by Michele Hauf
A rustle behind alerted him. Creed slipped noiselessly up against a tin chimney flue. So they did have guards outside. Smart. He hoped the guard wasn’t in werewolf form. The moon was officially still full, even though it was waning, and that made the enemy formidable.
“Who’s there?”
The unseen enemy was not in werewolf form, else he wouldn’t have been able to speak.
Creed jumped to the top of the chimney. The wolf looked up, still unable to pinpoint the intruder. Creed sprang, landing on his opponent on the shoulders and bringing them both down on the loose-pebbled rooftop.
They grappled, but Creed didn’t take any chances. He slashed Wolfsbane across the wolf’s throat before he could cry out and alert others. The foul scent of wolf blood permeated the air. Blood pooled on the pebbles and Creed stepped away so he would not leave tracks.
Drawing tall, Creed relished the adrenaline rush of success. He liked taking off werewolf heads. And defeating an enemy that should rightly have more strength.
How could his wife ever love him? He knew well he could act on the outside, but inside he would always be her enemy.
“No,” he whispered. “Never.”
Blu was not the enemy. And he had begun to change, thanks to her.
Creed stepped back, wiped the blade across the wolf’s pant leg, then tilted his head to listen. No others on the roof.
Without Blu’s scent or the blood bond, he would have to listen for the heartbeats below. Already he sensed two, perhaps two stories below him. Calm heartbeats. Walking farther, he paused as each new heartbeat pulsed a message to him. Most were calm, some aggressive, a few sleeping. He counted eight so far.
And then he sensed the erratic pulse of fear. “Blu.”
Whispering her name, Creed wished he could use magic to send it below to his wife, but perhaps their bond would reassure her. “I’m coming for you.”
“I’M COMING FOR YOU.”
She heard the voice in her head, thought it was Creed, but didn’t dare to dream.
Whimpering at the aches pulsing in her muscles, Blu nuzzled her face into the scratchy straw barely covering the cement floor. It was cold in the basement, and her dress was gossamer thin. The skirt was made from yards of fabric, but she wasn’t able to utilize more than the long loose end designed to sweep over her arm and wrap it about her shoulders.
Her ankle pulsed madly. It must have twisted when Diaz had shoved her from the van. Normally a minor injury would heal within minutes, but shackled in silver, as she was, the injury might grow worse.
If she could shift to wolf shape, she could slip from the shackles and scamper out of here. But again, the silver kept her weak.
She prayed this was not how her father intended to keep her now. Surely he would allow her to return to her private quarters and live as she had.
Not like this.
She was not an animal.
When Creed looked at her, all he saw was his wife. His lover. He made her so proud to stand at his side. And now she would never see him again.
They’d both been shackled tonight. What a sorry end to the relationship. Yet she would shackle herself to Creed for the rest of her days if she were able.
“Oh, Creed.”
Footsteps descending the stairs alerted her. Blu was too drained to scent who was coming. It was probably Diaz. The wolf had manhandled her down the stairs and she’d feared rape, but after chaining her to the plumbing pipe, he’d merely cracked a wicked grin and promised to return.
If Amandus gave her to Diaz to mate with, she would sooner rip out her heart.
“Oh, mon Dieu.”
That voice! Diaz’s voice would not make her heart flutter. Blu wanted to lift her head, but she couldn’t muster the strength.
“Chains and shackles? No, no, Blu. Can you hear me?”
“Creed?”
“We must be quick. I don’t think I alerted the guards, but they will scent the blood on me soon enough. My love, I am so sorry for this. Had that fight not started you would not be here right now.”
He lifted a shackle and Blu moaned as the numbing ache prickled through her body. “Silver?”
“Yes. I’m too weak to struggle out. Please, Creed, get out of here and save yourself. There are too many wolves. You can’t fight them all. Not without magic.”
“I’d die without you, Blu. I’m not going anywhere unless you’re in my arms.”
She heard the sound of metal scraping across the cement. The glint of a blade made her wince. “You brought Wolfsbane?”
“Have a problem with that?”
“Swing to your heart’s content, lover. I’m so over the pack’s nasty dogs.”
He wrenched on the shackle about her wrist. “I can’t use the sword. I don’t want to cut you. But the silver is soft. I can snap it. Your wrists are so delicate—”
“Just do it. Ouch!”
The torn silver abraded her flesh, but did not draw blood thanks to the leather lining. What silver could do to a werewolf—Oh, Ryan. She’d watched her lover die tonight, unfeeling and almost relieved.
Creed kissed her free wrist, imprinting his warmth on her skin as if a brand. Clasping it to his cheek, he held her there, safe and loved. She shuddered at the tender touch.
A kiss to her mouth stole her breath. Take it all, she wanted to say. Take me into you and protect me.
He bent and broke the other shackle, and again he kissed her wrist, tendering the bruise carefully. Blu slid her fingers through his hair, madly relieved to have him here.
“How did you find me?”
“Your blood was outside and on the steps. I’m going to kill any wolf who has caused you to bleed, I vow that.”
A thank-you was all she could manage. She was too weak, and getting weaker. Her father’s men would not think twice about killing Creed. They were likely looking for him right now.
“Can you walk?”
“If I can shift, I can lead us out of here. I’ll have more energy in wolf shape.”
“Shh.”
With a staying touch to her shoulder, Creed stood and pressed his back to the wall. He loomed over her, Wolfsbane held before him with two hands.
Then she heard it. Footsteps clattered down the hallway, followed by a menacing voice. “Your loverboy is coming for a kiss, Princess!”
Diaz. Let the vampire take care of his nasty ass. She had more important things to manage.
Blu groaned and pushed herself onto all fours. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the shift, safe in knowing Creed would take care of the wolf. As her body began to change, her fur was spattered with Diaz’s blood. A head rolled to the edge of the straw.
Blu yipped as the shift ended. Gossamer fabric puddled beneath her four paws and a blob of blue wig lay nearby. Now in wolf shape, she was only half-sure of the tall man standing over her.
Friend or enemy?
WHEN A WERE SHIFTED to animal shape, Creed knew they only partially possessed their human mind. It was similar to when she’d shifted to werewolf shape the other night.
A long-legged wolf with fur so black it gleamed blue stood before him. Was that the reason for her name? he wondered. She was gorgeous. The darkest fur outlined her eyes and muzzle. Her canines were brilliant against the darkness.
He remained still so as not to scare her. They must both be sure of the other.
She sniffed at the were’s decapitated head, licked the blood, then snarled and backed from the thing. Whining, the wolf bowed her head and stepped aside. She wiped a forepaw over her muzzle, as if to clean away the nasty blood.
Creed couldn’t know if she would see him holding the bloody sword and immediately place him as an enemy. Did the animal form of Blu know what swords were? Or did she merely mark the world by scent, and the form standing there was taller and towered over her, so he must be feared?
He glanced down the hallway toward the stairs. They had little time before the rest of the wolves realized what was happening and came down to invest
igate.
“Hey, lover,” he called to her as he carefully put out a hand and squatted before her.
If he could put himself at eye level with her, she may not deem him a threat. He set the sword behind him. He’d once faced her werewolf. This could prove more harrowing though because she was completely animal now. Her instincts about him could be different than when she was half woman.
“Blu, do you know me?”
The wolf growled lowly, baring her teeth. Obsidiandark ears flicked back against her head. Lowering her head and sniffing, she then snapped her head up, sniffing the air curiously.
“I’m your husband,” he offered. “I love you.”
He extended his arm, tilting his palm up and opening his fingers.
Please, Blu, know me.
Cautious, the wolf stepped forward. She growled and barked. Creed wanted to shush her, but dared not.
Surely her bark had alerted the others. It took remarkable control not to grab her and dash out of here. The wolf could rip him to shreds with her teeth.
Sniffing, she dragged her nose to the tips of his fingers. Wary gray eyes dashed to his, then down. Her wet nose moved across his palm and wrist.
Creed held his breath. Perhaps his heart stopped. The world grew still. Nothing mattered but the two of them.
He had to get her out of here. They would treat her as an animal. No one would put his wife in chains ever again.
Face-to-face, she sniffed at his jaw. She had to scent the wolf and vampire blood on his bare chest. But then, the wolf’s tongue lashed out and licked him on the face. She pounced on him, paws to his shoulders and licked him on the cheeks, nose and forehead.
“Okay, okay, I think I passed muster.” He ruffled his fingers through her silken fur. “My gorgeous werewolf princess. Did I mention how much I love your natural hair color? Or rather fur?”
She licked his nose, then bounded playfully and yipped.
“Quiet, lover.” He gestured down the hallway. “Can you lead us out of here?”
She scampered into the hall and looked back to him. A wag of her tail spoke volumes.
Creed grabbed Wolfsbane. “Right behind you.”
He kept her pace as she loped the dark twisting halls. The entire compound was constructed from cement, a windowless and seemingly endless labyrinth. It reeked of mildew, which made it difficult for Creed to scent anything beyond that. He would rely on the wolf’s keen nose.
Blu paused and growled. Stepping nervously, she looked to him. She must sense danger, or smell others of her kind. She signaled him with a high-pitched whine.
“I got it. Stay right here.”
Just ahead, the hall turned a corner. Ruffling his palm over her head as he passed, Creed took the darkness carefully, knowing he would not see the threat until it was too late.
Ahead he sensed one frantic heartbeat. The were had to smell him. Would it be in four-legged wolf shape when Creed turned the corner or as the ferocious werewolf?
A werewolf would not be so quiet and stealth. It would have charged him by now.
Lunging forward, Creed swung Wolfsbane and it found a solid target. The man had no time to howl. Still in human form, the body split from shoulder to hip, it collapsed.
Creed stepped over the carnage. Blu sniffed at the body, stepping wide to avoid the rapidly pooling blood. A growl revealed her fangs. She snapped at the fallen wolf, then passed him by and loped ahead.
She pawed at the steel door, her claws scraping the old paint job, whining to get out.
“You and me both,” he said. “This leads outside?”
Blu yipped.
Creed kicked the door down.
A werewolf lunged inside, fixing its talons into his chest, and slicing his ribs neatly.
Creed choked on the blood rising in his throat. He slammed the beast against the wall. Blu latched on to its leg, tearing at the sinuous muscle. It provided a distraction Creed needed. A slash of Wolfsbane opened the creature’s chest.
Creed patted Blu on the head. “One point for you, wolf.”
She shook her head, flicking off blood. A yip accepted the battle point.
Outside, the grounds were clear. Deceptively so. Blu did not pause, only took off across the midnight-dark field, but angled toward the edge of a forest that backed the property.
“I’m right behind you,” he muttered, clutching his bleeding chest. His ribs had taken a beating lately.
Gasping for breath, Creed took off at a run. Half a mile later, he charged to a halting stop at the top of the roadside ditch.
Blu waited, stepping anxiously at his arrival, and yipping a greeting.
He nodded down the gravel road. “There’s my car.”
The rangy howls of an angry pack quickened his steps. He reached the car, opening the passenger door to let in Blu. She leaped inside and he slammed the door shut. Sliding across the hood to his side, Creed shoved the sword inside and fired up the engine.
Something landed on the roof, denting it above the passenger seat. Blu yipped and pawed at the cloth ceiling.
The pack circled the car, in four-legged wolf shape, all of them.
Whatever crouched on top was much bigger.
Creed slammed a foot on the accelerator, clearing wolves as the car charged ahead, and spewing gravel from the spinning tires. Above them metal creaked. Blu barked louder and more frantically.
He wanted to put some distance between them and the pack but before he could the windshield shattered as the roof was peeled from the car like the top of a tuna can. Accelerating to sixty, Creed shouted for Blu to get down on the floor.
Somehow she understood, tucking herself under the dashboard and curling her head against her body.
The roof flew away.
Creed slammed on the brakes, and the werewolf that had taken off the roof soared onto the gravel road in front of the car, rolling over and over.
He grabbed Wolfsbane. “Stay inside.”
Stepping on the seat, he was halfway through the roof when the werewolf landed in a crouched position on the hood. A fearsome growl preceded a slash of talon. It cut open Creed’s cheek. He swallowed blood.
A swing of the battle sword stretched the muscles at his shoulder and biceps. Hot blood spattered his face and neck. Blu barked madly, pouncing on the seat and whining.
He hated that she had to see the carnage, but he could do nothing about it.
After returning to the driver’s seat, he rocked the car to remove the halved werewolf from the hood. It was remarkable the engine still turned over for the healthy dent in the hood.
“I’m sorry.” He peeled from the gravel road and onto a main highway. “I didn’t mean to kill your lover outside the ballroom. It was an accident.”
She barked, yet wagged her tail.
“We’re home free. For now.”
CREED SLOWED AS THEY passed his estate. Flames lit up the sky. Three fire trucks parked along the outer gates, and another had parked inside on the cobbled driveway. Heavy streams of water sprayed onto the property but did little against the flames.
He couldn’t feel much sadness for the loss. The only thing that mattered to him sat on the passenger seat, transformed to human were shape, huddled under a suit jacket he’d scavenged from the backseat.
Cruising slowly by, he took an abrupt turn to avoid the police car ahead. He wore no shirt, was covered in blood, and a naked woman sat beside him. To top it off, there was no roof on the car.
The officer gave his tattered wreck of a car a double take, but then turned to the more important job.
It had begun. And if the werewolves wanted a war, he would give them one.
SHE STIRRED AS HE LIFTED her into his arms and carried her to the parking garage elevator. After washing off the blood using a chamois from the trunk, Creed had gone inside the hotel to rent a suite, and now he returned for Blu with his suit coat.
Clutching him fiercely, she shuddered, naked beneath the coat. “Has it begun?”
“Yes
,” he answered staunchly.
“Don’t let it happen,” she whispered weakly. “Please, Creed. For us.”
He swallowed the need to shout to the heavens, to demand explanation for this insane battle. To beg to turn back the clock and leave that damned silver-loaded ring at home.
And to never have to find his wife in chains.
Now all she asked was that he stop what he wanted to rush head-on into. He wanted to take werewolf heads from their necks with a slash of Wolfsbane until their blood flowed like a river.
Blu shuddered again. “I love you. I know you’ll make things right.”
And there it was.
He could no more draw Wolfsbane against the enemy than he could set down this gorgeous princess and walk away from her right now.
“I will make this right,” he vowed.
And this vow he would honor.
Chapter Twenty
CREED MADE CALLS ALL through the early-morning hours while Blu slept. He connected with every Council member he could think of who would have the vampires on their side.
He didn’t want to exclude a werewolf representative; there were simply none currently standing on the Council who made themselves available.
He was learning. He had to control his anger toward the werewolves and find less violent means to handle that aggression. Whatever the Council asked of him, he would now do without ulterior motives. It was what had been originally expected of him.
But more so, he just wanted to prove himself to Blu. How could she love him when he relished killing her kind? Blu had seeped into his pores and under his skin. Just being in her presence changed the air around him and made him want to be better. And he would do so.
Alexandre had successfully gathered the remaining Nava members—two had been murdered at last night’s banquet—and they convened right now across the city.
The order was rapidly spreading for the vampires to stand down. They were not to make a move until the Council could be brought in. Yet Creed tensed with the need to avenge his fallen tribe members.
Now he stalked the penthouse suite, shades drawn against the noon sun. His fists coiled in a permanent clench. Those bastard wolves!