E
velyn
I don’t know what to do; Thaddeus is throwing them around like rag dolls. Ryland is drenched in his own blood; Orion is fairing a little better but not much when suddenly, Ryland is knocked unconscious.
Orion’s eyes snap to me and he starts running toward me in panic. If Orion goes out, I am next, and there is nothing I can do. I can’t even run. I know I am as good as dead.
Orion is ripped back by Thaddeus. Orion turns around and punches him, knocking him backward for a second before he is ripped back toward him. Thaddeus sinks his teeth into his neck, and it is the strangest thing I have ever witnessed, almost cannibalistic. He is feeding off his own kind. Orion struggles against him until Thaddeus tosses him like he weighs nothing.
Thaddeus’ clothes start tearing and his entire body grows bigger. Black fur sprouts along his arms and chest, and claws slip from his fingers. The house is suddenly plunged into darkness, and I squint into the darkness, waiting for my eyes to adjust, but seeing nothing.
My body’s hair stands on end when I hear him growl. My heart pounds so hard I can hear it. My breathing becomes harder as I fight to stay conscious and not faint out of fear.
“Orion,” I whisper into the darkness but get nothing in return, only a menacing growl from Thaddeus. Then, I feel his hot breath fan the side of my face. I whip my head to the side, coming face to face with sharp white teeth, and I scream, running for the stairs and only making it up one or two steps before I am yanked backward.
Thaddeus’ claws rip the back of my shirt, and I drop my weight, slipping through his hands. I crawl up the stairs as fast as I can, only to get halfway when I feel his breath on my neck, so I flip onto my back and crawl backward. All I can see are sharp teeth and his reflecting eyes hovering above me as he stalks me.
As I am crawling backward up the stairs using my hands, every step, he follows, his arms on either side of mine until they go above my shoulders, stopping me from going any higher up the stairs. As I feel fur touch them, I freeze, flattening myself beneath him. The stairs dig into my back painfully.
His face drops into my neck, and he inhales. I will myself not to be afraid, but it is impossible when I literally have a furry monster about to rip me to shreds. “Thaddeus, you don’t want to hurt me,” I whisper, and he growls against my throat. My entire body shakes in fear when I hear Ryland’s voice, softly speaking.
“Evelyn, don’t move,” he says, and I hear the bottom step creak.
Thaddeus’ head whips towards the noise. A growl escapes him, and I hear the movement stop. Thaddeus turns back to me, and I feel his tongue run across my neck before I feel him sniff where my mark is. He then licks it, and I curse myself inwardly when I moan at the sensation.
Thaddeus seems startled by my reaction, and I see his eyes flicker for a second going green so quickly I think I might have imagined it. His nose goes to the crook of my neck, and I move my hand. He growls when I place it on the side of his face, but then, he suddenly purrs deep in the back of his throat.
His stubble prickles my skin. I feel his tongue on my neck again and he bites me, making me whimper. He pulls his head back, my hand still on the side of his face, and shakes his head. I can feel my hand shaking in fear; I’m still worried he will bite it off. His eyes flicker again, and I know he is still in there; there is some piece of him, holding on, refusing to give in, though I feel nothing of him through the bond, which I think is odd.
Taking a chance that will either kill me or save me, I grab his face, catching him off guard, and smash my lips against his. His teeth go through my bottom lip, but I ignore the pain and blood running down my face, shoving my tongue in his mouth. He growls as his claws dig into my side above my hip.
I think I am done for good when I suddenly feel him kiss me back. His claws retract along with his fangs. His tongue plunges into my mouth hungrily, and I feel his hand go to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. I feel his body shudder, and the fur covering his arms and chest disappears.
The lights flicker and turn on, hurting my eyes when they open as I feel him take a shaky breath. Thaddeus suddenly tears up as he pulls away, but I pull him against me, holding him there. He grips me like I am his lifeline, pressing against me, and I don’t know what to do other than hold him and hope he doesn’t turn homicidal again.
Ryland walks up the stairs slowly, his eyes make contact with mine; I see relief flood him when he sees I am okay underneath him. Both mine and Ryland’s heads turn when we hear Orion groan on the floor below us.
I can feel blood dribble down my chin and spill onto my neck from my lip. Thaddeus finally stops crying, and my shirt well, what’s left of it is wet with his tears. Thaddeus suddenly gets up.
He looks down at me, clutches my face with both hands and gazes into my eyes. “I love you,” he says, then lets go of me and walks upstairs.
I hop up off the stairs, and I find Orion sitting on the floor, Ryland by his side rubbing his back. Walking down the stairs, I rush over to them. Ryland’s head wounds have healed, but he is still covered in blood.
Orion’s clothes are torn to shreds. Ryland pulls me toward him, hugging me, and I wrap my arms around his waist when I hear movement on the floor above us. The entire railing on the stairs is smashed above our heads from where I fell. My stomach turns when I see Thaddeus walk down the stairs with a bag. He drops it at the foot of the stairs and walks into the kitchen. Ryland and Orion look at each other as confused as I feel. He returns with his car keys.
“Where are you going?” I ask, and his eyes snap at me. The anguish behind them nearly knocks me over, and I step back as he walks toward me. Orion and Ryland jump to their feet.