Hot Blooded (Wolf Springs Chronicles #2)
Page 30
“And do what with it? Shoot her?”
“No, hit her with it, knock her out. I can’t hold onto her much longer.”
“Doug!” Regan screamed. “Let me go to Doug!”
“You’re not your own person, Regan,” Justin bellowed. “You can’t just do what you want! You’ll hurt the pack. Damn it, Kat, get my gun!”
“No,” she shouted at him, backing away. “Let her go to him! He’s her husband!”
“Kat, I let you have your way,” he said. “In the forest. You know what I mean.”
He was talking about Babette. She sucked in another breath, hoping Regan was too upset to pay attention.
“Now we do this my way,” he said. “We have to leave now, and we can’t leave her here or she’ll die.”
Katelyn shook her head. It was too much, all too much. And she wouldn’t be a party to it anymore. She whirled on her heel and bolted.
“Kat!” Justin shouted. “Come back here now!”
Shaking her head, eyes tearing up, Katelyn ran into the thick bayou. How could he do such a thing? Even think of doing it?
She heard the roar of engines and hurried toward them. Steve was limping toward an open door. A werewolf in wolf form shot past her.
“Kat,” said a voice. Arial’s husband Al stepped into view. “My God, Kat.”
“You don’t know what’s happening back there,” she said, panting. “Doug’s dead, and Justin’s making Regan leave him there.”
“Doesn’t matter right now. We have to get you out of here.” With an oily, anxious smile, he reached out a hand. “C’mon.”
And then she remembered that she was their secret weapon.
Images of what her life was going to be like crashed around her like the walls of her house. Something to be fought over. Someone’s hostage. A Fenner hostage.
She couldn’t do this. Wouldn’t be a part of this.
“Hold on,” she said to Al. “I need to get the gun.”
“Kat!” he shouted, as she started walking away. Walking only, so he wouldn’t realize she was trying to escape. She glanced at the idling cars loading up with Fenners. She could see into the back of the truck where Arial was crouching over Lee. The alpha was spasming, his whole body flailing, and then it just stopped. And she knew, deep down, that he was gone. Then fresh howls of grief pierced the sky. Lee Fenner was dead.
So many emotions spilled through her — rage, despair, relief — that she wheeled into the trees, pushing at the branches, gasping in the poisonous, smoky night. Stumbling and fleeing. Denying all of it.
This is not my world.
I am no one’s secret weapon.
Al shouted her name, and yelled for others to help him find her. As she barreled through the forest, his voice grew fainter and fainter. She kept going with no thought but to keep going.
I’m leaving, she thought giddily. It’s happening. I’m really going.
She left the Fenners behind, and the moon, as the treetops huddled together above her and threw her into darkness. Her vision kicked in and the woods were covered in white light. A fairyland. Safe haven.
She looked over her shoulder. No one seemed to be following her. There had to be a road somewhere. She could hitch a ride. Make a call. Get a plane ticket. Live. Call Trick and ask him to come to her.
Be free.
“Yes,” she said under her breath.
Then the forest went dark. She was only mildly disappointed; it had happened before. Often.
And then the darkness unfolded and reared up. It was a massive shape, a monster, towering above her. Its head was enormous; its huge, fiery eyes were smoking. Teeth — fangs — glistened white and dripping as it opened its mouth. She smelled the stench of its breath, felt the heat as it poised in the air and studied her for a heart-stopping second. The forest went dead silent.
Hellhound. Come for a disobedient werewolf.
Like me.
Katelyn fell to her knees.
And then it attacked.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, my deepest thanks to Debbie Viguié, my wonderful co-author and dearest friend. My gratitude to our agents, Howard Morhaim, Kate McKean, and Caspian Dennis for all you do for us, and to HMLA assistant Alice Speilburg as well. Becky Stradwick, our editor extraordinaire, thank you so much for all your insight and support. I am grateful. Thanks to my family, especially my daughter, Belle. You make me howl with joy.
— N.H.
To my brilliant co-author Nancy Holder, thank you for keeping it all fun. Thank you to our agents Howard Morhaim, Caspian Dennis, and Kate McKean for their tireless efforts on our behalf. Thank you to our fantastic editor, Becky Stradwick, for all her support. Thank you to Alice Speilburg for helping to keep me sane. Finally, I need to thank Mandy Winn, who has always embodied the spirit of the wolf and is a good friend.
— D.V.
Table of Contents
other books by the Author
Copyright
Dedication
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS