“Get in here now! And bring guns. Lots of them!” one yelled into his mouthpiece.
“What the fuck are you?” whispered another, his eyes almost bugging out of his head.
Answering wasn’t necessary. I was the monster that went bump in the night, and the scent of my kill was like sweet nectar. I licked my lips, let out an almighty roar and leapt. This time, I drove my clawed hand through his chest wall. Grabbing his beating heart, I ripped it out. Saliva rushed into my mouth. Blood. Life. I studied the organ and opened my maw. Then a voice in my head stopped me.
Bal didn’t want me to carry another’s scent. I snarled and threw the heart down. I didn’t either. Sudden burning pain ripped into my back. I howled as that pain exploded through my chest. More gunshots rattled my eardrums, but the shock was momentary. It was a mere second before I spun and charged at the ten or so Mades firing silver bullets at me. I could feel the effects of the poisonous metal slowing me, but it was gone quickly, as if my body had just brushed it off.
I hit the yelling group of attackers and killed two instantly. The next moment, I had my teeth embedded in another’s neck. Not to feed, but to destroy. I howled as my wolf lent me more strength, his glee at shedding the blood of our enemies infecting me. I needed more. I sprinted down the corridors chasing their scents. They split up, but I followed the strongest scent into the kitchen.
The thud of several knives hitting my chest and abdomen registered just before the pain did. Still, I hunted, determined to catch my prey. I wanted them dead. I wouldn’t drink from them, but I would destroy them for invading my home…Bal’s home, and for threatening Sorcha.
It took me less than two minutes to end the three heavily armed soldiers. That's what they were, soldiers. They were kitted out in dark uniforms and bulletproof vests, with weapons belts and state-of-the-art communication devices. I stood over my kills. I spat blood from my mouth. It was bitter and tasted foul...like death. I’d ripped out their throats with my fangs but the taste of them was disgusting. Nothing like Balthzar’s. Pain flared in my stomach reminding me I’d been injured. I looked down and scowled at the knives still embedded in my flesh. Snarling, I plucked them out and dropped them on the marble floor.
“Shit!”
Slowly, I spun around to face the owner of that shaky voice. A vampire in his late twenties, or at least that’s how he looked, stood just inside the broken back door. His face and scent were familiar, but I didn’t care; his weapon was trained on me. And the need to kill, to protect was all I could think about. My wolf urged me forward, and I attacked. An enemy was an enemy. He had a gun, and it was pointed at me.
We barrelled through the kitchen door, and I slammed him into the ground. It was then that I realised slamming my claws into his chest hadn’t worked. He had a stab-proof vest on. Gods only knew what it was made of because my claws were embedded in it, not his chest. He grunted, and his eyes changed to a deep red, his fangs growing right before his muscles bunched. I expected the strike to my chest and managed to twist enough that he only punctured my side. It wasn’t enough to slow me down, though. Blood seeped from the back of his head where I’d rammed him into the floor, and my stomach growled at the coppery scent. I wanted it. No matter how much my brain told me I didn’t want anyone’s but Bal’s, my body and my instincts were taking over. I could hear his heart pounding and blood rushing through his veins. Even the scent of his fury and confusion was sharp as he stabbed me over and over. The sting of his blade hardly registered, only the deep, tearing hunger and need to feel his blood rush over my tongue.
“Shane! Stop!”
Before I could sink my teeth into the raging vampire beneath me, I was flying through the air. It wasn’t until my back slammed through the kitchen wall, exploding bits of brick and plaster everywhere, that I registered it was Bal yelling at me. I landed on the oak floor of the kitchen, but before the pain could incapacitate me, I snarled and flipped up to my feet, heedless of the blood pouring from my body. My eyes found his, and Isnarled. My fury spiked as a groan came from my enemy. He was trying to get off the floor. He had invaded our home…
“Enemy,” I managed to snarl around my fangs.
Bal stood in front of the vampire, and that only incited my rage. He was protecting an enemy...from me.
“Shane, look at me. Not him.”
I did.
“This is Elliot. You know him, he’s on my team and is Dav’s mate. He’s not an enemy.”
I shook my head, trying to process his words. He had smelled different from the others. He was also dressed differently… My stomach growled. But he was blood. I gave a low and vicious rumble and fixed my eyes on my prey.
“Elliot. Leave. Now.” Bal’s words were calm and commanding, just like they had been with me. Jealousy ripped at my chest, and I took a step forward. I’d get rid of this vampire. He wasn’t worthy of Bal’s protection, and he wouldn’t take what was mine…
Elliot scrambled to his feet and walked backwards, his eyes on me. I watched him, ready to sprint past Bal.
“Shane!” Bal’s voice was sharp, and I felt that familiar pressure pushing down on my brain. I shoved it aside, my eyes still fixed on Elliot. Gods, I was so damned hungry, and disgusting blood coated my tongue. It was foul, and this vampire’s would taste sweeter…
“Shane?” The sound of that sweet voice snapped me out of my fixation.
10
Shane
Sorcha leanedagainst the terrace wall, covered in blood and looking pale and shaky. I homed in on the bruises on her face and knuckles. Whoever these attackers were, she’d fought back. I felt a surge of pride. She was a submissive soul, one who’d shown me nothing but kindness, but I’d worried that meant she wasn’t able to protect herself. I covered the ground between us quickly, my hunger and lust pushed aside, my jealousy tempered, if not forgotten. My wolf whined. I needed to make sure she was unharmed.
“Sorcha?”
She gave me a weak smile. “I’m fine.”
I ran a gentle finger over her bruised cheek. It wasn’t a claw anymore, just my finger; my blood-covered finger. I wasn’t even aware I’d changed back. My wolf whined again at the sight of her injuries, but I snatched my hand back, unwilling to touch her with that evil-smelling blood covering me. I refused to mark her with it.
I looked at Bal, who was watching me carefully, his face dark. It occurred to me he might be pissed that I’d defied his compulsion on two occasions, but I didn’t care. I was a fucking alpha wolf, no matter how young I was as a vampire. Shifters bowed to my power, I didn’t bow...at least not for long, and only ever to someone I respected.
“Did they hurt you?” I could see the bruises, and coldness invaded my chest, knowing that they may have done more before Bal got to her.
