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She stood in a seductive curve, her body sinuous and snakelike, her hand on her hip, jutted out like a fashion model Her thick dark hairlike satin ribbons around her face Like Medusa, she had a cold and dangerous beauty, the beauty of a cobra or a lioness She was dressed for battle, her black arht
Lawson stood aze His heart dropped into his stomach; he couldn’t breathe
No No Not now No
"Lawson!" Tala’s voice snapped hi? Who is it?"
When he didn’t answer, she pushed hih the peephole "Oh no," she whispered "Lawson!" she cried "DO SOMETHING!"
Her voice shook him into action "THEY’RE HERE!" Lawson yelled He could smell the hounds now They’d be on theh shadows and hiding in trees,fire and ash
"Make sure Edon doesn’t see!" he said, grabbing Tala’s ar he could find against it - the chairs, the kitchen table "Get everything we need! We’re not co back!"
Tala nodded and ran to secure the treasures of their pack
"RAFE!" he cried "Everyone to the ot it!" his brother yelled, hustling Malcol roohtened he couldn’t think, but he had to concentrate if he was going to get the to survive this
"It’ll hold," Lawson said to Malcolet in the house"
Wordlessly, Tala pointed to the s, her eyes ith fright and despair
He turned to see Outside, flaed the perimeter If the hounds couldn’t enter the house, they would burn it to the ground
Chapter Five
The circle of flah away that Lawson could see the snow-covered grass in between the fire and the house But it wouldn’t be long before the fire gained energy and started hts of worry wasted The first hoest fear was upon the they’d been safe even for a rabbed him by the shoulder "Don’t We’ll find another hoether, and we’ll build another"
He sed hard, kissed her forehead brusquely Thank god for Tala
The scent of s room
"Where’s Edon?" Rafe asked
Lawson knehere he was He exchanged anguished looks with Tala "I’ll get him," she said
"No - let me," Lawson said
He ran to the kitchen
Edon stood transfixed at the front door, peering out through the peephole "You didn’t tell ; he must have heard Lawson’s footsteps behind him
A low, throaty voice whispered from the doorway, "Come to me, EdonI’ve missed you so much"
"It’s not her," Lawson said "Not really Not anymore You know that" He’d seen her eyes, seen how their blue had turned a deep reddish-black "Ahri’s one of theer a wolf; she walked upright; she carried a black sword; she was an extension of Romulus’s will A Hound of Hell
"Edon, open the door so we can be together again "
"I have to open it," Edon said
"I can’t let you do that" Lawson pushed Edon away fro on it so hard that itwildly The pu was relentless, and it felt as if not just the door but the whole house would collapse froirl’s taunts turned to screams as the door held "EDON!" she thundered as Lawson pulled his brother back into the living room "EDON, IF YOU STILL LOVE ME, LET ME IN!"
Now that Edon ith them, the circle was complete Edon sat dazed between Lawson and Rafe, who each held on to him in case he tried to make a run for the door
"Can they follow us?" Malcol
"The hounds can’t coh the portals," Lawson assured him "At least the ones I make, I’m pretty sure" He didn’t kno he knew; it was just instinct, but it felt right "Close your eyes, and focus your hearts and minds"
Laaited until everyone had their eyes closed, and then began to open the portal with his erous jump than their escape from the underworld; their souls would have to cross first and their bodies would follow, unlike in Hell, where their spirits and flesh were one Around thelass shattered Dust drifted down fro Outside the sky was an eerie charcoal, and smoke billowed around the house He could see the first wisps of fla toward theAnd then it was upon thee as strips of flame shot across the old carpet The heat was unbearable, but falistened and blistered
Lawson felt the passage open, felt the universe expanding to create this space, a space for them to be safe In his mind’s eye, he watched as one by one the brothers crossed over, even as he kept his actual eyes open so he kneas happening in the rooed her in his mind Go now