Shadowborn

Chapter Sixteen: Serena Ravin

# # #

Serena’s bedroll did next to nothing to dispel the cold. It was thin enough that she felt every stick and root through the padding, and she couldn’t help but wish there were some way to get warm. Then, as if in answer, she heard the fabric of the tent rustling.

She hummed happily when she felt his hands. Large, rough, hard, warm. They started at her hip, pressing against her through the bedroll that was so wonderfully thin now, tracing up over her stomach, stopping to trace the edge of her breast, trailing up her neck, threading through her hair, then cupping her cheek, then they were turning her head and finally—

She moaned with need when his lips captured hers. Ren tasted wonderful as her tongue traced his lower lip. He pulled the top of the bedroll aside—she’d left it open on purpose, of course—and lay over her. His weight was so comforting, and so hot. He was still clothed, but that didn’t stop her questing hands from slipping under the cloth and exploring everything she could reach.

She moaned when he started playing with her breast, then louder when she felt his fingers digging into the flesh of her rear. His knee found its way between her legs and she ground against it desperately, all while she sucked on his tongue greedily.

“You’re perfect,” he growled in his deep, gravelly voice that never failed to send thrills through her.
The only response she was capable of was to spread her legs and sink her hand into his hair and pull his lips back where they belonged: devouring hers. She heard the rustle of fabric, then something hot and hard was tracing its way down her stomach. She kissed him more fervently, only breaking it when she felt his tip press at her entrance.

“Please. I want you, Ren. I need you,” she begged.

He grinned at her. The same grin that made her want to do unspeakable things. His beautiful blue eyes drank her in. In that moment, he saw her. Really saw her. Not as a Lancer, not as the nobody daughter of a seamstress, not even as an adventurer. As a woman. As his woman. He leaned in close and his lips grazed across her ear. She raised her hips, desperately trying to push him in, but she couldn’t get the right angle. Just a little more, and—

His teeth nipped at her earlobe, then he whispered, “all you have to do is ask.”

She felt him push forward. Cried out. The pressure was unbelievable. The pleasure. The feeling of him over her. Of him about to be in her. She could feel her folds parting, welcoming him in, then—

Then she woke up, cold and alone and unbearably soaked. Her breathing was coming in gasps, and she burned with humiliation when she realized one hand was fondling her breast while the other was firmly planted between her legs. Goddess! With Scarlet sleeping only a few feet away! What was wrong with her?

Then the contents of her dream came back to her in force and she nearly came on the spot. She could still smell him. Still taste him on her lips. Still feel him over her, and by the goddess she found herself wishing the dream had lasted just a minute more.

Serena wanted to scream in frustration. Why was she so infatuated with him? So what if he was tall and rugged and handsome? Who cared if he was clever and funny and kind and patient? It wasn’t like hearing the terrifying anger in his tone when he talked about killing the monster from his past had turned her on greatly, either. There was no way she’d fallen asleep fantasizing about him turning that calm rage towards anyone who looked at her wrong.

Oh, Goddess! Have mercy, I don’t know how much more of this I can take! She was still furious at herself from last night. Her momentary lapse where she’d, for a brief and horrible moment, thought he’d hurt Scarlet didn’t even bother her half as much as the wasted opportunity. She could have asked him anything under the sun, and she’d been too much of a coward to ask any of the questions she really wanted answers to.

Questions like if he was attracted to her. If he saw her as more than just a naïve little girl trying to play adventurer. If there was any chance he’d ever look at her the way he looked at Rhallani. If he spent half as long wondering how she tasted as she did him. No, she had to go and ask something that had clearly brought up horrible memories from whatever past had earned someone as amazing as him such horrendous scars.

Scars that, in spite of everything, she was so very drawn to. The look in his eyes last night made her want to kiss each and every one until he forgot about where they came from. To give herself to him until he couldn’t remember the demons he hid so well. She wanted it almost as badly as she wanted to know the Ren he kept hidden so carefully. The one she’d seen going toe to toe with that alpha to save a woman he barely knew.

It was a low, uncertain humming that snapped her out of her thoughts. It took her a moment to put it together, but once she had she was across the tent in a heartbeat. She held her breath when Scarlet started to stir, her crimson eyes struggling to blink the grogginess away. She looked around for a few seconds, then she sat up with a strangled cry.

“Easy!” Serena tried to hold her still. “Mihrel said you shouldn’t move yet.”

But Scarlet only cried out again, twisting and reaching for her back. She brushed her fingers against where her stumps had been and froze. “Gone…” she whispered.

Fear gripped Serena. Had Ren done something wrong? Had he lied about the cut? “Scarlet, is something wrong? I can go get Mihrel if you—”

“The pain!” Her gaze jerked to Serena’s. Her brow was furrowed, and the corners of her lips traveled downwards. “The pain is gone!”

Relief flooded Serena. Tears built in Scarlet’s eyes, then the girl threw herself into Serena’s arms. Surprised but happy, Serena happily embraced her back, careful of the bandages. Scarlet started to shake, and it was a few seconds before Serena realized that the girl was crying. It was the most emotion Serena had ever seen from Scarlet, so she was going to make damn sure she wasn’t going to be the first one to let go.

It took a while for Scarlet to calm down, but she finally managed it. She stirred, and Serena opened her arms and allowed the tiny Seraphim to pull away. She gently wiped the tears off Scarlet’s face. “Feel better?”

Scarlet nodded with a sniffle. “This one never thought…” A sob racked her. “Never thought the pain would be gone. Sir said he’d make it go away, but this one didn’t dare hope,,,” she sniffled again. Serena was unable to stop herself from fishing a handkerchief from her things and using it to wipe her eyes and nose.

“It’s okay, it’s alright,” she cooed. “You feel fine? No pain?”

Scarlet shook her head. “This one does not know how it will ever express its gratitude.”

“Well, ‘thank you’ is always a good place to start.”

“Then this one will say thank you.” She turned towards the front of the tent, then paused. “Will Serena accompany this one?”

“If that’s what you want.”

Scarlet nodded once, and Serena had barely managed to get a shirt over the girl’s head before she was off. For someone who’d just undergone surgery, Scarlet seemed hardly bothered. With a surprising strength, Serena found herself being dragged through the camp by the hand, and they made it to Ren’s tent in no time. Scarlet was about to enter, but Serena pulled back. It nearly yanked her shoulder out of its socket, but thankfully Scarlet stopped with a confused expression.

Ignoring the rebellious part of her that very badly hoped for a repeat, Serena cleared her throat loudly. “Ren? Rhallani? Scarlet’s awake, and she wants to talk to you.”

Serena heard some cursing and quick movement that made her face heat up something fierce, but she managed to keep a straight face when they finally called her and Scarlet in. Scarlet seemed suddenly hesitant, so Serena led the way inside with Scarlet in tow.

They were clothed, both to her relief and her disappointment, though by the state of Rhallani’s hair and the flush on her cheeks Serena was fairly certain they hadn’t been a moment ago. Ren smiled briefly when he saw Serena—something that made her heart flutter in her chest—but his expression faltered when it fell on

Scarlet. He looked at her with barely concealed fear in his eyes.

Serena squeezed Scarlet’s hand, and Scarlet squeezed back so hard Serena felt bones pop. “Go on,” she urged.
Scarlet let go and started walking towards Ren. She paused, then kept going until she walked straight into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Thank you, Ren,” she said.

He relaxed, and the slow relieved smile that spread across his face made everything feel worth it. Scarlet pulled away long enough to reach an arm towards Rhallani, who happily joined the hug. Serena stood there, torn between jealousy and not wanting to feel like an interloper, before Scarlet turned and held a hand out towards her as well.

Serena hesitated, but then Ren just smiled at her and jerked his head. Hoping she didn’t look as giddy as she felt, Serena joined them. She wrapped one arm around Scarlet and the other—only because there was nowhere else to put it and for no other reason—around Ren. Ren kept one hand on Scarlet’s head, but he conjured a tendril of shadow that wrapped around all four of them.

Though she didn’t cry again, there was a clear wetness to her eyes while Ren and Rhallani both asked Scarlet how she was doing and if she was feeling any pain still. She was adamant that she was not, and any time someone started to drift too far away her hand managed to find them and pull them back in. There were smiles all around, and none of them had any complaints about the close quarters.

Serena nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Ren’s hand at the small of her back, and she was suddenly violently aware that she’d come all this way in her smallclothes. “Thank you,” he said to her. And the way he said it carried enough emotion that she felt heat in her chest.

“I—I barely did anything,” she stammered.

But he pulled her in for a hug anyways. No Scarlet between them, just him and her. She squeaked, terrified at first, but she couldn’t stop from pressing her breasts into him when he wrapped his arm around her. One of her hands found his chest and the other ended up on his back. Both wanted very desperately to quest lower, but she controlled herself. Barely.

“You did much more than you had to,” he argued. “I owe you. Twice now, since you saved my life. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask.”

Oh Goddess! How could he have known the effects those words had on her? The very same words from her very vivid dream just before he’d been about to—no, don’t think about it. She wasn’t wearing anything under the shift she wore, and the last thing she needed was for her arousal to poke through. If she needed anything. What she needed was for him to pin her down with his lips and solve the very apparent issue that was her now-drenched panties.

“I—I’ll think of something, I’m sure.”

He laughed. Goddess it felt good when he laughed with her pressed against him. Low and deep rumbles that vibrated through her whole body. She needed to get out of here before she did something foolish. Mercifully and all too soon he let her go and she forced herself to put distance between them. Why was she working so hard to hide her feelings again? In that moment, it was very difficult to remember. “We should get some breakfast, the others were starting to move around when we were making our way through camp. And I should really get some actual clothes on.”

Oh no. No, no. She hadn’t meant to say the last part out loud. To her utter horror, she saw his eyes flick down to her breasts then back up. She knew she was poking through. She could feel the fabric rubbing against her nipples. It didn’t help that the shirt was particularly tight around her bust, either. Normally she had a bra to help her, but right now…

But he didn’t laugh or comment or even raise a brow. He just picked his own cloak up off the ground and stepped close enough to drape it over her shoulders. They were face to face, his arms around her, so near to one another that she could feel the warmth of his breath. “It’s a bit cold out, so you can take this for now.” Oh Goddess, it smelled like him. That was not helping.

“Yes. Cold. Very cold.” That was why her extremely sensitive nubs were hard as diamonds and no other reason. “I’ll be seeing you, then.” She bowed hastily towards where Rhallani was helping Scarlet dress, then practically ran out of the tent. Somehow, during that mess, she’d managed to fall for him even harder, and she had no clue what to do about it.

Well, considering it would take them at least another thirty or so minutes to get everyone up and moving and another fifteen to get all the horses hooked up, there was one thing. Now that her tent was unoccupied, of course…

# # #

They found another body a bit after noon. Another Nekomata, this one a little more intact than the first. Ren insisted everyone keep moving and that he’d take care of it. He grabbed Rhallani, and then to Serena’s incredible pleasure, called her over as well. At the end of the trail were another four blightwolves, but thankfully no alpha.

Ren gave her two more tendrils, one wrapping around her weapon yet again, and they made short work of the beasts. He fought like a demon, ruthless and single-minded. He tore through them, and she lived in the slipstream he left behind to make sure his back was covered. With his tendrils and is own shadow-wrapped sword, he was a whirlwind of destruction. With her spear, she was in prime position to take advantage of every opening he created. And there were many.

She hadn’t noticed it with how frantic and terrifying the battle against the alpha had been, but fighting with him felt amazing. Whether it was the sparring they’d done or something else, it felt completely natural. It was as if she knew what he was going to do before he did it, and from how quick he was to cover her in return she wondered if he felt the same.

The wolves never even landed a blow against them, especially when it was down to a single wolf and Rhallani’s golem stepped in to finish it off. They were all smiling after, and their smiles turned into celebration when Rhallani leveled up.

With Rhallani’s guidance and Ren’s shadows, they carefully harvested some parts to sell at the next town in a few days, then headed back to the caravan. There were a few surprised comments at how little time it took and even one or two suggestive glances from Vaze about how it probably should have taken longer that Serena very pointedly ignored. Ren more than made up for it when he spent the rest of the day walking at her side while Rhallani hopped on the back of the injured wagon to keep Scarlet and Rastra company.

Scarlet had tried to insist she was fine to walk, but Ren had put his foot down and ordered her to ride. He stayed nearby pretty much the whole day, and Serena was at his side, so she got to see how just about everyone stopped by at some point to check on her. Everyone but Fel, at least. Once word got around that she was doing better than she had been the day before, people started warming back up to Ren.

They weren’t the only ones warming up either. Whether because they were finally far enough south or because the season was finally turning, the temperature started to rise. Not quite enough to melt the snow, but enough so that it wasn’t quite so miserable all the time. Serena had to silently scold herself for being happy she wouldn’t have to wear a thick cloak all the time. She loved the way Ren’s eyes flicked towards her chest, and though she was still enjoying wearing his cloak very much she hoped that soon she’d be wrapped up in him instead. She just had to figure out how to cross that last invisible line that seemed determined to exist between them.

She ended up with the first watch, and after their fight against the blightwolves Ren gave her the night off. She’d been disappointed, but he’d promised to make it up to her. Serena had no idea what that meant, but she was incredibly eager to find out. Then her watch came to an end, and her world came crashing to the ground.

“Excuse me?” Serena demanded, certain she’d misheard Fel.

“I said,” Fel spoke slowly, as if she were an idiot, “that you’ll be warming my bed tonight, so lets get a move on.”

Revulsion choked her. “I—I will do no such thing!” Heat was rising to her face, but for once it had less to do with embarrassment and more to do with anger.

His face split in a slimy grin. “Sure you will. It’s a part of your job description.”

“It most certainly is not!”

Fel stepped close enough that there was less than a foot between them. “The contract you signed was very clear. I provide you with armor, a weapon, and supplies, and you follow my commands.”

“In battle!”

“Not what it says in the contact,” he looked her up and down. “You’re wearing my gear, that means you do what I say. It’s Sola’s time of the month, and Rastra is all fucked up. That means it’s finally your turn.” The relish in his voice made her skin crawl.

Serena couldn’t help herself. She slapped him across the face hard enough for the sound to echo through the camp. “You’re a disgusting pig,” she spat.

He rubbed the spot she’d struck, but his eyes only promised retribution. “You signed the contract. Not my fault you didn’t read the fine print. You can refuse, of course, but I’m afraid I’ll have to report your breach of oath to the guild.” He clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Nobody will touch you after that. It’d be such a shame to see such a promising career go down the drain because you’re being a little prude.”

Her fists clenched. “When I tell them what you’re really doing, then you’re the one nobody will believe!”

“Is that so?” He laughed. “You think they’ll believe some country bumpkin from out in the sticks—one who hasn’t had anyone important in her family line for generations—over me? An established lord with a very good reputation?” He leaned in close and whispered just for her, “girl, I’ve got friends in high enough places to bury you. Now quit wailing, and get in my tent.”

Serena could feel tears in the corners of her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall. Not in front of him. She wouldn’t go with him, no matter what. But she also knew his threats weren’t idle ones. He could ruin her career. Her life. This far out, she’d have no choice but to continue with the caravan, and there was no telling when she’d be able to get enough money to make it back home.

If she went with him now, surely Ren would want nothing to do with her. Could she count on him for help? He owed her, but did she really want to put him in such a position? If Fel could bury her, could he bury Ren? No, there had to be another way out of this. One she wasn’t seeing. Some way to tell him to go fuck himself that wouldn’t cost her the dream she’d had since she was a little girl.

He grabbed her by the front of the armor and yanked her forward. “Time’s a wasting, and the longer you make me wait the angrier I get. Now get that armor off, and get in there.”

Armor. What had the terms of the contract been? So long as she used his equipment, she was beholden to him. It wasn’t all encompassing. She wasn’t his slave. Even she wouldn’t have been so foolish as to have signed her life away entirely. Ignoring the embarrassment that tore through her to even think about it, she started undoing straps where she stood.

He frowned. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“As long as I’m using the equipment you paid for, right? Those were the terms?” Her gauntlets fell to the dirt, followed by her breastplate.

His brows drew together in anger. “You don’t want to go this route.”

“I don’t want anything from you.” It was difficult to remove the armor from her legs without giving him a show, but somehow she managed it. “If it means I have to do anything with slime like you, then you can have it all back.”

His dark eyes glowed with fury, but he smirked. “I wouldn’t get too eager. The contract mentions any equipment I provide for you, or have you forgotten the little shopping trip we went on before leaving Listone?”

Her hands froze. He’d insisted on buying her a set of everything before they left. Her armor. Her spear. Her tent. Her bedroll. Her cloak. Her boots. Her clothes. Everything she owned other than her undergarments had been paid for by him. Had this been his plan all along?

But even looking at him, she knew. She’d rather suffer humiliation than let him put a single hand on her. Without taking her eyes off him, she pulled her shirt over her head and threw it in the dirt. Then, ignoring the sting of the cold on her bare flesh and the stares of everyone around them, kicked off her boots and removed her pants. Soon all that was left were her undergarments, her socks, and her necklace she always wore under her clothes. She covered herself as best she could, but her hands were only so big.

He took an appreciative look at her shivering body. “Fine. If that’s how you want to play this. Just know that when you come crawling back to me, what I’ll do to you is so much worse than if you’d have simply been a good little bitch.”

She didn’t reply. Instead, she turned and stalked off, hating how she knew his eyes were glued to her ass the entire time. She kept her head down as she stalked towards her tent, glad that at least she’d brought her own socks. She stopped long enough to grab her second spear, the gift her father had given her for her seventeenth birthday, and stormed off from the tent that was no longer hers.

She heard someone call her name, but she couldn’t bear to talk to anyone now. Not like this. How many of them had seen? Goddess, had Ren seen? What must he think of her now? She probably looked so pathetic. She couldn’t bear to look for his face. Couldn’t bear the thought of finding his eyes and seeing pity in them. She kept walking, then she was running. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but Dexterity and Agility were two of her highest stats. She ran into the darkness, somehow avoiding running into any trees.

She wasn’t sure how long she ran before her foot caught something and sent her sprawling. She hit the ground hard enough to knock the wind from her chest and the spear from her hand. She tried to stand, but all she accomplished was to pull her shivering knees into her freezing chest. The first breath she managed to take was a sob. She should have seen this coming. She’d been such an idiot. Of course Fel hadn’t actually seen her for a good fighter. She’d been so excited when he offered her a contract that she never stopped to think how odd it was that someone of his status was wasting time with a nobody like her. He’d only done it because of her body. So he could force himself onto her.

Serena was so caught up in wallowing that she missed any sign her attacker might have made until it was only a few feet from her. The first indication she was no longer alone was a low growl unlike anything she’d ever heard. A single rumbling note that she felt in her bones. She heard it, then froze.

Moving as slowly as she could, she pushed herself up and looked around. It didn’t take her long to find them, even in the dark. Moonlight filtered through the trees, illuminating the beast’s long, gray-skinned body. It was built not unlike the alpha, but smaller. It’s back legs were shorter, letting it stand almost upright, but its front legs were beefy and muscular. Then, even stranger, she saw a second set of limbs behind the first. More slender than their counterparts but just as long, they touched upon the ground while the beast crept around her. Serena could see black lines on the flesh almost like tattoos, but the thing that caught her attention the most were its eyes. Glowing red with a vertical slit pupil and black scleras. They regarded her with something disturbingly close to intelligence.

Then she heard the heavy footfall behind her and knew she was fucked. She risked a glance to see a second, identical monster behind her. It’s snout was shorter than a wolf’s, almost shaped like a cat. This one was close enough that she could see a single line of bristles trailing down its back. It had no tail, but its tongue was unnaturally long as it hung from a mouth filled with fangs and tasted the air.

Oh Goddess. She was going to die. She had no armor, no help, and her spear was not in her hand. She looked without moving her head and spotted a glint of moonlight on steel. It wasn’t near the creatures, but if they pounced she’d be dead before she got to it. She rocked forward so her weight was on her feet and the beast she was looking at snarled. She had one chance to get to her spear.

She sent a prayer to Allura, then activated her skill. She felt the beast behind her lunge, but she was already in motion. She danced to the spear and picked it up, but the second beast had lunged for the spear as well. No sooner had her fingers closed around the wooden haft than it slammed its arm into her. The air was knocked out of her and she was sent sprawling, but [Step of the Wind] was still active for a few more seconds.

She managed to recover, but not before the first one had closed the distance. It lashed out, and long curved claws extended from its fingers. They tore into the exposed flesh above her right hip, and pain ripped through her. She stabbed at it, but her blade barely scratched its tough flesh.

She couldn’t fight them both. Not alone and naked. She needed to get back to camp, but as they both rushed her from different sides she realized she wasn’t sure which direction camp was in. She struck at one, but they were lightning fast. One danced away while the other darted in, and she felt claws tear into her back calf. She swung the spear, trying to land a blow so she could use [Feinting Blow], but they didn’t stay within reach for longer than it took to land a single strike.

She backed away, trying and failing to keep both in her line of sight at the same time, but they were clever. They skirted the outsides of her vision, making her turn away from one to strike or block the other. They were cautious of her spear, but not afraid of it. She tried to change direction, but they both darted in again. This time her spear caught one, but the other knocked her to the ground. She felt claws slice into her bicep and cried out.

She slammed the butt of her spear and caught something fleshy. She heard a hiss and felt something rip across her back. She slammed her spear again, but the second one darted forward and snapped its jaws around the haft and twisted. There was a sharp crack and the top foot of the spear went spinning into the darkness. Her lifeline was gone. The beasts both slammed into her in unison. Claws ripped into her shoulder and high on her neck and then she was slamming into the ground, face down.

She tried to push herself up, but one of the beasts was on her in an instant. It shoved her down with one of its massive arms and the claws buried themselves into the flesh between her shoulderblades. She cried out and tried to struggle, but its second set of smaller arms shot out. One grabbed her by the back of the neck and slammed her head into the ground twice while the other grabbed the arm she’d swung with and twisted it up, forcing her other shoulder into the ground. She tried to kick, but the claws dug deeper into her back. Her head swam from the pain and the impact, and she felt something warm and hot dripping down her face. Her head had been cut open when it had slammed it down, and though the forest around her swam, she tried to fight. She didn’t manage much before she felt long fangs sink into the flesh of her shoulder.

Serena screamed. It was a feral, primal sound. One filled with fear and anger and frustration. She was going to die. She didn’t want to die here. Not like this. Would any of them know what happened to her? Would they be able to find her corpse in the morning? Would these monsters leave anything left to find? What would Ren think? Would he mourn her? Would he care?

The fear that she’d felt when she’d faced down the alpha blightwolf had been nothing compared to the raw fear that filled her now. Then, at least, she’d had a weapon and the light of the flames and Ren. Now she had nothing. She was going to die, afraid and alone, just like those Nekomata they’d come across. She tried to scream again, but it just came out as a choked sob. “Please, Allura…” she said weakly.

The beast lowered its head so that it was next to hers and inhaled deeply. Then it began rumbling. A single, low note that came from its chest. The small hand at the back of her head ripped upward and she cried out again. The beast’s maw grew closer, its fangs only inches from her exposed throat, and it breathed in again. Then—

“Malachaaaaaaaaiii.”

It spoke. The beast spoke. One word that made no sense to her, but it had said something. It had a deep voice like a rockslide that tore through whatever strength she had left. The one eye that could see its head looked into the bloodred pupil. She saw intelligence, but she also saw other things. Malice. Hate. Anger.

Evil.

Its lips raised, showing its fangs. The arm wrenched again, twisting her head so that her neck was facing it. It reared back, and her body went limp. In her last moments, one final prayer traveled through her mind. Allura, at least make it quick.

It was quick alright. If she’d have blinked, she’d have missed it.

Something came hurtling out of the dark and slammed into the beast on top of her. Its weight disappeared and its claws ripped through her flesh, but it was gone. She was alive. She looked desperately for her savior, knowing there was only one person it could possibly be.

It was Ren, but it wasn’t. Four thick tendrils of shadow sprouted from his back, stabbing and slashing at the monster that thrashed underneath him, but her eyes were drawn to the blade in his hand. Long, crimson, and glowing with runes she’d never seen before. Tendrils of shadow just like his but tinged with glowing red whipped around furiously, gouging deep cuts into the beast. Then Ren turned and looked at her, and her blood froze in her veins.

His blue eyes were gone. In their place was a glowing red, both like and unlike the monsters they fought. Just as intense, but somehow warmer. He threw his hand out, and something flew past close enough to nearly knock her over as it cut through the air. She turned to see a long metal scabbard slam into the second beast that had crept up behind her. He followed a second behind and cut deep into the beast twice, lopping off the two front limbs on its right side while his flurry of tendrils carved into it. He slammed the blade into the beast’s body and she heard a roar in her mind.

He let it go and whirled back to the other one, picking up his scabbard and swinging it like a bludgeon. It slammed into the beast, but instead of pressing the attack like he normally did he stumbled back. He lunged for the sword, ripped it out, then slammed it into the scabbard and flipped a latch.

“Seven seconds,” he panted, “almost too much.”

Oh how badly she wanted to kiss him, but she was covered in still-bleeding wounds. She checked her health and fear raced through her.

[Health: 19/180]

It was lower than her health had ever been, and it was still dropping. “Ren.” Her voice was so quiet. So weak. He was too far away. He’d never hear her. He’d come, but too late. She was—

Then he was there. His arms wrapped around her and pressed her into him. She sobbed, then screamed when searing pain ripped through her injuries. His skill pulled her injuries closed, saving her life. She felt the cold, smooth touch of his shadows as two tendrils emerged from her skin at her hip and her shoulder. Something cold and hard—a vial of healing potion—found its way to her lips and she drank desperately. Some of the pain faded and she felt something else pressed into her hand, then he was gone.

She whimpered, reaching for him in the dark, but she heard the sounds of snarling, claws cutting through the air, metal impacting flesh, and she knew he was fighting. She tried to stand, then realized the item he’d put in her hands was a spear. She used it to push herself to her feet, straining her eyes to try and make out what was happening.

He was a blur in the darkness. They tried to use the same tactics on him that they’d used to take her down, but he didn’t seem to need line of sight to keep track of them. If they even managed to get close the tendrils of shadow exploded in a flurry of cuts that drove them back. They couldn’t get to him, but they were fast and smart enough to keep him on the defensive. His mana wouldn’t last forever.

She was in no shape to throw herself back into the fray, but that didn’t mean she could afford to sit on the sidelines and let the man she was so hopelessly in love with die saving her. She dropped into one of the many stances he’d taught her, her spear held out in front of her, and activated [Exalted Rush].

She felt the winds caressing her. Saw the golden light surrounding her spearhead as a red glow started deep in the metal. Power surged through her legs and her arms, and she felt her weapon tug against her. Pulling her. Demanding to be let loose like an arrow on a drawn bowstring. It built and built and built until she felt like she’d explode, but she held it back. These creatures were smart. If she missed, she doubted she’d get another shot.

A sudden shift. He knocked a beast back, drawing a deep cut in retaliation. Had he seen her at the ready? It didn’t matter. It reeled, arms swinging. Off balance because he’d cut two of them off already with that strange and terrifying blade. She didn’t rush forward as much as she finally released her spear from where she held it back.

The heavenly winds enveloped her in their embrace and the world became a blur. A tunnel of color with only one thing in the center of her vision. The spear seemed to elongate, defying physics to reach towards its target. The beast’s eye widened in surprise, but she was already surging towards it. The spear missed its heart, but it hit the beast and ripped through the gray flesh and muscle. It yowled in pain and anger when it slammed into the tree and the metal of her spear bit into the wood, pinning it in place.

It lashed out at her with one of its remaining arms, but the shadows coiled and protected her. They batted the strike away before they started stabbing into the beast’s neck and body, taking advantage of its pinned position to inflict enough damage to make the beast finally go still.

Once the tendrils had stopped their assault, no longer sensing danger from a corpse, she placed her foot against the beast and yanked the spear out. With a scream, she slammed the tip into the bottom of the beast’s skull for good measure, then she turned to find Ren.

Now one on one, he seemed to be faring better. He’d abandoned his smaller, quicker sword for a larger two-handed one. It gave him the reach he needed to both keep the monster’s attacks at bay and get in strikes of his own. She could see where he limped, though. Where his clothes were torn and flashes of crimson reflected the moonlight.

Anger surged through her. These damned monsters wanted to ambush and double team their prey? They could get a taste of their own medicine. Regardless of her sad health status, she activated [Step of the Skydancer] and charged the beast. It saw her coming, but she sensed its muscles shifting to spin and changed direction on a dime to avoid the strike. She stabbed it in the flesh below its shoulder, and Ren took advantage of the distraction to dart in and slam his blade into the beast’s back.

It snarled and turned on him, but his shadows kept it from tearing him apart. He caught one strike with his sword and twisted the blade to pin the claw to the ground while three of his shadows lashed out and wrapped the beast’s other paw with razor-sharp tendrils. It bucked, but he held it long enough for her to dance back in and dump [Flurry Strike] after [Flurry strike] until her stamina ran dry and the forest started to spin around her.

The ground pitched underneath her and she found herself unable to fill her lungs. She knew she was falling, but the cold hard earth never seemed to quite reach her. Not before strong, warm arms had wrapped around her and gently pulled her into him. She felt his flesh on hers, his hot, callused hand at the small of her back when he pushed her into his chest even while the other cupped the back of her head and held her to the crook of his neck.

The spear slipped from her fingers, but she didn’t care. All she could do—all she wanted to do—was sink her trembling fingers into the fabric of his torn and bloodstained shirt. She heard the timbre of his voice, but she couldn’t understand what he was saying. The words didn’t matter to her, not then. All she cared about was that he was there. Holding her. Whispering in a reassuring tone while he held her against him and stroked her hair.

Then the tears came. The fear hit her all at once. She should have died. She should be a corpse in the dark thanks to her own stupidity. She twisted her hands into his clothing, pulling herself deeper into him, letting the sobs wrack her body. Letting his scent wash away the smell of blood. Letting the warmth of his body and his arms seep into her and banish the unbearable cold. The harder she pulled, the tighter he held her. His nose buried in her hair. His hand rubbing circles on her back, fighting off the biting cold that had seeped into her bones.

Serena didn’t know how long they sat there before her terror and panic finally reached manageable levels. She mumbled something about being okay now, but he just held her tighter. She rested her head on his shoulder, more than happy to just sit there for as long as he’d let her. She couldn’t feel the cold hard dirt of the forest floor, but rather the tops of his thighs. He’d pulled her into his lap and, at some point, wrapped a cloak around her. She felt notifications prodding at her mind, and took a quick peek.

[Level Up!]

[New Class Selection Unlocked!]

She was too tired to be excited. That was something for in the morning. Something she didn’t care to think about right now. Instead, she just nuzzled deeper into the heat of his body and whispered, “thank you.”