Page 37 of Broken Trust

“Who’s hiding?” Kellen smirked as he took up a boxing stance. “Come over here and get your heart ripped out like your other two friends did.”

Looking to his left, Atlas saw Mason, Deputy Davis, and Tillman rush outside.

“Your shifter posse won’t save you.” The vampire moved so fast that Atlas couldn’t keep track of him. Then Atlas screamed when he was jerked backward.

Mason had grabbed him and yanked him back.

Kellen bared his canines as the vampire slugged him in the kidney. Atlas’s mate gripped his side and winced. Then the vampire punched him repeatedly before Kellen could spin out of reach. Kellen dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.

“No!” Atlas tried to get free, tried to get to his mate, but Mason’s hold was too strong.

“Let me go!” Atlas shouted.

“To do what?” Mason snarled. “Are you going to fight that vampire?”

Atlas gasped when Deputy Davis shifted into a lion and Tillman into a huge bear. “The people inside…”

“Only their mates are inside,” Mason replied. How had Atlas forgotten that everyone else had already left? “Tillman isn’t going to be happy about his car.”

When the vampire went after Kellen again, Kellen shot up and grabbed the vampire’s throat, snarling as his claws slid free. Atlas’s mate embedded them into the vampire’s side and twisted his hand.

Blood soaked the stranger’s shirt. As badly as Atlas wanted to look away because he didn’t want to see another heart ripped out, he didn’t dare take his eyes off of his mate in case the vampire hurt Kellen.

Hissing, the vampire shoved Kellen away and then placed a hand over his bleeding wound. “This isn’t over, mutt. Next time you won’t have your mongrels to protect you.”

When the vampire ran so fast that Atlas couldn’t keep track of him, Kellen dropped to his knees, his arms wrapped around his sides, his head hanging.

Atlas jerked out of Mason’s hold and ran to his mate. He lowered to his knees but forced himself not to hug him. “How badly are you hurt?”

Kellen grunted and winced. “I just need to shift so I can heal. My kidneys feel like they’re on fire.”

Mason walked over and helped Kellen stagger to his feet. “You’re in no condition to drive. Let me get my truck.”

“I’m not leaving Lucille behind,” Kellen groaned as he opened his eyes.

“Who’s Lucille?” Mason looked from Kellen to Atlas.

“His car,” Atlas replied as the lion and bear turned back into the deputy and Tillman. He quickly looked away when he saw the two were naked.

Deputy Davis headed to his car and pulled out a backpack. Tillman did the same, only he stopped to look at the dent in his trunk. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“I can drive you home in Lucille,” Mason offered.

Kellen snarled. His arms were still wrapped tightly around his midsection, and there was no mistaking the look of pain on his face.

“No one drives Lucille,” Atlas said. “She’s his pride and joy.”

“Then what they hell do you want me to do?” Mason asked. “I can’t snap my fingers and have you, Kellen, and his car magically appear in his driveway.”

Atlas wished his boss could do that. “I have to drive her.”

Kellen snarled even louder but leaned against the trunk, his breathing rough.

“You have no choice,” Atlas argued as Deputy Davis and Tillman approached, thankfully dressed.

“We’ll talk about this after you heal,” the deputy said. “In the meantime, Atlas is right. You don’t have a choice since you’re in no condition to drive. I’ll follow you guys to make sure you make it home safe, but I’m not letting you behind the wheel.”

Kellen dug into his pocket and slapped the keys into Atlas’s hands. Mason helped Kellen into the passenger seat. Atlas sent up a prayer that a deer didn’t jump out onto the road or he had to swerve around some critter trying to cross in front of him.

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