Page 70 of Hungry Like the Wolf

“Come on then, boys. We’ve got things to do.”

In a flash, Rose was gone. In her place stood a gray wolf. She bumped her head against Robbie’s and trotted off down the path toward the lake.

“I swear, wise women will be the death of me someday,” JJ said.

Moments later, he stood before Robbie on four legs. His wolf was a beast, and even though Robbie had seen him before, the sheer size of the animal before him still filled him with awe. Russet and gold, with a white belly. He approached Robbie and looked down his snout at him. Robbie felt like he should tuck his ears back and drop, to show this wolf that he wasn’t a threat, that he understood the pecking order.

But then JJ’s wolf dropped his chest to the ground, hind end in the air, tail wagging. Robbie knew it was a posture of play, of invitation to chase. JJ yipped at Robbie before leaping up and taking off down the trail. Robbie paused a moment, heart aching and heavy, but body alive with possibility, before chasing after him.

CHAPTER 30

Nadja had only teleported a few times in her existence, the last time being when she was banished to Earth from Hell. There was always this nauseating slide that she didn’t think she’d ever get used to, accompanied by pressure in her ears and a sensation of being outside of her body.

It was only a handful of seconds, but it was enough that Nadja’s eyes were squeezed tightly shut when they arrived. Halphas held her steady, his hands on her biceps, while she breathed deeply through her nose, trying to convince her rioting stomach to keep its contents where they were.

“You’re earlier than I expected,” she heard Magda say from behind her and jumped.

Nadja opened her eyes and saw that Halphas had taken her to her office. Magda sat in one of the oatmeal-colored armchairs. Walter, the Brightling Beetle, flew clumsily around her head before dropping down to the coffee table, where Magda had put a sugar cube in a tea saucer.

Where had she gotten the sugar cube? Where had she gotten the tea saucer? More importantly, how the hell had she gotten into Nadja’s office? And how did she know?—

“You know better than to ask me how I know, honey. Just know that I know,” Magda said with a chuckle. “Now, who is this tall drink of water? I don’t believe we’ve met.”

She didn’t stand, but extended her arm up, reminding Nadja very much of a queen giving one of her subjects permission to kiss the royal hand.

Halphas grinned and bowed chivalrously before taking her hand and brushing his lips over Magda’s knuckles.

“I’m Halphas, Earl of Stonewall, Commander of the Twenty-Six Legions, Lord of the Stonebreakers, and Supply Chain and Munitions Manager for the realm of Hell.”

“Supply Chain and Munitions,” Magda repeated with an eyebrow in her hairline. “How very modern.”

If Nadja didn’t know better, she’d think Halphas was blushing.

“Stonebreaker,” Magda said, looking at Nadja now. “She’s one of your people?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, straightening.

“Did you fuck her?” Magda asked, cocking her head to the side. and Nadja derived the tiniest bit of pleasure from seeing Halphas’s jaw drop. It wasn’t often that someone knocked him off kilter. Leave it to Magda.

“It’s not like that,” Halphas answered quickly. “It’s never been like that. She’s like my little sister. I wouldn’t—I haven’t—I would never?—”

“Don’t blow a fuse now, baby, I’m just giving you shit,” Magda said, smiling wide with all of her teeth. She turned to look at Nadja. “How are you, honey?”

Nadja’s body went cold at the same time scalding hot tears sprang to her eyes. She felt her bottom lip tremble and bit it to make it stop.

“You look like hell,” Magda said. “Hubert, do you mind giving us the room?”

Halphas blushed for real that time and looked at Nadja. “I’ve got to get back anyway. But I’d—I’d love to visit sometime. If you want that.”

Nadja smiled weakly, her cheeks hot and aching. “I’d like that. As long as you promise not to reap anyone while you’re here. This is my community.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “It’s getting too crowded back home anyway. The traffic alone is hell.”

If she wasn’t mistaken, his eyes looked remarkably bright, almost as if he were on the verge of tears as well. But that was impossible. He was Halphas. Earls of Hell didn’t cry. He wrapped her up in a bear hug, lifting her feet of the ground and cracking her back. “You take care of yourself, kiddo. And if you need me for anything, ever, you know how to summon me.”

“Tick tock, Hubert,” Magda said, and Halphas released her.

He doffed an imaginary cap at Magda. “It was a pleasure meeting you…”