A Kurjan screeched in pain outside as a werewolf clawed sharp nails down its neck.
Kalin frowned. “Apparently that one needs to die.”
Janie shoved against his chest, the metals biting into her fingers. “Let go.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Kalin glanced at the ceiling and around the room. Finally, he focused on the deadly battle outside. “A few more minutes and we should be able to get away to the north.”
The fight did seem to be heading toward the cliffs to the west and the forest to the south. Janie opened her mouth to scream.
His hand slapped over her lips. “I’d hate to knock you out.” Anger had his arched brows meeting in the middle. Light brown, nowhere near as dark as his hair. “This doesn’t please me any more than you. I had hoped to wait.”
Anger and fear slammed away the haziness. She went limp. As he struggled to keep her upright, she slammed a hand into his nose, aiming for his brain stem.
His head jerked back. Blood spurted, burning along her neck.
Shock filled his eyes, and he dropped his hand. Then he smiled again, red coating his teeth, the image more frightening than anything Hollywood could create. “Oh Janet. I’m going to have so much fun with you.”
Janie dragged air into her lungs and screamed high and loud.
For two seconds, the fight stopped.
Heartbeats later, glass rippled and rocks flew as her dad and Max leapt into the room, skidding over the huge control panel. With a howl, Talen grabbed Kalin by the neck and shot-putted him back outside. Blood squirted across the wall. With a grim glance at her head, he slapped a knife into her hand. Then he was back through the window.
Max settled his stance in front of her, gun at ready. “Stay behind me.”
A pounding started in her temple. Dots danced across her vision. Confusion had her blinking. She pressed a hand against her skin, and it came away sticky. “We have to warn my dad.” The words came out slurred.
“About what?”
“That Kalin is here.” The vision flared behind her eyes again.
“He knows.” Max stiffened when a werewolf flew by the hole in the wall.
Janie shook her head to concentrate. Her vision cleared. Pebbles scattered when she slid to Max’s side, her gaze on the monstrous fight outside. Talen and Kalin battled, concentration on their faces, their weapons flashing.
The interior door burst open. Three Kurjans jumped inside, two going for Max. Oh God. They’d breached headquarters. The third grabbed her, swiftly leaping through the gaping outside hole.
Wind bit into her arms. She kicked, shoving the knife in his throat. Blood coated her hand, burning like sparks from a fire.
He dropped her. She stumbled, wildly looking around for a safe place. Screams of the dying penetrated her eardrums.
Her father roared her name.
Turning, Kalin did the same.
A werewolf manacled her by the hair. Pain ripped along her scalp. She tripped, falling to one knee. The beast howled, fangs flashing, eyes morphing to red.
Oh God. He was going to bite her.
Talen started toward her. He’d never make it.
A wisp of sound ripped by her ear as a knife embedded in the werewolf ’s eye. He released her, yowling, turning away. She slowly lifted her gaze. Kalin stood at the edge of the cliff, having thrown the knife.
The leader of the Kurjan military had just saved her life.
Two werewolves stumbled, one falling right into him. They windmilled, Kalin’s eyes widening. Even across the courtyard, the green glint shone bright. He kept her gaze as he went over the cliff.
Max reached her first. Blood covered his torso. Hoisting her around the waist, he ran inside the now open headquarters and down the hall, passing two prone Kurjan bodies. Reaching an elevator, he shoved her inside. “Go to the tenth.”
The door slid shut.
Gasping, her mind reeling, she sagged against the far wall. Kalin had saved her. Then he’d fallen over the cliff. As a Kurjan, he’d be seriously injured but wouldn’t die from that. Guilt swamped her at the relief she felt.
She didn’t want him to die.
Chapter 30
“You’re going to have to go through me to get out-side, Jordan.” Katie settled her stance on the rock floor of the small room, more than prepared to kick him in the face.
“Not a problem.” Energy danced on his skin. Fire lit his eyes.
Somewhere in there was the man she loved. “You go outside, and you lose me. You lose yourself.”
He blinked.
The sounds of battle outside filled the night. Screams, gunfire, more explosions. All under the moon. Terror and the urge to fight had her knocking her shoulders against the metal door. “We just need to last a few more hours.”
The lion shifted beneath his flesh, strong and powerful, fighting so hard.
Hope filled Katie for the first time that night. “You can beat this.”
He exhaled roughly. “I shouldn’t shift. If I shift ...”
She nodded. If he shifted, the animal might take over and heed the moon’s call. She just had to keep him out of the moon.
An explosion blasted the night. Rock fissured. Blasting heat and blinding smoke roiled toward them, throwing Katie hard against the door.
Jordan flew across the room to impact the far wall. He dropped to the rock floor with a sickening thud.
Gasping, heart racing, Katie struggled to breathe. The smoke diminished. A gaping hole remained where the outside wall had been. Shifters, vampires, Kurjans, and werewolves battled hand to hand, using guns and knives in a scene reminiscent of a war movie. All hell had truly broken loose. The ocean spread dark and mysterious into the distance. Light glinted off the dangerous weapons.
Moonlight.
She shook her head, trying to process the scene. The Kurjans were using werewolves. And explosives.
A ruckus sounded in the corridor. Had headquarters been breached?
Another explosion detonated. Sharp rocks pelted from the ceiling and walls. She cried out, flinching as one cut into her neck.
The churning smoke abated, called out to sea.
Brent stood right outside the gaping breach. Tall, furry, blood coating his fangs. His arms swept wide, as if welcoming guests for Christmas dinner. “Kaattieee and Jorrr-daaaan.” He rolled his massive head, mewling softly in the pretty moonlight. “Come outttsiiiide.”
Katie shivered. “Man, you’re creepy.”
Jordan launched off the floor toward the beast.
Panic halting the air in her throat, Katie leaped for Jordan in a tackle that threw them onto the sagging mattress. Pain ripped through her ribs when they met his hips. Rolling away, she grabbed him by the hair and tugged toward the far wall. With a growl of outrage, he yanked his head away and stood.
She reached for his belt loop. His strength outmatched hers by far. She needed to get inside his brain. “The lion is winning, Jordan. Stay the hell away from the courtyard.” Then she turned, forcing a smile. “You want us, Brent? Come on in.”
Scooting in front of Jordan, fear making her shoulders shake, she shoved her butt into his groin in an effort to make him move back.
Brent tilted his head to the side. “Come ouuttt, Kaaa-tiiiieee.”
A sharp jab of her hip into Jordan’s balls made him hiss out a breath. With an irritated snort, he retreated back against the far wall. He cleared his throat. “Come on in, cousin.”
Katie crept to the center where she could intercept either male if they pounced. Deep breaths. She needed deep breaths. Surveying Jordan from the corner of her eye, a roaring filled her ears. The lion leader stood tall, his face pale, sweat along his brow. His shoulders shook. He looked like a junkie needing a fix. Bad.