Page 23 of Place of Torment

“Are those potions?” Brooklyn did a doubletake and went as far as leaning close and peeking inside the pouch.

I was curious too but didn’t want to lose a hand if I attempted to touch the satchel.

“Yeah, Rowen made them for me one day when we were looking for a cure for you.” Alice petted the small bag affectionately. “Now that I’m better, I need to get back to my magic lessons. He is willing to teach me.”

“I need you to put a cap on that for now, Alice.” Brooklyn locked gazes with me. “I will go at them head on if you would like to shift and circle from behind them.” She told me. “Alice, you stay here and if anyone comes that’s not one of us, throw the potion at them first ask questions later. Okay?”

“Got it.” Alice gave us a sharp nod. “Imma lob them in the forehead if they get past you.”

“Give me a minute and I’ll be in position.” I told my mate before grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her close to plant a hard kiss on her lips.

Keeping low, I was out of there before Brooklyn had time to try and rip my head off but paused when I heard both of them snickering and my mate’s wistful sigh. I had every intention to get Brooklyn somewhere private after we cleaned out our yard from vermin so that I could clearly state my expectations for our relationship.

Which were none really. I was pathetic. Prepared to do anything she wants and needs, I was not exactly in a position to demand anything, but I was one hundred percent sure Alice would give me pointers. Her advice was strange, but it worked on Brooklyn regardless of her protests. I was pretty certain I was wearing her down. She acted annoyed, but I saw all the shy, secret smiles she was trying to hide from me.

Warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with my shift and I relinquished control to my animal that stretched to its full length with purpose. The sooner we dealt with the Guardians, the sooner I would be able to set things straight with Brooklyn.

Shouts sounded from the other side of the mansion, my animal’s hearing much more acute than mine picking up everything from the battle Samir and Rowen were dealing with. It appeared they had a few more Guardians on that side, so we needed to hurry and dispose of ours so we could go and help.

On a long leap that stretched more than twenty feet, I sank my claws into the trunk of the tall tree and ripping bark along the way managed to climb to the strongest branch that could hold my weight. My paws padded softly over it, careful not to shake out any leaves or crack any small branches. From my perch, I stared intently at the last place we saw the intruders, and after a moment one of them shifted slightly giving away their position.

Hind legs bunched up; I was ready to pounce on the Guardians when a shadow averted my attention from the roof. When I glanced there the air froze in my lungs and my upper lip curled in a snarl as my ears were pinned to my skull. More than ten Guardians were fighting the two demons on the roof of the mansion. We had a bigger problem than we anticipated, and I needed to kill those below me so I could go to my mate.

“There.” Someone hissed from the area where the Guardians were clustered, and I saw them turn my way. “Up in the tree.”

With a loud, enraged cry, I threw myself at the closest Guardian. My body stretched a full ten feet as it sailed through the air colliding with the Guardian in a loud clash of muscle on muscle. I swiped my left paw and clawed one of them in half, my sharp nails slicing through muscle and bone easily. The Guardian I landed on wiggled under my weight, but I saved him from his misery by ripping his throat out with ease. Two more were left and they circled around me, giving me a wide berth as if that would save them.

“Am I late to the party?” Brooklyn stepped out from around the tall shrub the Guardians used as cover.

My animal stopped the attack and marveled at our mate when he saw her angelic face, but started purring deep in his chest when she gave him a devilish smile with one fang peeking out from under her upper lip, and her green eyes alit with excitement. Red strands were floating like tiny flames around her face where her hair had escaped the elastic tie she used to pick it up in a ponytail.

The male on the right turned and jumped at my mate, right hand raised above his head with a short sword clutched in it. I started to move to tear him to ribbons for daring to even look her way when a sharp pain pierced through me, and I swayed sideways before collapsing on my side. Warm blood trickled down my fur and the stars dimmed for a moment until I shook my head and rose to all fours.

Brooklyn was fighting both Guardians keeping them away from where I was shaking my head to clear it and I took a second to look down the length of my body to see the cut. The weapon was not there but the cut, which was a long laceration instead of a small deep penetration wound told me the fucker tried to cut me in half with a short sword and had not stabbed me with a dagger.

“You good?” Brooklyn danced away from two swords coming at her from each side and disarmed the Guardian on her left with a perfectly executed round kick. Her foot connected with his head in a sickening crunch after which he dropped his weapons and collapsed on the grass.

My annoyed snarl was her answer.

“Good. Now come bite this vermin. It’ll make you feel better.” She avoided the footwork and a few jabs he aimed at her upper body and head. “It hurts me to watch how pathetic he is at fighting.”

The male attacked her with a war cry, slashing at her with his sword and trying his best to catch her with a punch or a kick. Like water, my mate slipped through his hands moving gracefully around the clearing as if she was doing a dance for me. I watched, fascinated through the eyes of my animal, both of us mesmerized by her beauty.

Then she stopped suddenly, and with a firm front kick she pushed him in front of me. That’s all I needed to come out of my trance. Opening my jaws as wide as I could, I clamped it around his middle and lifted him in the air. The male screamed a terror filled guttural sound that spiked my adrenaline. Pressing as hard as I could, I shook my head forcing the body to wave in the air like a ragdoll in a toddler’s hand before chomping with everything in me and ripping him in half. Blood sprayed in an arch, covering both Brooklyn and me. The moment the Guardian was out, she rushed to my side and dropped on her knees in front of me, her hands holding my maw.

“Are you still bleeding?” Her green eyes held mine and I could see the urgency there.

I shook my head no, too overwhelmed to speak to her telepathically.

“Thank the stars.” She breathed and pressed her forehead to mine.

I held my breath, me and my animal both too stunned by the display of gentleness to do anything but close our eyes and breathe her in. Even through the coppery stench of blood, her scent was a lure we could never resist.

An explosion rocked the ground beneath us, and both our eyes flew open wide.

“Alice.” Brooklyn gasped and jumped to her feet just as we heard our human friend.

“Not so funny now, huh fuckers?” Alice’s menacing laugh faded under the blasting sound of another explosion.

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