22

G E O R G I E

✿

Time stopped for a moment. I ducked and all was still. The black water that surrounded me was broken by the bluish light of the larvae and shattered into thousands of shards. My body floated weightlessly in the water, above me the water surface, which I stared at and behind which the small, blue lights danced in a blur.

And then I woke up. The impressions rained down on me like a cold shower of rain. The icy cold that dug into my skin like a thousand needle pricks, the violent current that relentlessly dragged me along and the hand that clutched my ankle.

I looked down at myself and saw the completely black-shrouded stranger. I couldn't make out if it was a man or a woman, just saw the bright eyes staring at me from behind the mask and boring into me.

I struggled, preparing to kick his head. I caught him on the chin. I started a new blow, which he saw coming. He grabbed my kicking foot and pulled me to him. My back slammed into the river bottom and a scream, revealed to be bubbles, escaped me. I kept kicking against him as he mercilessly dragged me on and I slid across the rough ground. My air was getting short. I had to catch my breath.

Then someone shot past me. Beau pulled him off me. But oh holy moon goddess, that stranger moved like a shadow. He was incredibly quick and nimble. Beau brought his clawed paw down on his left flank, tearing his clothing. The water turned red, he must have hit him badly.

As soon as I broke the surface of the water, I gasped frantically. The current got stronger and I struggled to stay afloat. My arms flailed violently as I tried to stay above the powerful rapids and catch my breath. I coughed as water came to my mouth. We had to get closer to the cave entrance, because the night light of the stars penetrated and the darkness lifted.

I was about to catch my breath to duck back under and look for Beau when the two appeared only to sink back into the mess. I dived under and kept swimming in fast strokes, but I didn't see her. I took another breath. Damn, where are they? "Beau!" I yelled.

Then someone appeared in my field of vision. A long, big shadow at the entrance of the cave. Tight fitting black clothes. A mask covered his face. I hadn't even blinked before he was standing on the riverbank. He stared at me, waiting for me to be herded towards him.

I frantically looked around for Beau, but he was still underwater. The cloaked stranger kept his eyes on me as I drifted inexorably in his direction. Like he's taunting me.Just try it. His eyes seemed to say. I'll get you anyway.

I tried to swim against the current, to get to the other side of the river, but that was easier said than done. Water found its way into my mouth, I kept dodging. I hit a big boulder, the skin on my upper arm grazed, the rapids pulled me with them. It felt like I was in a washing machine. I coughed, air escaping my lungs. I tried to get to the surface, to paddle my way up. Another current swallowed me. My head banged against the wall and everything became a blur. For a fraction of a second I was floating in the water again, and then everything happened at once. I was pulled up, thrown over one shoulder. Then we ran. We ran damn fast. Who was this stranger? And how could he be so damn fast?

"Who are you?" I yelled, kicking, trying to break free of his grip like a fury, but his grip tightened. It was getting lighter and lighter, the darkness dwindling with every step. We had to parry the cave entrance immediately. And then I would be as good as lost.

We are wolves, Georgie.

Is correct. I concentrated on getting my fangs out. Reminds me of the sensation of biting the tough flesh of a prey with the sharp ends.

But no fangs appeared in my mouth.

I growled. Fangs or no fangs, werewolves had strong jaws. The unsub cried out as I bit him hard and ruthlessly in the back. It would leave a deep imprint on his skin, I was sure.

He relaxed briefly and that was my moment to free myself from his arms. My feet hit the ground and I dodged his hands. "What do you want from us?" I forced out, but he didn't answer me.

Strategy. Find his strategy and his weakness, Beau's voice rang in my head. But man, this guy didn't have a fucking weakness!

His black mask shimmered in the glow that filtered through the cave, as did another detail that also flashed. Maybe I didn't know his strategy, but I knew mine.

I faked a right attack and he protected as planned. Just then I reached for one of his many knives in the thigh holster. The handle was light in my hand, felt good. I remembered Arya's description of how she guided me and undersized wood when I made a mistake.

He grabbed my arm, I cut through his upper arm. He didn't back down as expected, but knocked the knife out of my hand in quick, skillful blows. Before he could grab me, however, I pressed into his wound. Firmly. He screamed and I pushed him over the edge.

At the last moment his hand reached for mine. His skin was darker than mine, which was recovering from a lifetime of sun deprivation. But it wasn't his skin that drew me, it was the symbol carved on the back of his hand. It burned into my head. I had never seen it before. It had nothing in common with Arya's paint job, nor with the islander's tattoos. It was more of a branding, branded forever and ever.

“We will find you. And take you to him,” he said in a cold voice, and I was afraid he was going to pull me with him, but my skin was too wet and slippery and his grip slipped.

"Who are you taking me to? Who do you work for?” I yelled, but he was already plunging into the river, his gunmetal eyes fixed on me, and disappearing beneath the currents.

I backed away quickly, away from the river bank. I grabbed my head, which was still throbbing. As if an iron hammer was beating against my temples.

Beau, where was Beau? I had to see him. I ran along the river, out of the cave entrance. The current must have pushed them on already. I stepped out, sinking into the swampy moss as I realized where the brightness was coming from. It wasn't the stars at night like I thought. No, on the other side of the river, a great golden portal whirled in the air.

Come on Beau, where are you?

I bit my bottom lip raw as I scanned everything with my eyes. Then someone on the other side of the river rose out of the water, but it wasn't Beau. It was one of the attackers.

I narrowed my eyes and studied him. Something about him reminded me of someone. Something was there, but I couldn't name it.

Then a loud wolf howl sounded through the forest, making everything tremble. Our pack was approaching.

Gray-Eyes didn't hesitate, but ran toward the portal. Then two heads popped out of the water.

Finally, my heart lifted when I recognized Beau. His prey also headed for the portal, with an angry wolf approaching. But the cloaked were moving faster than normal. They were like shadows, swift and lithe as if one could not catch them. As soon as the two disappeared into the portal, it went out and with it its light.

The darkness felt like a heavy blanket wrapped around me. Beau was standing at the other end of the river, his chocolate brown fur lightly covering his bare chest. His gaze lingered briefly on the former portal, as did mine, then he turned, made a leap, and dove into the river. He crossed the river with quick strokes and then marched purposefully towards me.

His hair was wet and so were his pants. Drops of water ran down his bare skin, glistening like pearls in the night's shimmer.

I lifted my head from his sexy chest and looked into his face as he stood in front of me.

He eyed me with a scowl. "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. My teeth chattered. "No."

Lips pressed together, his hands ran over my body. "Secure? Nothing hurts you?”

"No," I said slightly out of breath. The abrasion on my upper arm had already healed and the blow to my head had only caused painful throbbing behind my temples. "No Beau, I'm fine." He let go of me and I wiped my face, brushing away my wet hair. A little distracted, I asked: "And you? Did you hurt yourself?'

He shook his head.

"Who were they?"

"I don't know." He looked restless, like I was feeling.

We will find you. And bring it to him.

My hands were shaking. I clawed at the wet shirt that was hanging down on me. "Beau, who were they?"

His jawline hardened. "We'll find out."

Then came the pack. Xenos and Hawkings were there and we told them everything. My clothes were wet, clinging to me like a second skin. I shiver. Beau put his arms around me and pulled me close. I kept shaking.

'Anybody got a blanket? She needs a fucking blanket!” he snapped at the pack. I remained silent, staring at the bush over which a portal had previously hovered. Beau was wrong, I wasn't cold. The dark horror eating through my limbs like corrosive acid made me tremble. Because this time I couldn't bury the irrational thought that a dead person had risen. It haunted me just as the pain had haunted me years before.

Beau wrapped a warm blanket around me. I held her so she wouldn't slip off my shoulders. Then, on impulse, I hugged him. I needed his closeness, twisted after him. So much so that it almost caused me physical pain.

I wrapped us both in the warm blanket. "Tell me it wasn't him," I whispered into his chest, tears stinging my eyes.

"Who?"

I felt his wolfskin under my cheek. "Tell me it wasn't Hades."

He wrapped his arms around me. Pressed me tight against his warm wall of muscle. "It wasn't." Then, in a moment when no one was looking over at us, he planted a kiss on my head and whispered, "It wasn't, Georgie."

I put my hands on his back. “Let's go to you. Please."

"Beau, Hawkings needs you," I heard Xenos say. "Rowtag will accompany Georgie to your place."

The vibration of Beau's growl spread through my body. Its soft fur thickened. "I'll bring her to me."

"Beau..." Xeno's voice had a warning undertone. "You need to calm down first."

"I've got myself under control."

It was quiet for a while. "I really hope so."

Beau broke away from our embrace and his expression softened as his eyes settled on me. 'If you don't mind, my lady. Get on.”

"What?" I frowned, laughing at his silly words. What I regretted, however, as soon as my headache reported. I raised my fingers to rub my temple when Beau gave me a wink. Then he transformed.

The big chocolate brown wolf looked at me invitingly and his green eyes sparkled in the night.

"Hey," I said softly, stroking his supple fur. Our bond flared between us. "How pretty you are."

He growled and I smiled. Then I climbed onto his back, buried my hands behind his neck and held on to him. He then rushed off and I snuggled up against his back, hiding my face in his fur and closing my eyes. Here Hades could not harm me. Not with Beau.