Page 47 of Destined Prey
Ernesto did it, too, and the wolves stopped as if they’d run into an invisible wall.
Jack didn’t blame them. Ernesto’s howl was frightening.
Casey shifted first. He held an arm out to his side, a silent bid for his pack to stay behind him, Jack assumed.
“What—” Casey’s voice cracked. He cleared his throat. “Whatareyou?”
Ernesto sighed like he was sick of that question, and maybe he was. He picked up another carcass. “The thing about you all being a new breed of shifter is you’ve had no one to teach you about your history. Well, notyours,since y’all are the first generation of coywolf shifters. But shifters, period. I guess neither of your folks did it because they knew you’d not belong to either of their species. Doesn’t mean the past doesn’t apply. And to answer your question—” Ernesto walked up to Casey. “I’m a Barghest, a hellhound, a Terrible Thing, and there are no others. I was created from a nightmare, and my place in this world is all that keeps me here. Someone has to keep psychotic shifters in line.” He laughed and walked away from Casey, eyes gleaming in the moonlight, his smile big, his teeth white. “Iamthe monster under the bed that keeps all the little shifters from going down the wrong path.”
No one said a word as Ernesto resumed his task. “Now everyone’s going to be scared of me. I hate that. It was nice when I was just a guy working for you, Rhett. I liked that a lot. I’m not always a monster.”
“It’s a hard thing to forget, what I just saw, Ernesto,” Rhett said. “I’ll try to keep it separate from your job, though. Just, it might take a few days.”
“I’d appreciate it.” Ernesto nodded at Rhett.
Ben’s other siblings shifted on some silent command from Casey, or just because they wanted to.
One of them edged around Casey and the others. “I’m not scared. I’ll even help you.”
“Robin, get back here,” Casey ordered.
Robin hesitated, then walked toward Ernesto. “No, I’m not going to do that. Someone should help him. It looks like he did a lot to keep Ben, Jack and Rhett safe.”
“And you, and your pack,” Ernesto added. “These things wouldn’t have stopped until they’d killed you all. They’d have made your kind extinct. I couldn’t allow that.”
“Thank you.” Robin cast a glance back over his shoulder. “For all of us.”
Ernesto hummed and went back to cleaning up the yard. “Might be easier on you if you shift, Robin. As humans, we can get more emotionally embroiled in death and fear.”
Robin shifted without a word, and Ernesto laughed, then he was back to being his monstrous wolf—Barghest—and it was Casey, Anne, Emil and Lacey’s turn to gawk.
Rhett slowly made his way down the porch steps.
“I think they’re more stunned that Robin didn’t act like a brat than they are about the Barghest,” Ben said.
Jack almost laughed, a choked sound escaping before he could stop it. In the middle of gore and terror, Ben could still find humor. It was grounding, that glimpse of normalcy, and it steadied Jack more than he’d admit out loud.
Jack didn’t know Robin so he didn’t comment, and he needed to tend to Rhett and Ben. “You said you had some scratches. Let me check them.”
“I’m fine. Shifters heal faster than humans.” Ben held up his left arm. “See?” He touched a scratch. “This was a lot deeper when it happened.”
“You know, my ribs healed overnight after days of them hurting me,” Jack mused. “After you and I had sex. The first time, I mean.”
“Huh. Well, I’m glad you healed up. I don’t know…” Ben glanced at Ernesto. “I think maybe I’d like to talk to him in a few days, after I’ve had some time to process what he said.”
“I’m going to have trouble looking at him and seeing the same Ernesto I’ve known before this, but I think that’s what he needs,” Jack decided. “Now, you’re sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. Let’s see to Rhett.”
Jack saw that Rhett was talking earnestly, or heatedly, with Casey. He couldn’t hear them, but Rhett’s gestures were sharp and quick, conveying agitation at the very least. A pang of guilt twisted in his chest. He and Rhett had wasted so many years apart, and now every sharp word between them felt dangerous, like it might shatter what they were just starting to rebuild. He wanted to shout across the yard:Don’t screw this up, Rhett. Not now.
“We should go rescue him from your brother. Or vice versa.”
“Or let them work out whatever they’re arguing about.” Ben cupped Jack’s elbow. “I think they’ll be okay.”
Just then, Rhett cursed loudly and spun away from Casey. He moved faster coming back up the steps than when he’d gone down them. “Fuck it all. I need ibuprofen and a beer or three.”
“Let me check your head.” Jack followed Rhett in. “You’ve taken a couple hits to it today. I’m not sure beer’s a good idea.”
