CHAPTER 186

"Well?" he asked, an edge to his voice that she didn't like.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, then let go of the dog tags she had unconsciously been holding. They jingled against her chest and then went still. "Leeds destroyed the cave while we were inside. Velvet saved my life, but lost hers in the process."

Bigfoot let out a groan as if struck, then stomped past her and outside of the tent. She followed. The forest children gave him plenty of room as he stormed out of the camp, his breaths accompanied by a growl. Once safely away from the camp, he let out a roar and kicked down a tree.

"NO!" He grabbed onto his hair and pulled, ripping out giant clumps of fur before letting out a howl that scared the birds out of nearby trees. With a strangled cry, he fell to his knees and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Darren, I'm so sorry." As he wept, Abella moved to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. His fur was surprisingly soft in her hands, and she wrapped her arms around his mighty neck and hugged him.

"I need you to help me get to Mike," she told him. "When he finds out... he's going to need us."

Bigfoot snarled, his body expanding with every breath he took until he was enormous. He cracked his knuckles and let out a growl.

"You point, I'll get us there."

Abella obeyed, and Bigfoot walked to a nearby clump of trees,opening a portal between them. Abella felt the distance between her and Mike shrink considerably and let out a sigh of relief.

Soon, they would be together again.

🏠🏠🏠

The air was so cold that every breath inward felt like daggers, tearing away at Mike's lungs as he ran through the forest. He had been hunting Leeds for a few hours now, the Jersey Devil bouncing around the woods seemingly at random. Leeds would often stop for a bit, which made him think that the demon was meeting with his followers.

The chill of the night had long ago permeated his boots and his coat, but his magic sustained him, warming him from within. With every step he took, he was that much closer to catching Leeds, to ripping the demon apart with his bare hands.

A tiny voice inside fought to gain his attention, but he was so consumed with rage that he ignored it. Behind him, Yuki and Dana struggled to keep up, the kitsune's labored breaths filling the silence of the woods. They had given up trying to speak with him, for he was a man possessed and could not be reached.

His magic had formed a tiny storm around him as he ran, sending ice and snow billowing outward as tendrils of light connected with the trees and animals around. He could sense the forest waking up as it eased his passage and guided him to wherever Leeds had gone next.

In those brief moments of clarity, thoughts of Velvet bubbled to the surface. They were brief, yet intense, and he was fairly certain that frozen tears clung to his cheeks.

He caught movement in his peripheral vision and saw a white stag bound ahead of him and then vanish. It had been doing this for the last hour, and would be waiting up ahead just to watch him. Sure enough, the stag stood on a rock that Mike was forced to go around, but he couldn't help but notice that the beast stared him directly in the eyes.

Succeeding at a hunt doesn't mean you can skin a deer. The voice was faint, but very persistent.

He ignored it and kept running. The stag outpaced him again, and waited for him on top of a fallen tree.

A heart that lends itself so easily to others is easily broken. The stag grunted, sending a cloud of vapor into the air. You've only had one branch pruned, Caretaker. Do you think you're ready to be a spear?

He bared his teeth and hissed. Yelling would only alert Leeds that he was coming, and he didn't want the demon to have any time to prepare. Leeds was always one step ahead of them, and Mike needed every advantage he could get.

Throw not spears in a dark wood, Mike Radley! The stag stepped off of the log and vanished.

"Fuck your metaphors," he spat between breaths in a low tone. He didn't need a lecture, an explanation, or even advice. What he needed was revenge, plain and simple. To hear Leeds beg, to squeeze whatever color blood could be spilled from his body.

The trees rustled around him, and he could see it in his mind. Up ahead there was a clearing where several creatures stood in a circle. At its center was a darkness that felt like poison, a stain on the landscape yearning for removal.

A guttural growl snuck free of his lips, and flickering motes of blue light formed in the air around him. They crackled in the crisp air, shifting colors until they turned red. Now transformed, they flew toward him and disappeared, hidden just below the surface of his skin.

His fingers trembled, but he couldn't tell if it was from anger or the cold. Yuki, in fox form, jumped onto a nearby rock and did a quick turn, her tails twirling widely as she shifted into human form. She opened her mouth to scold him, but he held a finger to his lips.

"Leeds is nearby." He pointed off towards where he sensed the darkness. "There are others. Nirumbi, I assume. Won't be easy."