Page 70 of Guarded By a Monster

His laugh was sharp, almost amused, but his eyes remained cold. “You’re no actress. Do you know what’s out there?”

Behind him, Briggs’ attention shifted subtly, his gaze darting toward the door. A faint growl, barely audible but unmistakable, rumbled outside. My pulse quickened. Thurl was closer than anyone here realized.

Briggs shifted, moving his hulk in front of both me and Sophia.

I gripped the little girl’s hand tighter and let my lips curve into a slow, deliberate smile. Vale’s eyes narrowed.

“I told you my hiding place wouldn’t work for anyone but me,” I said, the tether to Thurl thrumming with quiet determination. “And I’m really looking forward to watching you see why.”

thirty-eight

The neighborhood was dark,most of the houses long abandoned and clinging desperately to their foundations. Vale had made this almost too easy.

Three thugs patrolled the target house. They were unorganized and sloppy. Amateurs.

Roul took one out without even getting dirty. I grabbed the other as he came around the corner, his eyes going wide as I slashed my claws across his throat.

The third was smarter. As soon as his buddies went quiet, he ran for the front door. I could hear voices from the front room and clocked each one. The thug, a man with too-smooth a voice, and Jade.

I flexed my claws. She sounded unhurt, but until I could see her, see for myself she was okay, I’d remain on edge.

I stalked closer to the door, Kragen at my back. Roul was on the opposite side with Drym. Quin and Cavi covered the back, in case any of them decided to run.

Kragen decided a direct approach was best. These human criminals wouldn’t expect us, and with so few being present, it would be a walk in the park. Instead of busting the door down, he planned a stealthier entry, to keep our advantage as long as possible.

We were tough, not bulletproof.

Roul reached out and slowly turned the doorknob. A quarter into the rotation, a click sounded. I almost missed it, straining to make out Jade’s words.

“Down!”

The four of us hit the ground as the concrete walk in front of the door exploded. Concrete and shrapnel buried into my shoulder and back. Rage, hot and swift, filled my body. My vision blurred, red bleeding over everything. My mind narrowed to a single point—a single objective.

Jade.

I was up and through the door before the dust settled.

The thug from outside was the first to go. His scream turned into a gurgle as I tore out his throat. Movement swung my head to the left, where another man backed himself into a corner. That was a mistake. I was on him in two strides, my head cleared enough to clock the fancy suit he wore.

This was Vale then.

His mouth opened and closed but no sound emerged. I dug my claws into his chest and yanked. He fell to the side, and I dropped the chunk of skin, bone, muscle and organs I’d ripped from him.

A third threat stood between me and Jade. Jade was trying to get around him, to come to me, but he kept pushing her back.

Here was more of a challenge. I stalked the big man, sizing up his skill as he dropped into a fighting stance. My brothers crowded into the room but a pointed look at Kragen had him holding them back.

Jade was saying something, but the roar in my ears was still too loud.

I watched her jostle for position with the man until she brought her heel down on his foot… hard. He threw his hands up in surrender and backed off. The unexpected move gave me enough pause for the fog to clear. Sound rushed in.

“Stop, Thurl! He’s with us!”

I blinked and studied the man again. With a flick of his head, his eyes went from human brown to otherworldly gold. The pupils narrowed to a point and a rolling chuff came from his chest.

I relaxed, but didn’t turn my focus from him. He was definitely Society, but why was he here? Why would he be with a human criminal?

“Jade.” My voice was little more than a rumble. I held out my hand—the clean one—and she rushed into my hold. With my brothers at my back to watch the unknown supernatural, I buried my nose in her hair and inhaled.

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