A Strange New Breed

by Wendy Stone

  Standing in the doorway, Nashe lifted his nose, nostrils flaring as he searched for Terry’s scent. Between the disgusting aroma of the jackals and the overpowering smell of beer and cigarette smoke, he couldn’t isolate her aroma enough to track it. “Damn it!” he snarled, staring up and down the long hallway.

  Going to the first door, he threw it open, seeing an empty office. He moved to the next door, a room full of beer and liquor. The next door he opened was some kind of cell. In the middle of the room, a woman knelt between the spread legs of another. Nashe recognized the red hair in an instant. “Marissa?”

  “Half breed,” the woman on top of Marissa snapped. “Get out of here and don’t bother your betters.” She waved a dismissive hand towards him and then bent down to lap at Marissa’s bare breast.

  “Bitch, get off of her,” Nashe snapped.

  “What are you going to do if I don’t?” She laid her head against Marissa’s breast and turned so she could see him. She lifted one hand, the fingers of which had become claws. Digging into the plump mound under her cheek, she stared at Nashe as if daring him to do something about it.

  “Let her go!” Nashe took two steps, his body already changing. His clothes tore away, bare skin turning to the silvery pelt even as his muzzle began to grow.

  The jackal on top of Marissa grinned, eager for the contest. “Come on, kitty,” she said, baiting Nashe. “Come see what I can give you.” Shurene willed the change, smiling as her body contorted and her bones creaked.

  Nashe roared his anger, lifting his head into the air and screaming his challenge. Shurene jumped from Marissa’s side, staring at the strange mixture of wolf and panther. “You truly are half breed,” she growled.

  With that, she turned and leapt, going for his throat. Nashe growled in rage, ducking so she went over his head. He spun as she landed, laughing as her feet tangled and she fell into an ungainly heap.

  Jackals never were very graceful. He bared his teeth in a canine grin. Want to try that one again?

  Shurene rose, shaking off the spill. She growled back at him, her strange eyes gleaming with hatred. You and those like you have done nothing but take from me. It’s my turn to take from you. She attacked again, jumping over him to bounce off the slab that Marissa lay upon and land on Nashe’s back. Her sharp claws tore furrows of blood. Nashe stiffened, then rose on his hind legs, falling backwards so that the jackal was caught beneath him.

  Fucking bitch! Nashe growled, spinning and catching Shurene on her back, her defenseless belly wide open for his bite. Instead, he went for her throat, his teeth digging in just enough to pinch and to hold her still beneath him. I should kill you right now.

  Do it! Shurene cried. Kill me so that I can join my mate. Your kind took him from me, the only man I will ever be able to love. I have nothing now, nothing but my thirst for revenge. Her body began to shake, tremors of sorrow, hatred and worse, failure, rolling through her. I don’t wish to live.

  Understanding touched Nashe’s eyes. His own tragedy was a bitter pill served every time he thought he might find happiness. Althea was a memory that he couldn’t let go of, couldn’t forget, no matter how much time went by.

  I won’t kill you, he thought at her, though he didn’t let go of her throat. Tell me where Terry is and I’ll be taking the two ladies out of here.

  Shurene barked, a high pitched sound. I want you to kill me. I planned for it to happen. Do you have any clue what it’s like to watch your mate die, to see the one and only person you will ever love leave this world, leave you to know you’ll be alone for the rest of your life? Jake died and took my heart with him. I am nothing now.

  Nashe could see she was defeated. He wouldn’t kill her, he couldn’t, not even to give her what she wanted. But he also couldn’t leave her to let them know of their escape. He had to find Terry. He took better hold of her throat with his teeth, finding the point in her neck where he could feel the pulse throbbing. He bit down, using enough pressure to cut off the flow of blood, but not enough to break the skin.

  Shurene struggled for one shocked moment, her claws digging into his shoulder as she tried to get away. Then she fell limp. He held on a few seconds longer, making sure she wasn’t just playing possum. Then he rose, letting the change happen so he stood next to Marissa’s side a man once more. Blood flowed over his chest from his shoulder and he growled with the pain.

  “Marissa,” he called, shaking her slightly and trying not to stare at her exposed flesh.

  “Lukah!” she called, her delirium even worse than her mate’s. “Lukah, I need you!”

  Nashe spotted the key to her chains on the wall, grabbing it and unlocking her. He pulled her free of the chains, standing her in front of him. She still wore the tank top, pushed up around her throat. He ripped it off of her, startling a cry of fear from her lips.

  “N-Nashe?” she asked, suddenly lucid though the pain was still enough to buckle her knees. “W-where am I, Nashe? Where’s L-Lukah? I need him.”

  “I’ll take you to him, sweets. But first, we have to find Terry. Can you change?”

  She bit her lip and nodded her head, weaving a bit. “I-I can, I think. W-what is this place?”

  “We’ll talk about that when we get you back to Lukah. I think we’re about to have company. I need you to be strong. Can you do that?” Nashe took her hand, pressing a quick kiss to it when she nodded. “That’s a girl. Go on and change now.”

  The change took longer than it had before, her body twisting in pain before the female panther stood before him. He smiled, nodding at her. As the door flew open, he changed into the silver-pelted animal, trying desperately to ignore his wounds as he confronted a pack of angry Jackals. Putting himself between Marissa and the pack, he roared a challenge, hoping he wasn’t losing blood too fast to live up to it.

  Steadying himself, he crouched as the first Jackal pounced. The fight was on!

  * * * *

  Kadian James sat in the midst of the women at his table, each of them trying their best to get his attention. He’d known better than to come to this Jackal bar tonight, but boredom and an unexpected break in his tour schedule had left him with too much time on his hands.

  It was his first time in a were bar since he’d been discovered. What was it now, ten years? A smile touched his handsome lips and his green eyes seemed to dance with good humor as he thought back. If it weren’t for Mori, he’d still be back in that old shack of a bar, strumming his used six-string and singing bad ballads for tips.

  Now his name was as well known, as well as the dragon tattoo that decorated the right side of his chest and ran down his arm. The music he played now was his own, but he still had that old six-string. It sat in a place of honor in his Nashville home. It was the only guitar he used while working on his songs and it still sounded just as good as it had the first day he’d strummed it.

  His eyes roamed the bar, the lights flashing and leaving blue highlights in his dark hair. He reached up and touched the talisman around his neck, feeling that surge of loneliness he always felt, even in a crowded bar. The band was terrible, their music more noise than anything resembling a melody.

  It was like reading a book without a plot; just words strung together. A sudden niggle of awareness made his head rise and through a crowded sea of people his gaze locked on a pair of green eyes. The half-smile that touched his lips had nothing to do with the woman running her hand up the inside of his thigh and more to do with the man standing across the dance floor from him.

  “Nashe,” he said softly.

  The man nodded at Kadian, smiling back. Kadian caught just a glimpse of a beautiful blonde wrapped around the man. He couldn’t help but let his smile turn into a grin. Nashe hadn’t changed at all.

  “Can I get you anything else, Mr. James?”

  He looked up and smiled at the young Jackal female who was taking his order. “Nope, I’m fine here, Lara,” he said, reading her name off of her tag. “But these lovely ladies might need something more.�
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  He waited until the girls had all given their orders then reached down and pulled the hand away that was stroking his hard cock. Giving it a kiss, he winked at the pretty redhead who owned it. “You’ll excuse me,” he shouted over the loud sound of the band.

  Giving Lara a hundred dollar bill to pay for the drinks, he dropped a kiss on her cheek. “Keep the change,” he said in her ear, feeling her shiver against him. Then he headed for the bathroom.

  It was surprisingly clean, considering the place and its class of regulars. He took care of business, stepping up to the sink to wash his hands. When he came out, he glanced at the bar, thinking he’d stop and talk to Nashe before saying goodnight to the ladies and heading off to bed. If the studio in town could take him, he was going to do some work in the morning before heading to the concert hall.

  Nashe wasn’t at the bar. Concentrating, he heard the panicked sounds of his old friend’s name being called in a soft, feminine voice. He looked over and saw the doors to the back slowly closing, a huge Jackal standing guard outside, arms folded. “Uh oh,” he said softly. “Nashe, buddy, what have you gotten into this time?”

  * * * *

  Terry fought Chris every step of the way, kicking and scratching the Jackal until he growled, his eyes glowing evilly. He raised one hand, ready to slap her. Terry raised her face, daring him to hit her. “I never thought you’d be the kind to slap a defenseless female, Chris. I guess I was wrong. You’re nothing but scum.”

  “There’s nothing defenseless about you, Terry. You’re the same as all women, bitches through and through.”

  “And you’re a pig,” Terry growled, fighting even harder.

  Chris, tiring of trying to drag her, lifted her and threw her over his shoulder. But even that didn’t deter Terry. She opened her mouth and bit down on his back, only releasing his flesh when he dropped her.

  “You fucking cunt,” he growled, ripping open his shirt to check the bloody, ragged wound. “I was going to let you go after we’d finished what we needed to do, but now…you’re dead, bitch.”

  Terry got to her feet, her ankle throbbing and a knot growing on her head. “Try it, prick. I’m not going to back down from a fight just because you’re some kind of freak of nature.”

  “Freak of nature?” Chris shouted. “Do you know what you came into my bar with?”

  “Yes, a man, more of a man than you could ever be.” She retreated, fighting the fear that made her want to cringe and cower in front of him. Her back touched the wall and she slid along it, keeping her eyes on him the entire time.

  “He’s breed scum, bitch. He’s some kind of mutant.” He grinned when Terry reached the corner of the room, her eyes darting past him as if searching for somewhere to go. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand, yanking her toward him. “Maybe I should show you what a real were can do?” he hissed softly at her, his voice growing deeper.

  “Try it and you’ll be missing your best friend,” Terry snapped, struggling against the strong jackal. He held her easily; too easily. She couldn’t get away. “No!” she cried, seeing his head dipping toward hers. She struggled harder, kicking him as hard as the black pointed-toe boots would let her.

  Chris growled his rage as he started to change. His fangs grew, his nose turning into a muzzle. His eyes grew beady and dark, sinking into his face. He brought his mouth to her throat and Terry stopped struggling, feeling the fangs touching the skin on either side of her neck. With one turn of his head, he could rip out her throat and leave her to bleed to death.

  He laughed, a strange yapping sound. The hand behind her traced up the bare expanse of her back where it was covered only by the straps of the halter. He pushed her against the wall, his one hand tangling in the ties at her neck.

  “No!” she cried when she felt the straps give, the material sliding down over her chest. She grabbed it at the last minute, holding it over her breasts. “Stop,” she whimpered, all fight gone in the face of what he was about to do.

  Chris yanked the material free, his hands going to her uncovered flesh, mauling it with little regard to Terry’s cries and pleading. He twisted her nipples, pinching the sensitive tips to hear her cry out in pain. Terry could feel the growing bulge in his pants and knew he was excited as much by her fear as by her body.

  She felt his tongue come from his mouth, wide and long, swiping at her skin with obvious relish. Lifting his head, he put his finger to her lips. “Shh. Behave and maybe I’ll keep you for a while before letting the pack have you. They have a tendency to not be as… gentle... with their toys.”

  “You’re a bastard,” she hissed, tears trickling down her face. “Nashe will kill you.”

  Maybe it was the conviction in her voice or maybe Chris heard the sound of the footsteps pounding down the hall, she didn’t know which. Suddenly she was free, her shaking legs refusing to hold her up as she reached for the halter to yank it back into place.

  “I’ll be back,” Chris said, turning to the door. “After your beloved Nashe is dead, you’ll never utter his name again, not in my presence.” He slammed the door behind him and Terry heard the sound of a lock clicking into place.

  “Damn, damn, damn,” she whispered, her entire body shaking. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, anxious to get rid of the taste of him. It was a bitter flavor, wild-tasting, and it left her feeling sick. “Nashe, where are you?”

  * * * *

  The pain rocked Marissa, even as a panther. She had problems keeping things in focus, blinking furiously as the room doubled, then tripled. Her stomach heaved and she panted wildly, staying on her feline feet by sheer determination.

  The door flew open. Men rushed through the portal and into the room, standing in a line between them and freedom.

  Between you and Lukah, was the thought that came floating. A low growl started deep in her throat, growing louder until it became a snarl that had some of the men backing up a few steps. She followed them, forcing herself not to weave.

  Nashe stayed beside her, his fur standing straight up in a rigid peak on his back. His wide tail was cocked up, his eyes blazing with his willingness to fight. I don’t know how much I can do, he heard Marissa say in his head.

  Just remember Lukah, he sent back, knowing if any thought could help her stay on her feet it would be that of her mate. He’ll die if you don’t get to him, Marissa.

  She swallowed heavily, fighting down the nausea. Setting her legs a bit wider, she snarled again, the terrifying sound echoing in the small room. Let’s do this, she said evenly, letting the face of her beloved Lukah hover in front of her for just a moment.

  Nashe went first, pouncing on the nearest of them and taking him down. The others tore at their clothing, changing as they joined the fray.

  Marissa tore the throat out of one of the men before he managed to complete his change, barely feeling the spray of blood on her muzzle before she was on to the next. Her big paws swatted at the jackals around her, claws carving bloody furrows in whatever flesh she could reach. She’d knock one away, only to spin as another came at her back.

  Nashe was beside her, his teeth frothing with the blood of their enemies. He lifted his head, staring at the door for a second as he heard a faint scream. Terry!

  * * * *

  Chris heard the ruckus, throwing his clothes off outside the room where the fight was. He heard Terry scream as he stepped into the open doorway. Nashe, the strange silver beast in the center of the fight, lifted his head, his eyes on the door. A smile crossed Chris’ features before they changed, his body contorting into Jackal form.

  Breaking through the ring of jackals surrounding Nashe, he charged the silver beast, his jowls wide, his fangs gleaming. He saw Nashe notice him coming, his body bracing for the impact.

  Their fight was fierce, bodies rolling, teeth gnashing and snapping as they both tried to gain the upper hand. Nails scoured flesh first, drawing blood to make the floor even slipperier.

  Terry is one fucking hot piece, Chris threw at
Nashe, seeing the words score as his opponents green eyes grew even hotter. That scream you heard, she was pissed because I left her. She was so close to coming. I can still smell her on my face.

  Nashe growled. She’d tear you to pieces if you tried, you son of a bitch. But he pounced anyway, losing his footing on the floor and falling to his side.

  Chris was on him in a second, his teeth digging into Nashe’s throat, a growl of triumph coming from his mouth. Ready to die, half breed? he jeered.

  Chapter Ten

  Kadian walked towards the man standing outside the back room, a smile on his face. He made sure to keep his stroll casual, not wanting to alert him.

  “Hi friend,” he said just loudly enough that the man had to bend forward slightly to hear him. “I’m looking for the owner, would he be back there?”

  “Mr. Antreneaux is unavailable,” the brute said, looking down at Kadian.

  His size didn’t bother Kadian at all. The bigger they were, the larger hole they left in the floor. “Oh, Mr. Antreneaux, did you say? I think he’ll want to speak to me.” He took out his wallet, ignoring the impatient look on the man’s face, and pulled out one of his cards. “Give this to him, I’ll wait.”

  “Look Mr. James,” he started, staring down at the card, “Mr. Antreneaux is unavailable.”

  Kadian sighed, rolling his eyes impatiently. “I tried to do this the nice way,” he said softly. Smiling up at the man he reached out with vision-blurring speed, grabbing the back of the man’s head and smacking his nose with the ball of his palm.