The Mazikin all charged at once, and Ian took off, sprinting away with incredible speed. Two of the Mazikin went after him. I only had time to feel a flash of fear for him before Ponytail was on me. I kicked her in the stomach and elbowed her in the neck, and then caught her arm and swung her into her chubby pal. Another Mazikin jumped on my back, so I bent forward sharply and dumped him on the ground, where I stomped on his neck and punched another oncoming Mazikin in the face.

My knuckles split. My fingers throbbed. I heard Malachi’s voice in my head, calm and sure, reminding me to use my elbows and knees. To keep my movements short and quick to avoid giving them anything to hold on to.

But the odds weren’t good. I was weaponless, facing down a bunch of able-bodied Mazikin. I might have made several of them bleed, but there was no way I was going to win. I pivoted on my heel and took off toward the road, weaving in and out of the parked cars, followed by the heavy pants and hard pelting sound of a Mazikin’s four-legged lope, getting closer by the second.

Its weight slammed into my back and its sharpened fangs tore through my sleeve and into my flailing forearm, sending me crashing into a median lined with square green shrubs. A few people screamed, and I knew we had an audience. Which was a shame. Because I was ready to kill this Mazikin with my bare hands. I suspected I knew who he was—I’d only met one Mazikin that filed its teeth. My arm was held tight in his jaws, so I rolled over on him and pressed down with all my weight. “Is that you, Clarence?” I huffed, determined to knock his fangs down his throat. “Did you think we’d make it easy?”

His eyes bugged out—but they also sparked at the mention of his name. He tried to close his teeth and take a hunk of my flesh, but I punched him in the side. He let go of my arm.

Tires screeched. Another Mazikin landed on my back. “Stupid girl,” Clarence hissed as his friend began to yank me up. “Now you’re ours. Sil will be thrilled that I caught you.”

The Mazikin on top of me grabbed a handful of my hair, but then it shrieked and jerked as something hit it with enough force to crunch bone. Clarence’s eyes grew wide as he watched over my shoulder.

I scrambled to my feet and turned, ready to face whatever new threat was coming my way, only to see Ian standing between me and the rest of the Mazikin, who were coming around his SUV but looking extremely wary.