Slowly, Jess backed away only to hit into a soft surface. “Look what I have caught. A shifter mate,” a strong male voice said behind her. The man spun her, and Jess looked up into a face that was perfection. He was a male version of the women. He put the gorgeous people at her school to shame. His skin was tan brown, his eyes blue, and his hair cut in a short “Ken” cut. His face was all perfect lines. He tilted her head up to look into his ice blue eyes. “I can’t control you because you’re a shifter mate. The shifter bond won’t let me take your life force either, but I can have fun with you before I dispose of you. It will be nice to know your death will kill one of those vermin shifters.”
Jess had no idea what the man was talking about, but she didn’t like it, and her self-preservation radar was going off. “Look, I have no idea what you are talking about. I need to go. I have, um, an early start at work tomorrow.” She tried to shake herself out of his hold, but he wouldn’t let her go. He was strong, and his hold was tight and hurting her. Knowing she had to fight she prayed she could bring enough attention to get some help.
Using her whole weight she flung herself about screaming, kicking, and punching the man. “Help! Help!” When nothing happened and no one took notice she remembered something she’d learned in a self-defense class her mother had made her take. “Fire, fire! Help, fire!”
She saw people closer to her turn, but the others didn’t hear her over the loud music. The man covered her mouth and squeezed her so tight she was surprised a rib didn’t crack. “Shut up before I snap your neck.” One of his hands came up, and his fingers circled her neck and closed tight around it squeezing.
Elbowing him and biting his hand, she threw herself on him. If she was going to die, Jess was going to die fighting.
****
Mac glared at his brother, Carter. He was an asshole. Mac was sick of being punished for being younger and Britney Pride’s best friend. Lately his brother had been pushing him harder and harder. Tonight they’d already taken out a group of vampires, but his brother wasn’t finished. He wanted to check out a club that Mac had mentioned some people at school were visiting and didn’t seem right after being there.
“Stop being such a pussy. It’s only early. I’m ready to kill me some monsters,” Carter grunted.
Mac’s brother snarled anytime he came near him or ripped into to him for something. The problem was Britney. They’d gone to the movies this afternoon, and she’d snuggled up to him, leaving her scent all over him. Mac had come home and hoped his brother wouldn’t have been at his own house, but he wasn’t that lucky. Carter had gone berserk, and even though Mac had showered and scrubbed himself, Britney’s scent lingered.
So Mac’s punishment for being able to be with Carter’s mate was hours and hours of hunting.
They arrived at the club and didn’t wait in line, but walked right in. No one dared stop them. Mac was six feet and broad, but Carter was six foot five and built like a linebacker. And that wasn’t even counting the two other wolves they had on patrol with them.
The smell hit the four of them as soon as they walked in.
“Fuck. This is going to be a long night.” Mac swore as his wolf howled and confirmed they’d just walked into a boogieman lair.
Taking in a deep breath he let his senses out and counted the humans. His ears picked up something. Following the sound of someone yelling about a fire he froze at the sight before him.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me. Carter, Carter.” Jezebel, Brandon’s mate, was kicking and punching as she threw herself on a boogieman, who was fighting back strangling her unsuccessfully.
“What the hell is that woman doing?”
Mac groaned. This wasn’t going to end well. “Take a deep breath in. That faint smell is Brandon Pride. That is Jezebel, his mate.”
“Why the fuck is she here without protection?” Mac watched as his brother got his phone out. “Pride, are you missing something? I have one Jezebel Pride here fighting a boogieman. Get your ass over to Skin before she gets herself killed. Your mate has found a nest.”
Carter didn’t even wait for a reply. He just hung up. “What the fuck are you waiting for? Save her. I don’t want trouble with the Prides. I have a mate to claim from that family myself soon.”
Glaring at his brother Mac reached down and grabbed a startled Jezebel.
“Mac, I’ve never been so happy to see you. Something is wrong. They are not human.”
The boogieman came at him with his claws out, and his teeth lengthened. Cursing the Prides, Mac moved Jezebel behind him, ripped his clothes off and attacked the boogieman by changing to his wolf form.