“I thought so…” The witch’s nearly purring voice said. “I knew your weakness.”
A rush of wind filled that second-story room. Allison caught the sharp edge of the silver and ignored the pain when it sliced her flesh. “It’s okay,” she whispered to Cade. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be—”
The wind rushed harder, beating on her like hands, and a wooden stake burst through her chest.
Allison didn’t let go of that broken knife. She glanced down and saw the bloody edges of the wood. The same wood she’d brought up to use as her weapon.
That rushing wind, it had been Elsa, using one of her spells…she’d moved faster than Allison could see. The witch had come up behind her and—
“Got your heart, bitch,” Elsa told her.
Allison yanked out the silver blade. She heard Cade’s fast inhale. He’ll be okay now. “No…” She managed to tell the witch even as every breath sent pain pulsing through her chest. “You didn’t.”
The makeshift stake had gone from her back all the way through the front of her chest, but the witch had shitty aim. She’d missed Allison’s heart.
Allison rose to her feet, swayed, but managed to stay upright.
Elsa scrambled back. “No, no!”
A stained glass window waited behind her, one designed to show the beauty of a blooming red rose. But with the moonlight spilling through that glass, it appeared as if the witch were surrounded by blood.
She would be, soon enough.
Allison stalked slowly toward her. Every move hurt, but she wasn’t giving up. Wasn’t stopping. Her hands, already bloody, caught the edge of that stake. Slowly, inch by inch, she pulled it out. Then she held her weapon gripped tightly in her fist.
“Why?” Allison asked because she had to know. “Why did you… come after me?” Her fangs were fully extended, and she wanted to tear Elsa’s throat wide open. I’ve become the monster…and I don’t give a damn. Not then. Then, she wanted the strength that being a vampire gave her. “I never…never would have…”
“You were going to kill me!” Elsa screamed, backing away even more. Her elbows bumped into the big, stained glass window. “I saw it!”
Allison shook her head. That small move had the room spinning. Blood soaked her clothes.
“I tried to change it…” Elsa glanced around the room with bright, almost feverish eyes. “I have to change it.” Then she glanced over her shoulder, back through the stained glass, and the witch started to laugh. “The moon’s not full…it’s not time yet! You can’t kill me!”
Watch me. Full moon or no full moon, Elsa was dying. Allison wasn’t gonna give the witch another chance to attack.
Behind her, Allison heard bones snapping and popping. Cade. Shifting. Healing. Her breath eased out slowly. He’ll be all right.
Elsa wouldn’t be. “I am going to kill you,” Allison told her quietly, hands fisting. “You won’t get out of this house alive tonight.” She wouldn’t give Elsa a chance to come at her again or to come at Cade.
“I had to save myself!” Elsa’s face flushed bright red as they faced off. “The mirror—I saw what you’d do! I saw—”
Screw the mirror. “You made this happen. You started it all. But I’ll end it.” Then, using every bit of strength that she had left—which wasn’t a hell of a lot—Allison jumped forward, diving right for Elsa. She shoved the stake at Elsa’s chest. “My turn.” The stake sank into Elsa’s flesh. Then Allison grabbed the witch, and she shoved her back into that stained glass window as hard as she could.
The glass shattered, raining down to the ground, and as Elsa fell, Allison yanked her hands back.
But the witch didn’t let her go. Elsa’s hands had clamped around her, and Allison was too weak then to break free. She’d used her last bit of strength in the attack and—
Elsa pulled her through that broken glass. The shards sliced into Allison’s skin. They fell, glass covering them, surrounding them, and the wind whipped past Allison’s body.
Then they hit the ground.
***
When Allison went through that window, Cade leapt after her. He’d just shifted back to human form, and he rushed for the window as quickly as he could, bellowing her name.
Not fast enough.
So when the witch pulled her through, Cade followed them right down to the ground below. Their bodies hit the earth with a sickening thud, and he leapt down just behind them, his knees barely buckling when he landed on his feet.
Glass littered the ground. Blood stained the earth. “Allison?”
She was face-down, half on top of the witch. His heart froze in his chest. He stepped closer. “Allison?”
At his voice, her head rose slightly, and his heart started to race in his chest. He could see the blood on her cheek. The scratches. She pushed up slowly as she stared down at the still form of Elsa.
The witch hadn’t survived the fall. Maybe it was the stake in her chest that had killed her. Or the twisted angle of her neck. Either way, Elsa wouldn’t be hurting them or anyone else ever again.
He reached for Allison and lifted her gently into his arms. He noticed that, hell, yes, dammit, his hands were shaking. Fear. “Don’t ever fucking do that to me again.” He’d seen the stake go into her chest. Had thought for one lost, desperate moment that she’d been dying.
Won’t lose her.
He pulled her closer. Held her tight. He’d seen what waited in the mirror. What the future held for him and—
“Werewolf.”
And the fucking vampires were back. Could no one just leave them the hell alone?
Snarling, Cade pushed Allison behind him. He’d deal with these jackasses and then get her some place safe. Warm.
Then he’d make love to her all night long. Until he forgot what it was like to fear that death could steal her from him while he was helpless to do anything but just watch her die.
One leap forward, and Cade had his claws at the big, blond vampire’s throat. Cade knew the lead asshole when he saw him. “Ready to lose that head?” One swipe, just one, and he’d be rid of the bastard.
“I’m not here…” The vampire didn’t seem particularly afraid. Obviously a dumbass. “To hurt her…or you.”
Bullshit.
“Elsa said…” The vampire swallowed and Cade sliced his throat, a small, warning slice. More would come. “She said you were the threat…that you were sent to kill Allison.”
Plans had fucking changed. Everything had changed for him from that first moment in the alley, when he’d looked into bright blue eyes and realized that he still had part of his soul left.
A soul and a heart. He should have killed her, but Cade had only come alive when he met her.
Allison slid her small hand over his shoulder. Cade forced himself to take a breath. The urge to strike was so strong that he trembled but…
But the vampire wasn’t making any move to attack.
“You got your Intel wrong,” Cade snapped. Okay, fuck, he had been hired to kill Allison, but that plan had changed day one. He’d become the man who’d stand between her and any threat that might be out there.
Kill her? Hell, no. He wouldn’t even so much as bruise her skin. Right then, all he wanted to do was take her away, give her his blood, let her heal—
Then make love to her until he stopped being afraid that she’d slip away from him.
Death, you can’t have her. So fuck off.
“No one takes her from me,” he said, the words a vow. He hadn’t found her just to lose her. Wouldn’t happen. If he had to behead this vamp to prove it…
He was ready to slice.
“I mean her no harm.” Blood dripped down the vampire’s throat. “I thought…that night in the alley, I thought you were the threat.”
“He wasn’t,” Allison said as her fingers pressed against Cade’s shoulder.
Her voice was weak. She needs blood. His blood. But as much as he wanted to turn and scoop her into his arms, he didn’t move. Not yet.
Cade kept his hold on his prey.
The only good vamp…
“I have no quarrel with you, werewolf,” the vampire told him. The guy’s cronies had come outside, but they stood just in front of the house, wisely deciding not to interrupt right then.
Smart. They might keep their heads.
“I know who you are,” the guy went on. “And I know what you did to that nest in Oregon who made the mistake of fucking with your pack.”
The rage built within Cade.
“If you hadn’t killed them,” he added, “then my team would have. We don’t tolerate rogue groups, and we’re sure as hell don’t make a habit of torturing children.”
The guy looked sincere.
But vampires could lie.
As easily as witches. Werewolves.
Humans.
All were good. Bad. None were perfect.
Allison stroked Cade’s shoulder. “You might know us, but who the hell are you?” She wanted to know.
Cade risked a glance her way. Bruised, bloody…so beautiful. The dumbass vampire probably thought so, too.
“Charles Crawford. I’m on the Northwestern Vampire Council.”
Big deal. Vamps and their councils. He knew all about them. The councils were supposed to keep the vamps in check. Stop them from killing humans.
Keep ‘em on a leash.
From what he’d seen, those fancy councils did jack and shit.
Crawford glanced at Allison. “I was sent to protect you.”
“Then you arrived a bit late to the party, buddy,” Cade drawled. “Very late.”
Crawford’s jaw clenched. After a moment he said, “I vow that I won’t hurt her,” the vampire said, “or you.”
He’d like to see the fool try.
“Truce?” The vampire asked.
Oh, that grated and—
Allison swayed beside him. Cade lunged for her and caught Allison just before she would have fallen. Her skin was ice cold.
Her eyes were closing.
“No, sweetheart, don’t you even think of leaving me.” He held her gently, like the fucking precious thing that she was. He cradled her head and pushed her toward his throat. “Drink, Allison.” Take everything you need.
Because he wasn’t letting her go.
Chapter Nine
A gasp came from a few of the assembled vamps when Cade offered his neck to her. Yeah, he got it—werewolves didn’t usually offer themselves up as food to a vamp. He sure as hell wouldn’t to anyone but her.
He felt the press of her small fangs against his skin, a quick slice that was too fast for pain, then a surge of pleasure hit him as she began to gently suck on his neck.
He held her tighter and lifted her easily in his arms. As she drank from him, he faced the vampires.
Crawford watched him with blood still dripping down his own neck. Mild curiosity lit the vampire’s eyes. “So…it’s like that.”
“She’s mine.” And he was hers. Forever.
Crawford inclined his head. “Do you know…” He seemed to hesitated, but then he asked bluntly, “Have you taken her blood?”
Same old song and dance. “We both know werewolves can’t become vampires, so don’t worry, I’m not about to turn.” He tensed when Allison’s tongue licked over his skin. What he wouldn’t give to be alone with her then.
“You won’t turn…” Now Crawford’s eyes had narrowed. Filled with speculation. “You’ll just become…more.”
He already knew that. He’d seen his future in the mirror.
Allison’s tongue swiped over his neck once more. “I’m okay,” she whispered. “You can put me down now.”
He rather liked her where she was.
“There’s another vampire and werewolf pairing, down South.” Crawford motioned to his men, and the others began to walk away, back into the darkness that surrounded the old home. “He’s become more, too.”
“More?” Allison asked, voice stronger.
“Your blood will make him stronger,” Crawford told her. “As long as he has you, he’ll always be stronger, faster…”
Immortal.
Cade had seen all of this in the mirror. Elsa had thought that he’d see his death. That he’d see his body withering away over time while Allison stayed young forever.
He hadn’t seen that. He’d seen them. Laughing. Loving.
His life didn’t have to be a walking nightmare. With her, it could be more.
With her, he was already more.
But even if his power had faded, even if they’d only been offered a few years, he would have taken those years.
Taken them and counted himself damn lucky.
“Maybe our kind can help each other…” Crawford murmured with a slight nod of his head. “Maybe.” He stepped back. “I’ll send a team to…clean up this area.”
Nice code for body clean-up.
“And if you two should ever need me, I’ll be close.”
“Not too close,” Cade warned him, the power of the wolf rolling in his voice. “I’d hate to behead you…on accident.”
The vampire nodded at the warning, but his eyes were on Allison when he said, “Despite what you may think, we’re not all evil. I can help you.”
Cade’s back teeth clenched.
Crawford laughed. “I said help, wolf, not screw. I’m really not that eager to feel your claws at my throat again.”