“Aidan, stop!’ Jane yelled.
His claws sliced toward the vampire’s throat. Blood spilled. The vampire still didn’t fight back.
Jane grabbed Aidan’s arm, yanking as hard as she could. “Don’t kill him!”
Aidan’s head turned. His gaze met hers, and Jane had to swallow down her fear. He was still in the form of a man. He was her Aidan, but his gaze—that bright blue stare was pure beast. So much rage and hate blazed in his eyes.
“He’s not fighting back,” she said.
Aidan’s expression didn’t alter.
“He doesn’t care,” Vincent snarled, still on the ground. “I came to this town to help you. He doesn’t care. Take a long hard look at him, Mary Jane. This is what he is. He’s the killer. He’s the beast. And soon enough, you’ll just be his prey.”
A snarl broke from Aidan. She felt the rush of power in his body. His muscles jerked beneath her touch. His bones snapped.
He’s transforming. Right here. Right now.
“Get…away…Jane…” Aidan ordered, each word a dark rumble. “Get…”
Fur burst from his skin. His body seemed to double in size.
She stumbled back.
“See…him…” The vampire blasted at her as he rose. Blood dripped from his throat. “See what he really is.”
Aidan was on all fours now. Transforming fully.
Garrison grabbed her arm. “You need to get away from them.”
Aidan was going to kill the vampire. “Why aren’t you defending yourself?” Jane asked Vincent, truly confused. He was strong, they all knew it.
Vincent gave her a sad smile. He acted as if his blood wasn’t currently soaking his shirt. “Because you need to see that we aren’t all evil. We aren’t what he says. You aren’t.”
She shook her head.
Garrison wrapped his arms around her stomach and lifted her up. “Come on, Jane!”
Aidan wasn’t a man any longer. His shift was complete. A giant wolf had taken the place of the man. He tossed back his head and howled.
“No.” This was wrong. Something just didn’t fit. The vampire wasn’t trying to save himself. He was just standing there. Defenseless.
She broke from Garrison’s arms. “Aidan, stop!”
He froze, just inches from the vampire. Froze for the briefest of seconds, and then he leapt forward, slicing out with his powerful claws.
But the vampire vanished before those claws could rip into him.
The wolf howled. Frustration and fury fueled the long, echoing cry.
Like even the people in New Orleans can ignore that cry. She glanced around the street, but it was still empty. Thankfully.
Garrison grabbed Jane once more. He sure was grabby that night. He pushed her behind his back, putting his body between her and Aidan.
The wolf pawed at the ground before Garrison.
“Aidan.” Garrison’s voice broke a bit. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Tell me that you have control in there. Tell me—”
The wolf’s head butted against Garrison’s leg.
“Shit, shit,” Garrison rasped. “Jane, you’re gonna need to walk away. Slowly. Do not run. That will just make him want to chase you. That’s what happens when the wolf is in charge. It’s all animal. You run, he chases you down. You—”
“His animal isn’t in control. He’s Aidan. Wolf or man, he’s Aidan.” Jane sounded a whole lot more confident than she felt. The wolf had circled around them and now he was right by her side. Jane slowly lifted her hand toward the beast. “He’s Aidan.”
Aidan with some very, very big teeth.
He sniffed her hand. His eyes—those same brilliant blue eyes—gleamed up at her.
“Aidan,” Jane said his name again, only stronger this time. More determined. “Get your ass back into human form before you start to freak out some tourists.”
The wolf stared up at her.
Her heart drummed in her chest. She knew he could smell her fear. Aidan had told her once that he didn’t like it when she was afraid. That the scent was wrong, coming from her.
She stared at him.
He licked her hand then he slid back onto his haunches. He stared up at her as the change swept over him again. Hard. Brutal. The snapping of bones was a sound she’d never be able to forget. The fur seemed to melt away. Smooth muscle was revealed. Powerful shoulders. Naked skin.
And soon Aidan crouched before her. He rose, slowly, never taking his gaze from her.
“Aidan…”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her tightly against him, and held her there, right against his heart. “I was afraid…” His voice still sounded more like a beast’s growl than a man’s rumble. “Afraid I wouldn’t get to you in time.”
A bit hesitant, her arms curled around him. “It’s all right. I’m fine.”
A shudder slid along his body. “This time.”
A vehicle’s headlights suddenly lit up the street. Jane stiffened. Humans, coming now? Oh, jeez—