Artifice - Man x Man - Book Six

Chapter 35

Riding a wolf should be like riding a bike, yet I struggle to maintain my balance. I push my hand out behind me, reaching for the pull of the storm's energy. I call it to me, shouting a command, belting out at the top of my lungs for it to follow us. Like a lumbering giant, it begins to curl and twist in our direction. 

I cough and sputter as waves crash all around us; it takes everything in the slight female to avoid the swells that threaten to swallow us whole. "Tyler. Tyler, wake up." I demand of him, touching the white fluff of her neck with my battered hand to keep her straighter. She snaps at me, and I snort; if she has the energy to fight, she has the energy to run.

I glance up to see the dark, lilth figures following us on the rocks. As the beach begins to widen, I find we're running across a broad sandy surface and the rock wall is getting shorter and shorter. Lightning flashes, illuminating the sets of light eyes. 

I press her faster, closing my fist on the storm as I do my best to pull it along with us. It's as if we are outrunning the world, hardly moving compared to the speed of the encroachment. Thunder rolls across the sky, blocking out our heavy breathing and I find that I can't even shiver anymore, between the wind and the blistering rain, I begin to almost feel warm. 

"Tyler!" I try again, giving him a firm shake.

I hear the rolling purr, mixed with the rumble of thunder. "Keep them away from us, Malka." I tell the female, there are similarities between her and her grandfather but I can feel her youth. She's inexperienced, her stride is shorter and more choppy, and she doesn't have the muscle mass or the sense of purpose. 

Suddenly, I'm reminded of the train with the continuous roar that is behind us, looking over my shoulder, I see the blackness that bears down on us, the sheet of thick heavy rain approaches like an omen of death. I curse under my breath; at least we have succeeded in making the turn, now to get out of its way. "We have to get off the sand." 

I try desperately to steer her with my knees but commands fail me, she's just running, running as fast as her legs will take her. Tyler is limp in my lap, restricting my movements. The cats close in, slipping and sliding down the lessening rock face. I can't do it all, we can't fight and run and control this storm.

 Digging my hands into her scruff, I yank hard. "Slow down," I command her, she snaps at the air, striking out with a rough leap with her front paws. I grasp Tyler, almost losing him. I yank back on her scruff, digging in my heels. "Do as I say! We're being followed!" 

The icy eye glances over her shoulder and her tail threatens to tuck between her legs. I tighten my grip, "Do not be afraid. I'm going to protect you, but you have to trust me."

I pull again, fighting with her as we begin to slow down. I feel her sides heaving; her tongue lawls out of her mouth as the heavy sand sucks at her paws. We can't maintain this speed, I must hurry. I wave at the cats, threatening them. With a sharp swing of my hand, I throw ice at their feet. "Come on!" I beckon. "Come on, you bastards!"

The creatures hiss, bounding towards us, sand flinging all around as their paws burrow into the soggy sand. As the tide sucks out I give it a harsh pull, casting it back onto the beach. Malka yelps as the water sucks her feet out from under her, the black water threatens to swallow us, but it does the same for our adversaries. 

The cats howl and scream, hauntingly like human women, as they slosh through the depths. I dig for Tyler in the surf, catching his shirt and yanking him to the surface. His eyes flutter as he coughs, I clutch him to my chest as we're pulled under once more. 

I see Malka's head appear above the water and swim for her as another wave comes crashing onto us. It feels as though we're underwater forever, I surrender to the current and finally, we're able to surface. My hand finds her scruff and I shove Tyler onto her back. With both of us, her body sinks under the water, and I hesitate.