Consumed (Dark Protectors) by Rebecca Zanetti Read Free Book Online Page A

should be going for their throats, not staring at Jordan with an amused glint in his yellow eyes.
    She had a gun in the nightstand. Slowly, casually, she reached for the drawer.
    “No,” Brent growled, keeping his gaze on Jordan. “No, Kaattiieee.”
    “Jesus.” Jordan shoved his phone in his pocket. “When did you evolve enough to talk?” He eyed Katie and the beast, anger darkening his smooth skin.
    Yeah. The bed lay between Jordan and Brent. Not a good place to be in her flimsy shirt without any weapons.
    Jordan moved toward the bed.
    “Stop.” Brent flashed yellow teeth in a parody of a smile. “I talk. I think. I hunt.” He jerked his head toward Katie. “Miiiine.”
    “You couldn’t be more wrong. Kate, get out of bed and come here.” Jordan’s skin shimmered. A growl, deadlier than the one issued by Brent, rumbled from his twisted lips. “You said you know me?”
    “Yeesss.” Brent moved his hairy body closer to the bed. “Brennnt Bowwmn.”
    Jordan snarled.
    Katie froze. Animalistic tension swirled through the room, raising the hair on the back of her neck. As a smart woman, she knew her limitations from the damn virus—getting between two shifted animals trying to kill each other would end badly. Hopefully Jordan wouldn’t shift.
    Jordan took another step toward her, his hands clenching into fists. “I thought I killed you. Three hundred years ago.”
    Brent shrugged a massive shoulder, sending fur rolling down his body. “No. Almooossst. You left tennndon attached in neck. I had to diiiig out of graaaave.”
    “That’s unfortunate,” Jordan said, his voice a low tenor Katie had never heard. “How long you been a werewolf?”
    “Ten yearrrsss.”
    Jordan kicked off his boots.
    Brent licked his lips.
    Katie bunched her muscles to attack.
    Brent settled his stance, fur rippling. “The Pride issss mine, coussssssin.”
    Cousin? Katie frowned. Jordan had family?
    “Kaattieee one of us.” Brent slid another foot closer to the bed.
    Jordan ducked his head and charged. He hit the werewolf dead center, throwing them across the room and through the window. The window frame cracked down the middle, leaving a gash in the wall. They disappeared from sight. Air exploded as he must have shifted. Snarls and growls filled the night as they fell three stories.
    Katie rushed to the window, her hands clutching the jagged sill. Rain slammed into her face.
    In a tangle of limbs, the duo landed, werewolf solidly on top of cougar. Brent must’ve twisted them midflight. He rolled away, gasping, teeth flashing as Jordan’s head thunked hard on the cobbled alley.
    Panic caught Katie’s breath in her throat. She rushed back to the drawer, reaching for the gun and swinging around. Her foot caught on the bedspread and she went sprawling across the floor. Pain ripped across her knees. She tightened her hold on the weapon. With a sob, she scrambled to her feet, leaping back to the window.
    Down below, Brent backed away from Jordan. The massive cougar, much larger than any true animal, sprawled on the wet bricks. Blood cascaded from a cut above his left ear. He didn’t move.
    The angle of the fire escape kept her from getting a clean sight. Frustration caught in her throat. Determination straightened Katie’s spine. She aimed the barrel for Brent’s neck. He bunched to attack.
    She fired.
    The shot ricocheted off the metal fire escape. He paused.
    Both Jordan and Brent looked up, eyes wild, fur standing on end.
    Jordan jumped to his feet with a high-pitched snarl.
    Katie’s hand trembled, and she slapped both hands around the gun. The cougar and werewolf circled each other, jaws wide, teeth flashing. Blood flowed from the cut along the top of Jordan’s head, dying his fur a dark red, even with the rain pelting down.
    She tried to aim, but the animals moved too quickly. Toeing on her tennis shoes, she gingerly stepped over the jagged glass to the fire escape. The wind blew water into her face ... even then a