by Cynthia Eden
He wouldn’t forget the sounds of Lila’s screams anytime soon.
The sky was clear right then, no more snow falling, and the sun’s rays fell onto the snow. He didn’t see any cars up ahead, and Rayce didn’t scent anything to make him nervous. He left the driveway, turned right and began going down the winding mountain road.
As he drove, Rayce realized that there were humans close by. He could smell them. Humans didn’t bother him, though. He could always handle humans. They weren’t a threat most days. Most days, hell, they didn’t even realize what dangers they faced. They don’t see the paranormals right beside them.
“Your wolf…” Her words were halting. “You said it was…wrong.”
He kept his eyes on the road. There was a slow car up ahead. Maybe he should honk at the guy.
“I worry that I’m wrong, too.” Lila’s voice had gone softer. “And that scares me.”
His gaze shot to hers. “There is nothing wrong about you—”
Even as he spoke, someone hit them—something. A thick, squat vehicle slammed into Lila’s door, erupting from a hidden path on the side of the mountain. Metal screamed, glass shattered, and their SUV hurtled to the left—
And it was hit again.
The slow car that had been in front of them…that fucking vehicle had reversed. It had rammed right into the front of Rayce’s SUV, sending a jarring impact shaking through the entire vehicle.
“Rayce!” Lila’s voice was sharp with fear.
He could hear the growl of an engine. The bastard who’d hit them on Lila’s side was preparing for another charge.
“Rayce…I…I hurt…”
His nostrils flared. Blood. Lila’s blood. Oh, hell, the fuck, no.
The vehicle hit them again, only this time, the impact sent Rayce’s SUV hurtling onto its side. Lila screamed again.
The bastard is targeting her. Trying to hurt her.
Metal crunched and groaned. The fucking SUV had crumpled around them. Rayce sliced out with his claws, cutting through the air bag that had turned his world into a sea of white and severing the seat belt that still locked around him. He cut through Lila’s airbag and seatbelt and his hands curled around her.
Her blood slid onto his fingers when he touched her back.
“My wings…the glass cut them…”
The wolf howled inside of him, clawing for freedom. “We’re getting out of here,” Rayce whispered to her.
“Shoot the bastard when he comes out!” A man’s voice thundered. “Fill him full of so much silver he can’t move!”
His nostrils flared. They were humans. Humans all around…humans who knew what he was. They were packing silver…bastards. Luke didn’t usually like for him to attack humans, but this wasn’t a typical case. These fools were there to specifically target a werewolf with their silver. They knew the score. In that case…
Then they’ll deserve exactly what they get.
“He’s not coming out,” another voice snapped. A male voice with a nasally accent. “Maybe he’s already dead.”
Lila’s pain-filled stare met his. “Why are they doing this?”
“We want the angel!” It was the nasally voice shouting again. “Give her to us!”
That answered the why part.
Her lips parted. “They…they’re going to kill you.”
He smiled for her. “They can try, sweetheart.” But they are not going to succeed.
“Angel, we won’t hurt you…come out…come out…and we’ll keep you safe!”
Her eyes were on Rayce.
“They’re lying.” The bastards had hit her side of the vehicle twice. That wasn’t the way to keep her safe. That was the way to hurt, or maybe even kill, her. “How bad is it?” Rayce slid his hand over her back and found her coat soaking wet with blood. Dammit.
“I turned when I saw the vehicle coming at me,” she whispered. “The door…the metal…it went into my wings.” A tear leaked down her cheek.
They’re dead. Every single one of them. Rayce brushed that tear away. “Stay here. No matter what happens out there…” No matter what screams you hear. “Stay right where you are until I come back for you.”
“Rayce…”
But he was already shifting. It would be easier to fight as a wolf. He could move faster. Maneuver easier. He could hear the footsteps of his prey closing in. Did they think he was already weak? That they’d hurt him?
No, you hurt her…and you will pay for that.
His bones popped and snapped. His body contorted and fur covered him as the wolf clawed its way to freedom. Then he was launching through the broken windshield, leaping right out of the wreckage.
“There he is!” It was the bastard with the nasally voice. Rayce went for him first. Right for your throat. The wolf took the man down as the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth.
Gunshots rang out. One hit him in the back, and the wolf snarled as he whirled away from his vanquished prey. One down and…
His gaze swept the crowd there.
Five to go.
Easy enough odds.
Another bullet blasted. Then another. He jumped into the air as the five men all fired on him at once.
Chapter Six
“Rayce?” Lila whispered as the sound of gunfire echoed around her. So many shots, again and again. “Rayce!” She shoved against her door, but it wouldn’t open. The thing had crumpled in on her with the first impact—or had it been the second?
The gunshots stopped. There was only silence. The kind of silence that made fear grow heavier within her. Rayce had said for her to stay there until he got back, but she’d heard those men shouting—they’d planned to shoot him. With silver. Silver could kill a werewolf.
Had the bullets hit Rayce?
She shoved harder against the door.
Then she heard…footsteps. Lila stilled. Someone was coming toward the wreckage. She peered through what remained of the front windshield. The SUV was on its side and she couldn’t see much out there. When Rayce had cut her free from the air bag and the seat belt, her body had fallen forward. She was braced now against half of her seat and the crumpled dash board.
Was that Rayce coming back? Or…what if it was one of the men who’d hit them?
“You’re safe, angel.”
She stiffened. That wasn’t Rayce. It also didn’t sound like either of the men she’d heard before.
“I’m going to move the SUV, so brace yourself, okay?”
Her hands flew out and suddenly, the SUV was turning, being pulled so that it landed back down on all four tires, bouncing a bit.
“I’ll get you out of there. Give me just a minute…” His voice was oddly warm and soothing. Then metal was groaning, almost screaming and her door was just—gone.
She blinked against the sunlight.
A man was there. Tall, with broad shoulders, dark hair and dark eyes. He was handsome, almost perfectly so. He wore a thick jacket, blue jeans, and boots. And his gloved hand reached out toward her. He smiled. “You’re safe now. The werewolf’s gone.”
The werewolf’s gone. The werewolf…
The werewolf had been the one keeping her safe.
She didn’t take his offered hand. Lila hunched her shoulders and stayed exactly where she was. “Who are you?”
His smile stretched. He didn’t have a dimple in his cheek, not like Rayce. Instead, he had perfectly white teeth. No fangs. No too sharp canines. “You can call me Kale.”
The name meant absolutely nothing to her.
“What’s your name, angel?”
Angel. Her wings were still covered by her thick coat, but he knew what she was. “Lila.”
“A beautiful name…for a beautiful woman.”
His tone was so warm, but something about him made her shiver.
His smile slid away. “You’re hurt.”
“That’s what happens when someone slams their ride into your side of the vehicle.” She swallowed. “Twice.” Three times if you counted the
car that had rammed into her from the front.
Kale’s head cocked. “Unfortunately, the wreck was necessary. We had to get you away from the werewolf.”
Necessary. Goosebumps rose on her arms, and they weren’t just from the icy cold. “We?”
Kale looked back, his gaze sweeping the scene that she couldn’t see. “I sent my men to save you. A little blood was the price you had to pay. Blood and wings…but then, the wings are going to come off anyway, no matter what. We both know that, don’t we?”
He was scaring her. Terrifying me. “Where’s Rayce?”
His gloved hand was still between them. As if waiting patiently. “Why don’t you come and see?”
She…she didn’t want to see Rayce’s broken body on the ground. His blood in the snow. If Rayce were able, she knew he’d be the one standing in front of her. Not this Kale guy.
“Do you have any idea how many people that werewolf has killed in his unnaturally long life?” Kale cocked one eyebrow. “He isn’t supposed to be immortal, you know. That gift isn’t for his kind. Animals that savage have no place here.”
“He isn’t an animal.”
“Come and see…” Kale whispered.
Her hand slowly lifted. Her mind spun as she tried to figure out how she could escape this man. And all the while…
Rayce, don’t be dead. Don’t be!
Kale’s hand closed around hers. Even through the glove he wore, she felt the spark that jumped from him to her. But, oddly, it wasn’t a spark of heat.
It was ice. A cold jolt of pure arctic ice that made her gasp in surprise.
“Like to like,” he murmured as his hand curled tightly around hers. “I’ve waited a very long time for you.” He pulled her from the wreckage.
Lila looked around, frantic, and her gaze fell on the first body. A man with brown hair lay on the snow, a gun still gripped in his right hand. Blood had turned the snow red beneath him—blood from the terrible wound at his throat.
She yanked her hand free from Kale’s grip as her desperate gaze fell on another body. Another man with a gun in his hand. A man who was dead in the snow.
Red snow. So much red snow.
“He killed my men. Humans. But don’t worry, they got off some shots at him, too. Their deaths weren’t a complete waste to me.”
She didn’t see Rayce but…were those paw prints in the snow? Yes, yes, those were his tracks—and the tracks of what looked like a man’s boots.
“He’s hunting,” Kale murmured. “What a fool. He should have stayed with you. You don’t leave the treasure behind.”
Her attention shifted back to Kale. He was smiling again. If anything, the sight of his smile scared her even more. “What are you?” Then understanding struck. “Leo sent you after me, didn’t he? You’re the hunter he sent!”
Kale’s whole face hardened. “I don’t work for Leo.” Rage was there, cracking beneath his words. “And he will never take you away from me. There is no going back for you. I won’t let it happen. I waited too long for you.” He reached beneath his shirt and drew out a knife. One with a long, curving blade. “It’s time for you to change completely.”
She stumbled back, sinking in the snow. Her body hurt. She was bruised and battered and bleeding from the wreck.
“The wings have to go. You understand, right? It’s kind of like the caterpillar, changing into the butterfly. You’re going to change…you’ll change into something beautiful, once you just leave your past behind.”
He’s going to cut my wings away. Her chin notched up. “Listen, um, Kale, you aren’t the first guy to come after my wings—”
His smile stretched. “But I will be the last. Count on that. Because you are going to be mine.”
She shook her head. “I don’t belong to anyone.” A puff of cloudy air formed with each word she spoke—the cold was making her shudder.
“You’re wrong. You will belong completely to me.” His gloved hand reached toward her face, and she flinched back from his touch. “I’m the one who matches you completely. I’m the only one who will ever understand you.”
He was some psychotic who’d sent humans to attack her.
“The last time I saw the werewolf, he had five silver bullets in him. He was chasing down the last human here, a human who was heavily armed.”
A gunshot blasted. A pain-filled howl seemed to echo around her.
“Even a strong werewolf can’t fight when he has too much silver in him.” Kale’s hand slid away from her cheek. “Now, let’s get rid of the wings. I’m ready for you to join me…and then, we’ll make everyone else bow to us.”
He came at her with the knife up, but she lunged away from him. She slipped and fell in the snow, but was back up instantly. “Rayce!” Lila screamed.
Her own cry echoed back to her.
She felt the knife hit her in the back, stabbing through her coat and slicing into her already damaged wing. Lila surged forward.
The blade hit her again.
She didn’t stop. She’d grown too used to pain. She rushed toward the line of paw prints that led away from the road. Paw prints that were marked by drops of blood.
“Lila!” That roar came from behind her. Kale’s snarl. “You will stay with me.”
She glanced back. He was lifting his knife again. “No!” Her voice shook and her hands came up in an automatic gesture of defense. But…light shot out of her hand. A bright blue bolt that went straight at Kale. The light—it almost looked like ice—slammed into his chest. A second later, he hit the snow.
She’d managed to summon her new power again. The cold was all around her, and she’d used it against him. Lila kept running. Her hands felt nearly numb from the cold. Her body was aching. Her wings…
Take the pain. Pull it in close. Keep going.
She followed that trail of paw prints and blood and she disappeared into the woods.
***
Kale’s chest burned. He sat up, cursing, and he ripped open his jacket and his shirt—she’d burned a fucking hole right through them. And when he stared down at his chest, he saw the brand she’d left behind.
His skin was red and blistered, a fist-sized burn right over his heart. But the burn hadn’t come from fire.
Ice.
Kale laughed. Poor beautiful Lila had no clue just how close to the edge she was.
If he’d been human, her blast would have burned right through his flesh and destroyed his heart.
Good thing he wasn’t human.
He looked up, but Lila was gone. Her trail led to the woods. She was rushing after her werewolf, as if he’d provide her with safety.
Lila, you don’t need him. You have me now.
Kale had just given her pain, and she’d responded with pure power. The change was already happening inside of her. Did she realize it? Soon, the angel she’d been…that angel would be gone.
Lila would be something new. Something so much better.
Something that was meant only for him.
He heard the approach of cars. The grind of snow tires. The growl of engines. Kale stood slowly, the knife still gripped in his hand. He smoothed his gloved fingers over the tip, and they came away with drops of thick liquid on them. Her blood. He put it to his mouth and savored the taste. I have you now.
“Kale!” Footsteps rushed toward him. Curses filled the air as the second team noted the dead on the ground. “Kale, where is your target?”
Ah, that was Wayne Madison talking. The ex-Ranger he’d recruited. The guy had become a mercenary after his deployment ended, and the human’s talents…they were quite impressive.
“My target just ran into the woods.” His hand tightened on the knife. “She thinks she can save the werewolf—or that he can save her.” But it was far too late for that.
Wayne’s head was covered by a black ski cap. A scarf wrapped around his neck. “You want us to pursue her?”
He lunged toward Wayne and shoved the tip of the knife to the man’s scarf-covered throat. �
�I want you to kill that fucking werewolf. I want you to put so many silver bullets in him that he can’t move. And, yes, we’re pursuing her. She’ll take us right to him. She can watch him die.” He hadn’t liked the way Lila had seemed to care so much for the werewolf. She’d been screaming for him.
Surely she wasn’t tied to the beast in some way?
“And what about the dead here?” Wayne swallowed and his bobbing Adam’s apple hit the edge of the knife.
Like Kale cared about the dead humans. Kale stared into Wayne’s eyes. “Once we get the werewolf and I have my angel, then we’ll give them the burial they deserve.” He actually managed to say that lie with a straight face.
Wayne nodded grimly and signaled to his team. “Load up!” Wayne barked when Kale lowered his knife. “We shoot the werewolf until he doesn’t move anymore! We avenge our men!”
Yes, fine, avenge them. Whatever got them going. “Make sure you use the liquid silver bullets.” The bullets that would explode on impact. The last group had been armed with the old school bullets, but Wayne—Kale had made sure his best lieutenant had the good stuff.
Kale let the humans run into the woods before him. It made sense for him to trail the team since they’d be the ones to die. And when the battle was done, when the dead littered the ground, when the werewolf was finished, Kale would finally get his angel.
He just had to wait a little longer. That was okay. He’d had a great deal of practice with waiting. After all, he’d been waiting for another angel to fall for…well…centuries.
***
The last bullet had hit near his spine. Rayce knew he’d been lucky the bullet hadn’t severed his spine. The fool human had shot at Rayce with his last bit of strength.
Now the human was dead. And Rayce had six—fucking six!—silver bullets in his body. He knew he had to transform. Shifting would be the fastest way to heal, but when he was mid-shift, he was at his weakest. If another enemy came at him…