The alleyway exploded into a chaotic storm of fists, feet and claws as the pair took the three humans apart. Within thirty seconds the fight was over, their opponents in a groaning heap at their feet as the mouthy leader got an up close and personal look at the jagged edge of the bottle in Rhod’s hand. The human paled, a pain-filled moan escaping his lips as his gaze riveted on the sharp glass.
In a semi-human form, Stone crouched on the other side of the bleeding, moaning pile of bodies. He growled, the animalistic sound a clear warning.
“What was that about ‘fucking us up’ again?” Rhod snarled, shoving the edge of the bottle closer, even though he had no intention of actually cutting the dumb-shit human. The leader whimpered, and the sharp stink of urine filled the already fetid air of the alleyway.
“Oh, for fucks sake…” Rhod jumped back quickly. The last thing he needed was to get piss all over his new pants. Urine and vomit never came out properly. No matter how many times he cleaned them, he could always smell the damned stuff.
Before he could say anything else, another sound caught Rhod’s attention. Snapping his head up, he focused on the form of the woman in the corner. She wasn’t cowering anymore, just leaning against the wall and watching them with wide eyes.
Time stopped, the world around ceasing to exist as he took in the utter perfection of her face. Heart-shaped with exotically slanted grey eyes, a button nose and lips made for sin, she was absolutely gorgeous. His heart stuttered in his chest as his body flared instantly to life, his cock hard and heavy in his pants. Then he clocked the blood at her temple, the unfocused look in her eyes and felt like a complete and utter shit. He was lusting after an injured woman. How low could he get?
“Deal with them,” he ordered Stone, who’d mostly reverted to human form and already had his phone in his hand, dialing for backup.
“On it.” Stone replied in a brisk voice. His heavy boot landed in the middle of the bully-leader’s chest with a thump, shoving him back down when he tried to get up. “Oh no, you lay there and relax. I insist… Oh, is that Mandy? Mandy, can you tell Iliona we have a situation in the alley behind Dmitri’s building…get her to send Cal and Gran down here? Yeah, couple of locals decided it was a good idea to jump a woman. Yeah…we’re just checking her now but we might need a car brought around to take her to the emergency room.”
Rhod stepped around his burly partner and approached the woman in the corner like he would a frightened animal, his hands outstretched to show he meant no harm.
“Hey there.” He pitched his voice low as he crouched in front of her, using his body to cut off her view of the rest of the alley and Stone, who hadn’t quite retained his human form yet. No sense in scaring her more than she already was.
Anger ripped through him again as she tried to look around him and keep an eye on her assailants. It was easy to see what they’d been about. Beautiful in that delicate way male predators preferred, she was fine-boned and almost as small as a child. That impression was reinforced by the big coat she huddled into, her arms around her middle.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Rhod. What’s your name, sweetheart? And where does it hurt?”
At the sound of his voice she looked at him, tilting her head back and frowning. He swore to himself as it became obvious that she was having trouble focusing.
“Candy…err, Candice Kane. Just my head. I think I hit it.” Her voice was soft, barely there at first, but quickly grew in strength as she struggled to sit up. Gently he put a hand on her shoulder to keep her where she was for a moment. Then her name registered.
“Your name is Candy Kane?” he blurted out, his attention divided between the mesmerising storm-grey of her eyes and the still bleeding cut on her temple. Nothing serious, thankfully. It looked as if she’d been pushed against the wall, but the dilation of her pupils was worrying him a little.
“Yeah… Candy Kane. I’d say my parents had a sense of humour, but believe me, they don’t.” She chuckled, the musical sound doing things to his body that should have been illegal. Grimly, he reminded himself that she was injured and he was looking after her. She wasn’t some hot date he was taking back to his place for an evening of hot sex.
His lips quirked as he tilted her chin. Who’d have thought it? A Claus running into a girl called Candy Kane… He resisted the urge to look around to see if he could spot one of those blasted Fates. He wouldn’t put it past them to try something funny, not this close to the damn Christmas season. Bitches had always loved to meddle.