“Sylvan,” Drake said gently, lowering herself to her knees. She let her hands fall open at her sides, exposing her chest and belly to the darkened room. “It’s Drake.”
She had no warning—no scrape of claws on wood, no flash of silver pelt in the moonlight—before the massive beast struck her in the torso and took her down by the throat. Every instinct primed her to fight, and her canines and claws thrust out. But she didn’t fight. The silver wolf snarled in her face. She lifted her chin and gave the wolf her neck.
“Sylvan, I won’t hurt you. I will never hurt you.” Claws gouged into her chest and raked her belly, drawing fire and blood. The wolf-gold eyes staring into hers were filled with nothing but rage and pain, completely devoid of recognition. Blood matted the thick fur on the wolf’s chest and belly. Drake’s heart ached for Sylvan’s pain.Slowly, Drake raised her hand. “Let me help you. Let the Pack heal you.”
The wolf pulled back her lips, her eyes narrowed, and her ears slanted back. She was preparing to attack.
“I love you.” Drake stroked the wolf’s powerful head. “I need you. We all need you.”
The heavy muscles in the wolf’s shoulders bunched.
“They hurt you,” Drake whispered, gently caressing the wolf’s uninjured shoulder. Her tears mixed with Sylvan’s blood. “But you’re strong. Your wolf is strong. Sylvan. Find her. Help her.” Drake wrapped both arms around the wolf’s neck and rested her cheek against the enormous muzzle. Blood dripped onto the floor and the huge body swayed. “Fight, Sylvan. Please, love. Fight.” The wolf shook her head, whined uncertainly. Drake pushed to a sitting position and drew the great silver head to her chest, ready to beg and bargain with any power that might exist to spare this glorious creature, this brave and noble being whose fierce strength and generous heart had captured hers. She buried her face in the ruff that smelled like Sylvan and her and them together.
“I love you. Sylvan, please come back. I need you. I need you so much.”
The wolf licked her neck and, with a sigh, lay down in Drake’s lap.
Careful of the wounds, Drake wrapped her arms even more protectively around her. “I love you.”
You shouldn’t have come here. Sylvan’s voice, steady, strong.
Drake’s tears dampened the glossy fur beneath her cheek but her heart raced with joy. Where else would I be?
Somewhere safe.
Drake rubbed her chin on the wolf’s head. I’m always safe with you. Will you trust me?
Always.
Will you let me help you?
Yes.
Then the immense wolf closed her eyes and surrendered to Drake’s embrace.
Niki, Drake telegraphed, we need you.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jody pulled the Porsche into the Were Compound just before dawn. She walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. “Are you sure?”
“Of course, darling,” Marissa Sanchez said. “I can’t wait. Especially after you dragged me away from work but refused to let me feed you.”
“This could be dangerous—she’s going to need to feed every few hours.” Jody had already warned Marissa that newly turned Vampires in bloodlust were insatiable and could easily kill a host. “I can find a Were to feed her.”
“No.” Marissa’s color heightened. “You know I want this. And I trust you.”
“If she needs more than you can give, I’ll still need a Were to join us.”
“All the better.”
“I hope you arranged for coverage at the morgue—we won’t be leaving here today.” Jody led Marissa toward Niki, who, shirtless and barefoot, stood on the porch of a nearby building with her hands on her hips and legs spread wide, watching them through narrowed eyes.
A faint dusting of red-brown at the waistband of the low-slung black pants she hadn’t bothered to close matched her auburn hair.
Marissa’s gaze traveled slowly over Niki’s body. “Please tell me it’s her.”
“No,” Jody said impassively, taking in the tightly muscled chest and abdomen, the strong thighs, the toned arms, the full sensuous lips.
The rich taste of the Were still lingered even though she had fed from one of her human hosts after fleeing from Becca. Her bloodlust was unsated and now the memory of the orgasm this Were had induced, as hot and powerful as the essence Jody had consumed, taunted her. “No, not her.”
“Pity. She’s an amazing specimen.”
Jody climbed the stairs and stopped one step below Niki, their eyes level. “How is your Alpha?”
“The medics are seeing to her.”
“I need to speak with her.”
“When she is available.”
Jody frowned. “How serious is it?”
“The Alpha is not your concern,” Niki said. “Especially considering she was shot on your doorstep when no one knew we would be there.”
“I owe you much, Wolf, but you do not want to make an enemy of me.” Jody let the hunger rise and caught Niki’s gaze. Niki’s forest green eyes glazed. “You would do better to give me your neck again.” Niki shivered and fought for control. She was already close to frenzy from her fight with Drake and the constant lash of adrenaline as she worked to secure the Compound’s defenses. Seeing this Vampire, remembering her bite and the volcanic release that had stripped her of her last drop, made her stiffen and throb. She wanted teeth in her neck again and fire burning in her blood. Lust warred with her need to dominate and she growled, flashing a challenge.
“Some other time,” Jody murmured, reading the need in the Were’s eyes that echoed her own. “I am here to see to my newling.”
“We don’t know that yet,” Niki snarled.
“She has not awakened?”
“She’s been restless but still unaware.”
“Good—then we can feed her as soon as she wakes.” Jody drew Marissa up beside her. “Dr. Sanchez has graciously volunteered to host if necessary.”
“Come with me.” Niki abruptly turned and led them down the left wing and into a room lit by a single lantern perched atop a narrow chest of drawers. Wooden shutters had been closed to block out the emerging sunlight. Niki indicated the darkened corner where Lara lay under a thin sheet. “We can’t tell if she’s in pain. What should we be looking for?”
Jody shook her head. “If she’s turned, you’ll know. Her hunger will be agonizing and she’ll attack any source of nourishment.”
“But one of us can feed her, can’t we?” Niki asked.
“How many of you have experience hosting?”
“I don’t know. Some, definitely.” Niki’s jaw tightened. “That’s why I’m here. I’ll feed her.”
“She’ll be difficult to control, frightened. And you cannot host again so soon.”
“I’m a Were. We heal and regenerate quickly.”
“I know that.” Jody nodded toward Marissa. “But it’s better she have an experienced host the first few times. After all, it’s more than just feeding, isn’t it?”
“I’ll do whatever she needs,” Niki said with an edge. She’d never tangled with Lara, but she would give Lara her blood and her body and her throat if that was what she needed. They were centuri, oath-bonded to each other as well as the Alpha. “We won’t lose her.”
“Even if she has turned?”
Niki’s lip curled. “She is ours. Vampire or Were, it doesn’t matter.”
“She’s lucky, then.” Jody studied Niki. “After sundown I can take her out to hunt. If she needs more than Marissa can give before then, I’ll use you.”
“I’ll be ready.”
Jody cupped Marissa’s elbow and drew her close. “Are you?”