Something hit the passenger door with the force of a battering ram. The force of the blow tossed me in the air and my head struck the steering wheel on the way back down. It wasn’t enough to knock me out but I lost my grip on the knife. The impact also knocked the creature off balance and it scrambled for purchase. I flipped onto my stomach and reached frantically for the knife, which had become lodged behind the brake pedal.

“Aarrgh!” The scream was ripped from my throat as fire burned across my back, agonizing pain that stole my breath and made my sight go dark for a few precious seconds.

I couldn’t think past the pain and it was like some deeper instinct took over, making me swing around and sink my blade deep into the paw that dripped with my blood. The creature roared and lunged again and this time I felt unbearable pain shoot through my left arm. My right hand shook as I sliced at my attacker, making it pull back again. Weariness washed over me and I realized blood loss must be robbing me of my strength. Soon I would not be able to wield the knife at all and it would be over.

Movement drew my attention to a second hyena creature looming outside the passenger door. Long cracks webbed through the door window and my pain-dulled mind knew one more blow would shatter it. Both creatures let out victorious whoops.

A second later, something large collided with the creature outside the door. Above me another dark blurred shape flew over the truck taking my attacker with it. Sounds of fighting filled the air: ripping, gnashing, howling, screams of pain. Struggling to sit, I clenched the knife to my breast and stared through the rain at the two enormous werewolves locked in bloody battle with the hyena creatures.

They’re alive! My heart swelled with hope and then fear for my friends who were fighting for their lives out there. The werewolves and the hyena creatures clung to each other, slashing and biting with claws and powerful jaws. Over and over they rolled across the road until it was impossible for me to tell one from the other.

The sound of bone snapping was followed by a sickening gurgling noise and I knew a life had just ended. I almost collapsed in relief when one of the werewolves detached itself from its opponent and joined the other against the second hyena creature. It was two against one now.

Into the headlight beams stepped two more hyena things. I cried out as the creatures bore down on my friends who were completely unaware of the new threat.

Pale gold hair flashed in front of the truck as a new shape appeared out of nowhere to land between the truck and the creatures. Armed with a long thin sword, Chris advanced on the hyena things. There was a glint of metal as his weapon moved, blurring through the air to cut into the shoulder of the nearest creature. Pulling the sword free he slashed at the second creature, the blade opening the hyena thing’s neck in a nauseating spray of blood. The creature dropped and he turned back to finish off the other one.

“No,” I sobbed as another two creatures ran out of the woods. “Behind you!” I cried weakly and the Mohiri flung his body aside just in time to avoid the surprise attack. He recovered and he and one of the creatures began to circle each other.

My warning had gained the attention of one of the new creatures and it turned toward the truck, wearing the same laughing grin as its brethern. I steadied myself and gripped the knife tightly and prayed that I had enough strength left to fight it off. The pain in my back and left arm and loss of blood had weakened me and I tried to draw on the same strength that had filled me a few minutes ago.

It wasn’t enough. My eyes were already growing heavy and the sounds of fighting seemed farther and farther away.  Am I dying? I wondered numbly as I watched the creature draw near.

The rumbling noise came out of nowhere, vibrating through the air seconds before a single headlight appeared around the bend ahead of us. Like a missile, the motorcycle roared down the wet road, sending up a spray of water in every direction. It slammed into the creature advancing on the truck with a grisly crunch of metal and bone. The rider leapt from the bike a second before impact, landing on his feet with sword drawn. He moved swiftly toward the fallen creature. With deadly force he brought his sword down, beheading the creature with a single powerful blow. Withdrawing his sword, he strode into the mass of flailing bodies and quickly dispatched a second creature. The werewolves immediately moved in and finished off the last one.

I saw him say something to the werewolves before they ran off into the trees. I wanted to yell at them to come back but my voice no longer worked and I sagged against the seat as tears coursed through the splatters of the creature’s blood on my face.

The crumpled driver’s door creaked and groaned as someone ripped it from its hinges. “Easy man, you’ll frighten her,” a male voice said as if from a long way off.

A warm hand lifted my chin and my dazed eyes met raging grey ones. For a moment, I forgot the burning pain coursing through me and all I could feel was the hypnotic pull of those eyes.

Nikolas’s fingers snapped in front of my face and I realized he was speaking to me. I came out of my stupor to hear him say, “Sara, can you hear me?”

“Yes,” I replied hoarsely, my throat raw from screaming.

His hand left my face and enclosed my hand that still gripped the knife. “You are safe now, moy malen'kiy voin. Let the knife go,” he said in an uncharacteristically gentle voice.

I opened my hand and let him take the bloody weapon that had saved my life. I knew with unwavering certainty that if he had not given it to me, I’d be dead right now.

Nikolas tossed the knife on the floor of the truck and took my hands in his. He looked at me then at the roof and his jaw clenched when he saw the shredded metal. “You fought them off? By yourself?”