Soul Bound

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-six

The sun is starting to set and there's no way to tell how long I've been running. I keep hearing the howls—some behind me, some off to the side—but they don't sound close enough to worry about yet. I have to focus on running. On keeping a steady pace. On keeping River's weight distributed evenly over my back and shoulders. On listening for his breathing every few minutes.

He's been passed out since we left the kennels. If his wounds are as painful as they look, that's a good thing. But it would make our escape a lot easier if he could run on his own two feet and, as I start to feel him heavier and heavier on my shoulders, what started out as hope is quickly turning to fear.

Wolf? You there? I ask into the darkness of my mind.

She has to be there. The drugs just pushed her too deep. They'd have to if they want to keep me from soul shifting.

I search for the energy to shape shift, but don't find it. I have only my human body to rely on and I'm afraid that's not going to be enough to make it out of here.

A howl off to my right is the closest I've heard yet. I cut left and then feel the vibrations of another howl right in front of me. They've found us. And they're closing in fast.

There's no way I'll be able to outrun them on two feet. Especially not carrying River like this. But I'd sooner walk right back into that stone maze and strap up to the blood bags myself than leave River here.

My knees buckle a bit, my legs tired and aching, the muscles tearing and healing and tearing again—tearing much faster than they can heal. I can't leave River. But we won't make it out of here alive if I have to outrun werewolves with him on my back. That's assuming they don't have vampires equipped for going out in the sunlight. But I can't just leave River...

Or—maybe that's exactly what I need to do. If I can get their attention on me and only me, they might overlook him. Or not notice him at all. I search around for something, anything, to hide him in or on or under or behind. Ignoring the searing pain in my calves and thighs, I keep searching, the howls getting closer and closer.

I speed up. When the ground slopes, I'm not ready for it. My foot falls farther than I expect and tumble forwards. River slides out of my grasp. My head hits a rock and a sharp pain tears across my temple as I continue to roll. I try to plant my feet or hands, but nothing catches hold. I somersault over and over.

The ground evens out and I belly flop onto it, the wind knocked clear out of my lungs. The Earth is still beneath me, but it continues to roll in my vision, past the red blood that pours into my eye.

"River," I wheeze. I search for him, but my head is still spinning and all I can make out is a revolving forest. "Shit!"

I struggle to my hands and knees and crawl, closing my eyes to focus my nose on his scent. He's somewhere to my left. I hear a groan. And then a howl.

My feet sway beneath me when I stand. Another howl. I stumble towards River and almost collapse onto him. My vision steadies. He doesn't look any more hurt than he was aside from a few new scratches. I pull at arms, trying to bring him up with me as I stand, but I fall straight down onto my knees. My legs are done. I can't carry him any further.

More howls. Three. They're not too far from the top of the slope. I scan our surroundings. Ahead of us is an enormous hemlock tree with a bare, singed stripe down one side from lightning. At the top of the trunk is new growth, sprouting green from the ashen bark. And at the bottom is a jagged gap splintering upward, just wide enough to squeeze through.