Page 333 of Secret Shifters Next Door

A series of shattering impacts crashed into my side, and I stumbled. A hunter had fired a volley of bullets at me, but the armor I wore bore the brunt of the impact. I sprinted toward the man and tackled him, sinking my teeth deep into his neck before ripping out a massive hunk of flesh. I ran, leaving the hunter to writhe and die on the ground.

Over and over, I attacked and killed hunters. It was so brutal and carnal. If I hadn’t been worried about dying, I would have been horrified by what I was doing. But there was too much at stake to worry about morals. When life and death were on the line, sometimes you had to be a beast.

Miles and I sprinted together toward a group of hunters who were firing at some of Gio's men. Our paws flashed across the ground as we angled toward them. I jumped into the group, but as I descended onto a hunter, Miles yelped in pain.

I savaged the hunter in a burst of claws and blood and turned to see Miles sprawled on the ground. I lost focus. All I could see was my friend hurt, possibly dead.

I didn’t register the man I’d just mauled. He was dying, but he was not dead yet.

A searing explosion of pain ripped through my side. I squalled in pain and spun. The man had driven a knife into my side between the armor plates, sinking it deep into my flesh until only the hilt stuck out. Blood dripped down my side. I swiped a paw at the guy, tearing through his neck.

As agonizing as the pain in my side was, I hurried over to Miles. A sound like a million angry trumpets reverberated into the valley, so loud and angry, the fighting paused for an instant. I’d know that roar anywhere. I turned and saw that Tate and Jared had fully shifted. Their dragons hovered above the battle like gods of war.

Antonio was on his ass, scurrying back. He’d asked for them to shift, and now he looked like he didn’t enjoy what he’d asked for. Horrified, he tried to stand up but fell over again, his face crashing into one of his hunters.

Steff, the largest bear on the field of battle, sprinted around the corner, running toward one of the clumps of more organized hunters.

Antonio looked in his direction. A sneer split his face into something more monstrous than even Tate’s dragon. He dug a pistol out from the dead man below him and locked his eyes on Steff. My friend didn’t know he was being targeted. I looked down and saw that Miles was still breathing, albeit erratically. A sigh of relief left me. I had less than a second to make my decision. And I did. Dirt flew behind me as my paws propelled me forward.

My black form racing toward him must have caught Antonio’s eyes because he turned, his eyes wide in surprise and fear. My speed was unlike anything else on the battlefield. He turned his weapon away from Steff’s back and toward me. Exactly what I’d hoped for.

The barrel of the gun seemed to widen as I neared. I had a moment to think about Ava and the promises I’d made to her. I’dmeant them when I said it, but I doubted I would be able to keep them. I hoped Ava would forgive me for it.

Antonio and I neared each other. My whole life had led to this moment. Inevitable. Predestined. This was where everything ended.

I’m sorry, Ava, I thought as I sprang at Antonio.

A shot fired loud enough that it sounded like the world was cracking apart. Searing pain in my chest tore the breath from my lungs. Even so, I flew through the air toward him. My vision was already starting to go fuzzy when I flailed my claws at Antonio. There was a deep meaty impact followed by screams of agony.

The ground slammed into my body, and then I knew nothing but darkness.

THIRTY

AVA

When Uncle Sam led me through the house, it was like walking through a war zone. I couldn’t keep count of the bullet holes. No matter how hard I tried to keep my eyes trained on my feet, I could still make out the bodies of men and women, riddled with bullets and sprawled on the ground. Most were hunters, but some were my father’s men.

Sam limped ahead of me. He hadn’t been shot, but he must have twisted his ankle or knee during the battle. I could hear screams and shouts ahead of me.

Sam hurried on, and we walked into the foyer where my cousins LJ and Chris were lifting Dad up onto a makeshift gurney that consisted of a door that had been pulled off its hinges. Blood oozed down Dad’s arm, dripping off his fingers. There was a blossoming red patch on the far side of his chest, right beside the plating of his body armor. There were a half-dozen dents in the vest. The armor had saved him from the full spray of bullets he’d taken and it looked like only one had gotten through. His eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell in a halting way that didn’t look good.

I pressed my hands to my face. “Daddy?”

He was out, not even registering my voice.

A gentle hand rested on my shoulder. I turned to see April. She was looking at him with the same worry that was filling my heart.

“Come on!” LJ shouted. “We gotta get Uncle Gio to the hospital. Fucking move!”

He and Chris hauled my father outside and loaded him into the waiting van Uncle Mike had pulled around to the front of the door. More dead bodies were scattered across the grass. Already, even with the battle barely over, Dad’s guys were dragging the bodies away. Dad had the local police paid off, for the most part, but someone might have heard the gunfire and show up any minute. They had to get rid of the hunters. They’d probably dump them in some mass grave at the edge of our property.

I couldn’t care less what happened to them. They’d come here to kill my family, to take and possibly kill me, and the rest of them were out attacking Blayne. If Dad’s guys wanted to piss on their bodies, I wouldn’t care.

Mike sped off to the hospital. Sam and April came with me in the back. Luis and my cousins stayed behind to organize the disaster that was the house and take care of the bodies. Luis said he’d meet us at the hospital once everything was handled.

The whole way there, I gripped Dad’s hand. Every few minutes, I felt his fingers twitch. I told myself it was him trying to squeeze my hand. Tears streamed down my cheeks, but I kept myself under control. Freaking out wouldn’t help him.

We pulled under the big overhanging portico of the emergency room, the tires squealing. Sam and Mike leaped from the car and screamed for help. In seconds, a crew of doctors and nurses descended on the van. Dad was whisked away on a real gurney and April led me into the ER.

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