I sprung into motion, moving slowly but steadily along the bridge, towards the other side. I didn’t want a confrontation on top where I could end up going over the side. I couldn’t imagine who this werewolf was stalking me or why. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared shitless.
Judging the distance back to the Charger, I knew I’d never make it in time if this Were was intent on attacking me. Ever so slowly, I made my way down the other side of the bridge, grateful when my feet were back on solid ground. I could feel his energy grow stronger in its intensity as he advanced on me. I had yet to see him in the darkness. I could feel him though, getting closer with every step.
I tapped into the hungry power I held inside, bracing for the attack that I knew was coming. His scent was musky and strong, as if he had been in wolf form for a long time. I was praying he wasn’t on four feet now, or he would easily have the physical advantage.
We never saw foreign Weres in this town, not like this.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The shape that came across the bridge then seemed to be nothing but a blur. I gave a small cry, throwing my hands up, the power rushing from me so fast that I almost collapsed. The rush of gold and blue hit him dead on, throwing him back. I turned to run, sensing only one but fearing more than that.
I had barely made it ten feet when a clawed hand reached me, digging into my shoulder and down my back. I felt the blood spill from the gouges before the scent reached me. The adrenaline blasted through me so hard, I almost stumbled from the onslaught of it. I was afraid, but the bloodlust was quickly stripping that away, and I turned to fight him with all I had.
A snarl broke the silence, and everything seemed to speed up again. In the pale glow of the moon, I could see that he had long, dark hair, stringy and matted. His eyes seemed to glow deep amber brown, and his large fangs flashed as he rushed me.
My breath whooshed out as his weight slammed into me, taking me down beneath him. His fangs snapped just inches before my face, and I struggled uselessly to make my lungs work. I lashed out in defense, raining blows like bricks against his face. He seemed to be unfeeling as he took every one with little protest. His eyes were locked on mine as his clawed hands wrapped around my throat.
He squeezed so hard that my vision blurred and white spots danced before my eyes.
For a moment, I truly thought I was dying. The power of the undead saved me. It wasn’t afraid to die because it was already beyond mortal life. It wanted to taste this fiery werewolf, to drain everything from him slowly and completely. I reached out metaphysically first, drawing his energy to me.
At first, he didn’t feel me drawing him into me, absorbing his strength, his very life.
Then, awareness brightened his eyes, and he tried to pull back. I gulped in the air when he released my throat, grateful to be able to breathe again. I reached for him as he scrambled backward, suddenly desperate to put space between us. He thought that would make a difference.
I leaped to my feet with my fangs bared and a loud growl rumbling in my throat. I wanted to taste his musky wolf blood as I drained his life energy away. My mind wanted to ask him what the f**k he thought he was doing, but my instinct just said kill.
“Vampire.” The word came from him like a hiss. I almost wasn’t sure I’d heard it.
His shock didn’t last long. He flew at me again, and this time I hit him with a psi ball that left him panting, but still, he didn’t stop. “You killed her. You killed Olivia!”
Uh oh. It all made a little more sense now. He took another clawed swipe at me, this time painfully close to my throat, grazing my upper chest. It seemed that Kale and I had failed to consider that the she-wolf we’d taken out had a mate. Like any mate would be, he was hell bent on my death as retribution. And, knowing Shaz would be the same, I couldn’t blame him.
“It wasn’t personal. She was endangering all of us.” I didn’t doubt for a moment that he had been a willing partner in Olivia’s rampage. I would have given anything to be in wolf form right then, but it just wasn’t possible, not unless it got really ugly.
I tapped Arys’ power and threw the wolf clear, sailing through the air to land against a thick pine tree. He immediately tried to get up, but he was dazed and moved slowly.
Running, I crossed the distance between us, landing on him with a series of power-fueled blows that snapped his head back and forth. I just knew that I couldn’t let him gain the advantage again.
Despite the blows that resulted in a series of crunches and cracks and plentiful blood flow, he didn’t cease his assault either. When his body beneath me began to turn furry, I knew I was a goner if I didn’t get the hell out of there. I didn’t want to shift in the park and be trapped, unable to get in my car and leave. I had to get to the Charger.