Come on Fates, give me something.
Mom checked on her cubs—who were inching closer to Jude—then switched her attention back to Mack. He fired. The sound cut the night, but the shot was true—he hoped it worked. But he didn’t wait to find out. He slid into the cab of his truck and slammed the door. She launched herself at the truck, first into the bed rocking the vehicle, then above his head. Metal buckled; claws scraped then broke through the roof.
Mack melted down in the seat. He was still safer here than out there. How long would the tranquilizer take to work? She jumped onto the hood and pressed her forehead to the windscreen to glare at him. Her eyes were luminous, almost pretty if she hadn’t been trying to kill him. Her claws squealed over the metal, ruining the paintwork and scarring the hood.
His heart was going to burst.
When they found his naked body, the cops would wonder what the hell had happened out here. Even though clothes wouldn’t protect him, it would be nice to die wearing underwear.
The aufhocker blinked, and the light in her eyes dimmed. Then she slumped onto the hood of his truck and grew smaller, back to dog size. Her magic only worked while she was conscious. Mack uncurled his fingers from the gun. He sat for a few moments, enjoying being able to breathe, but not the scent of fear-sweat that now filled the cab of his truck.
His skin was slick, and it wasn’t over yet. Mom could wake up at any time. And there were still the two cubs to contend with and Jude’s injury.
Mack loaded the second cartridge and got out of the truck. He picked his jeans up off the ground and pulled them on as he walked over to Jude. “How is it?”
The cubs drew closer, sniffing as though they weren’t sure what he was. He growled and hoped they’d back away, or at least not take a bite.
“I don’t think it’s that bad,” Jude said through clenched teeth, his face pale and pained.
This was too much for a witch and a shifter. Aufhockers needed a team of witches. Witches with different magics and a proper plan, not an afternoon of reading spells on dodgy websites.
The cubs circled around behind him and pounced, landing near his bare feet. They already knew to attack from the back. He glanced at them. They had doubled in size, testing out their magic and their hunting skills.
“Drop the circle and let me look.”
“What about Darkness and Evil?”
“You’ve named them?”
“I needed to do something while you tried not to die.”
Mack glanced back at Mom. She was still out. “We need to do something about her, too.”
“Can you put her in the pepper circle?”
Mack glanced at the aufhocker again. Sure, he could pick her up, the weight wouldn’t be a problem, but he didn’t want to. What if she woke up in his arms?
“Let’s sort you out first.”
Jude sat up. “No. It’s not that bad, and she’s the bigger problem.”
“Drop the circle and let me at least confirm your diagnosis. Remember, if you die, I also get to die.”
“Pine away,” Jude corrected.
“Die slowly.” Mack flinched as a small wet nose touched his foot. But no teeth nipped at his skin. The pup was just curious because he didn’t smell human.
“Darkness is the braver of the two.” Jude dropped the circle, and the cubs were straight to his wounded leg to sniff and taste the blood.
Mack brushed them aside, repeatedly. Jude’s damn boots seemed to have saved him from too much damage, but his jeans were dark with blood. The top of the boot had puncture marks, as did Jude’s calf. But it could’ve been so much worse. The leg of his jeans was shredded as though he’d dragged his foot free. “We can go. Get you to emergency. The cubs won’t hunt without her, and you can bind them with the salt.”
“I’m not leaving. And I have to be in the salt circle for it to work.”
“Magic is shit.” He pushed his finger through his hair with one hand and brushed Evil and Darkness away with the other. One of them snapped at his fingers. They were getting too brave. “You’re bleeding, and we’re out of our depth.”
“You’re the one who told me to fight instead of letting the Coven take over. I’m fighting.”
“You can’t fight if you’re passed out.” It wasn’t just Jude’s fear racing through his blood, it was his own. He’d turned his back and gone after the kids, and in that time, Jude could’ve been killed. So much for only hunting at dark. It had barely been dusk when Mom had attacked Jude.
“I’m not going to pass out.”
Fear scented Jude’s skin. Mack pulled him close. If the aufhocker hadn’t been getting dinner for her cubs to play with, Jude would be dead. The bond between them had never been so fragile. “I shouldn’t have chased the cars away.”
It was his fault the aufhocker had attacked Jude.
“It would’ve been worse with the kids here. Deal with Mom. I can fend off the cubs.”
Mack handed Jude the gun. “It’s loaded.” Then he took a moment to locate the pepper circle. Jude was inside it. “I’m getting you out of the pepper before I move her.”
He helped Jude up, and they made their way to the edge of the pepper. “What’s so different about this?”
“In theory, pepper has binding properties. I was playing with yours, which is why you’re out at home. So I should be able to contain her in the circle without being in the circle.”
Should. “And if you can’t?”
“Put her in the center of my metal stars as well. I should be able to contain her in that.”
Should, again.
“And the kerosene?”
“That was just in
