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He used my frozen panic to reach his hand through the broken door once more.
I swung the bat, tears streaking down my cheeks and causing my vision to blur. The bat connected with the door and missed his arm. He was fast as he found the lock and disengaged it, pulling his arm out fast just as I swung again. I was screaming, saying words that I was pretty sure were unintelligible.
I scrambled backward and searched for the cell on the ground as the door swung open, but God help me, I couldn’t find it. I prayed it was still connected to the 911 operator and she was hearing all of this.
I heard the growl come from the man before I felt his big body tackle me to the ground so hard the air left my lungs. My feet came out from under me, the back of my head cracking against the floor so hard I felt it rattle, like my brain was being shaken around in my skull.
I groaned, blinked over and over again to try to keep my eyes open, but my vision was blurry, and I knew I wouldn’t stay conscious for long. But I’d fight going under. I’d fight the darkness and this asshole until I couldn’t fight anymore.
The man stood above me with a malicious grin on his face, one that felt weird. But then I saw his body tense just as a loud shout sounded close, and he glanced over his shoulder. The man in black turned fully around, no longer focused on me.
A red glow filled the hallway and wove its way into my bedroom, brighter… redder.
And then I heard it. A low, rhythmic purring, a hum that filled the entire house, seemed to shake the walls, vibrate the floors.
No, not a purr, not a hum. A growl. An animal was in the house, a predator, and the man in black was terrified. I knew that by the way he took a step back. I felt it in the rippling tension emanating from his body.
I forced my upper body off the ground, my palms flat on the cold, hardwood floor as I stared at the bedroom door that hung from its hinges. I moved backward, crab walking until the wall stopped my retreat. I was panting, hyperventilating. I knew I should be afraid just by the glow, the sound… the way the man before me took a fighting stance.
But I wasn’t. Because I knew, God, I knew who was here and that he wasn't here to hurt me.
But that alone should have scared the shit out of me. Especially when the man from the club stepped into my room.
He was larger than life, with the glowing red eyes that had nothing to do with the club lights, the twin canines that were too similar to fangs… and the fact that before, he’d lapped at my blood like it nourished him.
He was here, for me, and I knew he brought death with him.
12
Adryan
Ilet my grin spread slowly as I stared at the human bastard in front of me, the poor fucker who was facing off with me like he actually had a chance in defeating me.
He took a fighting stance and reached behind him to grab a weapon I’d never seen before. It wasn’t a gun, not in the obvious sense, and I knew right away they weren’t trying to kill me. They wanted to incapacitate.
I didn’t need to know this male to know who and what he was. An Assembly prick who I’d take great pleasure in killing nice and slow. But even if he wasn’t part of some twisted-as-fuck—and that was saying something if I was calling them that—group, I’d still kill him, because he thought to hurt my mate.
I looked at Kayla, who was pressed against the wall, her chest rising and falling. I smelled her blood but didn’t see a visible wound. She was on the ground, so I had to assume this fucker had knocked her down and she hit her head.
Oh, he’d die slowly.
And as I stared at the large male in front of me, how he was dressed all in black from head to toe, his face covered, I bared my teeth and let him see my fangs grow nice and long. I’d use them to tear his throat out. He took a small step back.
“Coward,” I said and chuckled. “Can’t show your face, huh?” I shrugged, wanting nothing more than to go to Kayla and make sure she was okay, to insert myself between her and this bastard and show her that I’d never let anyone hurt her.
“Alex!” the human male shouted to his accomplice but kept his gaze locked on me.
I laughed low again. “Your friend is currently on the stairs with his neck at an awkward angle and his jugular torn out.”
The human’s eyes narrowed.
I cocked my head to the side. “What’s with the fucking ski masks? You gonna rob a bank?” I could smell his anger coating the air at a quick pace, and it made my blood sing. “’Cause I’ll be honest. You look fucking ridiculous.” I didn’t move, just watched him as his anger continued to rise, filling the room with the acidic scent reminiscent of gasoline.
His chest pumped up and down the more he tried to get control of himself and the situation. I could fucking feel his inexperience and wondered if this was the first time he’d ever encountered an Otherworld creature.
Not that his lack of experience would save his life today.
I let my gaze go to his throat, saw how quick his pulse was pounding, and felt my grin widen even more. “Am I popping your Otherworld cherry right now?” His entire body tensed. I laughed harder this time, and although outwardly I was at ease, completely unthreatened, for the first time in my life I felt absolute fear. Because of my mate. For my mate.
