The combination of squealing mare and mental freak was too much for some. They broke and ran for the vehicles. But others dodged both the equine demon and the slashing Sabre. They leaped forward.
Toward Kade.
Toward Jessie.
And suddenly, something snapped in Zach. Fury swept through him, and he blasted the Dire that reached for Cody.
The creature spasmed in mid leap, hitting the ground hard and collapsing on the sand. Storm spun, and Zach tapped into his rage, sending it in targeted surges, one Dire at a time. Those he hit, screamed. And died. But others raced past them and through the gap leading to the bowl valley beyond.
Kade,Zach sent, clinging for dear life through another leap and spin.They’re coming.
35
Kade, they’re coming.
Zach, loud and clear as Kade sank his claws into the throat of the huge Dire and slammed him to the ground before ripping them free again.
Blood fountained. The Dire gurgled and crumpled. Kade leaped off him, slamming into the one looming over them and driving him back. Burying his claws in the creature’s neck fur, Kade roared a warning to his Sabres.
Incoming.
Dire bodies lay everywhere. The Sabres were bloodied, but still fighting. Kade spun and ducked to avoid the Dire’s swipe. Then he looked up to see the wave descending.
He was desperate to get to the buildings where Braden had vanished with Jessie and Laura. Jessie’s rage pounded at him. She was a fighter. But until she changed, even twenty claws couldn’t hope to overcome that Dire bastard.
And Braden was running out of time to claim her. The sun was hugging the horizon. The moon was coming, Kade felt it in his blood.
The wave of Dires slammed into them, and the Sabres were buried beneath the onslaught. Kade’s world dissolved into a maelstrom of snarling, snapping, clawing movement.
Then the monster he battled stiffened as a pulse of purerageblasted past Kade, leaving him shuddering and scorched around the edges. It hit the Dire straight on. The Were screamed, rearing to his full height and clutching his head. Blood flowed from his ears and nose, and he collapsed to lie in a boneless heap.
For just a second, Kade froze in shock. Zach—he’dkilledit with his rage. Much as Cara had hinted it could be done. Kade hadn’t believed it.
Not until he’d seen it with his own eyes.
With a squeal, a large, blood-soaked form shouldered Kade aside and pounded her hooves into the Dire’s head. Zach clung to the mare’s heaving back, his face white as a sheet, but his eyes blazing green as he focused on another Dire bearing down on them.
It crumpled face first into the dirt, and Zach spun the mare toward the buildings. His human lips pulled back from his teeth in an unconscious imitation of a snarl. He’d never looked more like a cat.
And then he was in Kade’s mind. Again.
Let’s go get them,Zach growled.
* * *
Jessie got to her feet. Her clawed toes were clumsy, and she steadied herself against the only furniture in the room—an ancient wooden desk.
Before she could find her balance, she was slammed backward onto it with Braden’s hand around her throat. His face, inches from hers, was caught between beast and man as his body completed its writhing progress to human.
He leaned close and sniffed. “You little bitch,” he hissed. “How dare you break our bond. And with that filthy cat,” he snarled. “You. Are. Mine.”
No.The voice in her mind was Kade, with an echo of Zach beneath it. Then Kade again, his rage a wordless snarl. And Zach, sending her a pulse of pure courage. Images of blood and mayhem flashed through her. They were fighting for their lives.
All because of the monster that loomed over her.
“You’re giving her to the pack, right?” Laura had frozen at his words, her eyes flying from Jessie to Braden, and back again.
“I will do as I wish,” Braden snarled at the blonde woman. “You would do well to remember who is alpha here.”
