Page 78 of Hot in Witch City
“Don’t listen to him,” I croaked, my voice hoarse from Jakob’s pressure on my neck. “He’s lying.”
Sebastian widened his stance and circled before Jakob. With his shoulders raised and arms wider, he appeared larger and broader. A virulent, sexy predator.
“Untie her or get the hell out of my way,” Sebastian seethed. A low warning groan followed that seemed to vibrate from deep within his chest.
With his dominant stance and determined glare, as if ready to tear into anyone to protect me, I’d never been more drawn to him—or anyone. He was the hottest fuckin’ being I’d ever seen.
Jakob dropped his head back and sniffed. “I smell your fear, little wolf.” His lips curled into a sneer.
Max entered the room and assessed the scene.
“Yes, I’ll untie her,” Jakob agreed.
Wait, what? Something was up. Why would Jakob suddenly cooperate?
“Sebastian, be careful,” I warned.
Of what, I didn’t know. In the next heartbeat, a flash of brightness blinded me, followed by smoke. I choked on the cloying scent, and it scratched at my already raw throat. Someone worked on the rope, untying me from the door handles and then dragged me outside. My heart leaped with relief. Sebastian must have gotten to me.
The rough yanking wasn’t like Sebastian’s gentle touch. When my vision cleared, my gut dropped. It wasn’t Sebastian, but Jakob. He and Max were outside, dragging me to the dock. That’s when I realized my wrists were still bound—and Sebastian was on the floor inside, choking.
“What did you do?” I cried. My attempt to claw at Jakob failed, so I tried to kick him. At least my legs weren’t bound.
He evaded my kicks and laughed. “You sheltered siren. Haven’t you ever encountered dark magic?”
Sebastian brought himself to his feet, dragging himself forward as he coughed and gasped for breath.
His body shimmered and vibrated as he rushed out the open doors toward us.
“Let’s go, wolf,” Jakob taunted as he ran toward Sebastian.
Gray fur sprouted from his body. As he leapt, his body shifted shape, contorting to a four-legged form covered in gray fur. When he landed on Jakob on the sand, Sebastian was fully in wolf form.
As they rolled on the ground, electric blue sparks shot from Jakob’s hands. Sebastian gnashed at Jakob. A spurt of blood sprayed out, marring Sebastian’s beautiful fur.
“Sebastian!” I cried out.
Max dragged me down the dock out over the harbor.
“Where are you taking me?” I demanded.
“Shut up.”
Headlights passed by my eyes, blinding me momentarily, as two cars pulled up.
“Shit, they’ve found us,” Max shouted at Jakob.
Who?
“Get rid of her,” Jakob shouted while grappling with Sebastian.
Sebastian growled and attacked Jakob with more frenzy.
Max led me farther down the dock. He looped an anchor tied to a rope around me and taunted, “How tragic that a big, bad wolf afraid of water falls for a siren.”
Jakob pulled away from Sebastian and laughed. “Just like in those old tales, she’ll lure you to a watery grave.”
Sebastian ran to us. But not before Jakob dragged me to the edge of the dock and threw me into the dark water.
