Out of nowhere, deep guttural growls rolled through the jungle.

Marcus, Jimmy, Jaeda, and the beggar turned toward the two trails ahead. The sound carried one message with horrifying clarity.

Death was near.

Jimmy’s body trembled as adrenaline surged through him, priming him to fight or flee, but he knew there would be no escape. In that instant, everything inside him narrowed to one purpose: protect Jaeda. He looked down at her. She looked up at him. He had never seen such fear in anyone's eyes.

All four moved together instinctively, shoulder to shoulder, as the growls rushed closer. They had only a heartbeat to brace themselves. Then two massive creatures burst into the clearing from the dark trail ahead.

They resembled dogs only in the loosest sense. Their jaws hung wide, lined with fangs like a tiger’s. Their growls carried the crushing force of a lion’s roar. Long, black coats gleamed in the dim light, yet beneath the hair their muscles rolled and bunched with killing strength. Their eyes burned deep red around hollow black pupils that swallowed their irises. But something worse than their size, teeth, or power stared out from within them.

Something intelligent. Something evil.

When the creatures approached, they did not attack, not at first. Though their size and power made the outcome seem certain, they landed in a low crouch and held still, their eyes moving with cold precision from face to face. Studying. Judging. Choosing. Then they began to circle.

Slowly, deliberately, one crossing before the other, then behind, moving in a synchronized pattern that felt less like motion and more like ritual. Their gaze lingered on each of the four humans, stripping away any hope of escape. Every step tightened the terror in the air. At last they stopped and turned toward one another, heads tilting slightly, as if exchanging some silent understanding.

Then both heads snapped toward Jaeda.

Their eyes locked onto her. The others were forgotten.

Jaeda looked up at Jimmy, then back at the creatures.

“No!” she cried as they started toward her.

Jimmy moved without hesitation. He threw himself between Jaeda and the advancing beasts, not to win, but to buy her one more second, one more breath, whatever his body could give.

One of the creatures exploded forward. It struck him with brutal force, slamming him to the ground hard enough to drive the air from his lungs. Before he could recover, its jaws were above him, fangs suspended an inch from his throat, strings of saliva falling onto his skin. It snarled in his face, breath hot and foul.

Jimmy shoved upward with everything he had, arms shaking, every muscle straining to keep those teeth from sinking into his neck. His pulse thundered as he fought to keep the beast’s teeth and claws from tearing him apart.

Then the snarling stopped.

Scene excerpt from ANGELS: INTERVENTION Chapter 28