Last Chance by Viki Lyn Page A

back by a simple leather string. Purple smudges underlined his fatigued eyes. “I haven't dealt with this kind before, so I did some research last night.”

    Corbin did want to help, and he would give his life to protect Stu. Stu's anger subsided and was replaced with concern for his brother. “You haven't slept, have you? Sure you don't want to take a nap first?”

    “No time to waste. I had to visit the Scriptorium.”

    “How in the hell did you do that in just a day?”

    Their father had taken them only once to visit that amazing library full of nooks and crannies stuffed with wondrous, dusty scrolls and hand-scripted, leather-bound books. Housed beneath the ruins of a monastery on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, since the days of Charlemagne it had been hidden from the eyes of the church, known only to a few. The sacred underground was protected by ancient magic and only reachable by bright cones of light, portals older than time. Several were scattered throughout the world, known only to the initiated. Holding Corbin's hand tightly and with his father by his side, Stu had entered the glowing portal. The sensation was like stepping off a cliff—a free fall of pure exhilaration. In an instant, he was standing in the library, his stomach in his throat. It had taken him hours to recover his equilibrium.

    Corbin brushed off his concern with a flick of his hand. “I'm fine.”

    Stu ignored his brother's reassurance and turned for the kitchen. He poured a glass of filtered water from the sink, then ripped open a vitamin packet and shook the crystals into the glass. After giving the mixture a quick stir, he handed the orange-tinted liquid to Corbin.

    “Drink it up. You look wasted.”

    Corbin did as he was ordered, then got down to business. “Strix can turn into their totem, but when they fight, they never lose their human form completely.”

    “So the giant bird overhead, the one I saw in the parking lot…”

    “An owl, grotesque in appearance, I take it. Probably wouldn't have put up much of a fight in that form. Spying, most likely.”

    Stu shivered as he remembered the enormous winged bird hovering in the night sky.

    “Sunlight doesn't harm them, and they have no weaknesses except to one simple mineral.” Corbin paused for effect. “Salt.”

    Stu walked back to the kitchen and picked up the saltshaker from the counter. He lifted the glass container in his hand and peered at the white crystals. “How does it hurt them?”

    “It draws out their life force and makes them weak. It doesn't kill them, but it slows them down enough to do damage. They're incredibly hard to kill.”

    “So we arm ourselves with saltshakers?” Stu scoffed at the absurd image of them defending themselves with huge shakers of table salt.

    Corbin chuckled, but his laughter did not reach his eyes. “That, and a stake.”

    “A stake will be enough?”

    “If we hit him precisely through that beating organ, yeah. Best to find his lair and attack after dawn. Strix feed at night before they rest. They're more sluggish when the sun rises.” Corbin brushed his pants with his long fingers, then arched in a catlike stretch. He leaned forward and propped his elbows on this knees, lightly resting his chin in his hands. “Let Aric know about the salt and have him carry it with him at all times. At least that will give him a chance to escape if necessary.”

    “Why hasn't the strix taken him?”

    “Not sure.” Corbin wet his lips with his tongue. “For some reason, it seems he doesn't want him dead.” His gaze probed Stu's face. “Maybe he wants to fuck him again.”

    “What?” Stu dropped the shaker on the counter. It bounced a few times and rolled off. He kicked it away.

    “Chill, man. He seems to be waiting in the wings. Until Aric turns. It's as if he doesn't want to hurt him. Just scare him a little. Let him know he's being watched.” Corbin's mouth flattened. “What's going on between you and Aric? Did he do