was.”
Leucothea continued to draw in the dirt without responding. Hades didn’t think she needed to say anything more.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence. When they were done, Hades stood and was about to suggest that Leucothea get some sleep in the tent while he bunked out by the fire, when he heard a loud yowl in the distance.
Leucothea jumped to her feet. “What was that?”
“Just a coyote.”
“Are you sure?”
His hand slid down to the knife strapped on his belt. “No.”
She reached out toward him. “Hades—”
Before she could finish her sentence, something burst out of the surrounding bushes and landed on four large paws right in front of them. It definitely wasn’t a coyote.
“Stay still, kid. If you move, it will go for you.” Hades eyed his shotgun holstered on his bike behind the beast. It wasn’t going to do him any good over there. Slowly he inched the knife out of its sheath.
The beast sucked in air through its large hairy nostrils, scenting the surroundings. Most likely trying to decide who smelled more delicious—him or Leucothea. Hades wouldn’t give the creature the choice. The kid would not survive an attack from this bulky, mutated beast. The jagged teeth sticking out haphazardly from its twisted muzzle were enough for Hades to fear. He didn’t even want to look down at its paws, knowing that most likely it had matching talons.
By the size, shape, and color of the animal, he suspected that most of its genetics came from a mountain lion. It still had a triangle-shaped head, but now it was twice the size—most of it mouth. A normal cougar could take out a man. This abomination was double the size and ten times as deadly. It could take out a whole fucking army. And it looked hungry. Ribs stuck out from its barrel chest, indicating that it hadn’t eaten in a long time. The way its eyes tracked Hades, and the way his nose twitched, the beast thought he’d come across the greatest meal of his life.
Once his blade was unsheathed, Hades took a step to the side, drawing the creature’s gaze. “Kid, my gun. It’s on the bike.”
He didn’t get a chance to hear her reply before the beast launched its hefty frame at him. While it sailed in the air toward him, all Hades could focus on was its gaping jaw and the lines of razor-sharp teeth. Crouching, Hades prepared for the attack, his knife hand down, ready to strike.
The impact knocked Hades backward with the animal dangerously on top. He braced his left arm against the beast’s jaw, keeping it from snapping around his throat. With his other arm he worked his hand down and slid the blade into the beast, nice and smooth, exactly where he had intended for it to go. He just hoped the creature had a heart and it was anatomically where it should be. Or he was in deep shit without a hope of surviving.
As he struggled with the creature, it made no indication that Hades had even touched it, let alone lethally wounded it in any way. The only sound coming from its mouth was a low, feral rumble that vibrated over Hades’ skin.
Finally he was able to roll it over and land a solid kick to its lower abdomen. The animal grunted and rolled off. But it was up and at him before Hades could even gain his feet. This time it hit him in the side. His injured side.
Pain, dark and penetrating, invaded Hades’ body and clouded his mind. If his ribs hadn’t been broken before, they were certainly busted now. The metallic tang of blood squirted into his mouth. The creature could probably smell his wounds. And knew where he was weak. He couldn’t hold it off much longer. Already his arms and legs throbbed from strain. Adrenaline raced through his system, giving him bursts of energy, but it wasn’t enough to keep him alive.
As he landed blow after blow to the animal’s head, trying to keep its deadly mouth away from his jugular, he noticed Leucothea behind them about five yards away, shotgun pointed. It shook in her hands, and he imagined
Leucothea continued to draw in the dirt without responding. Hades didn’t think she needed to say anything more.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence. When they were done, Hades stood and was about to suggest that Leucothea get some sleep in the tent while he bunked out by the fire, when he heard a loud yowl in the distance.
Leucothea jumped to her feet. “What was that?”
“Just a coyote.”
“Are you sure?”
His hand slid down to the knife strapped on his belt. “No.”
She reached out toward him. “Hades—”
Before she could finish her sentence, something burst out of the surrounding bushes and landed on four large paws right in front of them. It definitely wasn’t a coyote.
“Stay still, kid. If you move, it will go for you.” Hades eyed his shotgun holstered on his bike behind the beast. It wasn’t going to do him any good over there. Slowly he inched the knife out of its sheath.
The beast sucked in air through its large hairy nostrils, scenting the surroundings. Most likely trying to decide who smelled more delicious—him or Leucothea. Hades wouldn’t give the creature the choice. The kid would not survive an attack from this bulky, mutated beast. The jagged teeth sticking out haphazardly from its twisted muzzle were enough for Hades to fear. He didn’t even want to look down at its paws, knowing that most likely it had matching talons.
By the size, shape, and color of the animal, he suspected that most of its genetics came from a mountain lion. It still had a triangle-shaped head, but now it was twice the size—most of it mouth. A normal cougar could take out a man. This abomination was double the size and ten times as deadly. It could take out a whole fucking army. And it looked hungry. Ribs stuck out from its barrel chest, indicating that it hadn’t eaten in a long time. The way its eyes tracked Hades, and the way his nose twitched, the beast thought he’d come across the greatest meal of his life.
Once his blade was unsheathed, Hades took a step to the side, drawing the creature’s gaze. “Kid, my gun. It’s on the bike.”
He didn’t get a chance to hear her reply before the beast launched its hefty frame at him. While it sailed in the air toward him, all Hades could focus on was its gaping jaw and the lines of razor-sharp teeth. Crouching, Hades prepared for the attack, his knife hand down, ready to strike.
The impact knocked Hades backward with the animal dangerously on top. He braced his left arm against the beast’s jaw, keeping it from snapping around his throat. With his other arm he worked his hand down and slid the blade into the beast, nice and smooth, exactly where he had intended for it to go. He just hoped the creature had a heart and it was anatomically where it should be. Or he was in deep shit without a hope of surviving.
As he struggled with the creature, it made no indication that Hades had even touched it, let alone lethally wounded it in any way. The only sound coming from its mouth was a low, feral rumble that vibrated over Hades’ skin.
Finally he was able to roll it over and land a solid kick to its lower abdomen. The animal grunted and rolled off. But it was up and at him before Hades could even gain his feet. This time it hit him in the side. His injured side.
Pain, dark and penetrating, invaded Hades’ body and clouded his mind. If his ribs hadn’t been broken before, they were certainly busted now. The metallic tang of blood squirted into his mouth. The creature could probably smell his wounds. And knew where he was weak. He couldn’t hold it off much longer. Already his arms and legs throbbed from strain. Adrenaline raced through his system, giving him bursts of energy, but it wasn’t enough to keep him alive.
As he landed blow after blow to the animal’s head, trying to keep its deadly mouth away from his jugular, he noticed Leucothea behind them about five yards away, shotgun pointed. It shook in her hands, and he imagined
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