Page 129 of Fangs and Fudge

“Please,” MC choked as Shepard squeezed again.

No wolf in the room made a move to save MC, not even his pack.

MC’s wild eyes searched for a savior, but when he realized he was on his own, he pulled at Shepard’s arm again. “I’ll trade you,” he said. “My life for Anchor’s.”

Shepard growled. “What do you mean?”

“I have him. I’ll bring him to you.”

Shepard shoved MC hard, knocking his head against the wall. “You have Anchor?”

With Shepard’s pressure on him, MC could only nod.

“Why?” Shepard growled.

“Vena is mine,” MC choked.

“Someone get me my knife,” Vena seethed. “MC is about to stand for Mangled Castration.”

“I conditionally accept the trade. Anchor’s life for yours.” Shepard shoved away from MC. “Doc and Army, watch MC until we have Anchor.”

Shepard accepted a small stack of clothes from Lisa, and I studied the rafters as he tugged them on. When Vena nudged me, I saw he and a few other men standing close to him had shorts on. But there were still many men who didn’t wear anything.

He moved around the room, checking each fallen wolf and speaking to his people. He had sympathy for those who were grieving, compassion for those who were injured, and patience with the ones who remained as he divided them into groups to help with cleanup, injured wolf removal, and vampire tracking.

“We need half our uninjured to hunt the vampires that fled. Follow their scent trails and stick to packs of three or more.”

Half the number left the shed in a hurry.

“A bunch of naked men scouring the area,” Vena said with a grin. “That should be interesting.”

“Most of us keep extra clothes in our cars just in case,” Gunner, who was closest to us and completely unfazed by his nakedness, said.

“Griz? Tank? Get the farm truck.” Shepard looked at his people as they hurried out. “I wish we had more time to mourn those we lost. But this location is no longer safe. We need to bury our dead quietly. I need ten volunteers. The rest of the uninjured need to escort the injured and females home.”

His people divided up as several of the women quietly cried over still bodies.

“Work fast,” Shepard said softly. “I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

Shepard headed outside with Vena and me on his heels. He stopped just outside the shed in the moonlight where a group of men stood.

“What the hell was that?” one of the men asked. “Were you aware D.C. had an infestation?”

“The vampire problem was bigger than I thought,” Shepard admitted. “We had no indication it had grown this big.”

“What about MC’s accusation that you’re working with vampires?” the man asked.

“There is a lot you don’t know,” Shepard said. “And it will take more time and privacy to explain than what we have at the moment.”

“If the vampires have grown this large in D.C., what other cities are infested?” another man asked.

“We need to speak about this,” someone said.

“I agree, and we will,” Shepard said. “Tomorrow at dawn. Spread the word. All delegates should attend. For now, go home and recover. My home is open to you for however long you need.”

Once the men began moving away, Vena was on Shepard. “We’re not going home, right? We’re getting Anchor.”

I could feel the weariness coming off Shepard in waves, but he nodded. “I don’t suppose you’d wait at my house while I get him?”

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