Untamed Fate (Magic Side: Wolf Bound Book 2)

Jaxson

Find her, my wolf howled in my chest. She’s in pain. Dying.

I leapt from the hole in the wall where the window had been and hurtled down the face of the tower, using my claws as brakes to slow my fall.

The moment they found wood, I dug in and swung myself onto the windowsill. It was a fucking ridiculous way to get down, but speed was everything.

I heaved myself left to the next sill over.

The noctith demon shrieked and swung its head from side to side, searching for Savannah in the garden below.

Fucking Kahanov was on its back. I wanted to throw myself into the air and dive toward him, but it was too far to leap and have any chance of landing the attack. I had no idea what to do. Try to kill Kahanov? Take out the demon? Or simply find Savannah and get the fuck out?

I crouched and prepared to leap again, but I froze. Something was off. Then I saw it: the shadows below were moving. A dark velvet wall drifted closer to the demon.

Savannah’s magic.

Damnit, what the hell was she doing?

I had to get to her. I leapt for the next window down. Stone rushed past me, and then I slammed my claws into another lintel and swung myself up onto the stone sill.

The noctith paused. Then both it and Kahanov looked up.

I’d been spotted.

The thing began beating its iridescent wings and started to rise. But suddenly, it spun to its right with unimaginable speed toward the caves and shrieked.

Savannah’s cloud of shadows ripped away, revealing the hidden form of the basilisk. The noctith demon’s mouth split wide, and it spewed a pink gas toward the monster.

But it was too late. The demon had looked the basilisk in the eyes.

The noctith reeled backward and gave a twisted, piercing wail as its head and legs turned into stone. It clawed the earth and tried to rise, but its dead and hardened foot caught on the low wall, and the demon feebly flailed its stone wings and limbs in the air.

It was already doomed. Half statue, half flesh and blood, the demon plunged over the edge of the garden, flinging Kahanov from its back. There was a flash of light, and he disappeared.

Transport charm.

Grinding my teeth, I leapt into the air and plummeted toward the garden below. I crumpled and rolled as I hit the ground, but my right shin shattered. Still, I roared and staggered to my feet, my bones already healing.

Find Savy.

I limped toward the caves, then slowed. The basilisk lay in the middle of the garden. I approached cautiously. Its chest rose and fell, but it made no movement in my direction. It was sleeping, a victim of the noctith’s poisoned breath. But for how long?

I sprinted toward the caves. She had to be here. She’d been controlling the shadows that had hidden and probably bewildered the basilisk. It had stumbled through the darkness, toward the loudest source of sound: the demon.

Gods, that woman was smart.

Her signature flooded my senses, and protectiveness coursed through my veins. “Savannah!”

“Here…” came a feeble response.

I ducked into the northern cave.

She was lying at the edge of the pool, soaking hair draped around her. Her skin had been shredded by hundreds of cuts, though they were already healing. I dropped to my knees and wrapped her in my arms. She was limp and cold. I pushed my magic into her, a torrent of healing fire.

She gasped and sat bolt upright in my arms. Her shoulder popped back into its socket, and the remaining cuts in her skin stitched closed, leaving white scars scattered like stars.

I gritted my teeth as I gave her everything I had, pouring my strength and life into her. She trembled in my embrace and arched her back as her mouth opened in a silent moan of delight.

I’d heard that the healing gift between mates was intimate, but I’d never seen it done. Not like this. It was the transfer of life. Of vitality.

Savannah’s eyes flickered open. “My God, what did you just do?”

“I healed you.”

“Remind me to fall out of buildings more often.” She coughed, and as she turned to look around, a little bit of blood trickled down her lips. “Did I get Kahanov? With the basilisk?”

I could barely think. The drop of blood quivering at the edge of her ruby lips mesmerized my mind. I wanted to lick it from them. To press my lips against hers and kiss her with abandon. My head began to bend forward as she turned her mouth toward mine.

Suddenly, she jerked out of my arms and scrambled down into the pool. “Holy shit, my clothes are shredded!”

She was looking at me like I was a filthy predator. And maybe I was. I scowled. “You’re a werewolf now. Get used to it. Also, don’t go adventuring in any outfits you’re too attached to.”

I looked away.

“Jax. Kahanov. Did we get him?”

I cleared my throat and sat back. “The basilisk got the noctith. And the noctith got the basilisk.”

“But not him.”

“No. He escaped.”

“Fuck.” Her head tilted back. “We were so damn close.”

“It was a good plan.”

She slammed her palm down on the edge of the pool. “I was so fucking close.”