Page 160 of Hunt Me Down

“Run!”Her cry this time, not her mother’s. “Run, Dee!”Because the wolf was too strong for her. Too strong for Dee. Maybe even too strong for the backup coming.

Two bullets hadn’t slowed him. She hadn’t slowed him. Saliva dripped onto her face. That breath wasn’t so minty fresh anymore. Erin looked up and found his open mouth poised right over her.

This was it.

No dreams this time. No visions. Her death.

She hadn’t seen this one coming.

Sorry, Jude.

She’d found him too late. A man who accepted her, wanted her, maybe even could love her—too late.So sorry.She wouldn’t be healing from this.

With a snarl, those fangs went for her throat.

The roar came as she felt the first puncture. A roar that filled her ears and seemed to shake the street. Then the wolf was knocked right off her. His teeth scraped over her neck, slicing the skin.

She rolled away. Erin lifted a hand to her throat and touched the wet warmth of her blood.

Jude.

The tiger was there, quivering with fury. Fighting with claws and teeth. Driving his fangs into the wolf’s body. Picking up the smaller beast and tossing him into the air.

A match for a wolf.

Wolves were strong, no doubt about it, but a tiger shifter was no one’s bitch.

She managed to rise to her feet. The blood flow was already starting to ease up. The slice hadn’t gone too deep, thanks to Jude. All of her wounds throbbed, but they were healing fast.

Growls and snarls filled the air. The tiger and the wolf attacked, rolled, roared, and howled. Blood soaked their fur. Bones crunched. The wolf sank his teeth into the tiger’s back. Jude jerked away, swiping with his front paws.

Have to help. Can’t just stand here and watch!

“Erin...” Dee’s voice.

The gun.

Erin ran to Dee’s side and grabbed the gun. It slipped in her blood-soaked fingers.

“No, wait, you need?—”

No more waiting. The wolf had just cut open Jude’s side.

The tiger seemed to move in a fast blur, launching at the wolf, his giant mouth open.

She lifted the gun, aimed.Move, Jude, move—just a bit. Give me a shot.A chance to end the nightmare.

His mouth locked on the wolf’s throat. Jude yanked the wolf up with his hold, and Erin had a perfect view of the beast’s back.

Her finger squeezed the trigger.

The bullet thudded into the wolf.

The tiger’s teeth clamped down harder.

One beat of time. Two. She fought to hold the gun steady. If she just didn’t have so much blood on her hands...

The tiger dropped his prey. The wolf didn’t move.

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