To a future? A few days ago, Allison would never have thought that possible. But now…
What if she could have a future, with Cade?
That was sure as hell something worth fighting for.
But first…Allison caught the hand that he’d put to her cheek. She entwined her fingers with his. Stared deeply into his eyes. “I won’t ever let another vampire hurt you.” She needed to say this. To make him understand.
She wasn’t like the others. No matter what happened, she wouldn’t become like them.
And they’d damn well never attack him with silver again on her watch.
“So tough.” His smile had her heart jumping in her chest. “I think I’m rubbing off on you.”
“Maybe you are.” Or maybe the vamp in her was just developing her own killer instincts.
Kill to protect what was hers? Yes, she would. Because she was definitely starting to think of Cade as hers.
“Let’s find me some clothes,” Allison said. There had to be some kind of store around there somewhere, right? “Then we’ll hunt the bitch.” And part of her nightmare would end.
Then she could deal with what was becoming, had become.
A monster who wasn’t afraid to kill.
***
Tracking the witch wasn’t hard. Once they made it back to town, Cade made short work of finding Elsa’s scent trail. Actually, finding her scent was a little too easy. Elsa should have covered her tracks better.
He stared up at the old Victorian house near the edge of town. Lights glowed through the windows, firing out through the stained glass on the second floor.
He’d followed the scent of ash and power all the way back to this place. Elsa waited inside. But the witch wasn’t alone.
The scent of blood was far too strong.
Vampires.
His wolf pushed to break free.
Allison’s hand pressed against his shoulder. “What is it?”
He didn’t look away from the house. He’d wanted Allison with him because he’d been afraid Elsa would trick them and attack again. Leaving Allison behind to be a sitting duck hadn’t been his f**king plan.
But leading her straight into a nest of vampires wasn’t an option, either.
He inhaled, catching all the scents and said, “There are four vamps in there with her.” The scent of those vamps was so strong that it nearly overpowered everything else.
He caught the ragged sigh of her breath.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, they won’t be a problem for long.” Not once he ripped their heads right off their bodies.
Her nails dug through his shirt and into his flesh. “You can’t take them all on.”
The wolf was clawing to the surface now, determined to be free. “Watch me.”
She didn’t let go. Her hold just tightened more. “I don’t want you dying for me!”
He could think of worse things to die for but… “I won’t be dying tonight.” No matter what Elsa had planned, “And neither will you.” Then, because he had to taste her, just once more, Cade pulled her close. His lips took hers in a hot, deep kiss, and he knew he’d carry her taste with him when he faced the enemies who waited.
The only good vamp is a staked vamp.
Not his motto anymore. But those bastards who’d sided with Elsa? They were begging for death.
He pushed Allison back. The change took him then, hard, brutal, as bones broke and reshaped. He fell to the ground, body contorting, and fur burst along his flesh.
At fourteen, his first change had been a burning agony. Now, he hardly felt the pain at all.
In moments, a wolf stalked the ground, heading toward the house. Allison stayed behind him, following close. He could go in quiet, try to surprise the vamps or—
Or he could just tear them apart.
Cade leapt for the door. His powerful claws slammed into the wood and sent the door crashing inward. Before it had even slammed to the floor, Cade jumped away and swiped out at the vamps who rushed toward him.
One slash across the chest to the dark-haired jerk who attacked with fangs barred. Even as the guy screamed and stumbled back, Cade drove his claws into the chest of the vampire on the right. The red-head’s eyes widened as the claws jerked inside of him, and the scent of the vampire’s fear filled Cade’s nose.
Kill. Destroy.
“Don’t hurt the girl!” The vampire’s bellow seemed to shake the whole house. Cade dropped his prey and saw that a big, blond vampire was rushing down the stairs, with another vamp right on his tail.
Their fangs were out, bloodlust glowing in their eyes but—
A gunshot thundered and a bullet thudded into his flesh. From the red-hot burn, Cade knew he’d taken a silver hit. His head jerked toward the top of the stairs. Elsa smiled at him even as she lifted her weapon once more.
Now he knew where Griggs had picked up his silver bullet ammo. Figured.
Allison screamed even as Cade’s wolf form tore up the stairs. He slashed out and knocked the vampires out of his way. But those vamps, they weren’t going down easy. The blond shoved a knife into Cade’s back.
More f**king silver.
His body burned.
“No!” Allison’s shout. “Get away from him!”
He felt the vampire jump in surprise. That shift of focus, that second’s hesitation was all that Cade needed. His head twisted, and he sank his fangs into the vampire’s neck.
Another bullet thudded into him. Elsa’s laughter grated in his ears.
Won’t stop. Kill.
Then Allison was there. She punched at the vampires. Swiped with her own claws. “Let him go!”
The vampires didn’t fight her. They fell back—one actually fell off the stairs, and Cade raced toward the witch. She was still smiling, still holding up her gun—
“Cade, no!” Allison’s steps pounded after him.
The witch’s finger tightened around the trigger.
His hind legs shoved down, then pushed him high into the air as he launched toward her. The bullet fired, scraped right by his left-ear, and he slammed into the witch.
His claws sank into her flesh.
She didn’t scream. Just kept laughing.
“Cade, watch out!” Allison’s yell.
But the warning came too late. He’d been too focused on the witch. On the vampires. Their scents had been so strong that he hadn’t noticed—
A knife plunged into his back. The pain had a howl of fury and agony breaking from him. He rolled, swiping with his claws, and Griggs—fucking bastard Griggs—fell to the ground, dead.
But Cade fell, too. He couldn’t get up. His legs had gone numb, and the shift swept over him again in an uncontrolled rush.