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.

Not that I had a choice this time.

“We’ll get you taken care of as soon as this calms down,” I assured her, hoping I wasn’t lying.

“Right,” she replied, holding my hand tight, her voice holding no hope.

But keeping an eye on the activity, although our ring of wolf protectors was prevailing, and although I could see in the distance the shadowy shape of more wolves heading our way, the bird-men were popping up everywhere.

And as if to prove that true, two popped into the circle close to the girls and me.

They didn’t even get turned toward us before five wolves jumped them and viciously ripped them to shreds.

Blue sparks flew everywhere and the bird-men disappeared.

Wild.

Scary.

And totally f**ked up.

The wolves didn’t hesitate to close ranks and continue snarling and snapping at the pressing bird-men.

And blue sparks were flying everywhere.

Yelps of wounded wolves came fast and thick. I even saw some unmoving wolf bodies on the forest floor.

More bird-men formed.

Lots more.

I squeezed Loretta’s hand.

The wolves around us backed in tighter, their tails brushing our skirts.

This was not good.

The wolves were losing.

Shit!

Then it happened.

Suddenly and with little warning, bedlam turned into Armageddon.

It started with wolves in the forest suddenly turning tail and running.

That did not give me a good feeling.

It continued with the wolf circle around us falling to their bellies and pushing snout first through the snow.

This definitely didn’t give me a good feeling.

But it ended with Meeta shouting, “Down! Now!”

I hit the deck mostly because Meeta shoved me there, on top of Loretta, Meeta coming down on top of me.

Then a fiery blast of heat seared over us as the forest all around us burst into flame.

I just had the chance to peek up from under Meeta’s arm that was wrapped around my head and, I kid you not, no joke, no fooling, flapping their webby wings terrifying overhead, breathing fire all around was not one…not two…but three gigantic dragons.

I stared in shock and awe, my mouth hanging open as they stopped breathing fire. Only one was in sight and I watched it flap down and settle his ass to the scorched earth, forked tongue out and snaking around, eyes intelligent and aimed in the distance.

Meeta got up and pulled me up. I pulled Loretta up.

And we stood there, staring around us.

This was because everything but a five foot diameter of now-melting snow around our feet was totally incinerated. Charred. Leveled. Still smoldering but there was nothing left.

Nothing but three big dragons with thin, lolling tongues and a circle of wolves who were now sitting around us, some cleaning themselves disinterestedly, some just panting, one was scratching behind his ear.

Meeta pressed close and Loretta made a noise of fear.

I looked into the smoldering shadows.

Through midnight and smoke, a man and woman appeared.

The man was tall, built and seriously hot.

The woman had fabulous white blonde hair.

They came to a stop ten feet away and he opened his mouth to speak.

But I beat him to it.

“I take it you’re Finnie and Frey.”

He closed his mouth but used it to smile.

Yep, hot.

She grinned.

And she was cute.

Right. With dragons in the mix, I had a feeling everything was going to be okay.

So I smiled back.

Chapter Twenty-One

The Path to Vengeance

Apollo rode Anguish hard through the snow, the needles of the pines whipping unheeded against his face and body, his torso ducking and swaying to avoid branches.

His destination: where he’d seen the dragons’ blaze.

His lungs were burning fire throughout his frame.

His neck and shoulders were solid with tension.

His thoughts were tortured.

He hit the smoking wasteland and saw them.

Meeta and Loretta were there for some gods forsaken reason.

Finnie and Frey were there, which was surprising but not, considering the dragons and their fire.

His wolves were there, which was as he’d arranged.

And then there was Maddie, looking wet, cold and disheveled.

But standing.

Breathing.

Alive.

Alive.

He rode straight to her, not slowing Anguish, and the huddle swayed out of his way as he threw his leg over the saddle and dismounted with Anguish still at a run.

His legs bore the impact of his dismount but he didn’t feel it.

He took two long strides to Madeleine, lifted his hands and framed her face. Unable to stop them, he moved them over her hair, down her neck, under her jaws and back to the sides of her head as his eyes scoured her face.

Standing.

Breathing

Her eyes open and looking into his.

“I’m all right, Lo,” she whispered and he felt her hand light on his stomach as she leaned in. “I’m all right, baby.”

At her words, he crushed his mouth down on hers, thrusting his tongue in, tasting her, drinking from her, devouring her.

Her arms curled around his middle and went tight as she tipped her head back to give him what he needed.

More.

Approaching horses and voices pierced his extreme relief and he tore his mouth from hers. When he did, he cupped the back of her head, shoved her face in his throat and curled an arm around her, hauling her deep so she was tight to his body and he could feel her everywhere. Smell her close. Absorb the fact she was still alive.