Dane threw his head back and laughed. “Did you inhale some vampire crazy juice? Fuck no. Remember, Roman set me up. He was the reason I was on that table beside you in that lab.”
“That doesn’t matter. I understand Ross has it out for Layla. Maybe he helped kidnap her.” Maybe Roman got to Ross. Or the other way around.
Dane’s thick eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. “You’re not making sense. And someone took Layla?” Surprise colored his tone. “Let me guess. Roman?”
“Bingo, dude.”
A muscle ticked in his unshaven jaw. “My brother hates that asshole as much as I do. He would never work with him.”
“Do you know that for sure? You’ve been away from your pack for as long as I was in a coma. A month is a long time, man. Ross might’ve taken things into his own hands. He blames Layla for the shit we’re in.”
He whisked a hand through his hair. “Are you forgetting I do too?”
I fisted my hands. “Maybe you’re in on his deal with Roman. You know, I find it odd that your compound is in the Catskills. The same area where we speculate Intech has set up shop. And let’s not forget, you were Roman’s bitch when he stormed the base a couple of months ago.”
His canines lowered as he got in my face. “Bloodsucker, you are reaching for straws and pissing me off.”
I dragged my tongue over one of my fangs as adrenaline spiked through me. “Do you want to punch me?”Please say yes.
His claws, black and sharp, grew out of his fingernails. “I want to strangle you.”
I laughed, sticking out my neck. “I dare you.”
The tension skyrocketed between us.
He reached out with his sharp talons, about to either strangle me or scratch out my eyes. I pushed him, beating him to the punch.
He went flying through the double doors. The minute he fell on his ass, he was on his feet.
I marched toward him, ready to unleash my elemental wrath—fire. Light him up like the Fourth of July.
He charged me. “I should end you here and now.” He tackled me to the floor and swiped his talons down my face.
The sting only served to incite me even further as fury twisted and snaked through me. Heat traveled down my arms to the palms of my hands, my fire element primed to singe the white hair off his head.
His bones began to snap, crackle, and pop—a sign he was shifting. But when fire erupted from my palms, he rolled off me.
I jumped to my feet. “Come on, mutt. Let’s see what you got.” I’d never fought a wolf before, but I was eager to.
Doc rushed out and positioned himself between Dane and me. “Gentlemen, this is no place to fight.” His tone permitted no argument as he held out his arms as though he could stop a massive wolf and a powerful vampire. Maybe he could. Doc had a few vamp strengths of his own, but he had no elemental powers, which put him at odds against us.
Dane shook off his wolf, retracting his claws and canines. “Your bloodsucker started it.” He sneered at me.
“What are you, six years old? I don’t care who started it,” Doc said with a growl. “This is my facility, and I will not have you two tearing it apart. Take your asses down to the gym if you want to see who has the bigger ego. Now, both of you get inside. Peter and I want to go over what we’ve found on the chip’s data so far.” Doc waved a hand toward the infirmary. “After you two.”
We both obeyed like we were afraid of Doc.
But the asshole side of me had to say one last thing. “Dude, I swear if your brother is involved—”
“He’s not,” Dane bit out. “And make all the idle threats you want. We don’t harm women and children.”
While I believed him, I didn’t trust him—and his brother even less. Vengeance blinded people and corrupted their morals, no matter what. I’d almost killed my foster dad when I’d found him attacking Jo. Five years later, I still harbored the itch to murder the bastard.
“My threats are real, Dane. She’s carrying four babies.” He didn’t exactly need to know the latter, but I had to drive my point home. “If Ross has a hand in why she’s not standing beside me, I’ll eat him alive.”
Dane came to an abrupt halt, his eyes glowing red. Shifters were like vampires in that their emotions caused their eyes to change colors. Dane was part shocked and… whoa! Dare I say fearful? I could feel what he was feeling. For the little time I’d known Dane, he’d never shown any emotion other than anger.
“Men,” Doc said behind us. “I warned you.”
