Wild Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary Book 4)

Bricks slammed into my back as the vines I’d used to catch myself forced me against them so viciously that they crushed the breath from my lungs.

The beast that had sent me tumbling from the tower had thrown itself into the sky once more, circling, scenting, hunting.

Air magic would have been all kinds of helpful around about now to cut off the scent I was offering it, but I had long believed that earth was the far superior element.

With a twist of my wrists, a platform sprung from the side of the tower and I severed the vines holding me so I fell to my feet, perching upon it.

The monster was still circling, its head snapping in my direction as it locked onto my scent once more and I set my feet as I called on my magic in anticipation of its attack.

Power brimmed within me, the shape of it taking form in my mind and I gritted my teeth as I looked the beast dead in its yellow eyes and dropped my hold on the magic which kept me invisible.

The monster bellowed triumphantly, tucking its wings and diving for me with talons outstretched and fangs bared. My pulse hammered in my ears as I stood my ground, watching as it sped for me, holding off with each passing second, magic making my limbs tremble before I released it in a blast which rocked through me so powerfully that my knees buckled.

Spears of wood exploded into existence surrounding the monstrous creation, iron-tipped points driving at it from all directions with the full force of my power.

The beast bellowed as it was impaled, blood spraying from it as its death howl shook the sky.

I threw myself to the platform as its corpse hurtled from the sky, a shell of rock blazing into being a breath before it collided with me.

The rock cracked, shards of it tumbling over me, but the shield held and the weight of the dead beast tumbled over me before falling towards the ground far below.

I banished the magic containing me and shoved to my feet, pushing black hair out of my eyes as cries for the warring Fae below me drew my attention.

I spotted the carnage left in Roary’s wake after he’d ripped through the guards and made it inside, my heart squeezing with concern for him. But as my gaze skipped to the other side of the tower, I found Cain clinging to Benjamin’s back as the beastly Dragon whirled through the air. Benjamin barrel-rolled low to the ground and Cain was shaken off of him, hitting the snow and leaping back to his feet.

The Dragon sped off around the side of the tower and Cain’s head tipped upwards, his gaze snapping to mine and beyond, my name tearing from his lips in a panicked cry.

I whirled as a powerful wind blasted my hair over my shoulders, steel blades forming in my fists as I moved but I was already too late.

Benjamin Acrux charged through the sky, circling around the tower in his bronze Dragon form, fire spiralling from his jaws as he bellowed at me and my death rushed in on rapid wings.

I had no choice but to run, to hurl myself from the stone platform and dive into the open embrace of the sky beyond.

Heat washed over me as the flames scorched the side of the tower where I’d just been, the scent of singed hair filling my nostrils as I fell.

I dropped the blades I’d crafted, magic ripping from me as I hurled vines out in all directions, my fall too fast to allow me time to aim. I just had to catch hold of something, anything and I-

The breath crashed from my lungs as Benjamin collided with me, his sharp talons snatching me into his grasp and squeezing so tight that it felt like he might crush me.

Cain roared my name again, a fireball tearing past me and colliding with Benjamin’s scaled face but the Dragon barely flinched, his body immune to the effects of simple fire.

Benjamin dove for Cain, a roar spilling from his lips which shook the clouds in the sky above us.

My flesh began to glow with the power of the moon as I fought to get free, but the gifts I had claimed from her were no use in battling a Dragon.

Pain exploded through me as his talons squeezed tighter, a sharp crack telling me he’d broken ribs. The agony was near blinding but I fought through the haze of it, knowing the taste of pain far too well to let it immobilise me.

Magic tore through me, a spear forming between my hands and with a cry of effort I drove it up and into his armpit where the strength of his scales was compromised to allow the movement of his limb.

Benjamin howled in pain, hurling me from him as we closed in on the ground.

I threw my arm out, trying to soften the earth before I could collide with it, but Cain launched himself into my path with a snarl of fury.

His arms latched around me as I struck him, the two of us crashing down onto the softened dirt beneath the snow and rolling across it at speed.

We slammed to a halt and I wheezed out a breath around the pain in my ribs as I blinked up at my Vampire with a smile on my bloody lips.

Cain pressed his hand beneath my shirt, healing magic sliding into my body and taking the agony from me as he repaired the damage to my bones. But as I looked over his shoulder at the Dragon which spun through the sky before once again aligning itself to attack us, I had to think that he had wasted his time.