Jules bound and held with her arms above her head.
Quickly he rushed to her. “Jules,” he whispered.
When he heard her whimper, he wanted to rip his heart out for her pain and terror.
He leaned down and put his mouth next to her ear. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, giving him answer enough for the time being. He stood and reached to untie her hands.
“Cristian,” she screamed.
He whirled around in time to block a vicious blow from the Wendigo. The creature let out a loud roar and flew at Cristian. He ducked another swipe of the Wendigo’s talons and used his own to slash the beast’s belly.
The creature hissed in pain but never backed away. He bared his teeth at Cristian and grabbed him by the throat. Cristian was yanked off his feet and slammed against the wall. He clawed at the hand at his throat that prevented him from breathing.
Cristian knew his strength matched the Wendigo’s, so it would be a matter of who was the most cunning. And Cristian didn’t intend to lose. Not when Jules’ life hung in the balance.
He lifted both knees and jammed them into the Wendigo’s chest. The creature stumbled backwards, and Cristian, now released, landed back on the ground. He wasted no time in attacking.
With a growl, he barreled into the creature and slammed him against the opposite wall.
Now that the Wendigo was dazed, Cristian rose up to hit him again. Except the Wendigo moved quicker. With one shove from the creature’s hand, Cristian flew across the space and slammed into the wall again.
Pain exploded in his body as he slid to the ground. He crouched on the balls of his feet, his hands on the ground for balance as he focused on the Wendigo. The creature stalked him, ready to deliver the killing blow.
Cristian stayed where he was, letting the Wendigo think that he was wounded.
“No. Cristian, he’s coming!” Jules screamed.
He wanted to reassure her, to let her know that he could – and would – beat the Wendigo, but he couldn’t even spare her a glance. He needed all his attention focused. It would all come down to a matter of heartbeats if he was to succeed.
The Wendigo growled and glanced at Jules. Cristian could hear her yanking on her bonds, her breathing harsh in the stillness of the cave.
Cristian let the beast in him center on the Wendigo. No longer could he hear Jules. The only thing he heard, the only thing he saw, was the Wendigo.
The creature spread its claws and crouched as he readied to jump at him. Cristian inhaled deeply as a bead of sweat ran down his temple to his cheek.
And then it happened.
The Wendigo sprang at him.
Chapter Nine
Jules opened her mouth to scream for Cristian to move, yet in a blink, he rolled to the side and came up on his feet as the Wendigo landed where he had been a moment before.
The Wendigo bellowed in fury and turned to face Cristian, but Cristian moved quicker. He grasped the Wendigo’s head and jerked it to the side until she heard the neck snap.
Her heart pounded in her chest, ready to burst from her body at any moment from the fear and worry for Cristian. She closed her mouth and watched as he let the creature fall to the ground before moving to her.
Tears filled her eyes as relief swept through her. Cristian cut the ropes with his talons before retracting them and becoming once more the man she had come to care greatly about.
He took her head in his hands and made her meet his gaze. “It isn’t over.”
“What? The Wendigo is dead.”
“No. He’s made of magic, Jules. He must be burned to be fully killed, but I want to search the cave first. We don’t have much time though.”
She nodded and rubbed her sore arms. Her wrists were raw and bloodied from trying to get free. He helped her to her feet before he moved away from her.
As much as she didn’t want to, Jules knew she had to search the corpses for her father. She could no longer deny that it was a distinct possibility the Wendigo had gotten him.
She moved from
Quickly he rushed to her. “Jules,” he whispered.
When he heard her whimper, he wanted to rip his heart out for her pain and terror.
He leaned down and put his mouth next to her ear. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, giving him answer enough for the time being. He stood and reached to untie her hands.
“Cristian,” she screamed.
He whirled around in time to block a vicious blow from the Wendigo. The creature let out a loud roar and flew at Cristian. He ducked another swipe of the Wendigo’s talons and used his own to slash the beast’s belly.
The creature hissed in pain but never backed away. He bared his teeth at Cristian and grabbed him by the throat. Cristian was yanked off his feet and slammed against the wall. He clawed at the hand at his throat that prevented him from breathing.
Cristian knew his strength matched the Wendigo’s, so it would be a matter of who was the most cunning. And Cristian didn’t intend to lose. Not when Jules’ life hung in the balance.
He lifted both knees and jammed them into the Wendigo’s chest. The creature stumbled backwards, and Cristian, now released, landed back on the ground. He wasted no time in attacking.
With a growl, he barreled into the creature and slammed him against the opposite wall.
Now that the Wendigo was dazed, Cristian rose up to hit him again. Except the Wendigo moved quicker. With one shove from the creature’s hand, Cristian flew across the space and slammed into the wall again.
Pain exploded in his body as he slid to the ground. He crouched on the balls of his feet, his hands on the ground for balance as he focused on the Wendigo. The creature stalked him, ready to deliver the killing blow.
Cristian stayed where he was, letting the Wendigo think that he was wounded.
“No. Cristian, he’s coming!” Jules screamed.
He wanted to reassure her, to let her know that he could – and would – beat the Wendigo, but he couldn’t even spare her a glance. He needed all his attention focused. It would all come down to a matter of heartbeats if he was to succeed.
The Wendigo growled and glanced at Jules. Cristian could hear her yanking on her bonds, her breathing harsh in the stillness of the cave.
Cristian let the beast in him center on the Wendigo. No longer could he hear Jules. The only thing he heard, the only thing he saw, was the Wendigo.
The creature spread its claws and crouched as he readied to jump at him. Cristian inhaled deeply as a bead of sweat ran down his temple to his cheek.
And then it happened.
The Wendigo sprang at him.
Chapter Nine
Jules opened her mouth to scream for Cristian to move, yet in a blink, he rolled to the side and came up on his feet as the Wendigo landed where he had been a moment before.
The Wendigo bellowed in fury and turned to face Cristian, but Cristian moved quicker. He grasped the Wendigo’s head and jerked it to the side until she heard the neck snap.
Her heart pounded in her chest, ready to burst from her body at any moment from the fear and worry for Cristian. She closed her mouth and watched as he let the creature fall to the ground before moving to her.
Tears filled her eyes as relief swept through her. Cristian cut the ropes with his talons before retracting them and becoming once more the man she had come to care greatly about.
He took her head in his hands and made her meet his gaze. “It isn’t over.”
“What? The Wendigo is dead.”
“No. He’s made of magic, Jules. He must be burned to be fully killed, but I want to search the cave first. We don’t have much time though.”
She nodded and rubbed her sore arms. Her wrists were raw and bloodied from trying to get free. He helped her to her feet before he moved away from her.
As much as she didn’t want to, Jules knew she had to search the corpses for her father. She could no longer deny that it was a distinct possibility the Wendigo had gotten him.
She moved from
Similar Books
