by Cynthia Eden
She’d seen those eyes before, only they had been in the face of a man.
Liam?
He hit her with his paws, and Jane fell to the ground. Her head slammed into one of the stones that lined the stream. The limb fell from her fingers.
The wolf put his mouth at her throat.
She heard more growls then. Other wolves were closing in on her. She counted at least three of them.
“S-stop!”
They edged ever closer.
Jane realized that the wolves weren’t there to protect her. No, that wasn’t their intent at all.
Then the wolf above her began to shift. His fur vanished from his body as his bones cracked and snapped. The brutal transformation lasted only for a moment, then Liam’s handsome face was smiling down at her.
“You should have listened to Alerac. The fool truly did want to keep you safe.”
He hadn’t shifted completely. His claws were still at her throat. He brought his mouth close to her ear. His breath blew over her cheek. “He would have protected you. But me? I don’t give a damn about your safety. It’s your blood that I want.”
It was her blood that he was about to take.
“No one’s here to protect you, princess. It’s time for you to bleed.”
His head slid down to her throat. She felt the rasp of his teeth against her skin.
No one’s here to protect you.
Yes, someone was there. “I’m here,” she whispered, and Jane lifted her hands. Her own nails had lengthened, sharpened, and she drove them right at his face. When her claws raked over him, Liam screamed and leapt back.
In the next moment, she was on her feet.
A white wolf lunged at her. She caught his head in her hands. Jerked as hard as she could.
When the bones snapped that time, the wolf stopped howling instantly.
The white wolf’s body fell to the ground. Began to shift.
Her breath sawed from her lungs.
Liam circled around her. Blood poured from the deep scratches on his face. But the crazy SOB was still smiling.
“I guess the lost vampire has some bite after all.” He swiped away the blood that rained down his cheek. “But you’re still on your own. Even a vamp at full power couldn’t take us all out.”
She grabbed for the limb she’d dropped before. “Let’s just see about that.” Her words didn’t tremble. Her knees did.
“Yes,” he whispered as his face hardened. “Let’s see.” Then he motioned with his right hand, and two wolves leapt toward her.
***
Alerac froze when he heard the howl. It died away almost immediately, but the sound seemed to echo in his mind.
He turned to the right. Stared into the night.
Jane.
He’d thought to let her go. But—
He took off at a run, and when he jumped over a fallen tree, his body shifted into the form of a beast.
***
She’d knocked one wolf back, snapping the limb in two when she swung it into the beast’s head. The other wolf struck out with his claws. Those claws sliced their way down her leg.
Screaming, she rushed to the other side of the stream. Where was some damn silver when she needed it? Her fumbling fingers grabbed a heavy rock. She threw it at the charging wolf.
It smashed right into his head.
The wolf hit the ground.
Three down, temporarily anyway.
That just left her and—Liam.
He was laughing. Laughing and walking across that stream. “I forgot,” he murmured as the laughter slowly faded. “You fed on Alerac recently. That would explain the rush of strength.”
He was about to feel her rush of strength. Where the hell was another heavy stone?
Right…there.
She leapt forward and tried to grab it.
But Liam grabbed her first.
He caught her wrist in tight grip. “Your brother broke my arm.” He shook his head. “Consider this payback.” He snapped her wrist.
Pain surged through her. She shoved against him, but he wasn’t letting go. Not this time.
“Alerac got to you first. He found you first in Ireland. Got you to spread your legs and offer your neck. He took the power that should have been mine.”
His left hand fisted in her hair.
“Now I get to taste the blood with all the power. I get the bond that he wanted so very badly.”
She kneed him in the groin. Punched. Twisted. He didn’t let her go.
“I get your power, and then I’llget the pack. They’ll all follow me.”
Her feet kicked against his, and Liam stumbled. They crashed right back down, only this time, they landed in the stream. The water soaked them.
His claws rose. Scraped down her cheek. “It’s a good thing that your kind heals so easily.”
Wait, what—
His claws sliced over her throat. Blood pulsed from her. The water from the stream—such cold water—covered her.
His mouth lowered to her throat. He licked her, taking her blood. “First claws,” he whispered. “Then I get to bite.”
“Jane!”
Alerac’s roar broke the night. That fierce cry was the most beautiful sound that she’d ever heard. He was coming for her.
He’d realize what Liam was doing. She opened her mouth to scream for him.
But Liam sank his teeth into her throat. Pain engulfed her.
Then—then it started to thunder. No, not thunder.
Gunshots.
Liam’s mouth tore from her neck, and his body fell away from hers.
She crawled away from him. Her hand went to her throat as she tried to stop the blood from flowing.
“Hurry, Keira! Hurry!” Ryan’s desperate voice.
She looked to the left. He was there, at the edge of the woods, and he still had a gun in his hands.
Jane cast one fast glance at Liam. Smoke rose from the bullet holes in his chest. His eyes were closed.
Was he dead?
Liam’s eyes opened.
No, not dead. Jane jumped to her feet and ran toward Ryan. He lifted the gun higher. Seemed to aim right at her.
She ducked.
He fired.
A groan sounded from behind her.
Ryan opened his left hand to her. She grabbed it, holding it like the lifeline that it was.
He pulled her close against him. “We have to get out of here,” he whispered.
Great plan. Fabulous plan. Only…
She was bleeding so much from her throat. She couldn’t speak. And she felt too weak.
He turned. Rushed back into the brush. She tried to follow him, but after three steps, she fell flat on her face.
“Keira!”
Hands lifted her up. She was tossed over a shoulder. Then she didn’t see anything else.
But she heard something…a long, low howl that sent a shiver of fear chasing her into the darkness.
***
When he broke from the trees, Alerac’s gaze went straight to the stream. To the stream that smelled of Jane’s blood.
But Jane wasn’t there. Three wolves were. Wolves from his pack. They were hurt, one was shuddering.
Yet, as soon as they saw him, they attacked.
What. The. Hell.
They came in hard and fast—and they came in for the kill.
But Alerac wasn’t the pack alpha for nothing. Soon it was their blood flowing into the stream. Their bodies hitting the ground.
They died in mere moments.
And he howled into the night, lost, betrayed.
His gaze swept the scene. Seeing so much. The tracks of a man, but the scent of a vampire.
The tracks of another wolf, heading away from the stream. Heading back up the mountain. That wolf’s scent was familiar, and the sting of betrayal burned ever deeper.
Why didn’t I see…?
The rage built in him, but Alerac held tight to his control. He left the broken bodies behind him.
In the form of the wolf, he inhaled deeply, pulling in all the scents—those both familiar and foreign to him. He locked onto the one scent that mattered. The only one that did.
The scent of Jane’s blood.
He’d been willing to let her leave him.
He wasn’t willing to let her die.
The paws of the beast flew across the ground. When he crossed the stream, he sent the bloody water churning and splashing around him. The others scents there—he took note of them.
Jane was his priority. Finding her.
Punishment. Justice. Payback. All of that would come. It would fuckin’ come.
***
Liam raced deeper into the woods. No, no, no. Jane shouldn’t have escaped. Her blood was in his mouth. Sweet and rich and powerful. Everything that he’d ever dreamed.
But she was gone.
Her bastard brother.
He’d told Alerac to kill the fool. Over and over, he’d given him that order.
But Alerac didn’t take orders from anyone.
I’m the lackey who jumps at his command.
No more. Jane was his ticket to power. He’d known that truth for years. She’d been the one to amp up Alerac’s strength. She can give me the same boost. As soon as Jane had been located, Liam had known that he would have to take her from the alpha.
He’d even hired those vamps to try and take her in Florida. Those men hadn’t been working for Lorcan. They’d been on Liam’s payroll. Both attacks had come by Liam’s order.
He’d encountered plenty of vampires over the years. He’d drained most of them. But some, a few that he’d thought would prove valuable, Liam had let some of them keep living. They owed him, and he’d been collecting on those debts. Sending out those vamps on his blood mission.
He’d been the one to connect Heath and Jane. Heath had been working under his orders the whole time. Studying Jane’s blood, trying to determine the source of her power—and of Alerac’s.
But when Liam had realized that Alerac was going down to Miami to claim Jane, he’d sent his vamps to collect her. He’d known that his time to experiment had run out. He’d needed to make his move.
Only those vamps had failed.
But Alerac hadn’t realized Liam was his enemy. Alerac was too focused on Lorcan. Always Lorcan.
Hell, Lorcan wasn’t even in the game. As far as Liam knew, the bastard wasn’t in the country.
Liam had tried to be careful. He hadn’t wanted to battle directly against Alerac, not until he’d taken plenty of Jane’s blood to boost him.
But his plans had changed. Alerac kept defeating every enemy that Liam had thrown at him.
Tonight, when Jane had gone off on her own, it had been his best chance.
I took that chance.
Now Alerac would know that he had a traitor—traitors—in his pack. Alerac would come for him.
His chest heaved. His claws cut into the tree near him as fury pumped through his gut.
Let him come. He knew Alerac’s secrets. Every bloody one of them. And he’d use those secrets.
He’d take out the alpha.
He’d rule the pack.
Alerac would die.
Chapter Seven
“Hold on, Keira! Just hold on!”
The words sank through the veil of darkness that surrounded her. She groaned and tried to open her eyes.
But then her face slammed into something hard. Wait, was that a man’s back?
Her body was bobbing, jerking, because she was flung over someone’s shoulder. And that someone was running fast.
“I’ll get you out of here,” the guy was promising her.
Ryan.
The vamp who was supposed to be her brother.
“I have a car waiting on the other side of the mountain. I’ll get you there, get you some blood, and you’ll be fine.”
She didn’t feel fine.
She shoved herself up so she could stop staring at his back. Instead, she looked into the woods that they were fleeing through.
Glowing eyes stared back at her.
“Alerac,” she whispered.
“He won’t find us!” Ryan said, breath panting. He was running incredibly fast.
Just not fast enough.
He’s already found us.
Alerac was in wolf form, and he was charging right for them.
Part of her, deep inside, was glad to see him.
“Alerac,” she managed to say again, trying to warn Ryan.
Ryan just ran faster.
Until he heard the growls. Growls that were now far too close. While vamps could move fast, apparently Alerac was faster.
That’s what happens when you’re an amped up werewolf/vamp combo.
Ryan spun to face Alerac, but her brother didn’t loosen his hold on her. “Stay back!”
Alerac didn’t. He just charged right at Ryan. He hit with an impact that sent Ryan—and Jane—falling to the ground.
“Keira!” Ryan tried to grab for her once more.
But Alerac put himself between them. A big, fierce beast. His body vibrated with fury.
So did hers. Fury and pain and fear. A terrible combination.
“We…have to leave…” She forced the words out. Her neck still throbbed. Burned. Blood soaked her. Was she healing yet? She couldn’t tell. It didn’t feel like she was healing, but maybe the blood loss had just made her weak. Too weak to tell when her throat closed up.
Alerac growled again.
Ryan was back on his feet. “If you can’t have her, then she has to die, is that it?” Ryan yelled.
Alerac didn’t move.
“You sent your men after her. You let them tear into her because she wanted to leave you.” Ryan glared at the wolf. “She doesn’t remember her past, fine, but that doesn’t mean she’s your damn prisoner! She didn’t escape one hell to venture into another!”
No. Jane pushed up to her feet. She wasn’t in hell with Alerac. Alerac hadn’t sent Liam to attack her. Alerac didn’t even know that his men were betraying him.
“Let. Her. Go,” Ryan demanded. “Haven’t you hurt her enough already? She was punished for you. That time in prison should have been your time. She traded her life for yours once. Just let her go.”
She thought Alerac would attack him.
But…
There was no attack.
Alerac looked back at her. No more growls. No howls.
He stared at her, and the shift swept over him. Beast became man, and then it was Alerac who was on the ground before her. He rose slowly, still never taking his eyes from her.
Then Alerac walked toward her, naked and strong, with eyes that were swirling with emotion. “I didn’t send them.”
She nodded. “I know.” Her voice was a rasp.
His gaze fell to her throat.
It was sure easy to read the emotion he felt then—rage flared in his gaze. “Consider Liam dead.”
So easily? Liam had been with Alerac for so long, but he’d go after the wolf now? For her?
“You need blood,” Alerac murmured. He took another step toward her.
Only to be wrenched back by Ryan. “What she needs is to get away from you!”
She took your punishment.
Alerac’s jaw clenched, and he gritted out, “My blood will make her stronger. She’s hurt!”
But now Ryan was the one standing between her and Alerac. “You just want to strengthen the bond between the two of you. A bond you manipulated from the very beginning! Keira should have never been with you!” He jabbed his finger into Alerac’s chest. “Do you think I don’t know the truth? Lorcan wasn’t the only one using a witch in those days. I know what you did!”
Her hand lifted. Touched her throat. The wound hadn’t closed yet.
Her fangs were out because hunger cut through her.
Alerac.
“You used magic in order to get to Keira,” Ryan charged. “She turned on her family because you tricked her! You’re still tricking her. Sh
e needs to learn the truth about her past!”
“S-screw the past,” she whispered.
And both men gaped at her.
Did it look like the past mattered right then? “I’m dying here.” The words barely could escape because of the damage to her throat.
Ryan’s mouth dropped. “Keira, my blood—”
Alerac tossed her brother head-first into the nearest tree. “It’s Jane. And I’m here.” He caught her chin in his hands. He titled his head, offering his neck to her. “Take from me.”
Jane didn’t need to hear a second offer. Her teeth sank into his throat. She was so afraid of hurting him—the way that Liam had hurt her—and tears leaked down her cheeks at the thought of causing him pain.
As she stood there, her teeth in his neck, his body against hers, his arms came up. Wrapped around her. Pulled her close.
Thunder rolled across the sky. Rain began to fall on them, hitting softly first, then harder, washing away the blood on her. Soaking her clothes.
“Drain him, Keira!” That was Ryan. Annoying her. “It’s what he deserves.”
No, she wasn’t sure what Alerac deserved, but she didn’t think it was death.
Her tongue lightly licked over his skin. She loved his taste.
She also loved the power of his blood. Just a few sips and she wasn’t weak, not any longer. Her body seemed to pulse with energy and life.
And lust had heated her.
Not lust for his blood.
For him.
She pulled her mouth from his neck. Alerac’s head lifted. Raindrops clung to his lashes as he peered down at her. “I didn't send them after you.”
An understanding sank into her, one that left her feeling lost. “You weren’t coming after me at all, were you?” He’d known that she’d run. Of course, he’d known. Mr. Super Senses.
He shook his head. “Not until I heard the howls.”
The howls had come when the werewolves attacked her. “What happened to them?” Jane whispered.
“Three are dead.” The lines near his mouth deepened. “The fourth will be.”
The dangerous intent in his voice made goosebumps rise on her arms.
“All right, she’s strong again. Not get away from her.” Ryan’s words rapped out. “It’s time for us to leave, Keira.”
“Jane,” Alerac corrected in a hard, tight voice. “She wants to be called Jane now.”
Ryan blinked. “What? Jane isn’t her name. It’s—”