by Cynthia Eden
“She was.” He sounded absolutely certain.
Erin raised a brow.
“She knows if she lied, I’ll just come back for her.” A barring of his fangs. Damn, he already had his fangs out. This wasn’t going to be a good night. “And if I do that, I won’t be so nice.”
Right. Because he’d been all goodness and light during that first showdown.
Her eyes darted back to the entrance. Smoke drifted lazily from the front door. Not a fire, just a shitload of folks with cigarettes, cigars, and who knew what else inside. Her hands balled into fists. “No sense standing around here all night. Let’s go.”
They started forward together. A loud wolf whistle split the air, and Jude froze. His gaze immediately tracked to the left, to the two men sitting on the back of a gray pickup truck. His growl vibrated in the air. “Don’t make me come over there and kick the shit out of you.”
The men jumped up and hurriedly ran into the shadows. Erin figured they weren’t in the mood to lose their shit.
Jude spared her a glance. “I don’t have time for assholes.”
“Neither do I.” But she smiled. Because Jude made her feel…aw, hell, he just made her feel.
A burly bouncer blocked the bar’s door. “Twenty bucks.” He didn’t look up from his comic book.
Jude tossed him the cash and sauntered inside.
As soon as she crossed the threshold, the smoke got five times thicker. It flooded her nostrils, seeming to burn her nasal passages. What was that? Not cigarettes. This was stronger. Almost like incense but—
“Got us someone smart in here,” Jude whispered, reaching for her hand and pulling her close as he surveyed the crowd. “Bastard’s blocking all the scents with the kymine.”
“What? Ky-kymine? What’s—”
“A scent that fucks up a shifter’s nose, that’s what.” His eyes swept the crowd again. “Vamps in the west came up with it a few years back. They use it to even up the hunting field.”
Erin felt like she had to sneeze. She rubbed her nose, trying to stop the itch.
“Won’t do you any good.” He glanced up at the air vents. “Bet they’re pumping it in from there.”
Great. “So…they knew we were coming?” Not a good thought. Hell, she didn’t even know who “they” were. The good old boys? The not so good old boys?
She inched a bit closer to Jude and felt the sting of her claws as they began to stretch beneath her skin. If they were in for a fight, she wanted to be ready. “You think the vamp sold us out?”
“Could be.” He didn’t sound particularly concerned. “Or maybe this isn’t for us.”
The wolf.
“If the bastard has been hunting here, the kymine could be for him.” A man in an oversized cowboy hat and his giggling girlfriend staggered past them. “It’d explain how the vamp knew he was here.”
Yes, it would. Erin breathed slowly through her mouth. If she didn’t use her nose, didn’t move it at all, she’d be fine.
Maybe.
“So what do we do next?”
“Well…” He steered her away from the door. So much for not moving. Jude didn’t stop advancing until his back was against the wall and he had a good view of the crowd. “We can march up to the bar and announce that we’re here for the wolf.”
She eyed the bar. It was surrounded by men with thick stomachs and big arms, and the women with them—short skirts and give-em-hell grins.
How would that conversation go? Hi. We’re looking for a werewolf. Um, no. “What else can we do?”
He turned to her. Winked. “Got a little voyeur in you?”
“What?”
“I can’t hunt in here, and neither can he. But outside…that’s fair game.” He pointed to an exit in the back. A rounded ceiling led the way to darkness. A couple, kissing, groping, headed for the thick door.
Voyeur. “Watching’s not so much my thing.” But she had a feeling choice wasn’t going to be a big option right then. “I’m more for doing.”
His teeth were a brilliant white flash. “I’ll remember that.”
Then he stalked toward the back exit.
Dammit.
And she followed him.
No choice.
The kymine was driving him crazy. Jude shoved open the back door and sucked in a sharp breath of clean air.
Vampires. One day, he’d pay them back for the kymine. That crap was being sent all over the U.S., funneled by the undead freaks.
Sometimes, he really hated vamps.
“Jude? You okay?” Erin’s voice. He glanced back at her. She hadn’t been hit as hard. He’d noticed that right off. So he hadn’t told her that the kymine was blistering the inside of his nostrils. Hadn’t told her that if they hadn’t gotten the hell out of that stinking bar, blood would have started pouring from his nose in another two minutes.
But now that they were out, he’d start healing. Unfortunately, even for the strong shifters, it took some time to get kymine out of the system.
Admitting weakness with so many others around hadn’t been an option. Better to just suck up the pain and move on.
Story of his life.
Whispers floated to his ears.
“Jude?” A thread of worry thickened her voice. “Are you sure you’re—” “
“I’m fine,” he muttered.
But her brows were drawn low and she crept closer to him. “You don’t look so good.”
The door swung shut behind her.
Moans teased his ears. Pants. The couple he’d followed outside were already busy. Judging by the man’s groans, they sure seemed to be having one great time in the dark.
“I’m fine,” he said again and turned away to scan the thicket of woods around the bar. The perfect place for sex. Groping in the dark. Fucking in the wild.
The man and woman were completely oblivious to everything but their need. Great prey for a wolf, one who wouldn’t have to bother going inside the bar—damn hole in the wall—and dealing with the kymine.
The vamp hadn’t told him about the kymine. Probably because she’d been the one to sell it to the bar owner. No wonder she’d known about the wolf.
This really was the perfect place to hunt. Pity he wouldn’t be able to smell the beast coming. It would take at least an hour for the kymine’s side effects to clear up, but if the wolf came hunting, he’d be able to hear the bastard.
The door squeaked behind him. He reached for Erin, pulling her into his arms and dipping his head toward her mouth. They’d pass for a lust-driven couple. Hell, he was lust driven around her and—
Click-click. Fuck. He knew that sound.
The unmistakable cock of a shotgun.
Jude froze. His lips hovered over Erin’s, close enough to taste the sweetness of her breath and the sudden fear on her tongue.
“Move away from her! Do it, freak!”
His fangs burned as they lengthened even more in his mouth. His claws ripped through his skin.
“I’m fuckin’ tired of yer kind comin’ here, screwin’ with my bar!”
Slowly, Jude dropped his hands and moved his body a few precious inches from Erin’s. He kept himself between her and the asshole with the shotgun.
He turned his head and found himself staring down the double-barrel.
A short, gnarled old man with tufts of greasy gray hair had a white-knuckled grip on the gun. His finger looked all too ready to pull that trigger.
“Get away from him, girl!”
Jude tried to figure out his next move. He was fast, but that shotgun was close.
“No.”
He blinked. Erin’s voice had been too calm. Didn’t the woman see the gun?
The old guy’s face scrunched. “Girl, I’m savin’ yer life! Knew what he was soon as I saw his face. Bastard couldn’t take that gas.”
Ah, so he had this gun-toting jerk to thank for the kymine.
The jerk spat a wad of tobacco on the ground. “Get away from him. He’ll rip ya apart!”
“I’m not a girl.” Her fingers curled around Jude’s shoulder. He looked down, saw her claws and knew when the gnome whispered, “Shit” that he had, too.
But the hold on the gun never wavered. The gnome just shrugged and said, “Then I’ll blow both yer asses away. No fuckin’ werewolves are comin’ in my bar and wreckin’—”
“We’re not werewolves,” Jude said quickly. He could take the gun, but what if the gnome got off a shot and it hit Erin? He didn’t know how fast she could heal.
Or if she could heal like a shifter.
No. No way could he risk her.
“The fuck ye say. I see them claws!”
Yeah, and the guy didn’t look like he was real interested in learning about all the differences between shifters. No, the fellow looked like he was only interested in firing that big-ass gun.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Jude said to Erin and meant it. Odds were good this would hurt her.
But not hurt as bad as a shotgun blast.
“What? Jude—”
The gnome’s finger tightened around the trigger.
Jude shoved Erin away—shoved hard. Her body flew into the air.
He grabbed for the gun just as the deafening blast blew the hell out of his ears.
Fire scorched his right side. Sonofabitch.
He caught the smoking barrels and wrenched the gun from the old man’s hands.
The guy whimpered.
Jude glared at him, all too aware of the blood trickling down his side. He didn’t even want to look at that wound. “Now you’ve pissed me off,” he snarled, the words sounding distorted to him, thanks to the ringing in both ears. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”
The man’s eyes widened. Fear had his face going slack.
“Yeah, yeah, now you’re getting the picture.” He threw the gun aside. The day he’d ever choose a gun over claws, well, that was a day that hadn’t ever come for him.
The gnome scrambled back, his fingers clawing at the door.
Ignoring the pain, Jude lurched forward. He caught the little bastard around the neck and lifted him high into the air. “You’re not going anywhere.” His side hurt. “Erin?”
A muffled groan. He jerked around and saw her pushing up onto her knees. She tossed back her hair, glaring at him. “You could have just said ‘duck.’”
Duck or fuck? He couldn’t tell for sure because his hearing was still screwy, but since they had an audience he’d go for duck.
Jude shook his head. Ducking hadn’t been good enough. He’d needed her clear and safe.
“Oh, hell, Jude!” He saw her lips form the horrified words. Erin jumped to her feet. Raced to him. “You’re bleeding!”
Like a stuck pig.
She reached for his shirt, but it was already wet with blood and plastered to his skin. Or what was left of his skin.
His fingers tightened around the old man’s throat. A wheeze slipped from the guy’s mouth.
“I’ve got to shift,” he muttered. No choice. The tiger was stronger than the man. He’d heal faster with the beast’s power.
No choice.
Erin gave a grim nod.
And the gnome suddenly started fighting in his hold. Clawing at him with stubby nails and kicking out. “No, no, no!”
This was the last thing he needed. Jude could hardly hear, and he still couldn’t smell a damn thing.
Some hunter he was right then.
With a growl, he slammed the gnome’s head into the back of the building. A nice thud sounded and the guy’s eyes fell closed. Jude dropped him to the ground.
Then fell down beside him.
Erin dropped to her knees. “Jude, what can I—”
Fire heated his veins. The tiger roared, and Jude arched his back, more than ready for the burn of the shift. The tiger fought his way to the surface as the man sank back into the pain and let the beast have his way.
Bones popped. He saw the fur spring up on his hands and arms. This was it, this was what he needed—
“Behind you!” Erin’s scream.
He realized that her arms were pulling at him, trying to yank him closer to her. He hadn’t even felt her touch because the shift was too intense.
Jude forced himself to glance back. Caught between man and beast, he struggled to hold on, just for a moment more.
Glowing yellow eyes stared at him. Shining from the darkness of the woods.
Oh, shit. The old man hadn’t been afraid of him in those last few moments. No, not of him.
The wolf raced out of the trees, body thick with muscles and black fur. Its mouth was open, the razor sharp teeth glinting with saliva.
The bastard was heading straight for them.
Jude opened his mouth to cry, but he couldn’t speak anymore. The hellfire of the shift blasted through him. Sweet, sweet pain.
No, the man couldn’t speak, but the tiger roared his challenge into the darkness—and to the wolf.
Chapter 14
A shifter’s weakest moments came during the time of change from man to beast. The shift wasn’t instant. It was fast, yes, but the bones had to snap and reshape and the flesh had to change and the—
It was brutal. Hard.
And dangerous.
Erin had seen her share of shifts before. She knew the game. And she knew that Jude couldn’t take the wolf right then.
So she did the only thing she could.
Erin ran in front of him. The tiger snarled in fury behind her, but he couldn’t attack yet. He was trapped between man and beast.
She stared at the wolf. She hadn’t smelled him. Because of the kymine or because he’d cloaked his scent? The bastard had been able to sneak right up on them.
All the better to kill.
“You stay the hell back!” She lifted her claws, ready to do as much damage as she could.
The wolf was big, with a long, muscled body. A thick muzzle, pointed ears, and those glowing eyes—
Her heart slammed into her chest.
Those eyes.
The wolf froze, staring up at her. A rumble rose in the beast’s throat.
Oh, God, no.
She’d seen those eyes before.
Something bumped against her thigh, a hard jolt that had her stumbling. Erin looked down, eyes wide, scared, stunned.
Jude had finished his shift. The tiger stood near her, using his weight to force her to the side.
So he could stand before her.
Red stained his fur, darkening that thick, white and black pelt. But the tiger easily outweighed the wolf. Hell, he had to be twice the other animal’s size. His teeth were bigger, sharper. His claws far longer and stronger.
“No!” The cry was ripped from her. She couldn’t let this happen.
The wolf’s head swung toward her and the beast howled. A long, mournful sound.
A sound she knew too well.
“No,” a whisper this time.
The tiger’s muscles bunched as he prepared to attack.
She couldn’t let him do it. Erin threw herself against him, holding on tight as she sank her fingers into that fur and clung with all her strength. “Jude, let the wolf go!”
He trembled against her, and his head turned toward her as he opened his mouth with a cry loud enough to rattle her bones.
The wolf lunged forward, ready to attack.
“Leave him alone!” Erin screamed and held on even tighter. This couldn’t be happening.
But the wolf was there. Watching with eyes that never blinked.
“Get out of here.” Erin stared into those eyes. The tiger’s body was too tense against her, and she knew Jude was using all of his control in an effort to hold back his attack.
The wolf’s black muzzle lowered toward the ground.
Jude’s left claw lifted as he got ready for a deadly swipe.
“Run, now!” Erin pressed all of her weight against the tiger. Da
mmit, go!
The wolf turned and fled into the darkness.
Her breath choked out. She turned her head and buried it in the tiger’s soft fur. Oh, hell.
Jude leapt away from her. Erin slipped and almost fell flat on her face. For the second time that night.
Jude shot toward the twisting trees.
“No! Jude, stop!” She knew the man inside the tiger understood her perfectly.
She just wasn’t sure if he’d listen to her.
When he didn’t slow down, she shouted, “That’s not the asshole after me!”
Still didn’t slow.
Another few seconds and he’d be gone.
“Jude, that—that’s my mother!”
The big cat’s claws dug into the ground as he came to a shuddering halt. He glanced back at her, blue eyes too bright in the darkness.
Now he knew. The last secret.
She pushed to her feet. Wished that her knees didn’t feel so weak. “Remember those crazy, psychotic wolves you told me about? Guess it’s time I told you, I’m one of them.”
In the distance, a wolf howled and the sound ripped right into her heart.
“Jude! Jude, dammit, wait! You’re still bleeding!”
He shoved open the motel room door, heard the crash as it banged back and hit the wall. Keeping his head low, he stormed across the threshold, fighting to keep his rage in check while—
Erin grabbed his arm. “Stop! Listen to me!”
Teeth clenched, he spun to face her. He’d managed to jerk on the spare jeans he kept in the truck, for shifting emergencies, but with his side still burning like hell, a shirt hadn’t been an option.
Erin stared up at him, face stark, lips quivering. So beautiful.
A wolf?
Hell.
“I-I should have told you before.”
Uh, yeah. She should have.
Her fingers curled around his arm. “You made it clear how you felt about wolves—”
“Sweetheart, that’s the way everyone feels.” All the Other anyway. They all knew the rule: If you were smart, you stayed away from the wolves.
Smart. He grimaced. Not him because he sure hadn’t stayed away. He’d run straight to her and gotten his ass addicted to her sweet flesh.
Sweet wolf flesh.
A tiger tangled up with a wolf. His grandfather had to be someplace, laughing his striped ass off.