Straightening her shoulders, she strengthened her resolve. She had to do this. There was no other way.
Chapter Nine
Arand didn’t like this situation, not one bit. Someone was watching them. Or at least they had been. He no longer felt the eyes on them, but he was still on high alert.
He glanced down at Sabrina as she strode down the sidewalk just behind him and to his left. He kept her on that side so his weapon hand was free. He could fight with both hands, but his right was the stronger one.
“How much farther?” His words came out more as a growl than a man’s voice. He hated that he had no idea where they were going, that he was dependent on Sabrina for directions. He was the alpha. It was his job to protect her.
“About ten minutes.” Her gaze darted all around and he could sense her nervousness, smell it. He didn’t like it one bit.
“There are two men in the alleyway to the right and another passed out on back of the house over there.” He pointed to show her. “There is nothing paranormal around us right now.”
She stopped and peered at him. “How do you know that?” She pulled her sweater tighter around her body. Arand wished he was wrapped around her body warming her.
He tapped the side of his nose. “I can smell them.” He could also smell gasoline, exhaust fumes, garbage and the dense river air that pressed down on the city.
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
He stood a little straighter before he realized what he was doing. Irritation filled him. It didn’t matter what she thought of him. His duty was to protect her, evade Hades and find his fellow warriors so they could protect the Lady. There was no place in his life for a woman right now, especially a human one.
But his instincts and his wolf weren’t listening. His wolf gave a menacing growl inside him as if to refute his words. The wolf wanted Sabrina as his own, and so did Arand.
“All my senses are enhanced.” It wasn’t bragging. It was fact. He might not have his full powers, but he was still strong, still more than capable of protecting them.
He pressed his hand against the small of her back and urged her to start walking again. “We must hurry.”
“Of course.” She resumed their trek to her friend’s house.
“Tell me about this friend, the one you spoke with.” He was curious about every aspect of Sabrina’s life, including who she spent her time with.
“That was Jessica. She’s a witch and I trust her with my life.”
Arand growled as a dark emotion filled it. It took him a moment to recognize it—jealousy. He was jealous of the trust she gave her friend. He shook himself and shrugged off the feeling. It didn’t matter if she trusted her friend more than him.
And he was lying to himself.
“You okay?” Sabrina asked, her green eyes filled with concern.
“Fine. Tell me more about her.”
“Jessica came over to my house last night and cleansed it.”
Arand remembered the salt barrier at the door and was impressed. There was real power behind it. Not enough to keep out Hades indefinitely, but more than enough to annoy him and stop some of his lesser demons from entering her home. “She was the one who put down the salt.”
“Yes.” A strand of her red hair escaped her braid and she tucked it behind her ear. He loved her hair, the color full of fire and passion. It suited her.
He looked away, scanning the surrounding area. It was so strange to be outside after all these long years, to feel the cool breeze against his skin, to see the night sky overhead. Not that he could see too many stars with all the city lights giving off their illumination, but he knew they were up there. And he would see them. He would run free in the forest, the joy of simply being alive coursing through his veins. Once he defeated Hades he would give himself this gift.
The world was such a different place now. So many people living in such cramped quarters. The buildings were made from brick and wood and were stacked close together like stalks of grain in a sheaf. But there were still untamed places in the world, places perfect for him and his wolf.
His wolf snarled a warning and Arand whirled around to find the two men from the alleyway following them. They were both tall men and stunk of stale sweat and desperation. One of them pulled a knife. “Give us your purse, lady.”
Arand wrapped one arm around Sabrina and tucked her safely behind him. The second man drew a knife as well, the blade about six inches long. “You heard the man. Give us your money.”
They were both young and he could smell the alcohol and some other taint seeping from their pores. His brain computed the scent—drugs. Some things never changed. Males were often aggressive and stupid for no real reason. But if there was one thing that Arand couldn’t stand, it was when they preyed on those they perceived to be weaker than themselves.
The first man, his long blond hair tied back at his nape, waved his weapon, coming closer. “Don’t make me cut you, man. I will.”
“You are welcome to try.” Arand raised his right hand and his sword appeared.
“What the fuck?” The second man stumbled back, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.
Arand allowed his face to morph until it was more wolf than man.
“Werewolf!” the first man yelled before he turned tail and ran. His friend joined them, both of them stumbling over the curb before they righted themselves and kept going.
Arand lowered his sword and it winked out of sight. His face was morphed back into that of a man by the time he turned to Sabrina to find out if she was all right. If they’d frightened her, he was tempted to track them down and teach them a lesson they wouldn’t soon forget. He had their scent now and would be able to find them no matter where they tried to hide.
Sabrina stared up at him, a half smile on her face. “Guess I don’t need to worry about walking the city streets alone at night with you by my side.”
Her praise pleased him, but he didn’t show it. “We cannot waste any more time.” The night was waning and he wanted to be out of the city before daybreak.
Her smile disappeared and was replaced by worry. “Tilly’s place isn’t much farther.” Sabrina hurried down the sidewalk, turning onto another street.
Arand frowned. “I thought your friend’s name was Jessica?”
“It is. Tilly is another friend. She’s the only one of us with a car.”
“So many people should not know what is going on. They could betray us to Hades.” Most people would tell the god anything when face-to-face with him. He was intimidating and held great power.
“Deal with it.” She made another turn, her gait increasing with each step. “And Jessica and Tilly would never betray me.”
He envied her the innocence and naivety she possessed. Arand too had once assumed none of his friends would betray him, but Mordecai had. It had taken him years to realize it. At first, he’d mourned his fellow warrior as he grieved for the loss of Stavros, the jaguar, and Phoenix. But after a woman released Roric, the white tiger, Arand had learned that Mordecai had joined Hades.
The betrayal was especially bitter for him as he and Mordecai had been close friends. Or, at least he’d thought they’d been close. Obviously not, since Mordecai had gone over to the dark side rather than fight and face an honorable death.
“You okay?” Sabrina reached out and rested her hand on his bare arm. The warmth soaked into his skin, reminding him that she was his priority now. There would be time to mourn his lost friendship when this day was done. Maybe.
“Yes.”
She removed her hand and he wanted to grab it and bring it back. Her touch eased the pain inside him, soothed the harsh betrayal. Still, he didn’t reach for her when they continued their trek.