He’d die before he let that happen.
The wolves broke apart, bleeding. They resumed their circling, intent on each other.
“Bettina, put the gun away,” the other bodyguard said. “You can’t kill them. They can’t even kill each other.”
His admonishment didn’t appear to faze Bettina. Mouth pulled back in a grimace eerily similar to the wolves, she leveled her pistol on the white wolf.
Colton was betting she had silver bullets.
As she sighted her gun, again the wolves sprang at each other, teeth snapping.
Bettina frowned. Her steady hold on her weapon wavered.
The other guard moved stealthily along the back wall, heading for Bettina. When he rounded the back wall, his foot connected with something, making a sound.
Bettina spun and shot him. He didn’t even have time to scream. Shot through the heart, he died instantly.
Colton wondered if she’d kill him next.
But paying Colton no heed, once again she tried to draw a bead on the ivory wolf, waiting for them to break away. Still locked on each other, black fur melded with white. And blood. So much blood.
Finally, they sprang apart. Spent, sides heaving, they stood separated by a few feet, each gathering strength for another attack.
Bettina grinned. She raised her gun. Squeezed the trigger and fired.
Colton’s guard shot her.
Screeching, she jerked and fell. While the guard’s attention was on her, Colton body-slammed him. The man went down, his head cracking on concrete, very still.
Colton grabbed his gun and pivoted, hoping he wasn’t too late.
But just as Colton was sighting, the black wolf staggered and reeled backward. Leo crashed to the ground, limbs splayed, and lay unmoving in a pool of rapidly spreading crimson.
Bettina’s shot had found a mark.
Panting, the white wolf swayed, but stayed on her feet, sides heaving, eyeing the fallen wolf.
Colton went to him, checking for a pulse.
“He’s dead. Bettina must have had silver bullets.”
“I did,” Bettina grunted, trying to sit up. “I wanted to kill her, too, and then you. Roy wasn’t supposed to die.” Moving jerkily, she tried to rise. She crouched halfway up, bleeding profusely, pushing herself up on her knees, clawing at air. Before Colton knew what she meant to do, she dove for the guard she’d killed, sliding on blood-slicked cement. She went for his weapon, coming up triumphantly with it in her hand. Squinting, she brought up her gun and tried to aim at Colton, knowing regular bullets wouldn’t kill Jewel.
Colton charged her. Reaching her before she could take aim, he knocked the weapon out of her hand. She tried to hit him, but collapsed instead, twitching and moaning in pain.
He turned. Behind him, Jewel made a sound. Again the swirl of lights surrounded her as she quickly changed back from wolf to human. Panting, she grabbed up her bloodstained clothes and dressed, watching him warily.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
She shrugged. “A little. Shifters heal fast. I’ll be all right.”
“She didn’t shoot you?”
“No.” They both looked at Bettina, who’d passed out. “You’d better call for an ambulance.”
He reached in his pocket for his cell phone and dialed 911.
When he looked up again, Jewel was gone.
