Part 64 (1/2)

We were done for.

I was going to die with two fabulous women who somehow had come to my aid and who I wished I had a lot more time to get to know.

I wasn't ever going to see elan dressed for her first gale.

I wasn't going to see Christophe become a soldier.

I was never going to feel Apollo's hands on me again. His mouth. See his smile. Take in all the beauty that was him.

I was going to die in the cold and snow of a parallel universe having tasted a beautiful life I knew I'd grown to love but had not allowed myself to trust. Tasted it for a brief s.n.a.t.c.h of time and then it was going to be whisked away.

”You guys are the freaking greatest!” I shouted, grunting as I lunged forward and got one in the gut.

He fell back.

Another took his place.

”I die with you in my heart, Miss Maddie and Meeta,” Loretta yelled, Meeta's name ending in a pained yelp and I knew one clipped her.

”We do not die tonight!” Meeta screeched, her voice so shrill, it was like she was trying to make that be by putting everything she was into her words.

I admired her grit.

But she was heartbreakingly wrong.

One of the things did an overhead slice and I caught it with my short blade sideways, but the strength of the slice took me down to my knee. My arms over my head, struggling to hold my attacker's blade, the rest of me was ripe for the pickin's.

But if I let go, he'd slice me in half.

I let out an ear-piercing scream of frustration, terror and heartache and his sword disappeared.

He didn't. He stood before me but he was looking over his shoulder.

I shot to standing and noted both Loretta and Meeta pressing to my back but I heard no grunts of exertion nor did I feel movement.

This was because all of the creatures were looking back.

I was about to start jabbing at random to create a hole in what looked like a six or seven creature-thick wall around us when all h.e.l.l broke loose.

And by that I mean I heard barking, growling, yapping, snarling and suddenly a line of sight cleared and I couldn't believe my eyes.

Wolves.

All around.

Dozens of them.

No.

More.

Maybe hundreds.

All of them attacking the things.

”Oh my G.o.d,” I whispered. ”What's going-?”

I didn't finish.

This was because, behind the wolves, more of the creatures formed out of nowhere just as a line of wolves ran, scampered or crawled on their bellies through the snow and the now battling-with-wolves bird-men toward Meeta, Loretta and me.

We pressed back to back.

Great.

Bird-men and now wolves.

If certain death already wasn't bad enough.

I lifted my dagger but didn't use it.

This was because I was staring in shock as the wolves formed a circle around us, snarling, growling, snapping and biting at the bird-men who were pressing in.

Holy cow.

They were protecting us.

More wolves shot to the circle to keep the bird-men back.

Holy cow!

The wolves were totally protecting us!

How cool!

I reached out and grabbed Loretta's hand. ”You okay?”

”Flesh wound, shoulder,” Meeta answered for her. ”It's deep and bleeding profusely, Miss Maddie. We must get her aid. She pales.”

There was my Spock. Logical, for of course Loretta needed aid.

I just couldn't get it for her when we were surrounded by bedlam.

”Stick with us, honey,” I said on a squeeze of Loretta's hand. ”You with us?”

”Yes, Miss Maddie,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

At the exhaustion, pain and fear in Loretta's voice, I decided that next time Spock and I went on an adventure, we were leaving the honor roll cheerleader behind.