Sunglasses at Night (Claws Clause 3)

If he could.

Though he itched to rush the Nightwalker flanking the witch, he could sense more than see a barrier that separated both sides. It was a ward, most definitely Paraproof. The witch wasn’t taking any chances. With such a welcome, she was shielding herself and her troops from Wolfe’s defense.

He could tell, too. Maddox Wolfe stopped in his pacing, and while Adam never would’ve guessed that Wolfe could control himself from throwing his linebacker-sized body at the ward, he was shocked to see Wolfe hold his ground.

“You shouldn’t have come.” His voice had gone unnaturally deep, a threat and a promise rolled into the harsh rasp as he pointed at the witch. “You avoided my wrath last year. There’s no limitation to what the law says I can do to you. By coming here, you’ve signed your death warrant.”

“You hurt my feelings, Mad,” Priscilla pouted. “You tried to kill me once and I still love you. Do you know how lucky you are?”

“I’m Alpha of the Eastern Pack. I have the best mate ever and, yeah, secret’s out, I guess. We’re having a pup. I know exactly how fucking lucky I am, and it’s no thanks to you, Cilla.”

“No. You only think that whore is carrying your pup. Once I finish what I started, you’ll finally see that you’re meant to be mine.”

Wolfe growled in obvious warning. Colt joined in, his snarl amplifying his brother’s fury.

The witch’s eyes flared, the lovely lavender shade lightening to a color closer to a shocking white. Against her caramel-colored skin and her dark, dark hair, it was enough to send a shiver down Adam’s spine.

“You stay out of this, Colt. You survived my spell once. Don’t be so arrogant to presume you will again.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” Colt flexed his hands, showing off the shifter claws that grew from his normally blunted fingertips. “It’ll be a pleasure helping Mad get rid of you once and for all.”

Priscilla snorted, unconcerned. “I told you. Stay out of this. Now, where’s the human? Where’s the woman who dared to try and replace me?”

“Nowhere you’ll find her,” taunted Wolfe.

“Give her to me and I’ll spare the rest of you for Maddox’s sake. Refuse me and you leave me no choice.”

“Do your worst, you heartless harpy,” snapped Colt, his temper getting the better of him. Adam was sure he had a worse insult for Priscilla, but since his mate was a witch, he dialed it back some. The murderous look twisting his handsome features? It said everything he was thinking and more. “You’ll never get to Evangeline.”

“Is that so?”

“I lost her once.” Wolfe stepped closer to the witch, his big body an unspoken threat. He hadn’t shifted—not yet—but the rough edge of his voice made it obvious who was really in control. “I will never let you take her away from me again, Cilla. I promise you that.”

“Huh. Then it seems I came all this way for nothing. And to think I could’ve just let my new friends take care of this for me.” Her sigh was long, drawn out, and overly dramatic. In a rush of air, warmth rolled over their side. Adam knew in an instant that she’d lowered the wards. “Kill them all,” she ordered the Nightwalkers, “except for the Alpha. He’s mine.”

Rafe Silverson licked his lips, silver gaze locked on Colt. The whole time he’d been standing at Priscilla’s side, Rafe never once took his attention off of him.

“And I’ll take the Beta,” he announced.

Ah, hell no.

It was bad enough that Rafe didn’t seem to recognize him. For months, Adam thought of little more than getting his revenge on the Nightwalker who did this to him. Turning into a nighttime vigilante, exterminating bloodthirsty Nightwalkers in the name of the Claws Clause… that helped. Meeting Tabby Winslow and getting swept up in her world, that had been an even bigger blessing.

He still needed to kill Rafe. He needed his revenge.

Of course, considering Colt assassinated Rafe’s king, it seemed the Nightwalker felt the same way about the shifter.

No.

The second the wards were down, Adam flew right at Rafe.

If he was disappointed that Adam engaged him instead of Colt, he didn’t show it. Instead, circling Adam as if trying to figure out where to strike first, he bared his fangs.

Adam leaped toward him, throwing punches as fast as possible just because he’d been dreaming of this for so long. It made him sloppy, though, and while the first two punches landed because the Nightwalker obviously hadn’t expected Adam to fight like a human—closed fists, hammered punches, his claws folded in, and his fangs clenched together—he easily dodged the next.

Rafe jumped back, a taunting smile tugging on his lips. He didn’t seem affected at all by the hits. “Really? Fighting your own kind? What kind of Nightwalker are you?”

It was thanks to Rafe that he was a Nightwalker at all. “Fuck you,” he grunted.