“Always.”
Julia quickly stripped off her clothing and let her animal spirit take over. She embraced the call of her fox and trotted out the back door Gabby held open. And froze in place.
There, at the base of the steps, stood Ned Williams Sr., a pistol aimed right at her.
“Yessirree. I knew you’d shift soon as you felt safe. Been waiting for hours, though. What with your menfolk gone, I swore you’d hightail it out of here sooner.” He stepped forward and Julia growled as she backed up into the building. Ned Sr. stopped inside the back door and included Gabby in the conversation. “Gabby, glad to see you. Makes this a lot easier. Julia, you change back right now. Slow-like, or I’ll put a bullet in her brain.” He aimed the gun at Gabby.
With no choice, Julia turned human once more. She stood tall in front of Ned Sr., wishing she wore more than skin, especially when four more men entered behind him. Two of them looked Ned Sr.’s age, but the other two were younger, larger, and seemed more threatening.
Oh shit. We are really screwed. She backed away and stood next to Gabby, who tried to block the men’s view of her. Nudity didn’t normally bother her, but under the strangers’ stares, she felt dirty.
“Uh-uh, Gabby. Let us see that pretty sister of yours.”
“Damn, Ned. We hit the mother lode.” One of the men tipped back a hat with the tip of a large knife. He had mean eyes, a nasty smile and smelled like the oil he’d used to clean his knife.
The others laughed.
“Nice tits. I can see why my boy took a hankering,” Ned said as one of the men closed the door behind them. “Finely put together, ain’t ya?” Ned’s beady gaze snaked over her form and lingered between her thighs. “So you’re foxes, huh?”
He acted as if he had all the time in the world and crossed to sit on a chair, facing her.
“You saw that I am.”
“Her too?” He gestured to Gabby. “You all skinwalkers?”
Julia and Gabby exchanged a glance. Skinwalkers?
Ned Sr. nodded. “Thought so. You people killed my daddy in the middle of a hunt. Think it was a wolf that did him in. We have a few of you mounted down at the field house. Harry does nice work.” He motioned to one of the older men with him. “After we have some fun with you two, I plan on putting you in my bedroom. You’re a pretty little fox, Julia.”
The others snickered.
“Figures you need five men to fight two women.” Gabby snorted. “Old man like you? I doubt you’ll give us any problems. The younger ones will, maybe even that old coot.” She gave Harry a quick glance. “But you? I’d be surprised if you know what your cock is for anymore other than pissing.”
Ned’s face reddened with anger.
Holy shit. When the hell had Gabby gotten such a vulgar vocabulary? And why the hell did she have to use it here?
“Shut up, Gabby,” Julia growled.
Gabby shook her thick hair, fluffing it around her face. “You think she’s pretty? I’m much better looking.”
Julia didn’t know what Gabby thought she was doing, and she didn’t want to know. Too much attention had shifted to her younger sister.
“Gabby—”
“Hard to tell how pretty you are, dressed in so many clothes.” One of the younger men nodded at her clothing. He stood with his rifle over his shoulder.
“My tits are much bigger.” Gabby stripped out of her clothes in record time and shoved her chest forward. “See?”
Dumbfounded, Julia tried to think of what her sister meant to do. Getting naked usually preceded shifting… Shifting. Finally comprehending the sly glance Gabby shot Ned Sr., the only man pointing a weapon in their direction, Julia threw herself into the role.
“This is not the time for theatrics, Gabrielle.”
Gabby turned to face her, her hands on her hips. “Oh please. It’s never the time. And I’m sick of your jealousy, always having to be the center of attention. Let’s face it, I’m prettier than you, more popular, and much, much faster, on two feet or four.”
“Uh, wait—” Ned Sr. tried to wrestle back control of the situation.
Gabby wouldn’t let him. Julia had to hand it to her, the woman had a gift for theater. Like Meghan, drama must run in the blood.
“I could have any of these men like that.” Gabby snapped her fingers. “Can you say the same?”
“You bet.” Julia glanced at one of the younger Hunters. “You. Come here. Show her I’m the one you want. And have I mentioned what I can do with my tongue?”
The men stared at her, looked at one another, and relaxed their stances. All but Ned Sr., who frowned at the group. “Hell. This don’t make no sense. You two, shut up. Harry, Mike, tell your boys to—”
“You don’t tell us what to do, Ned,” one of the boys argued. “We got two naked women right here. You want to skin her after? Fine. First I’m getting a good fuck.”
Gabby huffed. “Good? Try great. Once we’re done, you won’t be thinking of skinning me. Now her, on the other hand…”
“You bitch!” Julia yanked her sister by the hair, pulling her close.
“Shit. Catfight.” The other younger man pulled up a chair and watched, enthralled.
“You got that right. Now!” Julia yelled and shifted in seconds.
Gabby did the same, and they attacked Ned Sr. and the other male holding a gun. Julia bit Ned Sr. hard, then scratched his throat and face. She kicked him off his chair and went for another set of unfamiliar hands as they tried to pry her from the man.
The men might have expected a smaller fox. No one anticipated tangling with a full-grown cougar. Gabby roared and bit and swiped at everyone.
A shot fired and Gabby shrieked. Julia tried to help her but could only gasp as a knife slashed her shoulder and grazed her throat. She yipped in pain.
“Gabby! Are you all right?”
“I’m hit, but I’ll live. Can’t say the same for that motherfucker.” The cat launched herself at the man who’d shot her and ripped his throat out.
Two of the men were scratched but moving. Ned Sr. still struggled on the floor, whimpering as he cradled his windpipe.
The burn on Julia’s shoulder throbbed, but she had to grab the gun that still sat way too close to Ned.
Before she could reach it, the window crashed inward and a huge golden eagle went for one of the men looming over Gabby. A wolf followed him and rushed inside to stand over another of the men, growling in warning. A loud roar signaled Grady was near, but it was Ty who entered through the broken window first, the fox darting nimbly over broken glass and bodies to get to her.
“Julia! Baby, you okay?”
She opened her mouth to woof a yes when Ty leapt over her onto Ned Sr. Ty bit the man’s hand, forcing him to release the pistol he’d been holding. Snarling and barking, Ty ripped into Ned Sr. until all that remained of the threatening Hunter was a bloody mess.
Monty quickly turned human and rushed for a phone. Julia dimly heard him calling someone before she started to waver on her feet. “Gabby. She’s hurt,” she tried to warn Ty, but had trouble focusing to send thoughts past the pain in her neck.
Monty’s voice rose. “Christ! Guys, call for help. Julia’s bleeding, bad. Bastard cut her throat!”
Ty shoved him away. “Come on, baby. You have to stay awake. Shift so you can speed the healing. Please, Julia. I can’t lose you. Not now. I love…”
She tried to hold on, to tell him how much she loved him as well, but she faded and heard nothing more.
Ty experienced fear like he’d never felt before. His life, his very future, flashed before his eyes as he watched Julia collapse in front of him. Turning human once more, he put pressure on the wound at her throat, amazed at how much it bled. She’d been moving all over the place, covered with spatters of blood when he’d first come through the window. He’s assumed most of it came from the men she’d fought, since she moved without pain. He hadn’t noticed more than her wounded shoulder.