by Selena Blake
He didn’t waste a second throwing the truck in reverse and backing out of the parking space. Just as quickly, they were tearing along the main drag. She noticed that he didn’t slow down as they passed the remains of the tree that had pulverized her car.
He drove past the garage and stopped in front of the cabin. She would have never known there was a driveway underneath all that snow.
“Come here,” he said, his voice quiet. They both reached for the seatbelt. She heard the click and then she was in his arms again. Heaven. Pure bliss. He rained kisses across her face and she clung to him, the way she’d been wanting to since the very first…
His hands slid beneath her thick sweater and she shivered against his cool fingertips. “I should get you inside…”
“No complaints here,” she whispered, and then nipped his chin.
With a groan, he extracted himself from her arms and opened the door. She was an absolute temptress. He couldn’t wait to get her naked.
He wrapped his hands around her hips and helped her out of the truck. For a moment he could do nothing more than stare down into her upturned face. How was it possible to fall so hard, so fast, and say to hell with the consequences?
He’d hide her away forever if he had to. Because one thing he was sure of, he couldn’t let anything happen to the woman in his arms. This time, it really would destroy him.
"Well, well, well."
At the foreign voice, Burke turned, shielding Kendall. Muscles tensed, he glared at two short stocky coming men up the drive. Movement to his right drew his attention to another man. “Oh God.” The breathless anxiety in Kendall’s voice told him all he needed to know. His gaze flicked to their hands for weapons. It was pointless to look for lumps in their clothing since they each wore heavy coats.
Nose in the air, he inhaled. Werecoyotes.
“There were four of them,” she whispered against his back.
An ambush. The beast inside rushed forth. He barely managed to keep his claws from extending, but he felt the surge of power. Saw it in their eyes the instant they realized what he was. But they didn’t back down.
The missing coyot hopped into the bed of Burke’s truck. “Stop whoring yourself and let’s go.”
“Not a chance, Dirk,” Kendall said, her voice hard and unwavering. Burke had never seen this side of her. So strong and capable. He liked it.
The tallest of the four took a menacing step forward, his boots crunching the snow. A sneer curled his lips.
Hands clenching and releasing, he felt the slow sizzle in his blood. The steady thump of his heart delivered adrenaline throughout his body, warming him against the dropping temperature.
The ring leader hopped down from the truck, too close for his comfort level. Burke stared him down as they started to spread out. How dare the bastards terrorize an innocent.
The word rang through his mind like a never ending echo. She stayed huddled close to his side, her hands circling his arm. Human.
He couldn’t show his true self.
“You’re on private property,” Burke said, doubting the coyotes would care.
“And that’s my property behind you, wolf.” Burke spun around.
A tall thin man with sharp features and eerie eyes stalked up the mountain, the snow seeming to provide no resistance. His long black coat stood out against the brilliant white surroundings.
“Wrong, asshole. She’s my wife.”
That rocked the bastard back on his heels. But then he dropped his head like a charging bull.
“Wolf?” Kendall whispered.
Burke closed his eyes at the shock in her voice. That split second was just the advantage his enemy needed.
“You mean you didn’t know?” the vampire asked as the air around them shifted. Burke opened his eyes as one of the coyotes lunged for Kendall.
Without hesitation, Burke met his opponent, grabbing the asshole by his lapels. He let the momentum continue, turning away from Kendall and tossed the coyot down the mountain. A terrified scream/snarl echoed around them.
The sound was cut short as the little man landed with a thump in a snow dune.
Burke turned back to the others. They looked at their fallen comrade, anger screwing up their faces. Then they glared at Burke, their eyes turning black as they shifted, each growing taller by about a foot. Snarling and snapping, their snouts grew. Sandy blond hair sprouted over their bodies, rippling and replacing their clothes.
“Hide,” he told Kendall, his voice low.
“No,” she cried and as he turned his head toward her, he saw twin tears slide down her cheeks.
“I’ll be fine,” he promised, stepping away from her, drawing their attention. Then they attacked.
Chapter Ten
Kendall froze in terror. They would kill him. In their were form they would be stronger, more agile. While Burke still had at least a foot and fifty pounds on them, fighting in this snow would be like dancing in wet concrete.
Bemis ran at Burke, his paws prancing through the snow. Why did Burke look so composed? Her knees were shaking. Tears froze on her skin.
In the fighting style typical to the coyotes she knew, he leapt into the air, his back paws poised for a powerful kick. But Burke threw a punch, fist crunching against face, sending Bemis backward, ass over tea kettle.
Kendall let out a happy cry. But her joy was short lived. The other two attacked together. Kicking, punching, swirling, snarling. A tornado of arms and legs, fists and paws swirled before her.
She glared at Carl who stood by, nose in the air as if he were watching a bull fight in Spain. “You can stop this,” she yelled at him.
He flicked her a glance. Disinterested and colder than the weather. He had to end this, before Burke was hurt. She couldn’t live with that.
Carl must have read her mind, the bastard. His thin lips curled upward ever-so-slightly.
She swallowed back bile.
“Are you ready to leave with me then? Stop your useless escapade?” She saw Burke take a kick to the chest, stagger back a step. His coat was ripped from their claws. Pursing her lips, she turned back to Carl knowing what she had to do. The decision she had to make. If he’d call off his goons, leave Burke unharmed, she’d go with him.
She wiped furiously at a tear. Then she nodded.
Carl was at her side in an instant, grabbing her by the arm and turning away from Burke. He dragged her along.
“Wait. Call off the fight.”
“Not a chance.”
“You promised,” she said hotly, tugging away from him. His thin fingers bit through her clothes into her flesh.
“I did no such thing.”
She quickly retraced his words. Then swung at him with her free arm, crushing his nose with the side of her fist. Adrenaline surged through her veins and she felt a brief satisfaction as his head popped back and he looked at her in surprise. While she’d always seen her stature as a detriment, finally being tall and athletic made sense. Made her feel powerful.
But the look of fury that replaced his surprise made her take a step back.
“You ungrateful little whore.” He grabbed her arms, hauling her inches from his face.
“Your father should have taken a heavier hand to you when you were still trainable.” Kendall’s gaze dropped to the medallion that had bounced out of his shirt collar in the tussle. The purple stone in the center held her powers.
He narrowed his gaze. “You’ll never get them back you know. From now on you’re a simple little human.”
Simple little human?
A stupid woman would stay in a situation… Burke’s words drifted through her mind.
She wasn’t stupid.
She was a fighter. A woman in control of her destiny. Not the wallflower Carl expected her to be.
Kendall smiled then. A happy joyous smile. Pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
“Why are you smiling?” Carl asked in his superior way.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Burke break Gent’s neck.
Three Dirk bodies lay at his feet. She’d been so worried about him minutes ago, but the man was a fighter. It surprised and pleased her that he could take such good care of himself.
As Carl started to follow her gaze she whipped her head forward, smacking her forehead against his bloody nose. A loud crack echoed in her ears before he toppled backward.
Burke materialized at her side, a long, strong leg kicking. His boot landed against Carl’s middle sending the man hurtling over the cliff in front of the house. She grabbed Burke’s arm to pull him back to safety.
They peered over the edge together, arms around each other. Carl’s body landed against a jagged bolder. It was a gruesome sight and yet Kendall’s spirits lifted. He was dead, unmoving, his head practically detached from his body. He would never bother her aga—
A loud blast rang across the mountain top. At her side, Burke sucked in a startled breath. As if in slow motion she turned, saw him gaping down at his chest. His knees started to buckle and she used every ounce of her height and strength to push him back away from the edge of the mountain. He landed in a pile of soft snow.
Burke stared up into Kendall’s incredible blue eyes, gasping for air. He had to change.
But he couldn’t. Wouldn’t.
A shadow fell over them. The first sniveling werecoyot he’d sent careening backward peered over her shoulder now.
“Get up.” Kendall was right. He did had a pitiful Jersey accent.
When Kendall made no move to rise, the coyot reached for her. “Now bitch.”
“You’re not taking her so you might as well leave,” Burke growled.
“She’s not yours to keep, dog.”
Burke spared Kendall the briefest of glances. Yes she was. He hoped.
Kendall cried out as the werecoyote grabbed her by the hair and hauled her to her feet.
Tears sprang to her eyes and she kept her gaze focused on Burke as she fought the man holding her. Pain flooded his body, not just from the bullet pressing against his heart, but from the thought that he really could lose her.
That smarmy asshole could drag her down the mountain and he’d never see her again.
He had to. Oh God, he had to.
An incredible roar filled his ears. Blood, terror, a jet plane overhead, he didn’t know where the sound came from but the beast inside would no longer be denied. He’d lived a lonely life since Annabelle.
He’d lost her.
He would not lose Kendall. Not now.
The roaring stopped and sounds collided around him. Gin barking. Kendall crying. The wind howling.
We end this, his beast snarled.
Gin leapt through the air, his mouth latching around the coyote’s forearm. Burke shifted. A shot ricocheted against a rock behind him.
His muscles rippled, bones popped and he took pleasure at the fear in the coyot’s eyes.
Between Gin’s grip and the werewolf bearing down on him, the weasel let Kendall go and she fell to the side.
Blocking out everything but his prey, Burke attacked. Viciously.
He was on the coyot a second later, knocking him into the snow as his jaws closed around his throat. He squeezed slowly, feeling the life drain out of the creature beneath him.
Then he gave a quick shake, severing skin, muscle, and tendons.
Covered in blood, Burke collapsed in the snow beside the body. Death had a peculiar scent. He’d lived without it so long he’d forgotten.
Chest heaving, he tried to slow his lungs. Tried to shift back. But the beast resisted, rarely getting to run free. To do the job it was created for. It was not as sure the threat was over.
But Burke pulled back on the leash. His muscles contracted. Bones snapped. Fur disappeared.
Cold and snow bit at him. But, neither the frigid temperature nor the gun shot had hurt as badly as knowing he was about to lose the woman he loved.
She stood but a few steps away, trembling, eyes large. The sheen he saw there made his heart plummet. She was terrified.
He didn’t blame her one bit.
Throwing back his head he let out a howl of fury. Not again. He had to send her away.
Far away where no one would harm her. Dammit, he should be able to protect her, but how would he protect her from himself? From what he truly was? Given the option, he’d give up everything for her.
She sank to her knees next to him. Started to reach out. But he stopped her with a shake of his head. “Leave Kendall.”
Chapter Eleven
His words sank into her heart like a double-edged knife.
The fantasy she’d built in her head was bursting around her. It didn’t matter if the Dirk brothers were dead, if Carl would never bother her again. If…no. It had all been a fantasy. She swallowed back a sob and pursed her lips.
Fresh tears sprang to her eyes and she blinked them back. She had to be strong, not give in to her grief. “Burke…we need to get you inside.” He was human again. And naked.
All this time—Damn Carl. She’d been living with a werewolf and not even known it.
And with her powers bound… she stared down at the broad shoulders she’d come to depend on.
He didn’t seem to notice the biting cold. If she stood here long enough, perhaps the frigid temperature would freeze her breaking heart and she wouldn’t hurt so bad.
She slipped off her coat and draped it over his naked shoulders.
“You knew what they were?” he asked, sounding dazed. His shift should have fixed the bullet wound. But perhaps he had other injuries…that didn’t make sense either.
“Of course.” The truth would come, but not this instant.
He was silent for a long moment. Fresh tears coursed down her cheeks.
“You should probably be on your way. Those weasels won’t bother you again.” And just like that the trance was gone and his voice was crystal clear. His eyes stared up into hers. And her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
How did you think this was going to end, Kendall?
She pulled her shoulders back. At the very, very least he deserved her thanks. And an explanation.
Seems they’d both been keeping some important secrets from each other.
“No. They won’t,” she said, “But if Carl hired anyone else…” She swallowed back the tendril of fear. It was over. Carl was over. He didn’t have the power to hurt her anymore. And it wasn’t Burke’s responsibility to keep her safe. “At least this time I’ll have a head start.”
She stood there, feeling very unstable. Her knees felt like they were made of gelatin, not tendon and bones.
“Come on. You’re gonna freeze out here.”
“Impossible. I’m a werewolf. Or didn’t you notice?” He raised his head then and pegged her with look that took her breath away. It was all in his eyes, everything he was feeling: despair, dejection, disgust, anger, hopelessness.
“Of course I noticed,” she whispered. That sort of thing was hard to miss. But he’d made up his mind.
“Then why are you not screaming your head off?” His voice was savage. Instinctively, she took a step away from him. He shook his head as if he were disgusted with himself. Then he cleared his throat and stared out at the magnificent valley below. “Just go.” She took another step away from him. The fairy tale was dissolving right in front of her.
“Do you mind if I keep the clothes?” she asked, looking away.
She’d hike into town and figure out what to do next. Where had she left her purse?
Berry Blue ultra gloss would be the perfect color for such a gut-wrenching occasion.
He stopped her with a hand on her wrist.
“Where will you go?”
She shrugged.
“As far away from Florida as possible.” And you.
“Take the truck.”
She almost laughed at his offer, but couldn’t find the energy when every ounce of control she possessed was holding back the sobs trying to consume her. How had she managed to get herself shot, rescued, fall in
love, married and broken hearted in less than a week? It sounded like a crazy fairy tale. But it was reality. Her life.
“No. Thanks for the offer, though.” She shrugged off his grasp and started toward his truck.
Get the purse. Come up with a plan. Get the purse. Come up with a plan. Funny, she hadn’t clung to the stupid old bag for the last few days. She’d found something else, some one else, to cling to. And he didn’t want her.
Turning back to him. He was so still, his tan skin in stark contrast to the white blanket of snow. The longer it took her to leave the longer he’d be out here in the cold. Wind whipped his long, dark locks around his face. Perhaps it was best not to see his face again.
“One question,” she said, hating the way her voice cracked between the words. She’d ask him because she needed to know the answer. And once she knew, she could move on. She would move on.
“Is it because I’m werecoyote?”
“Stay,” he said before she’d even finished her question.
Somehow the mountain seemed to go completely still. The wind stopped. The trees paused mid shiver as if awaiting his response. Or hers.
Or maybe it was all a figment of her imagination. Maybe she was dreaming.
“Say that again,” they said in unison.
Standing an arm’s length away now, she asked her question again, bolstered by his request, demand, call it what you will.
“The reason you want me to leave, is it because I’m a werecoyote?” Burke was off the ground and stalking toward her before she could blink. His towering height didn’t intimidate her and she wouldn’t have missed the beautiful expression of disbelief and hope on his face. His mouth hung slightly agape. And yet, at the same time she was incredibly nervous. Not two hours ago they’d been married.
To keep Carl away from her.
Carl was dead.
Passion still crackled between them, but she was terrified he’d reject her again. Not today. Or tomorrow. But next week when the adrenaline had worn off and this was all a faint memory. “I’m not really sure how it works with werewolves. I mean I haven’t really even dated that much—“
He cupped her face between his hands and slanted his lips across hers, silencing her rambling.