Page 71 of Redeemed
“I’m David, this is my sister Abby and our friend Cliffe.”
“Hmm.” He gives us each a once-over. If he thinks he’s going to embarrass naked wolves with his wanton gaze, he hasn’t spent much time with wolves. His cell phone rings, and though he murmurs, I can hear him pretty easily.
“Yeah, one of them says his name is David.” His gaze on me sharpens. “David Collins?” he asks louder.
Fuck. “Yeah.”
Another murmur, and my heart turns to stone. Whoever he’s talking to has said to bring me…somewhere, and to kill the others.
Nope. Not going to happen. “To me.” I give a sharp command. Abby and Cliffe respond before anyone else does. They crowd close. I clasp hands with both of them.
“What’d you…? Don’t be like that.” Percy pockets the phone. “Somebody get rid of the girls. Jacques only wants David.”
“There’s not an alpha in the world that’ll let you kill his packmates while he still lives. We all go or none of us do.”
Percy looks more irritated than anything else. “You’re going to fight me with your nasty human hand paws?”
Releasing Abby and Cliffe, I shift. It hurts like fuck, but the stink of scared vampire distracts me. None of the other shifters can take their animal form so soon. Even the hawk is back to being a scrawny dude with a beaky nose. I growl, low, letting my wolf take charge.
“O-kay.” The one in charge waves at Abby and Cliffe. “Shoot them now.”
I lunge at him, aiming for his ’nads. Abby and Cliffe take off, heading in different directions. Percy leaps away with vampire speed, so I run down the only strigoi who takes off after my pack.
“Stop him!” A gun goes off. Something punches me in the chest, a firebolt that knocks the breath out of me.
“Jesus, you were supposed to shoot him in the ass or something.” It’s probably the vampire, but the world has gone fuzzy. I’m on my belly in the sand.
“David.” Abby screams from very far away. Someone touches me, fingers digging into my fur. “Shift.” The hands shake me, making my chest hurt worse. “Shift so you can heal.”
It’s hard to breathe, harder to think. My wolf has no intention of letting go.
“Come on.” She smacks my muzzle.Abby.Only she’d…
“Shift!” The word is a scream and a sob.
My wolf howls, although the sound that escapes is more of a tired gurgle. Another pair of hands touch me. Pack. Calling me. Holding me. For the briefest moment, I picture letting go. The promise of peace is enticing, but…
Nah.
I draw another breath, my chest burning with effort. Nudging my wolf out of the way—gratefully, respectfully, but firmly—I shift to my human form.
Shifting might heal the wound in my chest, but every other molecule in my body is screaming.
Someone stands over me, someone wearing a pair of Italian leather loafers that probably cost $800, so it must be Percy. I inhale salt air. Pack surrounds me, warm hands on my bare skin.
“I’m just going to bring them all.” The nasal voice is sharp with either irritation or fear, and I’d laugh if I could.I should be annoyed. I’m the one who got shot, asshole.
“Look, he wasn’t supposed to be able to shift a second time. Lord knows what else he’ll do. If you want this David Collins person, you’re getting his friends, too.”
I’ve got one eye open but it’s too dark to see much. “Come on,” Abby says, tugging gently on my shoulders. “Sit up.”
It hurts, but I manage to sit. Abby’s got an arm around my shoulders and Cliffe is supporting me from the other side. My body is one big bruise, but I manage a glare for Percy. “All or none, boss.”
He purses his lips, fists on his hips like he’s posing for the cover ofHow-to-Homo Magazine.“If it’s not too much trouble, youallcan follow us to the car.”
Snapping his fingers at a couple of strigoi, he pirouettes and stalks off in the direction of the beach road. Abby and Cliffe work together to hoist me up. I’d feel better if I had some meat, raw or cooked, but it’s probably too much to ask if we can stop at In-N-Out Burger.
For my first time playing alpha, I fucked up in pretty spectacular fashion. If I pay attention, though, I might learn something useful.
