“That would be a Direwolf Alpha you want to be nice to.” Damikan looked toward the woods. “The difference between good and evil is easy most times, Wolf. You’ll smell the difference.” He pointed to his nose.
I remembered the acrid stench from earlier. “Well fuck me.”
“No, thank you,” Damikan said. His tone was completely even.
Blades were drawn from several of the men’s backs, and then they took fighting stances. “These are my father’s elite guards,” Lucas explained.
“Why did he bring them?”
“My mother would allow none other. Believe me, you want only the best, and these are the best. Besides my brother and me, that is.”
Beings poured out of the woods, cutting off our communication. We were outnumbered six to one, but I noticed the men with the Cordells didn’t back away. My beast rose to meet the battle as I noticed one trying to slip past the battling vampires. Instant recognition hit me. This was the man who’d taken my mate from her dream state.
I stalked the vampire, effortlessly taking the head off one of the lesser vampires who tried to get in my way. Blood coated me, fueling the beast inside. I ducked to avoid getting hit by aheadless body. The smell of rotting flesh no longer affected me. My only goal lay feet from me, trying to gain entrance into the back of my club. I saw the being’s hand turn red from whatever protection had been applied to all the entrances, thanks to the vampires.
“Hello, little man,” I growled from behind Nigel Watson.
And he was a small man. Hell, my mate was taller than the male in front of me. Little man syndrome clearly rode this one.
“I’ll show you who’s the little man,” Nigel lashed out with his arm, trying to punch through my chest.
Laughing, I stepped to the side. Nigel’s eyes narrowed, then he clicked his fingers. Snakes slithered up from the ground. The concrete split beneath our feet, allowing the serpents to crawl toward their leader.
“What’re you gonna do now? Hiss and spit like a reptile?” I wasn’t sure how to kill something covered in snakes, but I wasn’t allowing this man anywhere near my people. When the first snake shot out like a missile, I caught it in one of my fists and ripped it in two. Nigel used the snakes like a gun, throwing them in rapid fire, too many for me to rip apart before they sank their fangs into my flesh. I roared in anger and agony.
Deciding to end the man, I launched myself across the space, taking Nigel by surprise, uncaring that the serpents continued to attack me. Slamming my fist into his chest, sinking my iron claws past skin and bones, intent on one thing. I could hear the man’s heart pounding like an offbeat drum. Ignoring the bites sinking into me, my hand latched onto the organ while my other hand held the back of Nigel’s head, keeping the man from sinking his teeth into my jugular.
“You can’t defeat me,” Nigel shouted.
I stared down, pulling my fist back. “The fuck I can’t,” I snarled, jerking the last inch out of his chest cavity. The black blood oozed around the heart. I tossed Nigel away from me.Damien and Lucas came toward me, the snakes falling off as their Master fell to the ground.
“Here, let me dispose of that,” Damien offered.
I let the Cordell twin take the thing from me. A feeling of lightheadedness swamped me. My knees buckled, making me hit the ground.
“Well, damn, boy.” Damikan came over and squatted in front of me. “This might hurt a little.”
Blood clouded my vision. I wasn’t sure what the hell the vampire king was talking about. Hell, at that moment, I wanted to lie down. Only the thoughts of reaching out to Laikyn one last time before I faded away kept me from doing so. Yeah, I knew I was dying, and damn if I wasn’t pissed. However, I knew I’d done what was right. We’d destroyed the vampires, and my people were safe.
“Goddess, save me from the mumbling of fools,” Damikan said.
I raised my middle finger, not realizing I’d been mumbling out loud.
White-hot heat bathed me. Searing pain followed, making me wish for my favorite bottle of hard liquor or two. I tried to raise my fists. Tried to push the men away from me. The absolute lack of power had me fighting the invisible bonds that held me. A growl unlike any I’d ever unleashed shook me to the core, and then I stood. The Cordell twins, along with their father, stood several feet away, along with the contingent of vampires they’d brought with.
“What the hell just happened?” I asked between my teeth, not recognizing my own voice.
Damikan gave a careless shrug. “I healed you. We are even.” I blinked, expecting to feel blood again.
“What exactly are we even for?”
“You saved my son. I saved you. We are even.” Damikan stared at me, dark eyes identical to his sons, and waited.
I held out my hand, then stared at the iron claws. I forced my body to shift back into human form. “Thank you,” I said, glad my voice was back to normal. I didn’t want to face Laikyn looking like a monster. Only a few of my pack had seen my other form. I wasn’t sure how she’d react if, or rather when she saw it.
“See, that is how a real leader reacts.” Damikan took my hand. “I have a feeling we will be seeing each other again. Until next time, wolf.” In a blink, my lot was empty save for Damien and Lucas.
The carnage left behind would take a miracle to clean up. I wasn’t sure how we’d explain it to the humans, let alone where we’d dispose of it all. “Alright, let’s get this done,” Lucas clapped.
