OU INS

rus. Because what else was I going to do?!! He had just c

dy curling in my nostrils, turning my stomach. I just couldn't process what I had just seen. One minute, he was s

r like I was some troublesome cat mid-pounce, whipping me toward the door with comical ease. His grasp wa

e lea

as if we were going on a weekend trip

ort, panicked bursts. "The hell

arely changing. "You mean the man w

r point,

t it was as if it was trying to burst out of my ribcage. I whipped around

th

ing body as if she was waiting for it to get up and a

h curdled

r lips opened slightly and she exhaled through her nose, looking - give me

it should have. More t

in her face, some signal that she didn't really mean it. That she wa

he di

e unreadable. And just like that, she was gone. Li

ou can't be serious. He just - he just murdered

ghtly, a hint of any real emo

belief, half hysteria. "Oh, great. So

"See? Mommy dearest agrees. Now l

ent to gasp before he all but shoved m

iage Rid

oss my chest and gla

etween us without

ep, which was to become th

leep with my head

DEAR GO

early catapulted myself ou

sive-looking shirt, on which a shin

looked

an pretend this

onto his infuriatingly perfect face was a sl

mn

ea - we get someone else to wash it. Like, I d

"Are you comparing y

better at this job." They have tiny hand

impressed at all. "Fas

ank the carriage curtains open

s and trees, 

"...Are we

e hadn't just pulled me into a horror st

an inn or something?! Or maybe somewhere with, I don't know, be

igh, as though I was wearing him out personally

survive being eaten by something with

ace the very soul of spite, a distant,

fr

od ran

at he would give a little slack measure of concern. Just a

o

ard look

ar that," I whispered, my vo

etter things to do than acknowledge my imminent doom

E LITERALLY ABOUT TO

tally. Then deadpanning, he add

nked.

"Excuse me - do you think you're scar

idened. "Yo

r the

lieves he's an untouchable badass" segment of the evening. You know what? Le

ther howl, ne

seat." "Oh my gods, we

s enjoying my misery. "

fact that you possess the su

want to see a brick tea

gnant noise. "

nt, then leaned across and g

You're w

nd away. "That i

hould

, it'

mixed in. Something dark. Amused. Dangerous. "Then

u know what? Fine. When the wolves come, you can fight 'em, a

owlight. "That's the best

eat and groaned.

Cyrus dismissed it with a wave and s

ugh the window, and I w

d up through a bloo

y hands went clammy.

ely calm, whispered,

IMMED

dawned on me - hit

not human

y smile flitting across his

! A demon? A wi

are extinct. Insufferab

acting like you kno

rked. "Ma

ulp

h

 so fucki

- And the Im

ony, we finally reac

d

ing and shrouded in darkness. It seemed like th

carriage and instantly

h

re wolves. Every

laughing, chatting, totally unfazed that lit

refused t

OULDN'T GET ANY WORSE

g scream and I think my so

as ever, covered my

ess that I was going to d

- a naked man appea

, SLEEPING IN MY

?! " I shrieked. "YOU 

y unbothered, laug

mirked.

enough to glare at him. "OH, I'M

in his eyes. "Welcome to the Ghys

lin

linked

zation of my total imp

sold to a pack

h

h

was so fr