“Jatred’s white teeth flashed in an inviting smirk. To irritate the men even more, he motioned to them with his hand, ending the movement with a flip of his middle finger. “Come and get it, grandpas,” he hissed.”

“The Amulet released a brilliant fan of white rays, right from Jatred’s chest and through the fabric of his shirt.”

“A low, angry growl hit Jatred’s ears like a hammer. He turned and saw a massive figure crashing its way through the snow. Although he’d only seen the drawings of the Winter monsters, he knew it was a Garhanan. There was nothing pleasing in the way the creature looked, smelled, or sounded. Even its movements were horrid. A flat nose sat in the middle of the meaty face. The Garhanan’s bushy white brows stuck out, shading small beady eyes. Its arms were muscular and swung down past its strong knees. The back, chest, and thighs were colossal too. The beast’s whole body was covered in white, sparse, long fur. “Great,” Jatred snarled, his jaws clenching. He tried not to show how much Garhanan scared him.”

“When she brought her lips back closer to his face, his eyelids flickered and shut for a moment. In a swift motion he rolled on top of her, and his mouth was on hers before she could make a sound. His hand pressed on her lower back, tracing the curve of her waist. She felt the heat building inside her and the goosebumps rising on her arm. His other hand slowly moved upward, until his fingers flexed back and forth in her hair.”

“Oh, come on.” Jatred scooted back on his butt, trying to put some distance between himself and the animals. He frowned at them and protested, “I can do that too, you know… growling and all. I’m not impressed.”

“He swore quietly and shook his head. He tried to see some logic in the situation. His deep, angry growl echoed in the room, multiplied by the walls and ceilings. “Damn!” Jatred pounded his fist on his thigh. “She fooled me again.”

“Jatred gripped Jasmira’s hand. This time his fingers didn’t go through like they did before, when she appeared as an illusion. Her body was solid again. She held onto the chain halfway between the jewel and the clasp. The clasp flew open. One side of the chain encircled his wrist. The other part snaked around Jasmira’s wrist. It linked them in an unexpected bind. The metal felt as cold as a sheet of ice. They both yelled and tried to pull free, but it wouldn’t budge.”