Page 99 of Primal Bonds

“The animals?”

“The fada. Your lover.”

She narrowed her eyes. “He didn’t want to draw your attention.”

His cruel mouth quirked. “Oh, you have my attention.” He drew her to her feet. “I’m Lord Tyrus—and you’re part fae.”

The bathroom door opened as Jace shut off the shower. “Evie?” he asked.

No response.

His nape tingled. He jerked open the shower door. A huge black wolf stared back at him.

Fuck. Jace started to shift but Corban was already in the air. He slammed Jace into the wall. Lights exploded in his head and he slid to the floor.

His focus lost, Jace couldn’t complete the shift. He only just managed to yank himself back to man so he wouldn’t be caught in a half-shifted state. It was the devil’s choice, because he couldn’t fight off Corban’s wolf as a man, but the alternative was death as a half-man, half-cat.

He was trapped in the shower with the wolf. Claws dug painfully into his chest, holding him down as Corban’s teeth sank into his throat. The metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils.

Jace went clawed and lashed at Corban—slicing at his eyes, his muzzle. The wolf hung on grimly. Black spots swam before Jace’s eyes. He shoved his thumbs into the corners of Corban’s mouth near his molars and managed to open his jaws enough to pry him off. He threw the wolf against the wall and scrambled to his feet.

He swayed, dizzy from the blow to his head, one thought in his mind: Evie.

Corban rose to his feet. Somehow Jace got out of the bathroom ahead of him. He slammed the door shut, trapping the wolf inside.

Where the hell were Sam and Horace?

“Attack,” he roared. “We’re under attack.”

The hall remained ominously silent. He gripped the bathroom doorknob, holding the door closed as Corban slammed repeatedly against it, trying to break out.

Jace’s chest heaved. The black spots returned, threatening to blot out his consciousness.

Corban went silent. Then the doorknob jerked. He was trying to turn it with his teeth.

Jace clenched his jaw and willed the black spots away. He was aware of blood running down his chest from the gash in his throat. But he had to hang on long enough to sound the alarm. With Sam and Horace apparently down, he was Evie and Kyler’s only hope.

He tapped his quartz and said a brief prayer of thanks when Adric responded immediately. “What’s up?”

“My den,” Jace rasped. “Under attack. Corban is inside. I’m hurt, and I don’t know where Sam and Horace are.”

He inhaled—and caught a stench of night fae.

“Fuck.” He wasn’t sure if he whispered or shouted it. He was sliding down a long, dark tunnel. “Night fae. In my den.”

Evie. Kyler.

His knees gave out and he sat on the floor with a thump. He swiped a hand over his eyes, trying to clear his vision. Was that a black wolf padding down the hall? But how? Corban was still in the bathroom, clawing at the door. The handle started to turn and Jace realized he’d released it.

“Hang on, bro. We’re on our way.” Adric’s voice.

“Hurry,” he mumbled.

The wolf in the hall shifted to man, and Kane Savonett loomed over Jace.

“Bastard,” Jace mouthed.

Kane grabbed Jace’s quartz and he jolted in pain. But that was nothing compared to how it felt when Kane pulled the quartz off him.

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