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He wanted to stop Hess with as little daot was rarely the same

With the scratch of claws on stone, Hess scrambled to turn and squatted down as he prepared to pounce The acrid scent of burned flesh filled the air, but Salvatore only had to glance at Hess with his eyes flashing cri to take more than a scratch to end this battle

He clenched his teeth and prepared for another assault He didn’t have to wait long

Fah with his finest soldier’s tactics, Salvatore was prepared when he feinted a strike high and then darted low to atte hi Hess on the muzzle

The cur whined as the silver bit deep into his flesh, the blood flowing, his flesh burned by the silver Shaking his head in a pained motion, Hess appeared briefly defeated, then with a sudden leap he hit Salvatore directly in the chest, knocking hied to yank his head to the side, avoiding the snapping teeth, but it left his into his shoulder The cur tore a chunk of flesh frorip on the cur’s thick coat, and with a savage thrust tossed hiainst the wall

There was a nasty crunch as Hess hit his head against the unrelenting stone, falling boneless to the ground

"Ah What a beautiful sight," Briggs hissed as Salvatore lay flat on his back, the wound in his shoulder deep enough to take an effort to heal "Thein the dirt Exactly where he belongs"

"Screw you," Salvatorehis whimper of pain as he forced hiaze went to the cur lying broken and bleeding on the hard stone Hess He lived, but he was seriously injured Just another s and rave

Moving across the cavern, Salvatore hissed in frustration His head ached froround and his shoulder continued to leak blood as the flesh struggled to knit back together The unco it difficult to repair his injuries, but he wasn’t going to wait

Briggs had to be close

He couldn’t have held Hess in thrall unless he was

Whichhis instincts, he clutched the knife tight in his hand and circled the edge of the cavern

"There’s no one left to hide behind," he taunted, using the increasing cold to lead him toward a connected cave

"I don’t fear you"

"You alere an idiot," Salvatoreas a foul cla "Come out, come out, wherever you are" He abruptly halted, the overwhelh the spell that had been o"

There was a cold rush of air and instinctively Salvatore ducked, growling as the shistled less than an inch above his head

He’d been expecting ot his head chopped off

With a furious howl, Salvatore shifted

Heat andhim from the inside out His bones popped, his muscles thickened, and his skin shivered as his heavy pelt flowed over his body A coh him at the transfor

The prickles in the air warned that Briggs was shifting as well, and Salvatore was prepared when the pureblood charged, knocking his into the wolf’s front leg and was rewarded by a shrill yip