Link thought there was definitely merit to the suspicion. His adam's apple bobbed up and down. 

     It drew a giggle out of Terra, and she shook her head. "You don't get it, do you? Don't you understand why the Alpha is here?" Her eyes lowered to his lips and her rose painted lips curled up in a sensual smirk. 

     Link grimaced and shook his head at the same time. If he didn't have a strict policy against raising a hand to a woman, he would have long since kneed her in the throat. This girl was five foot something and he was six foot, yet he was somehow overtaken by her. It sent boils of rage through his inner psyche. "I have no idea what the hell you're talking about, Terra! Why are you acting so strange?" He curled his fingers into his palms. 

     Terra laughed, but it was forced. She released his cheeks, but ran her pointer finger along his cheek and down to the corner of his mouth. He closed his eyes as he struggled to keep his poker face. One wrong move and that claw could sink right into his flesh. He drew in a shaky breath through his nose.

     "I guess it doesn't matter anyway. You and your friend aren't cut out for this." Terra released him and Link slumped to the ground. He shuddered with relief as she began to walk away from him. 

     He had one question he wanted to ask her though, and he didn't bother to keep the irritation out of his voice. "How did you find us," he demanded. 

     Terra stopped, then slowly turned to face him. "The howl from my Alpha. You do realize the howl of the Alpha is what signals us to the pack, don't you? Or were you too lazy to do your homework? Oh, that's right—" 

     Link's eyes narrowed, and he tightened his jaw. Terra stormed over to him, taking him by the front of the shirt and pulling him up to his feet. "— You were too busy screaming like a pansy and finding dead bodies."

     His eyes lit up with fire and he all but spat in her face. "You take that back right now, you bi—"

     "Wow. Wow, wow, wow," she said slowly. Terra gazed in his eyes like she'd found an ancient relic.

     "What," he snapped. He wanted her to know that he was far from pleased about her recent disposition. 

     Terra tilted her head to the side. "Your eyes, Link. As beautiful as they are, they harbor a certain darkness in them. I think—" she said as she ran her hand along his chest. She stopped at the collar of his shirt and smoothed the cloth between her fingers. "You would make a perfect addition to our pack." She unfastened a button of his shirt, parting her lips as she exhaled her hot breath on his neck.

     His eyes widened and he swallowed. He hoped that she wouldn't try to turn him into a werewolf right there. Link's heart raced faster as he felt the tips of his ears boil like hot lava. 

     He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her head back, which surprisingly made her laugh. "What's the matter, Link? Do I make you nervous?"

     "No! You wanna know something, Terra? I'm not happy that you found your way back to Burbank. I wish we hadn't met again, because YOU ruined my life. I'd rather die than be a freaking dog like you!" 

     He couldn't understand why she was still laughing. Suddenly, she stopped and her face went deadpan. She snatched his wrist and squeezed hard. Link released her and buckled at the knees as the bones in his wrist snapped and popped. He wailed in agonizing pain as she snapped her wrist and bent his arm out of place. She then drew her knee up to his stomach and he coughed, falling to the ground. She grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him up to a sitting position. 

     Then she drew her fist back and threw it into his jaw, jolting him to the side with the impact. His jaw cracked and his lip trickled with warm blood, reminding him once again that he was facing off with a supernatural creature that shouldn't even exist.

     She then took him by the front of his shirt and slammed him back first into the ground, and he grunted out in pain, his vision swimming out of focus. His lips parted and his eyes watered. All he could taste was metal in his mouth as it flooded with his own blood. He spit some of it out and it dripped down his chin, his teeth stained with redness. 

     Link happened to clear his vision as she straddled him, taking her booted foot and pressing her toe into the base of his throat. "I can arrange that," she snarled as she applied pressure.