CHAPTER

SANI

Cold struck Sani’s chest and burrowed deep. He staggered backward on four legs that barely supported him, shifted to human, and collapsed to the bloody, churned up snow.

What the… Why would…

This was not the awesome My-Winter-Fairy-makes-blizzards-and-hockey-rinks kind of cold, but a My-Winter-Fairy-just-stabbed-me-with-an-icicle chill that spread paralysis through his body. Tereza had run from him. Was this some sort of punishment?

The vampire he’d been fighting laughed. He smirked, flashing bloody fangs, and lunged, but fell on his face when his feet didn’t move. Ice clamped around his ankles, holding him in place.

Sani wanted to laugh, but his brain only came up with half-formed thoughts. Was this shock? He didn’t have time for that. There were vampires to kill. Tereza was in danger, even if she didn’t want his help. He had to shift back! But…that wasn’t happening.

For the first time, his wolf didn’t come. Anxiety made the cold worse. What had Tereza done to him? The animal was still inside him, but something had its attention. Some sort of new magic in him. Different but not harmful. Despite the icicle to his heart, Tereza wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. He and his wolf knew that without doubt. So…what had she done to him? This new presence was…old and wolf-like, but bigger somehow. It circled around his wolf while the animal watched — cautious, though more curious than threatened.

Sani always visualized his connection to his white wolf in a forest clearing under a bright moon. The newcomer remained outside the circle of light. In his mind, there was a similar sensation to when his white wolf prowled and shared thoughts, only this was a predator with much larger paws and a sense of being on the hunt. It was comfortable in darkness, showing only a red eye, a flash of fang, or a brush of fur against Sani’s mind. The presence halted, appraisal over. A low growl, barely audible even though it was in his mind, rumbled a warning. The white wolf answered the challenge. His ruff stood on end, all playfulness gone.

The two animals leaped at one another — one sleek and white, one huge and dark. When the animals touched, it struck Sani that this new presence was familiar. He’d felt it when he and Tereza were joined in their souls and magic during the eruption. He’d wondered how she knew what to do with the pack magic. He hadn’t been able to wield it, but Tereza somehow had like she did it every day.

Pricolici.

The word floated through Sani’s mind. Pricolici were legends. No one had seen one in something like a thousand years. They’d been on the side of the Strygoi during the massacre and were all gone.

Not gone. Just forgotten. Just waiting.

Holy — Well, hadn’t Ciaran said the silver witches were back? Why not an apex werewolf, too?

The two animals in his mind merged.

What the — He’d never heard of this happening before. A shifter had one animal he was born with. Having two animals combine seemed impossible. After this morning though. Impossible didn’t seem so…impossible.

The new wolf rose to four paws and gave himself a snout to tail shake. He was massive, even bigger than Mika. That wasn’t the scary part, though. It was the red eyes. They were full of an ancient knowledge and murderous intent.

Let me out, the Pricolici commanded. The voice was deeper and more growly, but relief coursed through Sani when he heard his white wolf in it. The beast had been with him for as long as he could remember and losing him would kill a part of himself. Pricolici were powerful, though. If Sani let this new wolf out, would he be able to turn human again? Lose part of himself? How was he supposed to let him out anyway? Shifters were born with their bodies inherently knowing two forms. Could his body shift to a third?

I can protect Tereza.

That was reason enough to try. There are four vampires. Some had been killed, but the rest were only down, not destroyed.

That received an insulted chuff. They should have brought more. Let me out.

On a scale of bad ideas from pushing Mika too far to splitting up in the horror movie,, this was probably along the lines of punching big, flashing, red buttons in a missile silo when alarms were blaring.

We can protect Tereza.

Well, at least there was a we now, even if there was only one choice. Sani gave his body over to the magic and jolted back to awareness in the physical world. Everything hurt. His human body shivered on the cold, unforgiving highway. Wolves from his pack growled and whined. Valo roared as he broke free of the ice traps. Tereza’s wintry scent filled Sani’s nose.

The cold paralysis that had gripped him when the icicle struck his chest squeezed like a giant snake constricted him in its coils. This wasn’t the instantaneous, painless change to his white wolf. Sani felt every crack and snap of breaking bones. Tendons and ligaments pulled and stretched. Fur sprouted from his skin, slightly thicker and longer than that of his white wolf. His nose and mouth elongated, stopping short of changing to full wolf, but that didn’t keep his teeth from growing into fangs way bigger than wolf canines. Unlike his lean, white wolf, this body felt heavy with muscle. And it definitely was not a typical wolf.

What the fuck was he changing into?

Sani pushed himself upright on two feet. The ground seemed a lot farther away than it was even in his six-foot-plus human form. Strength flowed through him. He caught a glimpse of his new self in a car window and blinked. He’d had two forms, and now he had three. His body was human-shaped, but with a wolf head, like werewolves of legend. He stood a couple of feet taller, and his lean muscles had been replaced with slabs. Was that a twelve pack rippling down his stomach? His fur was white close to his skin, and darkened to near black at the tips. One red eye and one blue glowed from deep sockets, and his fingers ended in long, sharp, dark claws. He was like…like a Wolf-Hulk. Only more furry and, thankfully, not green. He had the crazy idea to yell Sani smash and see if he could put his fist through the nearest car door.

“Pricolici,” a vampire hissed.

A car punching test would have to wait. Sani faced the vampires. While he’d been becoming Pricolici, the three unconscious vampires had gotten to their feet. His pack darted around them, rushing at the vampires in an attack and retreat strategy to wear them down.

Sani inhaled. Three vampires were young as far as vampires went. Less than a century old. The oldest, the one Tereza called Valo, was old. Close to a thousand, and may have been around for the last time Pricolici fought vampires during the massacre.

Valo’s eyes were glowing white. White? The other vampires had black eyes. The old vampire muttered something under his breath. A repulsive stench emanated from him. The vampires Sani had thought were dead stirred, their limbs moving jerkily.

Mage magic. That was Pricolici knowledge, ancient and hard won. The white magic had an odor of twisted decay. Not full mages. Only mage-touched. We can kill them.

We can’t kill mages?

Full mages resurrect. These will die and stay dead when we are done.

Excellent. Sani threw his head back and howled. The sound was full of challenge, rage, and triumph, letting his pack know to back off. Then he attacked. He swung one of his newly muscled arms at the nearest vampire. The blow connected solidly, lifting the man off his feet to fly backward.

Holy — He didn’t know his own strength.

The air filled with Tereza’s sweet, wintry scent. A gust of wind captured the vampire before he vanished into the trees and carried him back toward Sani.

Sani’s pack stopped their feints but remained alert, prowling at a distance that gave Sani room, but was close enough they could join the fight again if necessary. Free from wolf harassment, all the vampires turned their attention to the bigger threat. As a group, they launched themselves at Sani.

As the vampires piled on, they drove Sani to the ground. His big body absorbed blows from fists and boots, and he slashed with claws. The world dissolved into bursts of pain, shouts, and grunts. Sani’s claws caught in soft flesh and he ripped them through the body until he hit bone. A satisfying scream ended in a gurgle. Sani fought harder, summoning the strength to struggle to his knees. A burning sensation filled his mouth. What was happening now? Maybe he was growing Ross of teeth like a shark.

Something hit his ribs hard enough to send the breath gusting out of him. Vampires piled on him again.

Bite them. Our saliva kills vampires. It’s why they fear us.

With a mental shrug, Sani turned his head to sink his fangs into a vampire neck. Disgusting blood filled his mouth and he spit it onto the ground. The monster screamed and his body burst into dust. Dark laughter rumbled in Sani’s chest. He bit a hand. Caught a booted foot and sank his venomous teeth into a leg. Two more vampires vanished into dust.

Sani powered to his feet, flinging vampires in all directions.Two vampires turned to flee, their speed carrying them down the highway. The instinct to not let them get away urged him to chase, but Tereza’s magic did the work for him, bringing them back. He met her eyes, his heart giving an unsteady thump at the sadness he saw in her eyes. This time, her winds whirled around him and the vampires, creating a circle of wind, snow, and ice that trapped his prey inside with him.

Wolf speed was fast, but Pricolici speed was faster. Sani darted between targets, biting whatever parts of his enemies came within reach. One by one, the vampires turned to dust until only two were left. Sani snapped his jaws closed on the neck of the nearest vampire and spun to face Valo, but he wasn’t there.

Valo jumped him from behind. A length of chain whipped over Sani’s head and pulled tight against his throat. Staggering backward, Sani tore at the chain, but his claws couldn’t get purchase. He threw himself backward, smashing Valo into a car. The chain loosened, then pulled tight against.

Sani shifted to his smaller white wolf form, sending Valo crashing to the ground. Hoping there was enough venom left on his fangs, Sani pounced and tore out Valo’s throat. The vampire exploded into dust.

The winds died. Snow and ice fell to the road, revealing his pack staring at him. A heavy silence, was broken only by his heaving breaths. Sani swayed, his head dipping, struggling to stay on his feet. He found Tereza in the crowd. Not difficult when she was the only one on two legs.

“Sani,” she whispered, shoving through the wolves.

 He tottered toward her, until his nose was almost touching her toes. With the fight over, countless injuries were making themselves known, along with exhaustion.

Tereza ran her hands over him then cupped his muzzle, urging him to sit up. “Sani,” she managed, her voice trembling. “You lay at no one’s feet.” She threw her arms around his neck. “Never again.”

Sani closed his eyes and gusted out a long, grateful exhale that prompted one of her own.

A commotion broke out. Another wolf loped onto the scene, and everyone tensed. Ulf was here to make some point. Maybe even killing a bunch of vampires wasn’t enough to earn Ulf’s approval. Tereza surged to her feet, icicles at the ready. She was protecting him. Ulf circled Sani and stopped in front of Tereza, lips curled as he snarled in her face.

But Tereza was in no mood to be submissive. His Winter Fairy snarled back and raised one icicle in a clear threat.

Sani struggled to his feet, unsure if he was ready for another fight. Ulf growled, but Sani growled back. He was in no mood for this, either, but if Ulf made a single threatening step towards Tereza, Sani’s mood would be the least of Ulf’s worries

It was a standoff. Sani was being challenged by the old wolf.

“He’s done enough,” Tereza snapped. “Both of us have done enough. Thanks to us, you’re all still here instead of buried under lava or suffocated on ash, and still you think Sani has something to prove.” Tereza threw the accusation out. “Sani is Pricolici. He doesn’t have to bow down to you anymore. He doesn’t have to bow down to anyone. I think the only reason he hasn’t put you in your place is out of respect because you’re family, although I haven’t seen you do anything to deserve the respect or title of father.” She swept her gaze over the rest of the pack. “And none of you are any better for standing aside and letting it happen. Shame on all of you.’

Ulf and the pack stood like Tereza had frozen them into statues. No one had ever spoken to Ulf or Mika like that before. Obeying the Alpha was bred into wolf shifters, but there were some who wielded the power better than others. Sani had never lived in any other packs do he had no comparison for how Ulf did things.

All at once, Sani was weary of it all. He’d never cared about pack politics, and right now, he didn’t care what his father thought, either. Sani was done. Whatever fallout came from this, he’d deal with later. He caught Tereza’s gaze and chuffed, looking at his back. She dropped her icicles and climbed on, burying her face in hus ruff. The idea of being alone with Tereza sent new energy coursing through his otherwise exhausted body. Sani took off, carrying his Fated away.