She squared her shoulders and faced the windowpane. Normally she preferred to be all silent and stealthlike, but when in Rome . . .
She kicked out her leg and was about to aim it dead center toward the glass when she saw a something fly past the window. The wall shook from the force of the hit and a large shadow stopped inches from her, its breadth huge on the other side of the curtain.
Ana wasted no time. She busted through the glass and rolled into a defensive position as shards rained down upon her. A sharp crack of pain split her skull, most likely from the fist that was attached to the asshole who lifted her body several feet into the air. She was thrown up against the brick wall as if she were nothing more than a rag doll.
Son of a mother . . . the pain was immediate and severe.
Long fingers dug into her shoulder before she had a chance to react. Ana saw a mess of red hair and tumbled limbs on the floor. Damn, but she better be alive.
She tried to twist from the intruder’s grip, but even with her enhanced strength she was no match. Once more she sailed through the air, over the bed, to
land on the floor with such force that several pictures fell from the wall.
She jackknifed her body and leapt up as her fangs slid from her mouth. A tall demon faced her, his face set in a toothy grin. He was in human form, though how long that was going to last was anyone’s guess.
“Are you a fucking moron?” she shouted, angry that she’d been tossed about by a douche bag whose intelligence level looked to be subpar. Her jaw was killing her almost as much as her shoulder, and blood dripped down her face from the corner of her temple.
The demon’s smile widened and she snarled in answer, her gaze moving beyond him to the now-stirring form on the floor. The woman groaned softly, and the demon paused.
She couldn’t reach the girl before the demon. Jesus fuck! Where the hell were Declan and Ransome?
Ana grabbed a lamp from the table beside the bed and whipped it at the demon’s head. It ricocheted off his skull with such force that it embedded into the wall beside him.
The demon turned its yellowish eyes onto her. Its face was contorted—the change was starting—it growled loudly and rushed forward. Ana leapt over the bed and met the bastard halfway, her booted foot aimed for the soft spot between its legs.
She connected hard and jabbed her long fingernails deep into its jugular as it roared in pain. The demon’s legs buckled slightly but it recovered and its arms slid around her shoulders like a noose, its poisonous talons digging into her flesh.
She screamed in agony and hissed as it began to shake her but she didn’t give up. She tried to crush its larynx while digging into its skin, all the while avoiding the poisonous spittle that was now dripping from its rapidly changing mouth.
Where the hell were the boys?
The demon roared and yanked her by the hair as it peeled her away and threw her once more. Ana landed hard near the girl and blinked rapidly as she stared up into the palest blue eyes she’d ever seen. Blood ran in rivulets down the woman’s forehead, teasing Ana with the sweet scent.
The woman was dazed and shook her head. Her eyes widened, focused behind Ana, and she tensed.
Shit. Ana grimaced as she was grabbed and yanked into the air once more. The woman yelled and tossed a deadly blade at her.
Ana’s fingers gripped it hard and she bucked her body with all her might, twisting in the air like a gymnast. The demon grunted as she soared overhead. She screamed and landed, arms outstretched, the blade cleanly slicing through the bastard’s head.
A gurgling sound escaped its mouth and then the head toppled forward. Ana sidestepped the carcass and stumbled. Her eyes were unfocused and she felt dizzy.
The door to the bedroom crashed open and she swung around, pushing a mess of long auburn waves behind her shoulder.
Now they decide to show. She hissed at them, pissed off. “Your nose is defective, wolf. Do you want to explain to me how in the hell you didn’t smell that?” She pointed to the demon corpse.
Declan was at her side in an instant, his hand reaching for her. She yanked away. “Don’t touch me.” The rage and anxiety she felt wasn’t rational. This she knew, and at the moment she didn’t trust herself.
Ransome arched a brow. “Sorry, the demon must have been charmed. I still can’t smell him.” The wolf glanced around. “So where is she?”
Ana turned abruptly.
The space where the girl had been was empty.
A strangled sound fell from Ana’s lips and she cursed.
“No worries.” Ransome was near the window. He turned back to the two of them. “Her scent I can follow easily. I’ll meet you back at the Lounge.” He stripped the clothes from his body, shifted into his animal form, and jumped through the window.
Ana’s body trembled. “I’ll see you there,” she said hoarsely, wincing as another wave of hunger swept over her.