CHAPTER 5
Kathan
My eyes scan the darkened wilderness, searching for any trace of the feral vampire’s signature around The Growl, but there’s nothing. Maybe a faint scent, but that’s it. It goes cold before reaching the parking lot.
A frustrated sigh leaves me because I’m certain something is still amiss. My wolf is practically pacing in my mind, raring to explode out of my skin and start a hunt. I’m still not sure if we’d be going after a feral fucker or the girl, though…
Before I interrupted Rhys, Caylix and I received word from one of the pack enforcers that there’s a feral vampire sniffing around our territory, too close to the nightclub for comfort. With all the different supernaturals in and out, it’s prime hunting grounds for the ferals, who we hatingly refer to as feral fucks.
Shifters are naturally gifted with better eyesight and hearing but it’s nothing compared to the vampires, which means we need to be extra vigilant when hunting them, and Rhys is anything but alert right now. He’s half-heartedly checking our surroundings and the dreamy gleam in his eyes says his mind is elsewhere.
For some goddamn reason, he truly seems to like the pretty dark-haired girl from The Growl and for the life of me, I can’t understand why.
I mean, I can. She’s gorgeous with her almost pixie-like nose and daring blue eyes, there’s absolutely no denying that, but we know nothing about her. What if she’s a pretty little trap wrapped in an exquisite little package?
What if she’s a spy for the Witches Council?
It’s no secret they’re opposed to the shifters and vampires teaming up to tackle the feral issue. And why would they care? So far, the feral fucks haven’t attacked anyone in the city. Thanks to our efforts with the vampire leader to take them out, but the problem is growing rapidly, day by day, so it’s only a matter of time.
I’ve never seen the girl around before either, which is suspicious. After seeing her dance with Caylix and bewitch Rhys at the bar, I got the distinct impression she’s more trouble than she’s worth.
My wolf grumbles in my head and flicks his tail in agitation, letting me know he doesn’t agree with my sentiments. As much as I hate to admit it, my wolf seems to like her and he’s rarely wrong about people. The asshole is a great judge of character and the preen he shows me in my mind means he heard that thought too.
Some part of my brain registers this is probably a me problem and not a her problem, but I kick that thought away. There are more pressing matters to attend to. Plus, maybe I’ll find something to keep Rhys out here all night and he’ll forget about her by the morning…
“Come on, man,” Rhys whines. “If the feral fucks were here, they’re gone now. I really want to go find Rue again. There’s something about her…” He trails off and blows out a breath.
Yeah, something that’s going to get you killed. So much for him forgetting her.
Caylix’s wolf nods his head in agreement, mentally projecting, There’s a faint scent of one, but the trail runs cold right here. Whoever it was is gone now. Which, I’ve already gathered.
“See?” Rhys says and takes off in the direction of The Growl without waiting for us, knowing we’ll catch up eventually. “Hopefully, she hasn’t left. Or if she has… I’m heading to Rosie’s,” he says, waggling his eyebrows. Fuck, he’s like a dog with a bone. He’s not going to let her go.
Great. If he fucks her, he’ll become even more obsessed. Something tells me he’ll never let a girl like that go. She’s exactly his type. Doe-eyed with a silent sort of strength about her. Innocent. Nothing like me.
I scrub a hand down my face and follow them back to the club, my mood completely soured. I was really hoping to get to tear one of those bloodsuckers apart tonight to help ease some of my anger, but obviously that’s not the case.
We’re almost back when Rhys stops in his tracks and cocks his head to the side, listening intently to something. “Do you hear that?” he asks, face pinched in concentration.
“No.” I keep walking, ignoring his strange bullshit, until Caylix does the same thing. He’s sort of our “unofficial” leader, so for him to stop also, something must be wrong, but I still don’t hear anything out of the ordinary. There’s the thump of the music coming from inside, an owl hooting in the distance, crickets chirping, a scream…
A scream?
I jolt, instantly taking off in the direction the sound is coming from, the bloodlust already pounding through my veins. Caylix’s wolf sprints ahead of us but Rhys and I are right on his heels in human form in case we need to deescalate the situation. Can’t exactly talk as a wolf, unless you’re a part of the pack and can speak mentally, which is quite annoying sometimes.
The wails are growing softer, but they seem to be coming from Rosie’s motel. Shock tumbles through me when we round the corner to find a vampire with his fangs in Rue’s neck. Her body is pale as the bastard drains every drop of blood from her. “Well, I think we found the feral fuck,” I comment, mostly to myself.
Rhys picks up one of the large rocks lining the walkway and chucks it at the feral to cause a distraction. He removes his fangs from Rue’s neck to hiss at us, and Caylix takes the opening, tackling the asshole to the ground. The force of it instantly knocks the vampire unconscious. His head smacks the pavement with a sickening thwack. But even that won’t kill him. There are only two ways to kill a vampire. A wooden stake through the heart or removing their head. Rhys never slows, heading for Rue and wrapping his arms around her before she collapses.
Her eyes lazily flutter open, and she looks at him drowsily, whimpering. That sound sends a spike straight into my heart and I rub at the spot absentmindedly, ignoring the fact I feel an echo of it in my chest. Caylix shifts and moves to Rue’s side instantly, his jaw clenched as he surveys the damage. He’s barely holding in his rage. Since shifting shreds our clothes, and he’s stark naked, Rhys tosses him a shirt. One of us always tries to carry an extra. Shifters are used to being naked around one another, but others are not, and sometimes it causes issues.
Caylix shifts her and we get the first glimpse at her shredded neck. He bites his tongue to keep from growling and potentially scaring her. As it is, it seems like she’s barely holding on. “Shit, little witch, what’d you get yourself into?” he asks, and at the sound of his voice, her gaze flits to him. She manages a sad smile as he brushes a strand of hair out of her eyes, seemingly recognizing she’s safe now that we’re here.
Fuck. Of all the fucking people to be attacked, it had to be her. Even from here, I can see the faint silvery drip of venom leaking out of her wound. Every vampire carries it in their bites, the difference is the feral fucks have no control over it like the one’s hanging onto their humanity do. If Rue were human, we could just take her to the Vampire King for the transition, but she’s not…
Anxiety clutches me in its claws, crawling up my spine as the seconds tick by.
“We have to counteract the venom,” Rhys states, breaking the silence. He’s noticed the venom leaking as well and nods his head toward it. “She’s a witch so her magic will reject the change. Shifter saliva is her only chance.”
Anger bleeds into my system and my hands ball into fists at my side. “Do you even know what you’re saying, dude? If you give her your saliva, there’s a chance you’ll mate her! What if she’s a spy sent by the Witches Council?”
Rue hiccups and lets out a pitiful groan. She’s running out of time. Fuck.
Rhys’ eyes flash, his wolf at the surface, and narrows those golden eyes on me. “I don’t give a fuck. I refuse to let her die.”
Caylix studies the scene with a furrowed brow. I turn to him, hoping he’s still got sense left in him, but after watching them dance, I doubt it. Magic isn’t allowed in the confines of the club, but if I didn’t know any better, I’d say they were under a trance with the way they were drawn to each other. It’s the sort of magnetism that only happens in movies or books.
Am I jealous? Surely fucking not.
I’m so absorbed in my thoughts I almost miss Caylix’s next words. “—and if she’s not, the last thing we need is the Witches Council breathing down our necks for losing one of theirs in our territory.” His tone is as grim as I feel on the inside.
“Great. Both my packmates have lost their fucking senses,” I mutter. Logically, I know they’re right, but I can’t seem to stop fighting it. There’s more going on here than meets the eye and I want to get to the bottom of it before making any rash decisions.
I see it the moment Caylix makes up his mind. I’ve been his second in command for so long, I know him better than he knows himself some days. Same with Rhys. We’ve been as close as brothers for longer than we’ve been in charge. Caylix nods, his expression determined. “I agree with Rhys. Counteracting the feral fuck’s venom is the only chance she’s got.”
“Sharing saliva doesn’t always equal marking,” Rhys adds, even though he knows damn well what the process of taking a mate is. We bite our chosen with our canines to start the bond but sealing the wound with a lick is what completes the process. Shifter saliva is powerful. Nature always creates a balance. Vampires are given venom to turn, but a witches’ magic will reject the change, so shifters were gifted with healing enzymes.
“But there’s still a chance if that’s what fate decides,” I remind him, shooting a glance at the unconscious feral to make sure he’s still down. Caylix certainly knocked him out cold. “You need to think this through clearly. You need to know she could end up being… ours.”
“So be it. If that’s what fate decides for us, then I’m willing to take the risk to save her life.” His jaw is clenched, our pack bond sparks with his rage at the fact the feral slipped by us and got this close to her, not to mention that same dreamy gleam in his eyes. I know there’s no talking him out of this.
What if she’s our mate? My wolf projects inside my head, eyes flashing with something I can’t read.
My jaw clenches. “It’s too risky for all of us. We barely know the—” A delicious scent renders me speechless halfway through my sentence, and I realize it’s coming from Rue. “The witch,” I finish, still distracted by her smell. It’s heavenly, like honey and strawberries all rolled into one fine ass witchy package—one I want to savor if it wasn’t being tainted by the feral’s venom and his dank scent. It enrages the wolf in me. Damn it all.
Rhys’ golden eyes flash to mine, his protective instincts riding him hard. I’d be lying if I said mine weren’t too. Hell, I’m barely keeping my wolf at bay. The need rip into this feral fucker and tear him to shreds for touching her is almost overwhelming.
“We need to save her,” he says and turns his gaze to her, watching her shallow breathing. “We can’t let her die.” His face is pinched with panic as if the thought truly upsets him. How did this tiny woman bewitch my packmates so thoroughly in such a short amount of time? How did she rein us all in so quickly?
“He’s right, Kathan, and you know it,” Caylix says, his eyes swimming with worry as he focuses on the witch. Caylix is battling the same rage as I am as his wolf demands retribution for the witch being harmed, but he’s holding it at bay to focus on her.
I scrub a hand down my face. “Fine,” I acquiesce. “But can we promise not to move any further with her until we know her motives? We need to know who we’re getting involved with, lest we catch more fucking fleas.” They know exactly what I’m referring to.
“Done,” Caylix responds, and Rhys nods his agreement. Caylix shifts Rue in his arms gently, each movement as soft as he can, despite the rage simmering in his eyes, which is reflected in Rhys,’ and probably mine as well. “I’m sorry,” he tells her as he leans in, his tongue flicking out to seal the wound. And our fates.