Intent on His claim (Beauty and the Beast #3)

Chapter 43

I took off in Victor's direction with Warren right on my heels, but I stopped after going a little way into the forest.

Logically, I knew there was no way I'd catch up to him. Irritation filled me because I didn't know how much he'd heard, how much he'd understood. A petty part of me hoped he'd heard that I was truly pissed at him.

Warren caught my arm and turned me back to him. His eyes were speculative as he watched me and I looked away, so done with his jealousy.

I suddenly caught Roger's scent and looked up, wondering why he was sitting in a tree branch above us. Something was off; I felt other presences and instinctively stepped closer to Warren, tensing for a fight.

Instead of reacting to the threat as well, Warren stepped closer and whispered in my ear, "Defend me."

I glanced back and caught his amused smile. "What?"

"I've got a scenario for you," Roger said mildly, still watching us from the branch. "You're moving with a human – played by Warren – and you run into a thirsty coven of vampires."

As he spoke, the presences drifted closer and I realised that Axle, Dane and Ashley had half shifted to look like hostile vampires.

"You can't reveal your secret so you can't shift or even half shift," Roger went on. "You can act like a monster hunter but no more."

"I'm outnumbered and outgunned," I protested, my arm rising to cover Warren automatically even as I took in my opponents. "Wouldn't a hunter be armed?"

"You get one weapon," he replied.

I thought about it and replied, "Knife."

Roger dropped one to me and I caught it easily, feeling my adrenaline rise at the thought of the fight. The desire to hit something came back and I waited for the attack.

It didn't come.

"When does this start?" I asked, eyes still on the 'vampires' that had spread out to surround us.

He dropped to the ground easily and stretched, his own fangs and claws shooting out. The dark eyes he fastened on me were deadly. "How do you know it hasn't already begun?"

I noticed with barely a second to spare and ducked, dragging Warren down with me in time to miss Axle's sneak attack from above.

Warren willingly crouched with me, holding onto my arm helpfully.

"Stay down," I commanded as I jumped to my feet just in time to deal with Ashley and Dane who'd cornered me.

Warren remained in a crouch while I fought to defend us both while keeping them at bay.

The four of them struck as a unit and I was soon furiously leaping around Warren fighting off a flurry of attacks. When he was almost snatched from me twice, I decided to change tactics. A moving target was better than a sitting duck.

When I got a second, I knelt next to him and hissed, "Run and hide!"

He nodded and waited until I cleared a path for him before he took off into the forest. For a second I was curious at his slow, almost hilarious running – then I rolled my eyes when I realised that it was human speed. Was he trying to get himself killed?!

That slight distraction was almost fatal for me as I barely dodged Roger's swipe aimed at removing my head. Ashley and Axle instantly took off after Warren and I growled in annoyance.

Finally pulling out my knife, I fended off Roger and Dane while pursuing the two who'd gone after Warren. It was easier and harder to face four opponents while on the move and keeping track of my human.