Page 19 of The Red Moon

One stomp. Two. And when Viktor’s foot hits the padded dirt a third time, he breaks out in a sprint, using his arms to propel his large body forward. Seconds separate the short distance between us. If I’m not careful, if I don’t play this just right, my damaged leg will be the least of my problems. You can’t stop a wolf this size by trading slashes. You have to be patient.

Wait for it, my wolf agrees.

The warring sounds of the property, gunfire and blood curdling screams reduce to a high-pitched ringing in my perked ears. And finally, silence. There’s only us. Viktor, on a breakaway to claim my birthright by force, and me, readying myself for the attack. I bare my teeth and hold a firm stance, ignoring the silver induced pain shooting up my thigh.

Not yet.

Viktor closes in, using one final thrust to send his massive body skyward. I hold steady, heeding my wolf’s advice. We both understand what we’re up against, and if I move now, I won’t be able to catch him off guard. This is the only way we can stop him. Not by brute force. But by using his own arrogance against him.

The night’s sky eclipses, stars blocked out by his frame descending upon us. His claws remain outstretched and take aim to dismember. One final roar escapes him, a distinct, damning howl as he attacks.

Now!

I slip out of reach at the last second, the vicious swipe missing us by inches. The heels! my wolf demands but I’m already a step ahead of him, slashing through the fur, skin, and bone below his ankle. Another thunderous roar shakes the compound as his leg buckles under his weight. I don’t stop there, and judging by the quiet from my passenger, it’s safe to assume our thoughts have become a combined strategy. I drag my claws down the length of his exposed back, misting the air around us red. His arm is next, falling victim to my dagger-like teeth. He howls, this time pain-filled and pleading. No one can save him, though. Dimitri and Alexey made sure of that. The army my father created is too busy choking on fifty pounds of silver dust to intervene.

Viktor flails, unable to stand, and reaches for me at his back unsuccessfully. He always prided his strength and size, never realizing it comes with an even bigger disadvantage. Something I intend to exploit. I grab him by the throat, squeezing my claws as deep as they’ll go. He swipes at my wrist, tearing the flesh to ribbons, but I don’t let go. I only clench tighter.

His tired arms fall to the sides, and for the first time in Viktor’s life, it seems he’s being introduced to the idea of his own death. Family or not, he’s done horrible things. Unforgiveable things. Worst of all, he took her from me, and that’s not something I can let him walk the fuck away from.

Focus. Finish it, my wolf says, annoyance building in his rough voice.

A small piece of me hesitates, warm blood trickling down my forearm. I have to do this. He won’t stop if I don’t kill him now. I don’t have a choice. Viktor has to die.

Finish it!

I roar with fury. Fury and the unmistakable edge of mourning. Wherever my father is, he will hear my cry. Vlad will know what he forced me to do by pitting us against each other as children. It was always going to end this way. And as I’m being forced to kill his favored son, my own little brother, he will also know from my howl shaking the Vostik compound, I am coming for him next.

“Run!” Dimitri’s voice carries from the wall, echoing above the ragged heartbeats thrumming in my ears.

I peer at him first, then follow his gaze to the front steps of my childhood home. My stomach drops, a freefall of organs being sucked down to my clawed toes. It’s her. It’s really her. Her scent alone lets me know this isn’t some hallucination from the silver poisoning my leg.

Natalia.

She stares at me with wide, frightened eyes, fear carved in the lines of her gorgeous fucking face.

“Run!” Dimitri screams again, rushing from the fence and taking aim. One shot. Two. More soldiers fall, a yelp resounding from each. “Get out!”

She doesn’t. She stands frozen, watching me with clear recognition.

My grip loosens on Viktor’s neck.

He’s healing! You have to finish it! my wolf demands.

I try and bury my claws in him again, but it’s too late. Viktor stands and grabs my hand at his neck, a newfound strength in each of his arms. He snarls with contempt, hoisting me up and eye level. I slash at his snout. His throat. His chest. It does nothing. The deep growl from this monster only gets lower and more threatening.

I glance at Natalia one last time. If I’m going to die, it’s her face I want to see when I’m sent to the same hell that made us. Tears slide down her cheeks as she holds her hands to her mouth. She knows it too. I can only pray Dimitri is able to do what I couldn’t. What neither of us could do for his sister, Ida. That he will save her.

Viktor’s roars of triumph shudder the grounds. Gunshots split the air around us, some finding home in the monster’s flesh, but they are nothing more than flea bites to him. Then, my brother draws back his clawed hand, and I swear his beastly face spreads into a pleased grin. He slashes at the same spot my father did all those years ago, and the only sounds I hear in that moment are the ghastly shrieks coming from the front steps.

THIRTEEN

NATALIE

The tears in my eyes blur the terrible images of Viktor slashing through Nik, but it’s impossible to miss the amount of blood spitting from each claw digging deeper in his torso. He’s going to kill him. He’s going to rip him apart in front of me. To prove a point. Nausea churns my stomach. Spit fills my flushed cheeks. I manage to swallow down what bile I can and watch as a shifted Nikolai lies on his back. His brother stalks over him, marching to the injured wolf at his feet. Sharp whines leave Nik’s gaping mouth while certain death looms over him. I have to do something, but what can I do against something like that? The monster Viktor has changed into stands at least twelve feet tall, and big enough to block out the night sky.

“Natalie!” Veronica whisper-shouts, tugging me by my arm. “We need to go!”

She’s right, but I can’t manage to peel myself from the awful scene unfolding in front of me. Nikolai. He risked everything to keep me safe, even turned his back on his own family. And now, he is moments away from facing the consequences for his choice. For choosing me.