The realization was a spark of cold anger in her head that spread down her body to tighten her stomach. The muscles in her legs warmed with her new resolve. Trembling, she shifted slightly to fit her body to the wolf’s just so. He squeezed his approval. Then she brought her knee up fast and hard, with a lifetime of strength and technical accuracy behind it.
He yelped and recoiled, stumbling back a few clutched steps, hands at his groin. When he lifted his face, it was devoid of color, the faint veins around his eyes bleeding inky black with pain and surprise.
Annabella ducked out of her corner, but he blocked her passage to the door. “Somebody help me!” she screamed. They said she’d be safe here. Where was Rudy?
“Why did you do that?” the wolf ground out, straightening slowly.
“Stay back, or I’ll do it again.”
His eyes turned sad, confused. “But we could be so good—”
If he said “good” one more time, she was going to rip his “bridge” off him and shove it down his throat.
A light courtesy rap on the door, and it opened, Talia peeking her head in. “I’ve got your bag.”
Damn, not Rudy. Pregnant Talia. Annabella couldn’t have the one nice person in this place, and her babies, harmed because of her. “Get out, Talia. Now.”
The wolf’s head snapped toward the door.
Fear flickered over Talia’s features, a hand on her belly, but she didn’t run. Her expression hardened as she pushed the door open all the way.
“It’s the wolf, Talia, run!”
But Talia didn’t listen, her gaze fixed on the soldier. “You’re a creature of Shadow?”
“Yes,” he said, voice a murmured undertone. “What are you?” He drew the you out into a wolfish croon.
“Banshee,” she said.
Banshee? What the freak was that? Nothing made sense, and there was no time for an explanation. Not with him prowling toward Talia.
“Wolf,” Annabella called sharply, “you want me.”
“And I’ll have you,” he answered over his shoulder.
The room darkened perceptibly, the shadows gaining substance and thickness, layering the room. The bed light dimmed to a faint glow. Annabella’s breath caught and held until her lungs screamed.
“Go back to Shadow,” Talia commanded. Darkness whipped and snapped around her, the room filling with a kinetic energy.
“No!” the wolf barked, the sound ripped from a human throat.
“I said,” Talia’s voice took on shattering intensity, painful to the ears, “Go back!”
The wolf staggered, contracting as if sucker punched, then burst into a splattered cloud of flickering darkness, like a swarm of chattering moths. The shadows gathered into a dark, dense pulse, then rushed past Talia to skim the hallway out of sight, blending in the deep patches formed by obstructed light.
Annabella’s mind blanked for a moment. Her body complained for air and she finally exhaled, grabbing the wall for support and gulping deep. She almost crumbled to the floor, but Talia beat her to it, her knees cracking with impact on the linoleum. Annabella darted forward to catch her before she fell onto her swollen belly.
“Oh God. Are you okay?” Annabella put her arms around her, thinking to get her to the bed, but Talia groaned. The floor would have to do until help came.
“Con”—Talia choked on air—“traction.”
Not good. Not with two months still to go. “Help!” Annabella yelled down the hallway. To Talia she said, “It’s going to be okay.”
Talia brought a hand up, fingertips scarlet with blood. Her gaze turned to Annabella, fear in her soul-filled eyes.
“Deep breaths,” Annabella said with an exaggerated inhalation and exhalation in case Talia had forgotten how. “You’re going to be fine.”
“My babies.”
“They’re going to be fine, too. You’re already in the infirmary.” Annabella eased her to sitting on the floor. “You’re probably just in for a nice long rest. And a whole lot of bossing from your husband.”
Talia smiled weakly. Her eyes darted down the hallway. “You said he was a wolf.”
“I thought he was.”
“Talia!” A man’s voice.
Annabella looked up to see Adam pelting down the hall. He was on his knees at Talia’s back before Annabella could blink.
“The wolf’s in Segue,” Talia gasped. “Gone for the moment.”
“Where are you hurt?”
“The wolf didn’t touch her,” Annabella said. “I think it’s shock.”
Talia shook her head, tearing. “I used Shadow, but I’m not as strong pregnant. I couldn’t completely banish him.”
Shadow again. Annabella had thought Shadow was a place, but now it seemed like more. Something that could be used, manipulated. It was a crazy conclusion, of course, but she’d seen it with her own two eyes: Talia had darkened the room, filled it with churning shadows that obeyed her, and then drew on a strange power when she had yelled at the wolf.
“Shhhh.” Adam put his mouth to her hair, obviously struggling for control. “Love, you’re going to be fine. The babies are going to be fine.” He shifted her in his arms and stood. Annabella backed away so he could carry Talia to the bed.
Beyond the room, Annabella could hear the shouts of people, a rising commotion in the entrance to the infirmary.