Page 45 of The Bonds of Indigo

He chuckles as he slows to take a curve, passing under a tunnel carved into the mountains. “Yup. He normally doesn’t summon the Crimson Dawn unless someone pisses him off, or if someone asks him to.”

“Why?” I’m genuinely curious. Why wouldn’t he want to use it? He’s permeating the air with blood that should exponentially boost his already outrageous strength.

“He says he doesn’t need the extra help. Plus, it’s messy, as you can—” A massive crash against my side of the car cuts him off, as does my scream of surprise. “What the fuck?!”

I can’t see anything out my window, and if it weren’t for the windshield wipers, we wouldn’t be able to see anything in front of us. But when the next hit crashes into our car, the thing’s dark black fur scrapes across the glass, clearing it just enough for me to see what’s attacking us.

“Oh shit,” I fumble. “Please tell me you have a gun!!”

His hand appears right in front of my face, a pistol in it. I thrust my hands to the sides of my head and cover my ears just as he fires straight through the window.

A harsh wind from our speed rushes through, popping my ears that had just been clogged by the loud ringing of the weapon. Whimpering follows, but it doesn’t deter the Werewolf—it moves away only to immediately slam its massive body back into our vehicle.

There’s nothing Atlas can do to control the car. We swerve, hit the barricade, and completely careen off the road.

“Atlaaaas!” I scream, tucking my body tight and squeezing my eyes shut.

He screams profanity, but it soon turns to grunts as the tires hit the rocky mountainside. Then we are tumbling.

Once.

Twice. Then I’m shrouded into darkness.

When I blink, we aren’t moving, and all I smell is gasoline. The faint pops of air and falling glass are the only sounds in my ears. My arms are floating over my head, and that’s how I know we’re upside down.

“A-Amarah?”

I groan, turning my head slowly toward the driver’s side to see Atlas slowly coming to as well.

“You alive?”

“Mhmm,” I manage to hum weakly.

“Good. Kayn may have killed me if you weren’t.” He begins moving, and when he undoes his buckle, he falls hard onto his shoulder. An uncomfortable sigh escapes his lips as he starts shimmying out of the front window.

I slowly use my good arm to fumble around for my seatbelt. The moment I hear the click, I hold my breath and take the short fall onto the ceiling of the car.

As I’m moving to climb out of my shattered window, I hear the cocking of a gun and a low, menacing growl.

“Listen, I’m not an animal killer,” Atlas jokes. The sound of his crunching boots on the rocks isn’t close, which worries me. “But I will shoot you, right between the eyes.”

“Give me the Witch, and you don’t need to die, Mundane.” The male’s voice is threatening, and it tells me he’ll kill Atlas if given the chance. “We won’t even press charges against you, but the Vampire—he’ll be in one of those cells right beside that bitch.”

“Yeah, sorry, dog. That’s not happening.”

I move, shuffling on my shoulder and getting halfway out of the window when I lift my head to see a Werewolf standing just ten feet away from the blond Mundane. He leans back and lunges. My throat closes, and as Atlas shoots—and misses the spot between his eyes for a direct kill—a chill races through me.

The beast’s large paw slams into him, sending him flying into the car’s tire. He lets out a choked scream and slumps down onto his knees. One hand grasps his chest, the other trying to keep him from collapsing.

Quickening my escape, I pull myself free of the wreckage, leaving the sheet behind as I stumble through rocks and scattered debris. My bare feet dig roughly into the uneven ground, and I position myself between the Werewolf and Atlas.

“Inmate 0338. Lily of the Valley. Save a life and let it be done. Come.”

The Mundane groans behind me. “No…”

I flex my hands in and out of fists. He can’t think I’m that stupid. Even if I went with him, he’d turn around and kill Atlas—blame it on the crash, and no one would be the wiser.

So, I widen my stance and stay planted. “Leave, before the Vampire comes and tears your head off.” I press my toes down between the rocks, finding the soft soil beneath them.