Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(87)
Author: Cambria Hebert

Sam didn’t seem to notice that she was nearing defeat. He kept attacking, launching himself at her. The sounds he made were inhuman as he ripped her apart. I turned my face away, waiting for the horror to end.

I thought of slapping my hands over my ears, but I figured there was no use. The sounds that they were making – there was no escape. From the sound of things, China had found yet another burst of life and the two went at it again…

Until all fell silent.

I sat up from my position against the tree, pushing at my hair and looking around. Sam? I pushed out hesitantly, using the Mindbond. For some reason disturbing this silence seemed wrong.

He didn’t respond. What if China had somehow gotten the upper hand and Sam was killed? What if I had laid here and did nothing while he died?

My eyes took in the patches of black fur and the lumps of body parts littering the forest floor. Sam! I stood, ignoring the way my legs threatened to buckle and turned in a circle, searching…

My eyes landed on a large black heap.

He was alive! He was there, lying on his belly. I jumped up and ran toward him. He lifted his head as I rushed forward and dropped to my knees beside him.

She’s dead. He told me, raising his bulk up into a sitting position. His usually gleaming black fur was matted and dull from dirt and blood and other things I didn’t even want to think about. Then he peeled back his lips in what looked like a snarl, but I recognized it as his houndish smile.

China was dead.

For good.

Excitement and relief coursed through me that this nightmare was over. I turned and looked once more at the body parts that lay scattered. The enormity of what just happened hit me, and it was all too much; my stomach lurched. I ran to the trees and vomited.

When I turned back, Sam was standing near a tree watching me with unreadable eyes. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Are you all right?” I asked, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

He nodded.

He was completely naked, and I kept my gaze up over his shoulder. “You’re bleeding.”

“Just a scratch,” he sounded exhausted. And something else…“You were out here alone.”

He was angry. At me.

“I…I didn’t think.”

“You didn’t think at all! You almost got yourself killed!”

I recoiled from being yelled at. I didn’t like it. Mostly because I realized he was right.

He sighed. “Do you have any idea how close that was? How afraid I was I wouldn’t make it in time?”

“I’m sorry.” I said, feebly. My legs were shaking and I leaned back against the tree. I closed my eyes. “I’m sorry you had to do that.”

I heard his movement, but didn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t stand to see him so angry at me. “She can’t hurt you ever again.” His voice was soft and came from directly in front of me.

I opened my eyes. His were burning with golden flames.

Is it wrong to be so relieved that someone is dead?

He shook his head and a smile took hold of his face and lighted his features. The he grabbed me up and spun me around, his laugh echoing in the trees. It was so wonderful that it pushed away the memory of the horrific sounds from before. “Finally! She’s dead!”

He sat me down and pressed a quick kiss to my lips and grinned again. We can actually go out without looking over our shoulders.

I reached a hand out to his chest and splayed my fingers along his heart. It was pounding. With happiness and relief. Then I noticed all the blood smeared all over his chest and the long jagged cut near his collar bone. “Sam!”

I tugged off my hoodie and pressed it to the wound. Breath hissed between his teeth. He took the sweatshirt and wrapped it around his waist.

“I need to clean that.”

He nodded. “Let’s go.”

I hesitated and he turned back, a question in his eyes.

“What about her?” I whispered, daring a glance at what was left of China.

He made a rude noise. “Leave her. The birds and animals will eat what’s left.”

“But won’t she smell? What if someone finds her?”

“No one will know what she was, she’s too unrecognizable for that…besides the animals will make short work of her remains.”

I nodded and turned away, hoping that the sight of her and the images of birds pecking at her decaying flesh wouldn’t haunt me.

Sam squeezed my fingers. “She’s gone now. Let’s put her wrath behind us.”

I nodded and together we started in the direction of the house.

A few feet later he stopped and hauled me against him, twirling us around once more. I giggled. He bent low and his breath ticked my ear as he whispered, “Just me and you now…no more stalkers in the shadows, and no more worry over leaving you alone.”

“I like the sound of that.” I sighed.

He smiled and that mischievous glint came into his eyes. Just as he was about to say something, he stiffened, his head snapping up. Quick as lightening he shoved me behind him and a low menacing growl escaped his throat.

I peeked around him to see what was wrong. Two sleek hellhounds stood just feet away.

In a hard, cold voice that he never spoke to me in he said, “China’s dead. She attacked me and Heven; I killed her. Anyone have a problem with that?”

I held my breath wondering about the wisdom of his words. He made it sound like a challenge. He was already hurt and exhausted – could he take on two more? I rested my cheek against his back, feeling the way his muscles rippled. Maybe he could.

There was some rustling around and then I heard a deep human voice say, “Yeah, we saw. You really let her have it.”

They had been watching? I was beyond appalled. Did that mean they stood around and watched Sam battle for his life – for my life? What kind of people were they? I looked around Sam again to see that the hellhounds had transformed into two guys who stood there, both naked. I averted my eyes. A girl with any sense of modesty is going to have a hard time with dealing with all of these shiftings. They were the same two guys we saw on the street weeks ago in Portland: his roommates. The guys he got into a fight with and then disappeared for three days to hide his injuries from me.

“She got what was coming to her,” Sam said, his voice strong but quiet.

“That was brutal,” one of them said. “The way you just went at her…” His voice trailed away, and he cleared his throat. “I didn’t know you had that in you…”