fully, bringing him out of the desperate, dark memories of the past, and into the present. Cutting the depression from his soul, as if it had not been all consuming.
As he stared at the approaching wolves, the world took on a shade of red. Power from his ancestors rushed through him, swelling his strength.
The stakes were too high to fail.
With a battle cry, he stepped toward the leader.
The black wolf howled, and as one, the pack surged forward.
Eric swung his axe, but the leader leapt out of the way. He slashed with his dirk. It bit into fur and flesh. A yelp and the scent of fresh blood rewarded him.
Another wolf jumped, slamming into Eric’s chest. Claws and teeth shredded clothes and skin. He raised an arm, shoving it against the wolf’s throat and flicked his thumb over a small button on the axe’s handle. A hidden metal spike slid out, nearly eight inches long.
He angled it into the wolf’s belly, driving it deep. The animal fell to the pavement, crumpling as blood pooled from the wound.
Behind him, Cat grunted. Another wolf yowled. The choking stench of burnt fur filled the air as it stumbled back into the shadows, whining pitifully.
Two down. Two to go.
They both concentrated on Eric as the biggest threat.
He didn’t waste time. Raising BrynTröll , he slammed the edge of one blade into a circling beast.
With a howl that set his teeth on edge, the Judge sank his fangs into Eric’s wrist.
In his crimson haze of rage, he barely felt it. He slashed his dirk at the wolf’s muzzle. It didn’t let go. Blankness shone from its inhuman blue eyes as if it didn’t feel the pain.
The wolf bit down harder until Eric’s bones ground together, close to breaking. He punched a dirk-laden fist into the beast’s belly. It didn’t make a sound as he ripped the blade up its chest.
Blood pattered over the ground, but the Judge still seemed to feel nothing. It jerked back, pulling Eric off balance.
They tumbled to the ground.
Eric rolled away, jumped to a crouch, axe between them.
Cat cried out, “Behind you.”
A second later the other wolf jumped onto his back.
Teeth sank into his shoulder. He roared, slamming the dagger at the wolf’s head.
The Judge took the opportunity to join the fray.
Before Eric could raise his axe, they were both on him.
The world turned redder, drenched with the haze of blood. Power flowed faster. His lagging strength replenished. With a roar, he rose, the wolves hanging from him like some sort of wildly twisting, growling fur coat. He flung them to the ground.
Letting his battle cry fill him, he roared, swinging his axe and decapitating one beast.
The Judge still showed no emotion.
It was uncanny. Creepy.
He stepped toward the black wolf. It shuddered as if it wanted to flee... but couldn’t. As if it were a puppet on a string, it jerked forward, snarling.
Then the Judge burst into flames.
Before Eric could react, Cat screamed.
He spun.
She was pinned to the ground. Four hooded figures, vamps by the smell, held her down. Two others stood above her, watching him.
Eric raised his axe and grinned with bloody intent. Vampires were trickier than wolves, but he was well versed in their devious ways.
He took a step forward, but one of the standing vamps raised an arm. The black cloth slid back, revealing a woman’s jeweled hand. “We are not here to fight.” Yet was implied, if unstated. “We simply wish to ask a few questions.”
Eric watched them, not stupid enough to relax. “Let her go,” he stated.
The woman shook her head, her hand disappearing once more beneath the black folds of her cloak. “Not yet, I don’t think. One such as her should be contained at all costs.” Her voice held a hint of admiration.
Eric didn’t understand what the woman meant, didn’t care at the moment.
He could see bleeding cuts and bites over Cat’s skin from her fight with the wolves. Her hair and clothes were spotted with crimson. He needed to ensure she was all
As he stared at the approaching wolves, the world took on a shade of red. Power from his ancestors rushed through him, swelling his strength.
The stakes were too high to fail.
With a battle cry, he stepped toward the leader.
The black wolf howled, and as one, the pack surged forward.
Eric swung his axe, but the leader leapt out of the way. He slashed with his dirk. It bit into fur and flesh. A yelp and the scent of fresh blood rewarded him.
Another wolf jumped, slamming into Eric’s chest. Claws and teeth shredded clothes and skin. He raised an arm, shoving it against the wolf’s throat and flicked his thumb over a small button on the axe’s handle. A hidden metal spike slid out, nearly eight inches long.
He angled it into the wolf’s belly, driving it deep. The animal fell to the pavement, crumpling as blood pooled from the wound.
Behind him, Cat grunted. Another wolf yowled. The choking stench of burnt fur filled the air as it stumbled back into the shadows, whining pitifully.
Two down. Two to go.
They both concentrated on Eric as the biggest threat.
He didn’t waste time. Raising BrynTröll , he slammed the edge of one blade into a circling beast.
With a howl that set his teeth on edge, the Judge sank his fangs into Eric’s wrist.
In his crimson haze of rage, he barely felt it. He slashed his dirk at the wolf’s muzzle. It didn’t let go. Blankness shone from its inhuman blue eyes as if it didn’t feel the pain.
The wolf bit down harder until Eric’s bones ground together, close to breaking. He punched a dirk-laden fist into the beast’s belly. It didn’t make a sound as he ripped the blade up its chest.
Blood pattered over the ground, but the Judge still seemed to feel nothing. It jerked back, pulling Eric off balance.
They tumbled to the ground.
Eric rolled away, jumped to a crouch, axe between them.
Cat cried out, “Behind you.”
A second later the other wolf jumped onto his back.
Teeth sank into his shoulder. He roared, slamming the dagger at the wolf’s head.
The Judge took the opportunity to join the fray.
Before Eric could raise his axe, they were both on him.
The world turned redder, drenched with the haze of blood. Power flowed faster. His lagging strength replenished. With a roar, he rose, the wolves hanging from him like some sort of wildly twisting, growling fur coat. He flung them to the ground.
Letting his battle cry fill him, he roared, swinging his axe and decapitating one beast.
The Judge still showed no emotion.
It was uncanny. Creepy.
He stepped toward the black wolf. It shuddered as if it wanted to flee... but couldn’t. As if it were a puppet on a string, it jerked forward, snarling.
Then the Judge burst into flames.
Before Eric could react, Cat screamed.
He spun.
She was pinned to the ground. Four hooded figures, vamps by the smell, held her down. Two others stood above her, watching him.
Eric raised his axe and grinned with bloody intent. Vampires were trickier than wolves, but he was well versed in their devious ways.
He took a step forward, but one of the standing vamps raised an arm. The black cloth slid back, revealing a woman’s jeweled hand. “We are not here to fight.” Yet was implied, if unstated. “We simply wish to ask a few questions.”
Eric watched them, not stupid enough to relax. “Let her go,” he stated.
The woman shook her head, her hand disappearing once more beneath the black folds of her cloak. “Not yet, I don’t think. One such as her should be contained at all costs.” Her voice held a hint of admiration.
Eric didn’t understand what the woman meant, didn’t care at the moment.
He could see bleeding cuts and bites over Cat’s skin from her fight with the wolves. Her hair and clothes were spotted with crimson. He needed to ensure she was all
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