Page 114 of Death and Donuts

“Are some partly shifted?” she asked.

“It happens during hunting, especially to the younger wolves who can’t control their shifting as well,” Anchor said.

The sun was sinking lower to the horizon as the groups went from home to home, working their way toward the middle. When they cleared the street, a few of the guys ran back to the vehicles to move them to the next street.

Anchor drove Shepard’s SUV, which was a good thing, considering the amount of red on Shepard.

Everything progressed quietly for the next several streets since most of those homes were empty.

“Not as big of a nest as Shepard hoped,” Anchor said from the front seat as we drove to the next street over.

Shepard and Cross’ groups had just reached the opposite ends of the street and disappeared into the houses when Vena suddenly tossed the knife she’d been working on to the seat between us and reached into her pocket.

The crystal she withdrew danced in the palm of her open hand.

“What the heck?”

“Um, that can’t be good,” I said.

We both looked up as a man ran out of the home Shepard’s group had entered. He immediately burst into flames in the sunlight and let out an unholy scream.

I covered my ears.

“Lock the doors,” Anchor said.

The SUV rocked as Anchor sprinted out faster than I could see. I clamped my eyes closed when his blur reached the flaming vampire.

“Holy crap,” Vena said. “I think we’re in trouble.”

I opened my eyes, and she showed me the crystal was no longer vibrating but wildly spinning.

Vampires suddenly poured out of buildings all around us. Some ignited instantly in flames. Some had wrapped themselves in blankets or tarps and were running toward the parked cars.

“Lock the doors!” I said, already slamming mine down.

Vena nimbly stretched forward to hit the main lock.

“It’s okay,” she said. “We’ll be okay.”

I didn’t believe her.

A vampire ran past our car and paused, only momentarily, but it was enough to show they could smell us. Something crashed behind us, and I swiveled to see one of the escaping cars had backed into one of ours.

Fully shifted wolves sprinted from the house Shepard’s group had invaded, joining the growing chaos outside the car. They fought furiously with Anchor, killing the vampires as they tried to escape.

However, a few vampires still managed to run for the woods at the end of the street.

And more just kept pouring out of the buildings. Hundreds, easily.

“That’s him,” Vena breathed, drawing my attention.

I looked and saw a man dressed in all black emerge from a home. He was completely covered with a hat and veil thing that made it impossible to see his face. However, the black leather pants and the way he moved struck a chord in me.

Vivian.

Fear shivered through me.

The black cat at his feet surveyed the mayhem.

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