Rogue Wolf (Protector Wolf Shifter Series Book 3), page 22
It wasn’t there, just a shard of glass reflecting low light.
“Oh no!”
She searched frantically but didn’t see it. Dropping to her knees, Tamaska slowly picked her way across the floor with trembling hands. It had to be there somewhere.
A whimper from Kodiak made her jump. They both fought fiercely, giving their opponent a run for their money.
Hang in there, Kodiak.
The need to feel the Blood Opal in her hands jolted Tamaska into action. She searched for the gem’s cold, solid form as she moved across the floor, hoping her hands would feel anything her eyes missed in the dim lighting.
Tamaska widened her search, moving in larger circles.
“Come on, come on,” she said, glancing over her shoulder to see Kodiak and Amdis still fighting.
Did Amdis take it already? She shuddered at the thought, refusing to believe it.
Her fingers touched something hard and cold, and Tamaska picked it up. The largest piece of the Blood Opal. Stunning even under subpar conditions, it caught enough dim light to show off the amazing shades of red embedded in its pearly reflections. A new lightning-shaped crack carved its way down the middle of the gem and extended into countless branches, some of which led to where a chip had broken away.
She returned to her search, determined to find the other piece she’d seen break off from the gem. Had that shard been the only one?
Tamaska continued, pushing away the sounds of snarling. She couldn’t leave the last piece of opal in the nightclub. If she did, the vampires might be able to use it against her.
She slipped the opal fragment into her pocket, then scanned every millimeter of the floor around the gem’s point of impact.
Behind her, the fight intensified. She had to dive out of the way as the two rolled over each other.
Then, she saw the small piece that had chipped away from the Blood Opal.
Before she could snatch it up, Amdis rushed over to her and pushed her to the ground.
“I can’t let you live, not when you’re destined to do so much more,” said Amdis.
Where was Kodiak? A cry broke as she turned.
Kodiak lay on the ground, unmoving.
“Nooo…” A keening broke from her like her heart shattered.
A slamming door made them both jump.
As Amdis turned Tamaska swallowed her grief and hauled ass up from the ground and kicked the shard from Amdis’ hand.
She picked it up, then turned as the wolves poured into the nightclub. For the first time in her life, her childhood fear didn’t surface, didn’t cripple her. Her time spent with the pack had healed her.
“You haven’t seen the last of me,” said Amdis. He was outnumbered as the pack members hurried into the nightclub, and he knew it. Instead of fighting alone, he chose to flee.
In a shadowy blur, Amdis was gone. He fled the nightclub, but Tamaska didn’t care. She held both pieces of the Blood Opal in her hand, and they fit together perfectly.
The gem was finally hers, right there in her hand. It might have broken, but it still held breathtaking beauty. She slipped it into the pocket of her loose trousers, hands trembling.
Had they really done it? Could she dare to hope it was all over? They had the Blood Opal, and Amdis couldn’t turn her.
Even though they’d touched…
The pack rushed to Kodiak’s side and nuzzled him. He barely responded.
Tamaska fell to the floor beside him to put her hand on his bloodied fur.
Please, please be all right.
He didn’t move.
CHAPTER 27
Tamaska
Shaking, she gently stroked Kodiak’s fur. His breath came fast and shallow as pain raked through him.
“We did it. We have the Blood Opal,” she said, unsure if he could hear her. “And I’m so sorry I said those things. You know I was just trying to throw him, right? You were magnificent. My hero. Oh, Kodiak, please…please don’t die…”
He made a tiny moan but the panting, shallow breaths worried her.
Everything in her twisted and guilt came crashing down. She’d said those horrible things to him. What if he believed her? After all their fighting and her stupid, pushy ways…he might.
She wanted to say she loved him that he was everything, a true leader and so brave, that how he’d fought the horrible chains was… She didn’t have words.
She wanted to tell him that the fights, her anger and resentment of being locked out…her disobedience…that was just her trying to find her way, to adjust, to fit into a world she was only beginning to understand.
But she couldn’t.
All that was selfish.
And not one word of it would make things better.
She’d thought she could walk in there and just save him.
Deep down though, she knew she’d had to. Even now. It might have been wrong, she might have put everyone in danger, but she had to. What else was she meant to have done?
Let him die?
“It’s going to be all right,” she whispered, kissing his furry head, breathing in the scent of him so clean and pure that lingered beneath the blood and gunk. “You’re going to be all right. I know it.”
Then his breathing got shallower and panic scrabbled at her and she looked up.
“Roan?” she called.
Oh, God. She hadn’t…where was he? Had he survived the fight outside? And what about the others?
Roan approached, changed back into human form, and knelt beside Kodiak.
“Will he…” The words stuck in her throat.
He touched her shoulder as he knelt close to Kodiak and put his nose to his, closing his eyes. He seemed to listen, then he nodded and looked up at her, face grave.
“I think so,” Roan said. “But we need to get him out of here. There are still vampires around.”
“Kodiak, can you walk?” asked Roan.
Kodiak trembled, and Roan dragged Tamaska backward. She fought until she realized her shifter was changing back into human form. But to her eyes, it didn’t seem right. The transformation was slow and painful. Not quick and easy like Roan’s had been and she pushed a hand against her mouth to stop a cry escaping.
Kodiak fell, but with a groan, pushed himself into a sitting position.
And all she wanted to do was grab him, hold him. But she couldn’t move. Roan kept his hand on her shoulder like a warning to stay put.
“I think so,” said Kodiak breathlessly.
He stumbled as he tried to get to his feet. But he fell and the freeze inTamaska broke. She shook off Roan and hurried to Kodiak’s side, helping him to stand with Roan’s support.
“I’ll be all right in a moment,” said Kodiak with a gasp, and he leaned on Roan.
She bit her lip, tears slipping free. “I was so worried…”
He didn’t speak to her as the rest of the pack suddenly burst into the room, like they knew he was up and about.
Tamaska had never been so happy to see the rest of the before. Right now they represented a kind of home, familiarity and every face she saw meant someone else had survived.
Channing approached, then changed back to his human form. His skin held onto the remnants of a fight, spotted with bits of fur, his own blood, and someone else’s.
She felt about for the opal. It was there, and she found that wire was there, too. She must have stuffed it in there without thinking. She pulled it out to ask someone, but Channing went to pass her and she reached for him to hug him. So happy he’d survived. She’d grown fond of him.
But he didn’t seem pleased. In fact he backed away, arms raised.
Bile rose in her mouth. They all hated her. She looked about and the rest backed away, including Kodiak. She looked around, scared and took one step towards Channing. “Please, what—”
“Keep that away from me.” Channing scrambled farther away from Tamaska, fear in his wide eyes as the wire swung out.
“This? But—”
“What are you doing with a silver chain?” asked Ash after she morphed into human form. She backed away, too, eyes accusing.
Tamaska looked down at the silver chain in her hands, which was so delicate yet so strong. “It was around Kodiak.”
“Silver is our one weakness. Keep it away from us,” said Ash. “Now. Never, ever bring silver in here. Ever.”
“Noted.” She rolled up the chain and shoved it into her pocket.
“We should get out of here,” said Onai, nursing an oozing cut on his shoulder.
“Let’s go. Stay alert, they won’t let us go easily,” said Kodiak, pushing Roan away so he could walk. He only took a step before stumbling, which prompted Roan and Onai to catch him.
Tamaska hurried to assist them, but Kodiak veered away, bumping into Onai, who cursed as the wound on Onai’s shoulder widened, and more blood spilled out.
“Get the silver away from me,” growled Kodiak. “Now!
Ash pulled Tamaska aside. “He’s too weak, after so much exposure. Now he’s more sensitive to it.”
“I didn’t know,” said Tamaska, moving away from Kodiak while all she wanted was to be as close to him as possible. “Th-they threw a net on him, too. I think it was silver.”
“Bastards.”
She almost threw the chain up behind the bar, but stopped. Because what if the vampires did come back and they found it? And then used it…? She couldn’t be responsible for that. Instead she bundled it right at the bottom of her pocket and put the opal over it.
No, she couldn’t risk leaving it. She’d nearly lost him. And he was still weak, he’d used his strength to fight and save her and it tore her apart with guilt.
She looked at his male beauty. To her it shone, even when he was so beaten up.
She…she could’ve lost him. Just the sight of him filled a hollow within her she hadn’t realized existed.
Is this part of the bond between us?
As they moved towards the exit, Tamaska stretched her senses into that bond. It was strong. And now she knew Kodiak was all right, it was a warm, unbreakable glow. Did that sensation mean that a growing, all-consuming emptiness would threaten to consume her if something bad ever happened to him?
She swallowed hard.
“I reckon you’re getting it,” said Ash, walking alongside Tamaska.
“What?”
“The bond thing,” said Ash.
“How did you know?”
Ash shrugged. “I just did. Maybe you’ve become part of the pack already.”
A small smile wanted to break free. From Ash, that sounded like high praise. And she hoped the shifter was right. Being part of the pack would be being part of a family.
And it would mean she’d be able to be with Kodiak.
If he still wanted her.
But she hoped he did. From the bond, it seemed like they were all right, or would be.
She wanted, she realized, it all.
This new life felt like hers, despite being so different from her human life. Although it had rocked her to the core and totally torn apart all she’d ever known, she ached to be part of that new, parallel life, the one bursting with wolf shifters and vampires.
Okay, maybe not the vampires.
“Hang in there,” said Ash, stepping away. “And lose the silver, yeah? It’s giving me a headache.”
‘I don’t know what to do with it,” said Tamaska. She pulled it out of her pocket, and every nearby shifter immediately moved away from her. “If I throw it, what if the vampires get it?
Ash threw her hands up. “Argh!”
Tamaska couldn’t believe something so mundane and flimsy could be such a powerful weapon against the wolf shifters. She made a mental note to toss her silver earrings later. As a matter of practicality, her love for silver was now over.
Get rid of it,” Ash said. “Now.”
Startled, she threw the chain down, then let it slide across the floor.
“I don’t think you should’ve done that,” said Channing.
Tamaska didn’t even get to ask why before a vampire dropped down from the upstairs balcony and snatched the chain.
“Fuck,” said Tamaska. Right after she’d said that about the stupid chain. She’d thought the fight was over—she’d been banking on it.
“The fight’s never over,” Ash said before changing into wolf form. “Sorry about making you chuck the chain.”
Tamaska watched in horror as two more vampires closed in, baring their teeth and hissing.
“If I can’t have you, Tamaska, then I’ll kill you and your friends,” announced Amdis from the safety of the balcony.
“Coward,” Tamaska yelled back at him. She moved out of Roan and Onai’s way as they hurried over to help Kodiak walk. “It’s because I’ve got the opal, isn’t it?”
His eyes lit up and she bit her lip.
“Tamaska!” That was Channing. “Don’t tell him!”
“Get Kodiak to the van, and get out of here,” Tamaska said.
“You’re not their alpha,” said Kodiak. “I am.”
“I’ll stay,” said Onai. “You go.”
“You will not. You’re both too wounded. Get the fuck out of the way so you don’t get killed, or kill me instead,” said Tamaska firmly. She was the only one there that could tolerate silver, so it was up to her to retrieve the chain. Shadow Pack’s hierarchy could fuck off—a strict sense of order wouldn’t save them now. They needed more.
“Take the opal,” she said, loudly as she could.
She didn’t say who. She wasn’t giving it up on the off chance Amdis could sense it. But she figured if he didn’t know who had it after her unfortunate slip it might help.
“Go,” she hissed.
“No—” Kodiak said.
Tamaska missed the rest of his protest as she rushed toward the vampire who’d grabbed the silver chain.
Ash, in wolf form, snapped at his heels, distracting him. Tamaska took the opening to rush in and grabbed the dangling length of silver. She began to dart away, but the chain pulled taut, stopping her in her tracks.
She turned to see the vampire laughing at her, pulling the chain to reel her back to him.
That hadn’t played out quite the way she’d imagined. She redoubled her efforts, straining against his pull. But he was too strong.
Time to mix things up. She released her grip on the chain, and the vampire was taken unaware. He stumbled backwards, the momentum overpowering him—but he wasn’t the only one affected. Tamaska couldn’t keep her balance, either, and she tumbled forward landing on the vampire.
She screamed and pushed it away as its fangs approached her skin.
Ash leapt to her aid, snarling before pushing Tamaska out of the way. A sharp pain tore through her upper arm as she rolled away.
Ash fought the vampire, but her movements were slow, fatigued. The vampire easily gained the upper hand.
Tamaska gripped her left bicep, trying to quell the blood spurting from her wound. She winced as she got to her feet. There was no time to worry about an injury, especially a bloody one. After all that fighting, the vampires would be hungry, and she didn’t want to become their next target.
The chain slipped to the ground.
Tamaska snatched it up. Immediately, Ash’s fighting improved. Soon, she was tearing the vampire to pieces.
She pushed the silver back into her pocket. She couldn’t let it fall into the vampires’ hands again.
The rest of the wolves were still fighting the vampires, wounded and struggling but slowly gaining the advantage.
Tamaska rushed toward the door to keep the silver safe, hoping that would be enough to help the wolves finish off the few remaining vampires.
“This isn’t over!” yelled Amdis. “Mark my words.
“No one says that,” she said. “And it’s over!”
“Your blood will be mine.” Amdis smacked the railing, then turned and strode away.
After the pack finished off the last vampires, some switched back into human forms. They protectively closed ranks around Tamaska.
“Channing, go help them bring the van up. We need to get the fuck out of here,” Tamaska said, out of breath. She was touched that they were finally treating her like one of their own. Had she finally proven herself to them, or was it a result of her bond with Kodiak?
Right then she didn’t know or care; her wound still bled and everything hurt, and she missed Kodiak with a physical ache.
“Okay,” said Channing before leaving through the exit.
“If silver is your weakness, then what’s the vampires’?” Tamaska asked. “Garlic? Holy water?” She tried to recall the fantasy movies she’d watched over the years.
“No, don’t bother with that. The only thing that can stop them is light,” said Ash, limping up to her.
And yet, they now could somehow move about in the sunlight.
Because of the opal. Because of her family. Because of her.
“Come on, we need to get out of here. We got what we wanted,” said Tamaska, pushing those thoughts down as she touched the pocket where the Blood Opal lay.
They made their way outside into the night. No one was around, which felt suspicious. Surely something must be lurking in the shadows—more vampires? Or something even worse.
The pack must have looked like a walking advertisement for the world’s darkest kinks, pouring naked out of the nightclub, smeared with blood and cuts.
The sound of the van chugging through the cold of the night drew Tamaska’s attention down the road, the vehicle their only hope of getting out of there. How many of the pack had been wounded? Tamaska would have to include herself in that tally, her wounds finally throbbing as her body broke down the surge of adrenalin.
Channing eased the van up the road, then stopped with a jolt to let in the passengers.
“Hurry up,” he said. “There’s more of them out here, in the shadows.”
“What? We can’t just drive around until the sun comes up,” said Tamaska. “And how exactly does one lose a vampire, anyway?”
“Always with the questions.” His tone was mild and light. “Don’t worry. I’ve had the outside of the van reinforced. We’re safer in here,” said Channing. “Those of us who can’t fight so well anymore are, that is. The rest can fight!” He glanced at her arm. “What happened?”
