Page 37 of Pooch Planet

Does this mean Antoine is already dead?

His chest tightened at the horrible thought, but he couldn’t stop fighting for the sake of his pups. He shook the water from his ears and snorted out the rest. This time when the vampire swooped toward him, it missed by several feet. His flight was sluggish, erratic. Antoine must have done some serious damage to the creature before he…

Don’t think about that.

At last, Benji’s throat was clear enough that he could break into a barking fit, the high-pitched sounds echoing through the night. Maybe the G-Force had soldiers nearby, could finish off the hideous creature that wouldn’t stop terrorizing them all.

The demon let out another garbled cry, then shifted to a bat. A horribly mangled, injured bat that was struggling to stay in the air as much as Benji was fighting to keep his head above water. As it wobbled its way toward the waterfall, a gargoyle with flashing red eyes, webbed wings, swishing tail and extended claws—swooped down on the bat and ripped it in two.

Antoine!

His mate flung the pieces of the beast on either side of the embankment, but the instant the bat-halves hit the ground, they ignited into a puff of fire before disintegrating into dust.

“Benji!” Antoine bellowed in his gargoyle voice.

His mate descended on him with claws retracted, then scooped Benji out of the water, cradling him in the safety of his arms. Antoine landed on the ground a ways from the waterfall, as if avoiding the area the vampire remains had tainted.

Antoine shifted back into his human form and so did Benji. He instantly questioned his decision as his teeth chattered and he shivered from the cold.

“Sweetheart, you should’ve stayed in your dog form.”

Antoine rubbed Benji’s arms and back with vigor, while also seeming to check him for injuries. His touches were filled with desperation as he searched Benji’s body. Antoine framed Benji’s face with his palms, locking gazes with him.

“Did that thing scratch you? Bite you?”

Benji shook his head. “No. It was fumbling around, like it had lost its equilibrium or something.”

“Good, good. Apparently, the poison from my claws damaged it enough to slow it down.” Antoine peppered kisses over Benji’s face. “Gods, I was so terrified. Your barking drew me here. Otherwise, I’m not sure I would’ve found you in time.” He choked on a sob. “I can’t believe how close I came to losing you. I should’ve left you at Shep’s, let you spend the night there.”

“Hey, everything’s okay. How could you know it would dare to attack a gargoyle? And anyway, you messed that thing up real good. I have a feeling it was already dying and wouldn’t have lasted much longer.”

Benji wasn’t sure that was entirely true. While he believed the demon had been at death’s door, Benji was also certain he would’ve been a goner if Antoine hadn’t arrived when he had. But he couldn’t stand Antoine beating himself up the way he was.

Antoine stroked Benji’s head. “Such a brave pooch.” He pressed his lips to Benji’s temple then glanced around the area, his brow creased. “Strange, though.”

Benji nuzzled Antoine’s neck. “What’s strange?”

“Well, it had already changed into a bat, was flying away from you and toward the waterfall when I spotted you both.”

Benji angled his head back from Antoine. “Oh, yeah. I think it’s because it’s lair was somewhere inside the cliff face behind the falls.”

Antoine shook his head. “Damn. This whole time.”

Benji gasped as the coppery scent of blood hit his nostrils. Now that he wasn’t held so tightly in Antoine’s hold, the smell couldn’t be hidden. Antoine groaned the moment Benji ran his fingers over his ribs, blood seeping from a good-sized chunk of flesh that was missing from his side.

“Oh no! You’re hurt!”

Antoine tugged Benji’s hand away from the wound then entwined their fingers. “I’ll be fine. But first, we have to get you back to camp, get you warmed up.”

“Warmed up?” Benji huffed. “Try getting you to a doctor!”

Benji drew his eyebrows together, noticing that Antoine’s lids were drooping, his grip around Benji’s form no longer as strong. Antoine blinked then wobbled a bit before jerking to attention.

Oh no.

“Come on, Antoine. We need to get going.”

Antoine seemed to snap out of his lethargy. “Yes, it’s too cold for you out here. Come on, let me carry you and we’ll fly back to camp. It’ll be much quicker that way.”

“Uh…” If Antoine passed out while they were mid-air, it’d be ‘see ya’ for them both. He’d hate for them to plummet to their deaths after gaining victory over a vampire. “Why don’t we try walking? It’s not too far.”

Antoine rose, wobbling again and fear tugged at Benji’s heart. He’d never be able to carry Antoine.

“You’re probably right,” Antoine slurred. “I’m feeling a little…”

Antoine fell to his knees then tumbled over, out cold. Benji let out a whimpering cry then checked for Antoine’s pulse. He put his ear to Antoine’s chest and was relieved to hear his heart still beating. But he could also hear how little air he was taking in, that the precious oxygen wasn’t completely filling his lungs.

Benji shifted then raced to the Federation camp, a rapid-fire mantra repeating over and over in his head.

Don’t die, don’t die, don’t die…