Witch Way to Turn (19 page)

“Oh, right.” He took his time and mumbled to himself, “You’re not a little girl anymore.”

Weird much? “I haven’t been a little girl for a long time, Myles.” Fingers still a little numb, she worked the last button then slid the boxers up under the shirt. There. Much better.

“True. It’s still hard to believe.”

What in the world was he talking about? “I’m dressed.”

He flashed around to face her. By the time he did, his fangs had retracted and his blood cooled.

“Why’s it hard to believe?”

Without giving her an answer, he darted past her, headed for the front door. “We should go. I’ll take you back to Orin.”

“Myles? First of all, take me back to my apartment. Second, forget Orin for a minute. What’s up with the running commentary on my age?”

“It’s–” he started.

“If you say complicated I swear I’m not speaking to you.” Yeah, she knew how childish it sounded, but she didn’t care.

“I guess we’re not talking then.” He held open the door for her. “It won’t last,” he added with a sly grin, watching her brush past him.

She gave him her best stink-eye and strode out the door toward his Camaro.

A flash of black curls zipped by her as he sped ahead to open the passenger side door.

“I can do it myself, thank you very much.”

He smiled. “Told you.”

She fought back a smile. She didn’t want to stay mad at him. It didn’t feel right.

* * * *

“Thanks, Myles.” They’d parked outside Breena’s apartment and she reached for the door handle.

He grabbed her other hand and stopped her.

She froze in her seat, unable to pull away. Not because he forced her, but because she hoped he’d give her something to hold on to. A reason to keep letting herself feel for him. Because otherwise, was the vampire worth waiting for? Worth the emotional rollercoaster ride?

“I’m always here for you, Bree.” Not the line she’d wanted to hear.

“You shouldn’t be.” She slid her hand out of his with one last shred of hope that he’d surprise her with a kiss or grab her hand again. He didn’t.

After she got out of the Camaro, she practically ran up to her apartment without as much as a glance back.

She hurried into the duplex and locked the front door behind her. Turning around, she braced herself. She didn’t know what to expect from Orin.

Shame spread across his face. “Breena, I’m so sorry.”

“You couldn’t stop?”

He shook his head. “Are you okay?”

Other than feeling weak and maybe a little disoriented, she thought so. She nodded.

He hesitated then slunk over to her. She let him press her into his shoulder while he tenderly stroked her back. “Of course you’ll need time to recharge. Soul has to build back up.”

Good to know.

She hadn’t realized she was afraid of losing her soul until he said it.

“How did you like apparating?” Orin asked against her hair.

“What? Oh. I did do that.”

“Yes, you did.”

“It was fine. Made me feel a little out of sorts though.” She hadn’t thought about it since she’d done it by accident. Or maybe it was a defense mechanism. Her powers could really use some offense. “I’m not sure how–”

Suddenly, crazy-fear flooded her veins.

Oh God
.

She broke free from Orin’s arms.

“Why are you wearing men’s clothing?” His eyes grew darker, as they had when he’d tasted her soul.

She didn’t have time for this. Something was terribly wrong.

Pound. Pound. Pound.
Somebody was beating the crap out of the front door.

“Breena, let me in.” Myles sounded panicked.

“The vampire.” Orin flicked the bottom of her shirt, disgust written on his face.

“Let me in.” Myles rattled the door handle.

She raced for the door, unlocked and opened it. Even though he could’ve broken it down, she was glad he didn’t.

Myles’s eyes were wide as he stepped into the duplex, but Orin popped between Breena and Myles.

“What do you want, vampire?” Orin glared at him.

Myles ignored the preternatural by looking past him at Breena. “Jenny’s in trouble.”

“What? How do you know?” Her own panic added to the mix.

“She called my cell. She couldn’t reach you. Let’s go.”

Nothing mattered but Jenny. Breena brushed past Orin, who, evidently, was hot on her heels. They piled into Myles’s Camaro, Breena in the passenger seat and Orin in the back.

The engine growled. Gravel flew from the tires. Myles drove like a bat out of hell.

Chapter 16

“Myles, what’s going on?” Breena’s hands shook and she tasted blood on the inside of her lip.

“Werewolves.” He kept his hands clenched on the steering wheel and his focus on the road.

“Werewolves? How do you know?”

“She saw them.” Myles floored it across the bridge. At this rate they’d be at Dogwood Drive in minutes.

“What do they want?” Breena pressed her hands into her lap to steady them.

“You,” Myles stated. “Too bad we don’t have any silver bullets with us.”

“Wouldn’t we need guns too?”

Myles nodded. “In the trunk.”

Well, that was unexpected. She wouldn’t have pegged Myles as the type to pack heat. Of course, she wouldn’t have pegged him as a vampire either. “Why do you have guns in the trunk?”

“Less messy than using your bare hands,” the vamp answered.

“True,” the preternatural agreed from the backseat.

“I’m so glad killing brings us all together like this.” She wanted to smack both of them silly. There was so much adrenaline pumping through her veins she thought she might actually explode into a ball of blue light.

“What type of guns?” Orin leaned between the front seats.

“A Glock and a .44 Magnum.”

“Be right back.” Orin poofed out of sight.

They turned left at the gas station down Dogwood Drive and pulled onto the shoulder by the road. Myles jumped out and zipped around to the trunk.

By the time Breena got out, Orin had returned. He popped into the backseat with two boxes in hand. He threw open the door and hustled over to Breena’s side by the trunk. “Silver bullets.” The preternatural laid the boxes inside.

Myles loaded the Glock. Orin took the Magnum. Norma’d had enough boyfriends with guns for Breena to learn the difference.

“It seems you may be useful after all, unnatural.” He tossed the box of bullets back in the car. “Maybe being an assassin has its advantages.”

She felt the bitter bite behind Myles’s comment.

“And being the president’s tracker doesn’t?” Orin scanned Breena up and down then looked back at Myles. “Oh right, you’re afraid to break the rules. Guess your losses are starting to add up.”

The magazine clicked into place, and Myles pointed the Glock right between Orin’s eyes.

“Go ahead, blood-sucker. You know silver won’t kill me.”

Myles brought the gun back down to his side. Then he reared back and hit Orin square on the jaw. The preternatural staggered backward, an imprint of the vampire’s copper ring seared into his cheek.

Orin’s ears shot up. Myles’s fangs extended.

Breena stepped between them, ready to fight them both to the death.

“Enough!” she shouted, beyond pissed. “You two can kill each other later. Right now we have to get Jenny.”

Myles’s fangs retracted, but she knew he still wanted to kill Orin.

The preternatural’s cheek had already begun to smooth out. By the time he finished loading the Magnum it had completely healed.

Myles shut the trunk, watching Orin. It didn’t take the vampire’s blood to cue her in on the tension between the two raging-with-testosterone supernaturals.

“So, uh, no gun for me?” She gave her best little fake chuckle. Myles’s gaze shot to her so fast she thought maybe he’d hit her too.

“You’re staying in the car.” Myles took two long steps in her direction.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” The vamp gripped her shoulders and pushed her toward the passenger door. Then he opened it and stuck her in like a cop arresting a drug dealer.

Orin yanked Myles back. Breena turned just in time to see Orin pull a wooden knife from under his pant leg.

“No!” she cried.

Too late. Orin slashed Myles across the face.

Breena fell to the ground clutching her own cheek.

“Touch her again, blood-sucker, I dare you.” Orin brandished the knife like the expert he was. The slice across the face had been a warning. A warning
she
wouldn’t soon forget.

“You idiot.” Myles glowered at Orin. “You hurt me, you hurt her.”

“Dammit. Fucking blood-bond.” Orin dropped down to Breena’s side and scooped her into his arms.

“Am I bleeding?” She was afraid to drop her hand.

“No, sweetheart. There’s no mark. I know it hurts, but it’s mental pain.”

It sure as hell felt physical to her.

“I didn’t think. I am so sorry, Breena. Can I do something?”

“Haven’t you done enough?” The vampire gazed down at Orin with a deadly expression. His cut had healed before Orin had even lifted her off the ground. He turned to her. “You okay, Bree?”

They needed to stop screwing around and get to Jenny. “Peachy keen,” she lied.

The pain was indescribable and she wanted to scream,
Make it stop!
It wasn’t right to be this connected to someone who didn’t or wouldn’t share her feelings.

Whatever
.

There was no time to worry about it.

“Let’s go,” she snapped.

Myles opened his mouth. “Bree–”

“If you try to stop me, I’ll follow y’all after you leave.”

“Not if you’re in the trunk.” Myles nodded toward the car.

She glared up at him.

“Put her in there and you’ll pay.” Orin let loose of her and seized Myles’s shoulder.

“Do you really want to hurt her again?” The vampire grabbed Orin’s hand and pushed him away.

The preternatural fisted his hands at his sides but didn’t fight back. “She doesn’t have a blood-bond with Dandi. I’d be happy to pay her a visit.”

“You keep away from her if you know what’s good for you, unnatural.”

As much as Breena wanted to know who the hell Dandi was, she felt a little like a toy in a sandbox with two kids who hadn’t learned to share. “We’re wasting time. Jenny needs us.” She must’ve sounded desperate, because they both snapped their attention to her.

“Bree, here.” Myles held out his arms. She gave him a perplexed eyebrow-lift while Orin’s deep-set stare fixed on her. “It’ll be faster.”

“Fine.” She marched around Orin and reluctantly let Myles scoop her up, deciding she’d worry about how this looked to the preternatural later. She secured her arms around the vampire’s neck and tried not to think about the way he held her so close to his chest. “Let’s move.”

Myles and Breena raced down Dogwood Drive to the house, Orin trailing behind them. He was fast, but not as fast as the vampire. Finally, she had to close her eyes or she might’ve yacked. She didn’t think an airplane could go at such breakneck speeds.

Norma’s Jeep was parked in the driveway but there were no lights on in the house. Everything looked dark, except for the streetlamp shining dimly across the front yard. The scene oozed quiet. Too much quiet. Not even the sound of a cricket’s chirp disturbed the thick night air.

Orin crept around the side of the house and bent down to get a better look at something in the dirt.

The preternatural motioned to them. “Tracks,” he mouthed.

Then Breena noticed the familiar rotten hamburger smell from campus. Too late.

The attack happened so fast, they never saw the wolves coming.

An all-white wolf with pink eyes pounced from behind the shed. Orin’s back was to the attacker. The white wolf knocked him to the ground and took a hunk out of his shoulder. Blue blood gushed from the wound, and Orin’s Magnum was hurled across the yard toward the driveway.

Why didn’t he poof over to it?
Breena thought about shouting to him, but seeing Orin hurt had left her wide-eyed and speechless.

The preternatural turned to face the white giant, who was as long as Orin was tall. He was grappling with his attacker when a blur of brownish-red flashed in Breena’s peripheral vision. The wolf leapt at her and Myles, sharp white teeth gleaming in the moonlight. A howl broke through the once-silent night.

The vampire hurled her out of his arms, propelling her in the direction of the steps. She slid hard across the gravel. Rocks scraped her legs and hands as she tried in vain to slow down. Her back thudded against the bottom step of the front porch. Myles managed to get a shot off before the wolf landed on him, but the bullet only grazed the animal’s shoulder.