“Well,” she says, looking me over. “Isn’t that a pretty dress? It’s a shame I’m going to have to ruin it.”
I have no idea what to do or say. I have no idea how to fight a werewolf.
“I’m going to enjoy ripping you apart, you little human bitch. You’ve taken everything from me. You bewitched Peter somehow and forced me out of my pack, and now you’ve taken Axel. I know he plans to mate with you instead of me.”
I roll my eyes at her jealous, villain-esque monologue. “You forced yourself out of the pack when you betrayed your alpha, and as for Axel…” I shrug. “Peter knows he’s coming, and the pack’s ready for him. He’ll be dead by the end of the evening.”
Marie’s smile widens. “That’s what you think. It’s not just Axel’s pack—”
“You mean your little lapdog Jeffrey? Oh, Peter knows all about him, and the wolves he’s managed to talk into mutiny. They won’t be any trouble. The pack’s itching to take them out first.”
Surprise flashes in Marie’s eyes, and her face becomes hard.
“Oh,” I add. “We’ve also been working with Evan Fuller all week. Most of his pack hates Axel and have agreed to turn on him and fight with Alpha Toth. Axel is sorely outnumbered, and he has no idea.”
Marie’s face turns red from rage, and her eyes begin to glow. Her entire body begins to shake, and for a moment I think she’s going to turn, but she gets it under control and shrugs. “No bother. Peter and Axel can kill each other all they want. I don’t care. I have the means to disappear.” Her feigned nonchalance isn’t fooling me. “Seems to me the best revenge I can take is getting rid of you—their precious Nora. I don’t know what it is about you that everyone loves so much, but I’m going to enjoy killing you.”
Without warning, Marie shifts into a wolf and lunges forward. I barely have enough time to raise my hands to cover my face. I manage to keep my throat from being ripped out, but Marie’s teeth sink into my shoulder, and her claws drag down the front of my body. She rips my dress to shreds and leaves gashes in my thighs. I cry out in pain, but she howls, too, and stumbles back. Blood leaks from a gash on her chest, and I suddenly remember I’m holding Rook’s silver knife.
I fall to the floor, my wounded legs no longer able to hold my weight. My shoulder is on fire, and my head is beginning to fog over.
Marie regains her composure and snarls at me. She’s on me in seconds, and her teeth tear into my arm. I scream in pain and give one last, desperate shove of the blade toward Marie’s underbelly. She doesn’t see it coming. She’s arrogant and not expecting me to fight back. The knife plunges into her body, buried hilt deep, and she howls in pain as she falls over.
She’s not dead, but she’s definitely down. Hopefully long enough for help to arrive. I wish I could enjoy my small victory, but the fire in my arm is spreading through my whole body. It’s becoming harder to think straight, and black spots are clouding my vision. I’m starting to float in and out of consciousness, when the front door is smashed open. I can’t even tell who’s come to rescue me. I can’t see anymore. My entire body is burning.
“I’ve found her!” I think the voice is Parker’s, but I can’t be too sure.
Cool hands brush the hair out of my eyes. “Don’t worry, Nora, we’ve got you.”
There’s a mighty roar, and then someone else yells, “Peter! She’s dead already! Get a grip!”
Rough hands brush my cheek next, and a gruff voice says, “She’s been bitten!”
“MOVE!”
The hands bringing me comfort disappear, and new, calloused fingers grip my face and prod at my shoulders.
“Is she going to change?”
I know that voice. I try to croak out Oliver’s name, but I can’t get the word out. I can only manage a small whimper.
“Hang in there, Nora. We’ve got you. We’re going to get you fixed up.”
“I’m sorry, son,” a deep voice says. “She’s been bitten. There is no stopping what will happen next. But don’t worry. She’ll be welcome in my pack. We’ll take good care of her.”
“MINE!” a rough voice snarls.
“Easy, Rook.”
The voices in the room are hurting my head. I want to pass out, but the pain is keeping me awake. My whole body is on fire.
“She’s not turning.” The quiet, almost musical voice is soothing. I know it, but I’m too far gone now to remember who it belongs to.
“Nora is not human. She’s an underworlder wearing a strong glamour. She’s not turning right now; she’s being poisoned.”
“What?”
“You’re sure?”
“I’ve tasted her blood. I’m certain. I don’t know what she is, but she’s strong, and I believe she’s immortal.”
“I’ll call Enzo.”
“What do we do? We don’t know what kind she is. We don’t know what kind of blood she needs.”
“She may be strong enough that she’ll burn it out on her own, but still call Enzo. He’ll be able to help some.”
“On it.”
“It’ll take him too long to get here.”
“Guys. She’s really strong. She’ll be okay.”
“Give her some of mine, just in case,” Terrance’s low, rumbly voice says.
There’s a shuffle and a growl. It’s answered with a snarl. “Guys! Not now! Rook, let Terrance have her.”
Before they can move me, the pain reaches an all-new intensity that I can’t even begin to describe. Pressure starts to build in my chest, my head. I feel something dripping from my nose and ears, and then, with a pop, the tension shatters. It hurts so badly a bloodcurdling scream rips from my lungs.
Several gasps ring out in the otherwise silent room.
“Shit.”
“Well, damn.”
“Didn’t see that one coming.”
“It can’t be.”
I have no idea what they’re talking about, and I don’t care. With the pressure gone, the pain has dulled to a tolerable level. I welcome the blackness when it overtakes me.
I wake to the sound of hushed voices. “How’s our little seductress doing? Any change?”
“Her fever broke, and she has some color back. I don’t think she’ll sleep much longer.”
“I’m awake,” I say. My throat is so parched it comes out in a croak, and I start coughing.
“Here, sweetheart.”
Cool fingers comb back my sweat-crusted hair. I open my eyes to see Parker sitting beside my bed, holding out a glass of water. Terrance is sitting in a chair on the other side of the bed, glaring, arms folded across his chest as if he’s been playing watchdog the entire time I was out. I’m sure he has. He swallows when I meet his eyes, and his face softens. “You scared the shit out of us, Trouble.”
He clears his throat when he chokes up, and then glares at me as if it’s my fault he can’t completely hide his emotions. My heart melts at the sight. “Sorry, T-man. Won’t do it again. Promise.”
“Damn right, you won’t.”
I grin at my surly troll, then cast my eyes around the room. It’s one I recognize. I’m in the guest room at Rook’s house, and the sun is shining brightly through the sheer curtains. Nick is standing at the foot of the bed, grinning like the devil. “Good to see you’re not dead, spitfire.”
Parker holds out the glass of water again, and as I sit up to take it, I gasp. My arms don’t look right. My skin looks pearlescent. It’s shimmering. “What the hell?”
“Relax, Nora,” Parker says, placing the glass in my hand. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
I accept the water from Parker and gulp it down. Once I find my voice, I frown at Nick. “What’s going on? What’s wrong with me? Why do I look like this?”
“Nothing’s wrong with you,” Parker murmurs. “You’re absolutely stunning like this.”
Panic begins to claw its way up my throat. “But what is this?”