Sunglasses at Night (Claws Clause 3)

Rafe tutted. He actually tutted. “You’re fighting the wrong side.”

“I’m not fighting any side. I’m fighting you.”

That time, Adam landed a punch that shot Rafe’s head over his shoulder.

Rafe shook it off before lunging, fangs first; seemed like he was done playing around. Adam avoided the hit, lashing out with his claws, a sense of satisfaction flooding through him when he caught the scent of rancid blood on the air.

Nightwalker blood.

Around him, he knew that the others were using the Claws Clause to follow Tabby’s lead and slay the vampires. There was no point trying to involve the police. Between Maddox Wolfe’s claim against the witch, and the laws that said being a man-eater Para was an automatic death sentence, nobody else was actually fighting. They were exterminating.

Adam knew he should be doing the same thing. And it wasn’t the cop in him that had him holding off on the kill. No. It was the utter need to make Rafe feel even an ounce of pain before he finished him off… that’s why he was slashing and punching, feinting and kicking out with his boot instead of grabbing for the dagger at his hip or the machete strapped to his back.

He couldn’t figure why Rafe wasn’t going for the kill, either. He gave as good as he got, ramping up the ferocity of his hits once Adam ripped him open, and it was only when Adam dodged another lunge that he realized his one advantage.

Adam wanted Rafe dead. But the Nightwalker? Unless one of Rafe’s lucky strikes had knocked the last of Adam’s sense out of his thick skull, he was almost sure that his nemesis was holding back. Kinda like he was hesitant to eliminate one of his own kind.

Adam was going to totally use that to his advantage.

Priscilla winked out of sight. He only noticed because her disappearance was marked with a flash that blinded him for a heartbeat, followed by an ear-splitting roar coming from Wolfe.

It was a distraction. Adam took advantage of that, too, cracking Rafe so hard with his next pun

ch that he felt it when his eye socket and his cheek shattered on impact. His hand throbbed—he threw so much force into it, he wouldn’t be surprised if he broke his own hand at the same time—and when Rafe tried to retreat, Adam let him.

And that’s when Priscilla came back.

She reappeared in another burst of light, so bright it lit up the evening gloom; so bright, he actually winced behind his sunglasses. An electrical surge rolled over them all, making Adam’s arm hair stand on edge, his teeth ache, and causing two of the nearest street lamps to surge then pop.

Darkness fell again. Thanks to his paranormal night vision, Adam could see clearly. He caught sight of Tabby holding her own against one Nightwalker, a headless corpse already behind her. Another two bodies lay strewn in the street, bloody stumps from where a wolf’s claws sliced it right off.

Minding her mate, Shea stayed back; Colt acted like a shield for her, taking out any Nightwalker that even flashed a fang in her direction.

Despite claiming Maddox Wolfe, Priscilla made no move toward him. She stood more than twenty feet away from the fighting. Wolfe was facing off against two Nightwalkers, Colt finishing up with another. Tabby was breathing heavily, a content smile on her face as she killed her second vamp. An oversized jaguar was limping around, favoring one paw, blood along its side and its muzzle. It hovered between the blonde witch and a twitching Nightwalker that lay sprawled out on the asphalt.

Like Shea, Virginia had stayed out of the fight. Travis—who must be the jaguar—guarded her the same way that Colt protected Shea. Knowing that Eva was safe in Colt’s Bumptown, Maddox tore through as many Nightwalkers as he could once he realized Priscilla was gone. As soon as she was back? He threw back his head and let free an unholy howl that caused even Adam’s knees to lock before loping toward her.

Rafe took the opportunity to jump back into the fight. He got in a lucky swipe, his claws tearing Adam’s side when he took his attention off the other Nightwalker for a split second too long. He countered by throwing an elbow at Rafe’s throat while reaching for his dagger.

Rafe choked on the strike when the power of Adam’s elbow nearly collapsed his windpipe. Gagging on it, he fell back, hissing through open fangs as the injury started to heal itself.

Adam’s hand closed on the dagger’s hilt. There wasn’t time to trigger the magic of the blade. He didn’t care, either. He just wanted to make sure Rafe saw Julian’s dagger before he finished the fight for once and for all.

He never got the chance.

Wolfe was gunning for Priscilla. To his right, Virginia had pulled something out of her pocket. Wearing a determined expression, the newcomer followed the same path Wolfe took, cutting right to Priscilla.

And that’s when the witch waved her hand and everything seemed to just… stop.

Magic crackled in the air. A popping sound followed, and the scent of something acrid and burning. Whatever Virginia held in her hand went up in smoke, overly bright flames filling the other witch’s palm.

She shouted, slapping her hand against the side of her jeans, putting the flames out.

The damage was done anyway.

“Thank you, witchling,” purred Priscilla, a coy smile tugging on her lips. “Why waste more of my diamonds when you so kindly provided them for me?”

Through gritted teeth, Virginia managed to say, “The spell won’t last. One way or another, I’ll collect the bounty on you. I vow it.”