Aidan. She couldn’t even say his name. And black dots were dancing before her eyes.
“You won’t get his blood this time. He won’t save you.” Vincent’s hand feathered over her face. “Be content knowing that you saved him.”
That terrible whistle came from her again as she fought so hard to say Aidan’s name.
“The bullet went into your lungs. You’re drowning in your own blood. It’s a terrible way to go, Jane. Needless suffering.” His hand slid down her throat in a soothing caress. “I don’t like to watch anyone suffer.”
No, no, he couldn’t—
“After the end,” Vincent murmured, “the beginning comes.”
What?
He snapped her neck.
The whistling stopped. The black dots vanished.
Everything vanished.
Chapter Fourteen
It was a blood bath. Paris rushed toward the steps of the college, his beast raging inside of him. He’d gotten to the scene just moments ago because when he’d gone to Hell’s Gate, Garrison had told him that Aidan had gone to the campus in order to help Jane. That they had a lead on the werewolf killer in town.
I wanted to give Aidan back-up. I was supposed to always watch his back.
Paris saw the two werewolves who’d been assigned to guard Jane, only they weren’t guarding her. They were crouched over Aidan’s prone body.
No. A roar broke from him. College kids had scattered, probably at the first blast of gunfire—smart freaking kids. So no one was watching as he leapt up the steps and bounded to Aidan’s side.
I can smell the silver in him.
No one was watching when his claws burst from his fingertips and Paris drove them into Aidan’s chest. Paris knew he had to get the bullets out. If Aidan was going to live…I have to get them out.
The silver bullets burned his fingers, but he didn’t care. He got one bullet. Another. The third…fuck, it was close to his heart. “Get Dr. Bob on stand-by,” he ordered the guards. Guards who’d been fucking useless from the look of things. But they desperately needed the doctor because even with Aidan’s healing powers, the guy would still need help.
One of the werewolf guards immediately backed away and yanked out his phone.
“Where the hell were you two?” Paris demanded. “You were supposed to protect them.” He pulled out another bullet, only this one had splintered. Fucking pieces of silver are in him.
“H-he said he had this,” one of the guards mumbled. “When Aidan arrived, he told us to—to back off a bit. He was with her brother. It was supposed to be safe.”
And for an instant, the red haze of fear that had nearly blinded Paris cleared. He’d been focused just on Aidan. He’d seen his friend, his alpha, lying so motionless. I was afraid I was too late. But the red haze had cleared a bit and now he saw…
Jane.
Not moving.
Not…breathing?
Oh, fuck.
“H-help m-me…” A desperate cry. Paris’s gaze jerked toward the man who’d given that cry. A man with dark hair. With Jane’s dark eyes. Blood pumped from wounds on his throat. “Vamp…attacked me,” he gasped. “K-Killed my sister…”
Paris’s nostrils flared. “You fired the gun. I can smell the gun powder on you. You shot Aidan.”
His claws were still in Aidan’s chest. He pulled out another shard of silver.
“I’m…h-her…brother…m-my M-Mary J-Jane…” More blood pumped from those wounds on the guy’s throat.
Paris touched another tiny piece of silver. He yanked it from Aidan’s chest.
And then Aidan’s hand flew up in a flash. His fingers locked tightly around Paris’s wrist. “Jane.” The name was guttural.
I can’t tell him.
Sirens screamed in the distance. “We have to get out of here,” Paris said. “Human cops are going to be on the scene any minute.” Because what the fuck else would happen when someone started shooting on a college campus? The SWAT team will be coming. It will be a war scene.
“Jane.” Aidan’s breathing was labored, the lines on his face deeper, and he was so pale—like death. “Need…Jane…give her…blood…save…h-her…”
There is no saving her now, my friend.
Aidan’s hold tightened on Paris’s wrist. The bones were grinding together. “Get…me…to Jane…”
“You can’t help her, Aidan.” It hurt to say the words. “She’s…”
Aidan shoved him back. The alpha had been barely breathing moments before, but Aidan’s shove sent Paris flying through the air. Aidan dragged his body to Jane. He stared down at her a moment, his expression utterly lost and broken.
Then he reached out to her. He touched her face. “Jane?”
Paris pushed to his feet. “We have to get out of here.” He motioned to the two guards. “We have to take the alpha.” They would understand what he meant. The alpha was going to fight them like hell.