The Dark-Hunters (655 page)

Dev reached for the leader, who spun on him so fast, she barely saw him move. With one fluid move, he had Dev flat on his back on the floor. Dev reached up and froze as the jackal held a Taser at the ready.

It wasn’t the pain of a possible hit that gave them pause. One jolt and they’d lose control of their human forms for hours. For that matter, any hit of electricity would have them flashing from human to animal and back again.

Something that was hard to explain to human clientele who tended to get a little wigged-out whenever they saw it.

Aimee looked around at the number of humans in the room. They needed to dispel this as peacefully as possible.

And quick.

The leader looked past her and gave a subtle nod.

All of a sudden, the man behind her grabbed her hard and held a knife to her throat.

The leader’s gaze glittered like ice. “Now take us to Constantine or I’ll have your head.”

Aimee passed a scared look to Dev who knew what she did.

They couldn’t give them what they didn’t have.

This was about to get bloody and she was going to be the one they drew first blood on.

CHAPTER 2

“Stay out of it, Fang,” Vane said under his breath.

His anger snapping, Fang narrowed his eyes on the Sentinels surrounding Aimee. “It’s a threatened female.”

“She’s not one of ours and we need the bears on our side. You break Omegrion sanctuary laws and they’ll refuse to help us. Ever. They’ll refuse to help
Anya.
”

Fang heard those words and he was willing to abide by them. His sister was the most important thing.…

Until he saw the knife.

Vane cursed as he saw it too. Anya or not, it wasn’t in their nature to let that go and since the bears seemed to be in over their furry little heads …

Vane’s hazel gaze locked with Fang’s. “I have the asshole in front, you take the one with the woman.”

Fury lowered his head in agreement to their suicide run. “We’ve got your backs.”

Vane inclined his head before they teleported to the fight.

*   *   *

Aimee considered the consequences of head-butting the jackal holding her. But he kept the knife tight to her throat, preventing it. She’d cut her own jugular if she even tried. She looked at her brothers and father, all of whom were standing back, too afraid to move for fear of causing her harm.

Tears of frustration welled in her eyes. She couldn’t stand being helpless. The bear in her wanted to taste jackal blood regardless of what it cost her. Even death. But the human side of her knew better.

It wasn’t worth the chance.

The jackal grabbed her by the hair and pressed the knife even closer. “Tell us where Constantine is. Now! Or else her blood flows like the mighty Niagara.”

Papa opened his mouth, but before he could speak something snatched the knife away from her throat.

Aimee cursed as her head was snapped back and her hair wrenched. Unbalanced, she fell to the floor and landed on her stomach. Sounds exploded all around her as the jackals were quickly and painfully brought down by the wolves. Rubbing her throat where the knife had been, she looked to the jackal who’d been holding her.

Fang had him on the ground, slamming his head repeatedly against the floor as hard as he could. It was as if he were possessed by something that demanded he kill the jackal with his bare hands.

Blood covered both of them.

“Fang!” Vane shouted, pulling him away. “He’s out of it.”

Growling, Fang rose only to kick the jackal in the ribs. “Cowardly bastard. Pull a knife on a woman.” He started back for his victim, but Vane caught him.

“Enough!”

Fang shrugged his brother off before he turned to her with a look so anguished and tormented that it stole her breath. What demon had its spurs sunk deep into his soul? Something tragic lay behind that kind of pain.

It had to.

He turned for the jackal.

Vane spread his arms out to capture him. “He’s down. Let it go.”

Growling in true wolf fashion, Fang pushed past his brother. “I’ll wait outside.”

Before Vane could catch him, he got one last kick on the jackal’s head on his way to the door.

Fury laughed at Fang’s action as he twisted the arm of the jackal he held. “I really should break you in two. It might not brighten your day, but it would definitely make mine.”

Vane shook his head at Fang’s actions and Fury’s words. Turning to Papa, he made his way slowly toward them. “Sorry we broke the covenant.” He held money out to Dev. “We’ll leave and never come back.”

Papa pushed the money back toward Vane. “You don’t have to leave. It was my daughter you saved. Thank you for what you did. So long as we have shelter, you have shelter.” That was the highest honor a Were-Hunter could bestow on another. It was their oldest saying and only offered to another species as a show of eternal friendship.

No, more like kinship.

Vane seemed abashed by it.

Aimee watched as her family took the jackals from the wolves and led them away, no doubt to give them an even harsher ass-whipping out of sight of the humans.

“Are you all right?” Remi asked her as he helped her to her feet.

She nodded.

He glared at the one Fang had thrashed, who was still lying on the floor in a bloody heap. “Good, ’cause I’m going to skin me a jackal when he wakes up.”

Aimee folded her arms over her chest. “I think the wolf already did.”

“Yeah, but it’s not good enough. I’m going to add my own head-pounding to him. That boy will have bear nightmares for the rest of his life … which just might prove to be a lot shorter than he ever dreamed.”

Normally Aimee would have smarted back at him, but right now she was as shaken as the rest of them. It was rare anyone got the drop on her family, especially Dev, who was renowned for his fighting prowess. Never in all these centuries had she seen anyone pin him before.

A little beating on the jackals might go a long way in ensuring this never happened again. “What about the humans?”

Papa jerked his chin toward the tall blond who was walking around the crowd. “Max is wiping them even as we speak. It’s why they didn’t scream or move when the jackals attacked you. He heard the commotion and popped in.”

She let out a relieved breath. Maxis was a dragon-were who had the ability to replace human memories. It was one of the reasons they kept him here even though it was hard to accommodate his large dragon form. His talents came in handy at times such as this and it meant they didn’t have to kill humans who witnessed things they weren’t supposed to know about.

“Should we go get Fang?” Keegan asked Vane as they started past her.

“Let him calm down first. We don’t need him starting another fight.”

Aimee held her hand out to Vane. “Thanks for the assist. I really appreciate it.”

He shook her hand gently. “Anytime.”

She smiled up at him and gestured with her thumb toward the kitchen. “I’ll go put your orders in and have them out shortly.”

Her father inclined his head to Vane. “And don’t worry, it’s on the house. Whatever you wolves need, just let us know.”

“Thank you,” Vane said as he led his wolves back to their table.

Dev grinned at her. “Never thought I’d say this about any canine species, but I think I like that group.”

Aimee didn’t comment as she headed to the kitchen where her mother was waiting.

Her features stern, Maman stepped aside to let her pass. “Constantine sits on the Omegrion as their Arcadian Grand Regis. I don’t know him well, however I think we should find him and tell him where his friends are being kept—just to level the field a bit since they seem so eager to meet up with him.”

It was a subtle way for Maman to say that she wanted the jackals dead and to be able to justify it to the Omegrion should anyone question her. After all, if the jackals were hunting Constantine so ferociously, it was only fair he know about it.

Aimee might have argued it was a harsh sentence, but given what the jackals had done to her, she was in the same sporting mood as her mother. “I’m sure Dev can arrange that.”

Her mother’s eyes darkened. “No one threatens my cubs. Are you truly all right,
chérie?
”

“I’m fine, Maman. Thanks to the wolves.”

Maman patted her lightly on the arm before she headed back to her office.

Aimee went over to where a rare steak was already up on the order shelf. Handing her orders over to their cooks, she took the plate and grabbed a beer for Fang as she passed by the bar. “I’ll be back in a few.”

Her older brother Zar, who looked a lot like Dev with short hair, only taller and broader, stopped her. “Are you all right?”

At this point, that question was getting old. She wasn’t a fragile doll that would break at the slightest wrong twist. She was a bear with all the strength and abilities inherent in their species. Her family, however, tended to forget that fact. “A little shaken and a lot of pissed off. I don’t like anyone getting the drop on me the way the jackals did. But I’m fine now.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, showing her the anger he kept hidden underneath his calm exterior. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to you faster.”

Those words were haunting as they stirred memories inside her she didn’t want to remember. “Really, it’s okay, Zar. I’d much rather be the one threatened than to see you hurt.” Again. She left that one word unspoken as she saw her own painful memories mirrored in the horror of his gaze.

It was a past they never talked about, but one that scarred them all.

“I love you, Zar.”

He offered her a hollow smile before he moved away so that he could continue tending the bar.

Aimee headed out the back door to the alley and then across the street to where Fang was sitting on the sidewalk, waiting for the others. His features troubled, he reminded her of a lost child. Something completely incongruous with his tougher-than-steel aura. Not to mention his prowess at taking down her attacker without even scratching her. His speed and strength were unrivaled and frightening.

Even though he must have used his powers to remove the blood from his clothes, she remembered well the way he’d trounced the jackal.

But what surprised her most was the fact that she wasn’t repulsed by his violence. Normally such overkill would have had her showing him the door.

Then again, she’d been the one with the knife at her throat. Personally, she’d like to kick the jackal around a bit herself. Yeah, that had to be it. She was too grateful to him to be angered over his actions.

Fang shot to his feet as soon as he saw her.

For some reason she couldn’t name, she was suddenly nervous and self-conscious as she approached him. Hesitant, even.

How unlike her. She was always icy cold around men, especially when they were from another species. But with Fang …

There was just something different.

Fang swallowed as he saw Aimee pause across the street. She was even more beautiful in the daylight than she’d been inside the dark club. The sunlight sparkled in her hair, turning it into spun gold and making his palm itch to touch its softness. She had to be freezing. All she had on was a thin Sanctuary T-shirt.

He shrugged his jacket off as she finally neared him.

“I wanted to say thank-you again,” she said, her voice low and sweet. She scowled as he draped his jacket around her thin shoulders.

Fang lowered his head sheepishly as he realized why it bothered her. “I know I smell like a wolf, but it’s too cold to be out here bare-armed.”

She frowned even more as she looked at his arms. “You’re wearing a T-shirt too.”

“Yeah, but I’m used to being outside.” He took the food from her. “So I take it I didn’t get us banned after all.”

She smiled, showing him that beckoning dimple that he would kill to kiss. “Far from it. Anyone who fights for us is always welcome here.”

His features relieved, he nodded. “Good. I was afraid I’d have to listen to Vane’s shi—stuff for the next few centuries.”

Aimee stifled a laugh at the way he caught himself before he cussed in front of her. It was very sweet and charming and also unexpected. “You’re not like other wolves, are you?”

He swallowed a drink of beer straight out of the bottle. “How do you mean?”

“I’ve never been around wolves who were so…”

He arched a brow as if daring her to insult him.

“Mannered.”

Fang laughed, a warm, rich sound that lacked any hint of mockery. The expression softened his features, making him even more gorgeous and intriguing. And for some reason, she couldn’t quite take her gaze off his well-sculpted arms as they flexed with every move he made. He had the best biceps she’d ever seen.

“Our sister’s doing,” he said after he swallowed a bite. “She has codes we have to follow and Vane enforces them to please her.”

“But you don’t like them?” There’d been a note in his voice as he spoke.

He didn’t answer as he cut the steak with his fork.

Aimee gestured back toward the bar. “You want to eat that inside with the rest?”

“Nah. I don’t like being indoors and I can’t stand most of them anyway.” He jerked his chin toward the saloon-styled door where Dev was standing guard again. “You should probably go back though. I’m sure your brother doesn’t want you out here consorting with dogs.”

“You’re not a dog,” she said emphatically, surprised that she actually meant it. An hour ago, she’d have been the one to hurl that insult at him and the rest of his pack.

Now …

He truly wasn’t like the others and she really wanted to stay out here with him.

Go, Aimee.

She took a step away before she remembered that she wore his jacket. Pulling it off, she held it out to him. “Thanks again.”

Fang couldn’t speak as he watched her cross the street and head back into the bar. As he held his jacket against his chest, her scent hit him full force with a wave so strong he wanted to howl from it. Instead, he buried his face against the collar where her scent was the strongest. Inhaling deep, he felt his body harden to a level it had only done for one other female.…