Chapter Thirty

NOLA REYNOLDS

“Kalden! Do something!” I croaked, feeling for my throwing knives behind me as the weight of the spongy shadow creature rested thickly on my midriff.

My neck was numb from the bites on the creature’s punctured tongue, and I felt my mouth open with a panicked gurgle as it reared a bald, misshapen head above me.

More tongues burst from its back before the silvery glint of a long, curved claw caught my eye, just as it came down on the meaty mass with a loud clang, and more of the black goo splashed across my face.

“Nola? Nola! Can you hear me?” Kalden’s somber rasp sounded disjointed and distant. The words were heavy in my mouth as I tried to move, my vision whirling to focus on the blurred-through lump of the tongue that was lying unnervingly close to me.

“Nola? Nola, can you hear me? Say something goddammit!” I was startled, gasping loudly and trying to scoot away as something warm enveloped me from behind, and the Lycan’s honeyed rumble tickled my ear.

“H-Hect-” I croake