Night Play (Dark-Hunter 5)

Chapter 13

Vane was behind the bar getting Cokes for himself and Bride while Colt razzed him.

"Now aren't you glad I sent you back to her?"

"Shut up, Colt."

"C'mon, wolf. I know you hate it. Say "Thank you, Colt."

"I'd rather stick" Vane's voice trailed off as something bright flashed onto the dance floor. At first he thought it was someone else joining the party until he realized the "human" couldn't stay in human form. He kept flashing from human to wolf and back.

He also recognized him.

It was Stefan.

Vane put the drinks down and leaped over the bar. He ran across the room to the wolf.

"Easy," Carson was saying as he laid the injured wolf against the concrete floor. "Can you stay in your base form?"

"Warn Vane."

Vane grabbed Stefan and used his powers to keep him human. "Warn me about what?"

Stefan was a bloodied mess. Someone had beaten him one step away from death. It was amazing the wolf was still alive. "Your mother" "Don't talk," he told Stefan. "Think it."

Stefan leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"She and her Sentinels killed Petra and Aloysius," Stefan said in Vane's head.

"I didn't want to die. I made a pact with her that if she let me live, I would bring her here to kill you and Fang."

Vane ground his teeth at that, but didn't do anything to interrupt.

"She was supposed to let me go. Instead when she learned Fang was in Sanctuary, she turned on me. She's coming, Vane. She may already be here."

"Whoa!" Kyle's voice rang out from the doorway that led to Peltier House.

"Everyone, come quick. Vane's little human mate is having a major smack down with some wolf chick upstairs. And she's winning!"

Bride was terrified. Her heart hammered, but even so she wasn't about to just stand there and let Bryani kill Fang.

She probably should have called Vane, but she wanted this over.

And she knew how to end it.

She hoped.

Bride threw open the door to Fang's room.

Bryani turned on her with a snarl. "Stay out of this. It's not your concern."

"Yes it is. You hurt my mate, you hurt me, and I'm not going to let you do it."

"I don't want to hurt you, Bride."

"Then leave."

Bryani threw her hand out and slammed her back into the wall. Bride's back throbbed at the impact, but it did nothing to loosen her resolve.

Bryani turned back to Fang and reached for him.

Bride grabbed the ladder-back chair and brought it down across the other woman's back. Bryani fell to her knees, then tried to blast her with her hand again.

Before she could, Bride shot her with a tranquilizer that she had grabbed in the examination room.

Bryani screamed and rushed her. They went slamming into the dresser.

"I'm really too old to fight," Bride said between clenched teeth. "And so are you!"

Bryani staggered back as the drug began to take effect. She used her powers to hit Bride with the lamp, but it fell to the floor before it could reach her.

"What did you do to me?"

"I drugged you."

Three seconds later, Bryani was sprawled out on the floor.

Bride went over to her and rolled her onto her back. Bryani's eyes were wide open and the woman stared up at her. Satisfied she had her tamed for a minute, Bride seized her mother-in-law and dragged her into the next room, where she locked her into a cage. There was a red switch at the top that said "lock."

Bride flipped it and hoped that would somehow keep Bryani from using her powers against her.

"There now," she said as she watched Bryani carefully. "I'm going to get Carson in a minute because I'm not sure if I gave you the right dosage. Believe it or not, I don't want to kill you. But please notice that I said I don't want to kill you. It doesn't mean I won't."

Bryani's hand moved.

Then again, it was just as likely Bride hadn't given her enough, which is why she'd locked her in the cage.

"Look, Bryani, I'm really sorry for what happened to you. I am, and I understand why you hate Vane's father. You have every right to. But that is between the two of you. It has nothing to do with Vane or Fang or Fury. They are your children."

"They need to die," Bryani gasped, letting Bride know she really hadn't used enough tranquilizer. "They're animals."

"Have you looked in the mirror?" she asked her. "Animals eat their young for no reason. Vane didn't try to kill you for taking me. He left you and your village alone. You're the one dancing through time to kill someone who has never done anything to hurt you. My God, you beat Fury, your own flesh and blood, and left him to die. How is that humane? Stop lying to yourself. You're not human, either, Bryani. Or maybe you are. God knows, humans have committed some of the most atrocious crimes imaginable against each other."

"Animals, like Fury said, only kill to protect and to eat. They're loyal to those they love. My heart was ripped out of my chest and stomped into the ground by a human. And it was Vane who came along and made me feel happy again. He picked my heart up and he cradled it carefully in his hands. I know he would never hurt me, not like that."

Bride's eyes teared up as she realized just how much she really did love her mate. "I guess if I have to choose between a human and an animal, I'm going with the animal. So be warned, Bryani. If you ever threaten Vane or his brothers again, I'm going to show you just how human I am. I will don my camouflage, hunt you down, and skin you while you scream. Do you understand me?"

A massive cheer rang out from behind Bride, startling her. Turning around, she saw the whole Peltier clan plus some others crowded in and around the doorway. But it was Vane who held her attention. The proud look on his face made her entire body hot.

"Damn, Vane, you got a hell of a mate there," one of the Peltier quads said. Bryani lunged at Bride. Her arm reached out from the cage as she tried to grab her. "You can't stop me, human."

"No, but I can."

Bride stepped aside as Acheron walked through the crowd to stand before Bryani. He crouched down near the cage and held her gaze with his. "I'm going to take you home, Bryani, and I'm going to make sure that you can never leave your time frame again. No more piggyback rides with anyone else."

Bryani gave him a sullen look.

"No," Ash said as if he could read her mind. "Alastor won't help again. Your contract is nullified."

"You can't do that," she growled. "He's not free until all of them have met their mates."

Ash gave her a taunting half-smile. "You should hang around the gods more often, Bryani. They've tutored me well on loophole laws. You see, all of your sons have met their mates. They just don't know it yet."