squeezed Seleneâs hand.
âThanks, but I have a feeling your dad is going to prove to be a challenge. Marking or no marking.â
And then there was Tarron and his damned matchmaking to contend with.
She wondered what the commander would think about
that
.
Something told her sheâd better keep that tidbit under wraps where a certain possessive wolf was concerned.
Three
T he ride to the site where they were to intercept the hunters was shortâbut it was long enough to recall every moment Nick had spent in Callaâs company this afternoon.
Was this woman for real? All he could think was,
Sheâs too perfect. Too beautiful. She has to possess at least one flaw.
Then heâd lost his head. Pushed her against the tree and devoured her mouth like the starving wolf he was. Fucking hell, it had been so long since heâd felt such a strong connection to a woman. Like he had to have her or heâd go crazy.
His wolf hadnât been able to get close enough, either. Immediately he was rubbing all over her, leaving so much of his scent on her that every shifter within miles of her would know who the hell she belonged to. He had to mark her or lose his mind.
And then heâd felt her tense. As his tongue explored her delicious mouth, heâd actually touched one of her fangs as it lengthened. Her need to bite him became a palpable thing.
There was her flaw, he remembered.
Calla was a vampire. As such, sheâd need to feed from her mate, eventually.
And sheâs my mate. If there was any question before, there isnât now. My wolf is howling with the need to be with her. To claim her for us. Then sheâd have to claim me, too, as vampires do.
Sink her fangs into my neck. Drink from me.
Like Carter.
He couldnât let that happen. The very idea made his gut writhe as though filled with poisonous snakes. And yet, if he didnât claim her, heâd eventually get mating sickness. He was much older, could hold out longer than the turned wolves on his team, but not forever.
Had Calla saved his life for nothing, then? What was the point in living if he couldnât work past the horror of what Carter had done to him?
What am I going to do?
âWeâre here! Get ready!â Jax shouted.
Nick slid from his seat and grabbed the M16 off his shoulder. Sometimes a direct assault and good old-fashioned firepower was the best tactic. That was what they were doing with the hunters since there wasnât time to set down miles away andcome in quiet. The coven that was under siege was out of time.
They flew in low, balls to the wall, and let the bullets fly. It wasnât too difficult to tell who the bad guys wereâthey were the armed ones shooting back. The humans were dressed in cammo, too. Real original. Bullets pinged off the sides of the Huey. One missed Nickâs head, so close he swore he felt the heat from its passing.
He fired off round after round, hitting more than he missed. Hunters dropped like puppets with their strings cut, and he felt nothing. No sympathy. He thought of Rambo in the movie declaring theyâd drawn first blood, and that was how he viewed the matter.
They started it. Weâll finish it.
With Aric at the controls, the Huey Nick was riding in circled around, making another pass at the wide-open spaces between the buildings of the coven. Most soldiers who werenât dead were on the run, headed for the trees, guns slung over their backs.
Except one. Nick saw the bastard take aim in his direction a split second too late. A punch seared his chest and he was thrown backward, onto the cold metal floor. His weapon clattered from his hand. Hammerâs shouts reached Nickâs ears, but he couldnât understand what his friend was saying. He tried to push up. Couldnât move.
âStay down!â Hammerâs frantic face loomed over him.
âVest,â he gasped, trying to raise his arm. âIâm okay.â
The
Susan Aldous, Nicola Pierce