Bite of the Moon: Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Boxed Set (72 page)

Chapter 14

Quinn closed her eyes to think. 
What can we do to get out of here? 
Right now all she wanted to do was puke from the smell. 

“That’s it.”  Quinn looked over at Jade and smiled.  “I hope you can act, because you’re going to have to pretend that you’re dead. When he takes the cuffs off you, don’t waste any time in shifting and going straight for that water.”

“Help!” Quinn screamed. She glanced over at Jade, whose head was down like she was dead. “Please help us.” Quinn could hear someone walking. She hung her head forward for added effect. 

“What’s going on in here?” She glanced up with weak eyes and whispered so he would come closer. “She’s sick, please help her.” 

The guard looked at Jade, then unhooked her and took off one of the cuffs. Jade’s head rolled back with her mouth open like she’d just died. “They don’t care about her, just you.” Then, he threw her down to the ground.  Quinn wanted to say something about how careless he was with her body, but right now her plan was working.

“Help me,” Quinn moaned, which quickly got the wolf’s attention. 

The wolf looked behind him, then smiled. “I’ve got something that will help you.”  Then he undid one of her handcuffs. She could see Jade already shifting when she brought her knee up, catching the guard in the nuts. When he bent over gasping, Quinn used the handcuff and hit him square in the head with it.  She didn’t know how long he would be down, but Jade was already in the water when she took off running. She tripped when the guard grabbed her leg, but she kicked him in the face and he let go. She got up and ran, diving into the water. 

Sputtering as she came up on the other side, Quinn saw Jade fighting another guard. The man had a stick and was about to hit her with it when Quinn used her magic on him. Flicking her wrist, Quinn spun the man around in circles. He would keep twirling until she released him. She swam up to the side of the pond and dragged herself out.  Jade was still in wolf form, and if they were going to get to Arden in time, they would have to run and run hard. 

She couldn’t hold the spell after she shifted, and the man would stop turning; but by the looks of him he wouldn’t be able to do much until his head stopped spinning.  In fact, there he went, throwing up all over himself as he spun. She shifted and followed Jade into the woods. 

Her mate and the pack were in trouble, and if they didn’t get there quick Hannah would use her magic on Arden. The Death Hunters were already there, and who knew what they would do to him if he hurt someone while under a spell.

*****

Finley knocked on the Pattersons’ door. Peg and David Patterson were Elders in the pack, and both were born in the pack. Peg had brought cookies to him every day since he was turned. He really liked the Patterson’s, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember why he was knocking on their door. 

David opened the door with a smile, and Finley hit the older man, knocking him out.  He carried him to the back bedroom and laid him down on the bed.  Peg walked into the room. “What happened?”

“Stay in here, Peg.” Finley closed the door, then went to the back of the house and unlocked it for Silas and Hannah.

“Where are the old people?” Hannah asked.

“In the bedroom,” Finley answered then followed Hannah into the bedroom, where Peg was holding her husband’s head in her lap. 

“You did so good, my pet.” Hannah rubbed up and down Finley’s arm.

“I know you’re in there, Finley. Fight her.” Peg’s voice was soft as she encouraged him.

“Like he can really fight me, old woman,” Hannah laughed.

“Witch, you have no control over me.”  Peg spit at Hannah, infuriating the witch.  She reached back to hit Peg, but Finley grabbed her hand, stopping her, then pushed her away. Before Peg could say anything further, Finley tied her hands and feet and put some tape over her mouth so she couldn’t yell out.

“Leave her alone,” Finley’s voice was harsh.

Hannah stared up into Finley’s face, her black eyes hardening as she glanced back at the old couple. ”Remember who controls you, my pet.” 

Hannah turned to walk away but stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “These old people won't be here much longer. We need warriors for our cause. You would be wise to remember that. Their time is almost up.”

*****

Arden, Bane, August, and the pack guards had a table pulled out with papers scattered across it. “We need to check every house and property. I know they’re still here.  I feel it.”

“What do they want?”  Bane asked, tilting his head toward Lennox and Cosmo as they approached the table. “And what are those strapped to their backs?” 

Arden knew exactly what they were. The Swords of Justice had been used to kill his father.  He remembered everything that happened that day.

“Why do you have swords?” August asked.

Cosmo looked toward Lennox, who nodded, before he answered.  “To kill people with.” When nobody laughed at his joke, he shook his head. “They are the Swords of Justice.”

“I thought they were a myth.  Made-up stories, like the boogeyman,” August said.  He looked more closely at the blades.  “Are they really made by Ozark and Phelmine?”

“Who are Ozark and Phelmine?” Bane asked.

“They were the most powerful witch and wizard known. They forged swords for a group of Hunters who would hunt down paranormals who could not be redeemed; the ones who were considered cruel and evil.  I just never thought it was true, because we have never seen you guys,” August said.

“Now you have.” Lennox answered without any emotion.  “And when we find the ones who are responsible for this, we’ll do our job and kill them.”

*****

Silas and Hannah watched out the window.  “It’s time to end this, Sister.”

Hannah smiled and pointed toward Arden, speaking his name and then beginning to chant the spell. 

Gasping for breath, Arden grabbed his heart and fell to the ground.  He couldn’t speak as pain crept into every corner of his body until he had no choice but to shift. 

Bane yelled out, “Back up!” At first, the members of the Dixon pack stood their ground, until they heard the growls directed at them by their Alpha. 

“Alpha, what are you doing?” Bane held his hands out to Arden, who was shaking his head back and forth.  “Arden, it’s me, Bane.” 

That’s when Arden’s eyes focused solely on Bane. The witch’s demands echoed in his mind:
‘Kill Bane. Kill Bane.’

Chapter 15

Quinn stopped and shifted back into her human form. “I smell magic.”

Jade shifted back. “How can you smell magic?”

“I just can. We need to hurry, Jade.” They both took off running through the trees, toward the back of the pack house. When the backyard came into view, Quinn used all of her strength to run faster.

She’d heard that life went by in slow motion during horrific events, and what she was watching fit in that category.  As they crashed through the woods into the backyard, they saw Arden shift and leap into the air toward Bane.

She screamed, because she didn’t have enough time to cast a spell, but before he could reach Bane, Arden’s wolf slammed into the ground. 

She looked over at her brother, who had his hands up. He’d just saved Bane’s life, and most likely Arden’s too.  She ran over to him and dropped to the ground in front of him.  She could barely speak from the stress of almost losing her mate.

August knelt down and hugged her. “Quinn, I thought…” 

“I know. Thank you for saving him.” Tears fell down Quinn’s face. “I…I love him, August.”

“I know you do.” August rubbed circles on her back, trying to soothe her as she cried. 

Quinn swallowed hard, then pushed her brother away.

“The witch and Alpha are here somewhere. We have to find them to break the spell!” Jade yelled, getting her pack’s attention. 

Bane rushed forward to his sister, hugging her.  “You’re okay. Thank God.”   

August helped Quinn up.  “The witch is here; we have to find them, August.  She cast a spell on Arden and she has to be close to do that.”  

“Okay, let’s get the pack together.”  August let Quinn go as Finley rushed forward and yanked her toward him. It happened so fast that she didn’t have time to yell out before he wrapped his hand around her neck, holding her still.  As he started to squeeze, Quinn’s vision blurred. 

August inched closer, but Finley squeezed harder. “I don’t think so.”

“What are you doing, Finley?” August shouted. She could see the fear in her brother’s face.  He couldn’t do a spell for fear Finley’s hand would squeeze in response and break her neck. He was that strong, and it wasn’t him in control.

“He’s under the witches spell too,” Jade said as Finley’s hand tightened further cutting off her oxygen. Before she blacked out, she felt a jolt to her back, and Finley toppled forward falling down on top of her. When she pushed Finley off and turned around, Police Chief Deaton Egan was holding his gun in his hand.

Gasping for air, Quinn crawled over to where pack members were holding Arden down to the ground.  She closed her eyes and broke the spell that Hannah had put on him.  She watched as Arden’s wolf shimmered and he shifted back to human form. 

Quinn rubbed her hand down his arm, making sure he was okay. His body was covered in sweat, but it didn’t matter.  She thought she’d lost him forever, and she knew now that she wouldn’t be able to live without the arrogant control freak. “Arden, are you okay?”  

“Quinn.” Arden’s voice was rough, and just above a whisper as he hugged her. 

“I didn’t know if I would get back in time.” Tears fell from her eyes. “Arden, I love you.”

When she pulled away from him, she could see the anger in his eyes. “Who hit you?”

“It was Hannah, the witch. Oh God, Arden, it’s Beatrice Hoffman’s sister and brother. Hannah is the witch, and her brother is the wolf who bit me and Finley. It’s revenge, Arden. They want to make you pay. They’re here on Dixon land. They had to be close by to hit you with that spell.”

Helping her up, Arden held her body close to him. “I’m going to kill them.”  Quinn shivered when she heard the intent in his voice.  She could tell he was still shaky from the spell.  It took a lot of magic to keep an Alpha wolf under for that long.

“I hate to interrupt this reunion, but we need to find them,” Bane commented. Before Arden could say anything, he gasped.  Peg and David Patterson were in pain, and he could feel it. He clutched his chest and muttered, “They’re in Peg and David’s house.” 

Arden had to be the one to kill the wolf.  He could have killed his mate. His witch sister was definitely going to die too.  August was right when he said that Beatrice was bad to the core, meaning she had no soul and only knew how to do evil.  Apparently the whole family was evil.  No wonder the daughter wanted to become a wolf.  She wanted what her family couldn’t give her.

They didn’t sneak around to the back of the house; Hannah and Silas knew they were coming. Arden knew the Death Hunters were following, waiting to see what he would do. They would step in only if Arden didn’t take care of the matter, and he planned to do exactly that.

“Wait, Arden.”  Quinn and August held hands and silently did a spell.  When they were finished, Arden kicked in the door.  Hannah and Silas were each holding knives to David and Peg’s throats.

“You’re no match for me, Alpha,” Hannah laughed. She started chanting, but when nothing happened she sneered and looked over at Quinn. “What did you do?”

“No magic on Dixon pack land, bitch.” Quinn smirked. “Oh yeah, and just for your information, no magic ever in your case. You will die here; that’s a promise.  You’re no match for me, even in human form.” Quinn knew her words would provoke Hannah enough that she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from taking on the challenge.

Hannah’s eyes blazed.  Quinn could actually see the craziness inside of her. 

“Ah, Quinn?” August leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Did you not get the memo that this bitch is crazy?”

“Yep, but I can take her.” Quinn smiled.

“You think you can take me? Well, let’s just see.” Hannah pushed Peg forward as they all backed outside.  When Hannah was out far enough, she pushed Peg to the ground and launched herself toward Quinn. 

The knife was sharp as it dug into Quinn’s arm. The pain made her grit her teeth, but she couldn’t look down to see how bad the damage was. Hannah grew up hard, and Quinn knew she wouldn’t fight fair, so looking down or showing she was in pain wasn’t a good idea.

Quinn didn’t have to look down to know that Hannah had cut her arm open, anyway.  She cleared her mind of what-ifs; she needed to focus on killing Hannah.  That was the only way to make sure this threat never occurred again.  They were the last of the Hoffman line, and she had to make sure no offspring would ever threaten the pack with evil again.

Hannah lurched forward, giving Quinn the opening she needed. The move she used was taught to her by a human self-defense instructor. Using Hannah’s forward momentum, she grabbed ahold of her arm, twisting it backward. Then she jumped up and wrapped her body around Hannah’s like a snake, bringing her crashing to the ground.  Before Hannah could twist her body around, Quinn had the knife out of her hand and to her throat, slicing it open.  As brutal as it was, Hannah would have done worse to her, and at least this way she was dead. 

Silas screamed in rage as his sister died. He was so caught up in his fury that he dropped the knife, shifted, and charged Arden. His quickness even caught Lennox and Cosmo off-guard.  Silas’s wolf was just as dirty as his human form.  Black coal dust was matted into his fur as the wind blew the smell of rotten eggs up their nose.  Arden had no choice but to grab ahold of the wolf and sling him against the trees. 

Silas nipped his arm as Arden changed, and both wolves went head to head in midair. Quinn couldn’t tell who was winning, because both wolves were biting and fighting each other so fast, and she was terrified of Silas cheating somehow. 

But Arden was faster and bigger, and easily got his teeth deep into Silas’s throat.  She could tell that Silas was not going to give up as Arden held on tighter, crushing his wind pipe.  Then he shook his head until his teeth tore further into Silas’s throat, ripping it out.    

Arden spit the chunk of flesh onto the ground and shifted back into his human form.  Quinn rushed to his side and held onto him.  His body was covered in blood and sweat, but it didn’t matter.  They were free from the threat.