Just at the edge of the forest, Snoe stopped and turned to all seven of his demon wolves.
“Stay right here. Keep a lookout, but make sure no one sees you,” Snoe said.
He got a few head nods and a growl he was sure was Gunner’s. It shouldn’t have made him so happy, but it did. He turned on his heels and pulled up his hood. The first stop was clothes. The few grocery items they needed could be after he checked to see if there were some cheap items he could get for his men. Snoe made his way to the discount clothing store and perused the aisle.
“Can I help you?” a clerk asked.
Even her voice grated against Snoe’s frayed nerves. He’d sounded so confident when he told the guys to stay back, and he’d thought them being somewhat close would have been enough. But it wasn’t. Snoe shook his head, avoiding looking her in the eyes. He felt so exposed out in the open for anyone to recognize. It was unlikely since he was in a permanently human town, but he’d thought that way before and shifters had found him on his stepmother’s orders. Snoe’s heart felt as if it was going to explode. He stuffed his balled-up hands into his jacket pockets to control some of the shaking. It wasn’t a good idea being here, even with his demon wolves right outside the skirts of town. Snoe didn’t feel okay by himself.
Snoe abruptly turned and headed for the door. He’d have to think of another way. Snoe crashed into a woman and tumbled to the floor. He hit the back of his head hard against the wood floor. He was dazed for a second or two, and his head throbbed with pain.
“I am so sorry,” a soft voice said.
Snoe sat up, slowly rubbing the back of his head. There was nothing wet there, but there was a sore spot from the impact.
“Are you all right, Linda?” a deep, gravelly voice that Snoe knew all too well asked.
Fear clung to Snoe as he went stock-still on the ground. One of the five voices that tormented his nightmares. This can’t be happening. Snoe’s luck couldn’t be this shitty, could it?
“Honey, I’m fine. I accidentally ran into someone,” the woman said.
This wasn’t a nightmare, and Snoe wasn’t going to wake up soon. He turned around and scrambled up, hiding his face even more.
“Mom, are you okay?” Two kids no older than fourteen or sixteen stayed behind the man who’d nearly killed Snoe.
Snoe’s breathing became erratic as that day started to play all over again for him. He took a step back from the family, nearly tripping over his own feet. He needed to get away. He needed his men.
“Hey, look, sorr—” the man started, but when he didn’t finish, Snoe knew he knew who Snoe was. He took in a deep breath, and a low growl emitted from him.
“Arnold, not here,” the woman Snoe was thinking was Arnold’s wife said. “We are already pushed to the edge of town. The kids and I can’t live anywhere else,” she said in a hushed, panicked tone.
Snoe looked at the kids and the wife again. There were no signs of them being shifters, no yellow eyes, and unlike Arnold, they didn’t wear shades. That meant they were more than likely human. And she was right—in the shifter territory, human living wasn’t exactly ideal. At least in witches’ territory, humans lived somewhat normal lives.
“Linda, you don—”
“No,” she said, cutting him off.
Where was she when Snoe was being beaten to an inch of his life? Snoe shook his head and skirted around them, Arnold’s gold shifter eyes focused on him. Snoe could see them through the sunglasses, and he went still once more. His body felt stuck, as if his shoes were superglued to the floor. His heart beat erratically, the sound of his blood rushing blocking out all other noise. Snoe wanted to call out, to scream and have his demon wolves come crashing in.
Snoe’s hand twitched, and Arnold took a menacing step toward him.
“Don’t you dare, you filthy witch,” he growled low.
The woman’s eyes went big, and she grabbed her kids, yanking them behind her. They were just as slender and short as her.
“A witch,” she said through clenched teeth.
Humans might have lived better in their territory, but it wasn’t perfect, and many humans hated witches. So the pure disgust and hostility that radiated off the woman weren’t uncommon. Snoe said nothing. His mouth was dry as a desert, and even if he did want to speak, he was sure only screams would come out.
“You can’t fight here,” Linda said. She turned her kids around and pushed them along. She glanced over her shoulder at both of them. “Just kill him in the forest, and don’t lead it back here. I get enough weird looks.”
Snoe felt dread in the pit of his stomach, like he’d eaten a bowl of rocks instead of the scrumptious soup Blade had made him. The moment Blade’s name came to him, he pictured the handsome man and the deadly look in his eyes that seemed to exhilarate Snoe instead of scaring him. It was irrational, but it was just enough that it helped Snoe push his fear down long enough for him to bolt out of the store.
He took in a deep breath. Offensive and defensive magic weren’t his strong suits—and magic in general—but Snoe still did a low-level locking spell on the door. It could easily be broken with enough force, but it would buy him some time. Snoe waved his hands over the door, forcing magic from his fingertips. It was like little electric shocks all over his hands that made them go a little numb.
Arnold crashed into the door and glared at Snoe through the glass, mouthing the words you’re dead. Snoe turned and made a beeline for the forest where he knew his men were. He tripped a few times, slipping on the icy path. By the time he made it to the first tree, he crashed down to the ground, labored breathing puffing up smoke in front of his face.
“Where are you?” Arnold growled, stripping off his shirt.
It was that day all over again. Snoe still had the bruises to prove it happened. His heart was firmly lodged in his throat, and all that came out was a squeak. Bones cracked, and Snoe watched with fixed horror as the man started to shift.
“Knew we should have just killed you,” Arnold growled. “Don’t worry, I’ll tear your throat out, ending your worthless existence.”
Snoe sucked in the ice-cold air. This was it. All because he wanted to get clothes for—
Arnold was a large lion with a thick dark mane. He roared, piercing the air and forcing Snoe to cover his ears. Snoe sat there shaking in place. It was happening again, but this time—
Arnold made one step toward Snoe before he was brought down in a flurry of black smoke and snow. There were growls, and blood splattered the perfectly white snow.
“Master, are you okay?” Smooth asked.
Snoe turned to him instantly, relief taking away his breath as he wrapped his arms around Smooth’s neck and buried his face against his chest. Snoe was far from okay. For a split second, he’d thought he was going to die for real. Fingers combed through his hair as another body was pressed up against his back. Snoe shook in their embrace, although he was far from cold now that he had their body heat to warm him.
“Everything is okay, we’re here,” Smooth said, brushing his lips over the top of Snoe’s forehead.
Snoe let out a pent-up breath. A part of him just wanted for his men to kill the man and take Snoe back to his cottage where he was safe in their arms. But his hand burned, reminding him it wasn’t so simple and that he had a goal to achieve. There was no time like the present. Snoe held on to them for a few more seconds before pulling back. Nyght was behind him, a breathtaking smile on his face.