Page 94 of Wolf Bitten

A threatening growl came from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to find Adam standing between us and the woman.

We’ve got to try to save him. We need answers.I swallowed and grasped the hilt of the dagger, ignoring the way the cool, sticky blood slid between my fingers. I gritted my teeth and tugged just as Dave’s eyes opened. He reached for me, causing the blade to dig deeper into him.

“Shit,” I groaned. I wanted to remove the dagger to help him heal, not make the injury worse. Sometimes, I felt like I was cursed. “Can you hold him still?”

Raffe looked at me and arched a brow. He linked,What do you think I’m fucking trying to do here? He’s a vampire and stronger than his scrawny ass looks. But let me tell you, if he dies, I won’t be upset. I just hope we get answers before he croaks.

Hurried footsteps came from beside us, and I tensed. A human sob that sounded familiar reached my ears.

Dark fur flashed past me as Keith hurried in that direction, but when a naked Josie ran out from between the trees, he stopped in his tracks.

Even though jealousy was the last thing I needed to experience at this moment, my wolf howled and demanded to break free. I tried like hell to fight the tug because shifting wouldn’t help anything.

What the hell are you doing?Raffe asked and jerked his head back toward Dave’s face so fast that my wolf eased.

I didn’t understand what was going on, but one thing was clear: I needed to get the damn dagger out of Dave’s chest and maybe stab Josie with it. Wait … I hadn’t meant to think the last part.

I need to help him.Josie’s long, dark, wavy hair flew behind her as she dropped down at Dave’s head and leaned over his face. Her hair covered some of her nakedness, and her bronze skin contrasted with Dave’s, revealing just how pasty he was.

Blowing out a breath, I gripped the dagger. Dave tried to bite me again. I stood and placed a foot on each side of his body, then leaned down. I gripped the hilt again, and when Dave tried to rise, Josie smothered his face with kisses.

“I’m here,” she whimpered. “You’re going to be okay. We just need you to calm down.”

“Josie, get back!” Raffe exclaimed. “He’s going to bite you.”

Instead of fighting harder, Dave relaxed.

“She must be covering my scent.” I exhaled shakily and yanked hard on the dagger. The sickening sucking sound of the blade leaving his bone and flesh made bile roil in my stomach.

Finally, I lifted the dagger over my head, and blood from the edge splattered on me, including my face.

I was going to be sick.

With all the dissections I’d done in my science classes to prepare for vet school, I’d believed I was past being squeamish, but clearly, that wasn’t the case.

Blood gushed from Dave’s chest, and I didn’t have time to worry about being nauseated.

With my hands soaked in his blood, I squatted and placed pressure on his wound. “I need clothes or something to pack this and slow the bleeding. My hands will work, but they’ll get too slippery.”

“What do you want me to do?” Raffe’s chest heaved. “I’m holding him down.”

“Fine.” My shirt was ruined anyway. Ignoring that my hands were coated with blood, I removed it.

What the fuck?Raffe linked.Adam and Keith can see you.

I’m trying to get answers about who’s trying to kill us,I replied, bundling my shirt into a ball and using it to put pressure on Dave’s wound.

The cold October Portland air whipped around me, raising goose bumps across my skin. I wasn’t nearly as cold as I would’ve been if I’d been human. “Is there anything vampires can do to heal?”

“Feed, but that isn’t an option,” Raffe gritted out. “Our shifter blood will kill him.”

I could only think of one thing we could do: get answers from him before he died. I hated to be that callous, but we hadn’t put him in this situation.

Turning my attention to Dave, my breath caught. He and Josie were staring at one another while tears streamed down her face and onto Dave’s cheeks. She bent and placed her forehead on his as her body shook with silent sobs.

I hadn’t realized they were close.

“Dave?” I bit my lip, unsure what to expect.

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