Page 72 of Depraved
The door of the next changing room collapses, and I know then that Thomas Stone is playing with us. He can scent us by now. He’s dragging this out, enjoying smelling our fear.
Behind me, Elena’s fingers tap frantically at her phone, but there’s no way anyone else can get here in time.
We’re dead.
That’s such an odd thing to think. Last time, I barely had a split second for regret, but now … adrenaline is a chainsaw blaring through my ears as I stare at the wood. Waiting.
My muscles clench involuntarily when an eerie scratch comes across our door.
I notice every nick in the woodgrain and wonder what my mother is doing right now. I wonder what Elena’s babies will look like. My heart pinches because I know that none of them will ever have my blue eyes. But it’ll be a cold day in hell before I let them have Thomas Stone’s.
The wood splinters, and a giant roar fills my ears. My limbs heat up, and I think Thomas has brought a blowtorch for a second.
But the heat is coming from my stomach, and it’s spreading up through my limbs. I glance down, wondering if I’ve been shot … and watch, in total amazement, as my arms stretch and morph … I grow dizzy, and the floor seems to get farther away.
My fangs erupt, and I bite my own lip.
As Thomas Stone breaks through the door, I lift my hands to find them curved into fur-covered claws. Monster claws.
Outrage cracks through me like a whip as Stone smashes through the door, and I take a swing at him before he can see me.
I slash at his chest, and my claws make contact. Vicious delight blinks on inside of me like a neon light as I carve into his skin.
My wolf snarls inside my head and says,Show him who’s beta elite.
But instead of reeling back or dodging my claws, the psychopath steps further into them.
He morphs in less than a second.
I have to think fast to shove at him.
I’m stunned when strength I didn’t even know I had sends him flying across the room, smashing into a rack of puffy tulle-covered dresses.
As he pulls himself to his feet, I step outside of the changing room, ready for the biggest fight I’ve ever faced. I’m going to save Elena or die trying.
19
BLACK
I crackthe phone in my hands as I stare at the text from Elena. A little white line darts across the words as the glass breaks.
Sorry I lied about my heat to get you home. I knew Thomas would come for me. He’s—
The text cuts off.
He’s what?
He’s fuckingwhat?
But I know. He’s there.
Wolf fur erupts along the back of my spine as anger and fear collide. Why did she lie? Why would she lie about that?
I want to crush the damn phone in my fingers.
But I can’t. Now I need it for the goddamned address of that place.
I approved her going to that stupid dress store because I didn’t want to make her feel like I did when we first met—trapped and tied up. I wanted to stay in that place we’d been after the warehouse, where she’d looked at me with soft eyes instead of hard ones. So I hadn’t gone with my gut. I hadn’t told her no.
