Fuck, he’s still alive. Aidan leapt toward him. He shoved his hand on the worst of the guy’s wounds, trying to staunch that terrible flow of blood.
Travis’s eyes rolled as he glanced around, crazed. His body jerked, spasmed. He tried to talk, but spittle and blood just burst from his lips.
“We’ll get you help,” Aidan promised him. “Stay calm, okay? Just stay calm.” The human wasn’t going to live long. Not on his own. But Aidan knew how to help him.
My blood. It can give him strength. It might even help him to survive this hell.
Aidan lifted his hands away from the gaping wound. Not like I was doing much good there, anyway.
He let his claws out. Then he took one long, lethal claw and sliced it across his forearm.
“M-monster!” Travis screamed.
Now he managed to talk?
“Yeah, well, I’m the monster trying to save you. So just calm the hell down, got it? Take my blood and—”
But Travis was fighting him now. Frantic, desperate and—
He stilled.
“No,” Aidan snarled. He grabbed the guy’s head. Tried to force his blood into Travis’s mouth. “You don’t die yet, you hear me? Take a few fucking sips. Drink, come on, you asshole, try to live!”
But Travis’s head just sagged back. The last bit of strength he’d had was gone. That last scream—
Monster.
That scream had been his death cry.
Aidan’s teeth ground together. His head sagged forward. And then he realized…as some of the desperation faded…
Where is Jane?
Fear came then, coiling around him like a snake, and he surged away from the body. “Jane!”
***
When Jane heard Aidan bellowing her name, she tensed. The unknown assailant was still just a few steps in front of her, his face shielded by shadows. Had Aidan found the victim? Was Travis all right?
“Jane!” Another roar of her name, only this time, it was much closer. She knew Aidan was tracking her by scent. But she still called out, “I’m here, and I’m not alone! I’ve got the bastard who—”
The dark shadow flew at her. Fast. Too fast…Aidan fast. And something hit her hard in the stomach even as she fired her weapon. Once, twice, three times.
The bullets slammed into her attacker’s chest. He let out a terrible howl and then he seemed to leap right over her as she fell to the ground. It took a stunned moment for Jane to feel the pain. It didn’t register at first. The adrenaline was too strong. She was still trying to shoot the bastard who’d knocked her out and—
Blood. Her blood pumped from the wounds in her stomach.
“Jane!”
She tried to rise, but couldn’t. Then Aidan was there. Crouching over her, his blue eyes wild and desperate, glowing with his beast.
“Get him,” Jane whispered as she shoved her hand over the wound. Damn, but it hurt. And it was deep. The bastard clawed me. “I shot him with silver, so he’s going to be weak. You get him—”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Aidan.”
He lifted her hand. Stared at her wound. The glow of his eyes shined even brighter.
“You…can’t hurt.”
Yeah, well, she could. She was. “He’s getting away! I need you…to stop him…” Talking was getting harder and her head seemed to be spinning. She would get up and give chase on her own, in just a few moments. When a bit of the weakness passed.
When…
Aidan lifted her into his arms. “I won’t lose you, Jane.”
He wasn’t…was he? The pain had faded. That had to be a good sign.
Or maybe…maybe she just couldn’t feel anything right then. His arms were around her, but her body seemed numb and—
“You need my blood. You’re taking my blood.”
The hell she was. She wasn’t some vampire. That was her nightmare. She would not—
“It will help heal you.” He was lifting his arm to her mouth. She tried to turn away because there was no way she was going all vamp and drinking his blood.
“Jane…you will die.”
What? No, it was just a flesh wound.
“He carved you up, sweetheart. Deep. And I will kill him for it.”
Her lashes were trying to sag closed.
“Just take a little of my blood. A little…” His forearm was near her mouth. He had to be holding her with one arm. Typical werewolf strength. She would have made some smart ass comment about that but…
Too hard to talk.
“Travis Maller is dead.”
She jerked at those words.
“You’re not dying, Jane. Drink. Take my fucking blood. Save us both…”
Save them both? What—
Her lips parted.
Something warm, wet…oddly sweet touched her lips. She shuddered because she knew it was his blood. This was so wrong. She should be revolted. She should fight him but…
I like it.
Then her eyes closed and a cold darkness pulled at her.
I like it too much.
***
Jane sagged in his arms. Aidan forced his blood past her lips. She didn’t realize how bad the wound was, but he did. She would take his blood, she would heal. She would live.