May Dawney - Survival Instincts

“What’s your problem? It’s dead.” Dani glared at her over the body of the slain wolf. She casually yanked the spear from its chest. “There was just one.”

There is never just one, she wanted to shout. But if she got into a shouting match, they would be here forever.

A growl started up so low in Skeever’s throat that Lynn felt it more than she heard it.

Fear threatened to overtake her. She knew it with absolute certainty now: they were coming; the First Law dictated it.

Dani still seemed oblivious to what was as clear as day to Lynn. She looked around but without urgency.

I could just leave her. She considered it, but only for a moment. She was not a murderer. Lynn gripped Dani’s arm. “We need to go!” She dragged her along.

“Let me g—” Dani’s gaze shifted from Lynn’s face to something behind her. Her eyes widened.

Too late! Lynn let go of Dani and raised her tomahawk even as she whirled around.

Skeever twisted and shot past her. He snarled and impacted audibly with something.

“Skeever!” Dani’s voice was shrill.

Finally, Lynn zeroed in on a second wolf.

Skeever’s momentum must have thrown the wiry animal over mere seconds before it would have jumped on Lynn. It snapped at Skeever’s shoulder as he stood over it and bit down on its throat with all his might. They both snarled and tumbled over the uneven ground.

The wolf raked the sharp claws at the ends of powerful hind legs across Skeever’s side. Tufts of bloody hair flew free.

Without thought, Lynn raised the tomahawk and sprang forward. She twisted her arm to get past Skeever in the tangled mess of fur and limbs and brought the sharp edge down with force. The blade connected with the side of the wolf’s head just as it spotted her coming.

Its jaws missed her arm by inches.

Bone crushed under the impact of the blow, then gave way.

A guttural yowl of pain started low in the wolf’s throat.

Lynn tripped but held on to the tomahawk, jerking it sideward as she fell. Pain tore through her shoulder, but she ignored it; she didn’t have time for pain. Her heart hammered in her chest to the tune of: get away, get away, get away! She let go of the tomahawk and scrambled back, then kicked the weapon with all her might.

The sudden jerk halted the wolf’s outcry. The yellow eyes widened before they abruptly dimmed. Its hind legs twitched but didn’t raise again.

Skeever still bit down. He renewed his hold and growled as he shook.

Dani stood wide-eyed, staring, spear raised.

Lynn sucked in air. Every ounce of wisdom in her body told her to get the fuck up, but she was transfixed by the fact she was still alive.

It’s dead . Relief rushed over her but was replaced with ice-cold fear a frantic heartbeat later. Something sharp scratched over metal somewhere nearby. When she jumped up, her legs didn’t hold her and she sank to her knees. Her heaving, shallow breaths were making her light-headed. Breathe! She lowered her head and inhaled deeply. Her tomahawk stuck out of the wolf’s skull only a few steps away, but it felt like miles. She pulled her knife free from her boot instead and stood again.

“Behind you!”

Lynn turned just before the wolf was upon her. Its weight was crushing, and she went down in a sprawl. The knife fell from her hand and skidded over the ground, under one of the cars nearby, out of reach.

Dani’s spear flew uselessly overhead.

The animal went for her throat right away. Its breath smelled like death. Saliva dripped onto her cheek.

In a flash of panic, Lynn leaned her head away as far as it would go and pushed her arm up like a pitiful shield. Pain as hot and acute as fire flared through it as the wolf bit into it. Even through her coat and sweater, the teeth sank deep into her flesh, and she cried out. Her back arched like a bow over her backpack.

Dani screamed her name, which seemed like an especially useless thing to do right now.

The wolf snarled and clambered more firmly upon her. It raked her thigh on the way up.

Another guttural cry tore from her throat. She tried not to move her arm. Maybe if she didn’t move it, the wolf wouldn’t shake it. If it did, she knew her limb would snap like a twig. Sweat pearled and ran down her neck, and her heartbeat rocketed. Her bladder threatened to let go. She had to close her eyes against the horror of it all so she could think.

The wolf bit down harder.

For a second, the pain became so intense Lynn thought she would black out. Think! She remembered the shard weapon in her boot. With great effort she managed to draw up her leg and reach down. She pulled the shard free and opened her eyes so she could aim her thrusts. The sight of the bared teeth around her own arm caused a wave of panic so strong that her stomach lunged up. She managed to choke vomit down. Panic tore at the frayed remnants of her self-control. Focus, dammit!

The wolf growled and bit down harder.

Lynn set her jaw and kneed it in the side as hard as she could.

The wolf yelped and turned its head to bite at her leg. The move freed her arm—and left the wolf’s neck exposed.

Lynn’s breath seized. Her heart thundered. This is it! Her throbbing arm fell to her chest. She gripped the shard more firmly and stabbed. For a heart-stopping second the thick hide resisted—then the glass cut through and sliced deep.

The wolf uttered a cry so chilling that Lynn nearly dropped the shard. She sucked in a ragged breath and yanked the shard down as hard as she could. Hot blood dripped down and squirted across her arm.

The large muzzle swung back to her face, and she lifted her bloody arm in defense even as she tore the improvised knife through flesh and muscle again.

Skeever crashed over her. The force of his impact pushed the dying wolf off her.

It snarled, but Skeever’s bulk kept it from standing up.

Skeever found purchase on its throat and tore.

Lynn pressed her bloody arm against her chest and scrambled forward without thought. Her mind had blanked in the face of death. She fell over the wolf as she overbalanced from the weight of her pack but stabbed even as she did so.

Skeever tore again, and this time a large chunk of fur and flesh gave way.

The lights in the wolf’s eyes went out entirely.

Lynn couldn’t stop her arm from lifting and coming down to drive the shard in again and again and again. A ragged laugh clawed its way up her insides, but she couldn’t let it out. If she let it out, she would fall apart.

Dani fell by her side and grabbed her arm. She shouted something.

The rush of blood in Lynn’s ear washed it away. She should stop stabbing; there could be more wolves. Why can’t I stop?

“Lynn!” Dani yanked at her arm.

She dropped the bloody shard and fell back on her ass, trembling. Lynn fought for breath, for control. Focus! She tore her gaze away from the wolf’s ruined neck and stared up at Dani. It was only then that she fully registered Dani was there.

“Oh shit, shit, shit. Lynn? Are you okay?” Dani kept her hands in the air above Lynn’s arm as if she was afraid to touch her. “I couldn’t find my spear. The axe stuck. Shit, are you okay? Does it hurt?”

The barrage of high-pitched questions made Lynn’s head scream in agony. “Shhhh,” she rasped. “S-Shut up. Are there m-more?” Her entire body went cold all at once, and she could barely focus her thoughts.

Dani seemed reluctant to look away, but after a few seconds, she seemed to get a grip on the panic that had dominated her features. She stood, then hesitantly stepped away from Lynn and climbed onto a car, spear in hand.

The sight brought back bad memories, but Lynn couldn’t worry about Dani’s actions right now. With effort she drew her legs under her and stood. Pain flared in her hip and shoulder, but mostly in her arm. Blood seeped up through the bite marks in her coat. She looked down at the wolf again.