He was in Bret’s bar, one of the enforcers for the Crescent Pack, and it wasn’t bad. It was crowded with both shifters and humans—the humans being quite obvious—and he scanned the bodies that rubbed up against each other to music that could be better.
In fact…
What the fuck is this? he wondered, staring over at the band on the rustic stage that looked as if it would cave from beneath them at any moment.
Bret must be drunk to allow those goons on the stage, he thought, shaking his head. It wasn’t music that was for sure.
He winced and took another swallow, the beer now warm. Looking over towards the door, he noticed a few late stragglers came through, but not the man he had been told to meet.
Where the hell is he? He didn’t have all night, and the fucker was late.
Aiden stilled, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the crowded bar again, more slowly this time. The hairs on the back of his neck tingled. He was being watched.
Relaxing himself, he cleared his face of the hard scowl as he leaned back against the wall and finished his warm beer, wincing at the bitter taste. He sat for a few more minutes before finally standing up. His six-four frame towered over most people and now wasn’t any exception. Throwing a few bills down on the scarred table, he headed towards the exit.
His six-inch blade pressed up against his leg from inside his jeans, a reassuring feel of metal. He wouldn’t shift until he had to. The sensation of being observed followed him as he weaved his way past the sweaty bodies that stood between him and the door.
People pushed up against him, dancing to the teeth-clenching music, and he wasn’t polite in shoving their asses out of the way. He didn’t take a deep breath until he stepped outside and sucked in the fresh air, the smell of smoke and sweat fading. The prickling sensation didn’t dissipate, however.
“Alright, asshole. Let’s play,” he muttered.
He headed away from the bar, from the city lights, and from the prying eyes of the oblivious society. He was intent on drawing the fuckers out, and a lone man out walking in an alley would do just that.
Boots silent, Aiden strode down the secluded passageway, his arms to his sides, relaxed and unconcerned. He was close; he could feel it.
Walking further away from the middle of the city, he headed down into the decaying part of humanity. Buildings were boarded up, trash littered the cracked concrete of the pavement, and busted street lamps lined the streets; a useless waste of space. The air smelled of decay, rotten food, and flesh.
Suddenly, he heard it, a slight rustling sound coming from multiple directions. His agitated wolf paced along the mental cage of his mind, deep growls vibrating through his head. He ignored his animal for the moment and tensed, stopping in the middle of the dark street. He looked behind him, taking in the flickering shadows of the alleys.
The city lights barely penetrated the black, but thanks to his excellent vision, he saw the shadows move, skirting along the edge of the building, coming closer and closer to him. His smile widened, and his eyes darkened, no doubt turning black as his beast fought to break to the surface. Fur sprouted along his jaw and ears. Protracting his claws, droplets of blood fell from his knuckles, but he ignored the flash of pain and waited.
One…
Two…
Three…
He moved, the world becoming a blur as the gleam of the knife caught his sight. He twisted and struck out with his boot. Bone shattered, and a scream of pain exploded as the fucker fell.
Vicious growls encircled him, and he saw a large black wolf, eyes glowing red as he stalked towards him. Aiden’s blade still pressed up against his leg, but he didn’t have time. He wouldn’t win the fight with a knife against a wolf anyways. The grin hadn’t left his face, and he was aware of the other three tightening the circle, coming closer, but they stayed back a bit.
Their mistake.
Four to one was nothing. The wolf made his move, jumping towards him, his white fangs sharp.
Aiden dropped on his side, rolling as the shift took over. His bones unlocked, grew, twisted, and mended, conforming to his own beast as the crackling sound filled the air. It felt like minutes but was only seconds. Before the bastard landed on his feet and spun towards him, Aiden was behind him, waiting for the idiot’s next move. He didn’t have long to wait.
The wolves circled him, snapping at his hind legs, but he ignored them. His teeth grew longer as he growled low in his throat, a menacing sound known to stop many shifters in their tracks.
Who the fuck are you?
The last thing you will be seeing, the attacker answered.
Aiden almost laughed at that. In fact, the chuckle came through the link, his amusement evident.
His opponent snapped, fangs bared as he charged. His long body stretched as he flew through the air towards Aiden. Dodged the teeth and claws, he twisted away. The wolf recovered and hunched down, glaring at him.
Running away like a little bitch?
The taunt wiped the glee from Aiden’s eyes quick. He stilled. He was through playing. The wolf charged again, but this time, Aiden didn’t dodge. Instead, he met him in the middle.
Their bodies clashed. A streak of pain sliced through him, and he hit the ground but not before doing his own damage as the bastard landed a few feet from him, a long gash down his side from his shoulder to leg. Aiden jumped to his feet, his lips pulled back in a snarl. They went at each other again, and blood flew as the back-up wolves stood a little ways away. The circle remained tight with barely any room to maneuver.
He wasn’t expecting the agony that hit him, almost sending him collapsing to the ground. He stumbled back from the wolf in front of him and saw the gold eyes lit with satisfaction. Another flash of pain had him howling, his own eyes tightening with the spasms of agony that pulsed through him.
Fuck.
He struggled to stay on his feet but felt the world tilt, his hind legs going numb. His front legs caved as the wolf in front of him approached, the glittering eyes hungry with the thirst for his blood.
This was it. Fuck, it wasn’t supposed to happen like this.
Poison, he realized, disgusted with himself for letting his guard down. Mistakes like this were fatal, as he was about to find out. The incisors came closer, and the wolf dove towards him. He waited for the pain to sink deep.
Abruptly, a black shape appeared out of nowhere. All he could do was watch, laying on his side on the ground as the enormous wolf tore into the circle around him. The fucker who had poisoned him escaped, jumping into the dark and slipping away around the corner. He looked over at the only wolf standing. The powerful animal changed into a man.
Footsteps came closer, pounding down the sidewalk until it stopped near his head. He bent down, and his cold blue eyes met Aiden’s.
“I’ve been watching you, Aiden Burns. Four to one. You should have been able to take them.”
With that, he reached down and without a word, parted the long gash on his side. Aiden flinched as the pain threatened to make him heave.
“Just what I thought,” the man said. “Poison. We have to get this out. Like now.”
The stranger stood up, throwing the wolf over his wide shoulders. Aiden had howled before his world went black.
Chapter 15
Vanessa watched as the dark clouds rolled in from the east, looking angry, with multiple layers of black and gray overlapping. It was a welcoming sight; the region had been in a state of emergency for months as the drought continued into early fall. Compared to what it should have been, there was very little green in the fields. Everywhere she looked, browns and yellows filled the canvas.
She heard a noise behind her but didn’t bother to turn away from the approaching storm. She loved them. Loved the freedom of the wind, rain, and thunder; a freedom that she seemed to never have anymore. She felt him move to stand beside her, and the silence persisted, but it was a comfortable one. They stared out the window, and a crack of lightning lit the night, streaking across
the sky in zigzags soon followed by a boom of thunder.
She jumped, startled, and Travis chuckled through their link.
Scared of a little thunder? he teased, looking over at her.
She gave him a “whatever” look just as another flash of lightning highlighted his furry face and dark eyes.
Out of the corner of her vision, she saw men running across the yard, jumping over flying particles that hadn’t been tied down in preparation for the incoming storm.
Someone will hear about that, she thought, spying Patrick almost get hit in the head by a branch three times the size of a golf club.
She noticed Travis tighten his body, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of his friend.
He hesitated, and Vanessa knew why. For the last month, there had always been someone with her in the house. Not only was she still in danger, but she could give birth at any time.
She saw Patrick and the Noah race away, running towards the barn. They needed help, and he was the Alpha.
Go, she ordered. I’ll be okay.
Their eyes met, and still, Travis hesitated, his body partially turned towards the door. His eyes darted to the window, and simultaneously, they both saw the flash of yellow, red, and gold in the far field.
A fire, she realized in horror.
Go! she yelled, almost mesmerized by the different shades of red.
Travis didn’t bother to argue as he turned and raced out of the room. Vanessa watched him leap off the porch and disappear into the field with the rest of the pack behind him. Thunder shook the house and lightning filled the sky, but it still didn’t rain. It was as if Mother Nature were teasing them. The hint of rain heavy in the air, and yet, the sky remained closed.
Pacing along the edge of the windowsill, she wanted to be outside but wouldn’t be a fool again. Twice was two times too many.
The house was empty, silent, and she looked around. Where was Sam, Anna, or Emma? She strained to hear past the cracks of thunder, but there was nothing.
She left the living room to search the kitchen and bedrooms upstairs, but the house was empty. Had they gone to help with the fire? She didn’t know, and with everything going on, that alone made her uneasy.
Canvassing the house again, she came up empty as before. All she could assume was that the women had left to help with the fire thinking that Travis was with her. She remembered them peeking in earlier and finding the two of them by the window before vanishing from the doorway.
She shook her head and began to turn when she felt the first pain. She froze and gasped, almost collapsing to the hardwood floor.
Oh, shit, no. Fuck.
Straightening up, she took another step towards the living room when the pain hit her again. Whimpering, she stayed still and waited for it to pass. After taking a deep breath, she made it to the room and laid down on the floor below the window in the corner. Breathing deeply, she knew she was in trouble. She tried to remember what Travis had said.
Shift right before the baby comes out. Shift. Right, like that’s not hard at all.
She grimaced and tensed as another contraction hit her.
Were they supposed to be so close together? she thought, panting. Deep breaths, girl. Deep breaths.
Vanessa struggled to fill her lungs with oxygen as another sharp pain hit her. She whimpered.
God, it hurt.
As the pain struck, she choked back the howl that tickled her throat just as another streak of lightning filled the living room with light and a roar of thunder shook the house.
Miranda glanced around the empty foyer and strained to hear past the storm outside. She didn’t know what she planned to do. Maybe scare the bitch into leaving while everyone was busy with the fire. She would wing it just like she did with everything else. Moving towards the stairs, she froze as a whimper reached her. Frowning, she altered her course and entered the living room. The dark shape in the corner caught her eyes, and she took a step back.
What the hell?
It was Vanessa. Her eyes widened at the realization of what was going on.
Fuck. I so don’t need this right now.
She was tempted to turn around, to pretend she hadn’t seen her. She heard the rumors. There was a high possibility that the woman would die in childbirth, which would solve all of her problems. And yet something stopped her, something she couldn’t name, a small voice in her head demanding that she help.
Hesitating, she cursed beneath her breath and skirted her way around the furniture, coming closer to the panting wolf. She paused as she heard a low growl and rolled her eyes. Miranda refused to admit to the tingle of fear that raced down her spine as the sound grew.
“Stop that! I’m the only one here, and whether you want to admit it, you need my assistance. Everyone is out fighting the fire.”
The growls subsided, but the green eyes watched her closely as Miranda knelt down beside her. Vanessa lay on her side, and she could see ripples of movement beneath the fur and skin.
Holy shit.
She took a deep breath as another round of thunder and lightning highlighted the puffing wolf. She quickly glanced out the window. Still no rain. What the hell?
“I’m not shifting right now. That’s just asking for you to attack me, so nod if I have this correct. You have to change right before the birth, right?”
Vanessa watched her, eyes focused before giving her one short nod.
Miranda sighed. “I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here,” she muttered. With a cautious eye on Vanessa, she put her hands on the fur of her stomach and felt the kicking, the low pressure of the baby near Vanessa’s pelvis.
“Do you feel the need to push?”
Vanessa whimpered and laid her head down on the floor.
“No!” Miranda shouted which startled Vanessa into lifting her head and glaring up at her.
“You have to wait until you’re ready to push the baby out,” she reminded her grimly. “Now help me here, damn it.”
Vanessa growled, but there wasn’t any heat in it.
Out of the blue, another howl was let loose, and Miranda jumped, falling back on her ass. Pain-filled eyes met hers, and she saw the matted fur beneath where her hands had been. The whimpers never stopped.
“Shit!”
She jumped up and ran to the front door, throwing it open. The strong wind threatened to send her flying backwards again, but she gritted her teeth and looked outside. The yard was empty, and she saw the blaze in the distance, dark shadows surrounding it. The pack. She looked up at the ominous sky.
A storm without precipitation? How was that fucking possible? And what the hell was she going to do?
Another howl met the woman’s ears, and she winced, her hand tightening on the door frame. She jumped back and slammed the door before running to the kitchen.
Grabbing a big pan from beneath the sink and filling it with warm water, she mumbled under her breath as she threw in a few hand towels. Before returning to the living room, she grabbed some big towels from the closet in the hallway. Armed with everything she thought was needed, she made her way back to Vanessa’s side quickly and knelt down. The wolf was soaked, the fur matted.
Soaked?
“I’m sorry, but I have to see,” she whispered. She put the items on the floor beside her and lifted Vanessa’s leg up. Gasping, her heart hammered against her ribs as she dropped the leg back down amidst the whimpers.
Oh, fuck. There was blood everywhere.
Their eyes met.
Miranda wasn’t prepared. She didn’t know how…
Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, and she washed her hands in the pan as drops of sweat ran down the side of her face, regardless of the cool air conditioning in the house.
Suddenly, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she froze just as large hands entered her line of sight. She gasped and jerked back, flailing around with Vanessa behind her. She hunched down, preparing to attack as she felt the fur begin t
o coat her face and bare arms.
“Calm down, woman. I’m here to help.”
The soft voice cleared the red haze from her vision, and the hair receded, but she kept her claws extended. Not that she cared for the woman on the floor much, but she didn’t wish her death. The bastard would have to go through her first.
“Who the hell are you?” Miranda demanded. She flicked a quick glance back to Vanessa before focusing on the man in front of her. They were running out of time, and she didn’t want to deal with anything else at the moment. She took in the windblown black hair and dark gray eyes that seemed to see something in her that he liked, and heat warmed her cheeks.
Distracted, she felt his rough hands on her arms as he moved her away. She stiffened and began to protest.
“What the fuck–,” she started, but a quick look from the visitor halted her words. His muscled frame knelt down beside Vanessa’s heaving side.
Miranda watched him carefully, concentrating as those tan hands caressed her stomach. For some reason, the sight bothered her.
“The baby is close,” he murmured.
The stranger closed his eyes, and after a moment, Vanessa jerked, whining. Opening his eyes again, he stared down at the wolf, a strand of black hair falling across his forehead. Withdrawing his hands from her fur, he sat back on his heels.
“You have to shift. Now.”
Vanessa whimpered and tried to move, but something held her in place. Her helpless eyes slid to the man again.
“Shift,” he ordered softly.
Miranda watched, her heart racing as the transformation took over, almost against Vanessa’s will. She howled.
“Push! Now!” the man ordered, his voice hard and commanding.
She didn’t know how Vanessa did it, but within seconds, she lay on the carpet naked, blood pooling beneath her, and her white skin glistened with sweat.
Crescent Vendetta Page 10