Claws and Fangs Read online

  The brunet vampire hissed. “What does that mean? You’re the one who’ll die. We’ll let you watch us play with your mate first though, while she begs you to save her. Her screams will be the last thing you hear. Where is the little bitch?”

  Chase didn’t wait to be attacked. The idea of them planning to torture Jasmine was enough to send him into a rage. He moved fast, threw out his arm, and embedded the stake deeply into the vamp’s chest.

  The idiot appeared stunned as his eyes widened a second before lines appeared on his face and it turned an ashen gray. The skin split as he turned to dust, his solid form disintegrating.

  The other two vampires weren’t going to be so easy to kill, now that he didn’t have the element of surprise.

  Chase saw Blaron drop from the rafters to land in a crouch next to Damon. His friend’s sword flashed in the dim light as he rose to his full height and ended the life of the werewolf in seconds.

  Satisfaction was short-lived as both of the dead vampire’s friends recovered from the shock of realizing they’d walked into an ambush.

  Lethal lived up to his name as he sprinted across the room to join the fray and took out a second werewolf. The sound of bones popping as the remaining two pack members shifted wasn’t a concern to Chase. His attention fixed on the two bloodsuckers intent on killing him.

  One of them came at him with fangs and claws. Chase barely dodged away in time to avoid a painful slash at his throat. The adrenaline from the wolf blood they’d sucked down was going to be a problem, but nothing he couldn’t handle. He’d make certain his enemies died, to ensure his mate’s safety. He almost felt sorry for the stupid bastards for not understanding how deadly an opponent he’d become.

  The second one leapt into the fray, and Chase shoved the stake into his chest but missed his heart. The bloodsucker screamed in pain, but managed to stagger away when Chase had to release his hold to avoid the first one grabbing him from behind. He unleashed his claws and drove them into the jerk’s neck, bleeding him out a bit to weaken him.

  Swords clashed with claws across the room. Chase didn’t have time to check on Blaron or Lethal. His friends could handle themselves. They were old vampires with impressive battle skills. He had his own ass to worry about as the blood-drugged vampires unsuccessfully tried to corner him. They were bleeding and hurt, but they’d be harder to kill with the wolf blood in their systems.

  Jasmine’s image flashed in his mind, and he howled in rage as he dodged and lashed out with his claws once more as one of the vamps came too close. He couldn’t lose the fight. His enemies would track Jasmine down eventually and kill her just for the hell of it if they were able to take his life. The bad thing about living for so long was the boredom that could take hold. She would become an obsession to the bastards.

  Lethal was suddenly at his back, and he beheaded one of the vampires with his sword. Chase launched himself at the remaining vampire, taking him to the floor. His claws tore through the bastard’s chest as his opponent screamed. In seconds, he’d removed his heart, and watched in satisfaction as the solid body turned to ash.

  He staggered to his feet and glanced around at the carnage of what had been his enemies. Four dead wolves and three ash piles were all that remained. His friends had both survived.

  Lethal grinned, holding his bloodied sword. “That was fun.”

  Blaron’s white shirt was torn and wet with blood where claws had marked his chest. “Aye. It’s not over yet though.” His gaze fixed on the door. “We have more company.”

  Six of Chase’s pack mates entered the club. Four males and two females. He growled low in warning, waiting to see if they’d submit or challenge him. He wasn’t surprised at seeing them. Tina led them. She was a pushy bitch who’d tried to tempt him into mating her since he’d first taken the alpha role.

  “Surrender your mate to death and allow me to take her place,” the she-wolf growled, her fangs showing. “Don’t force us to kill you, Chase. I want you.”

  “The feeling isn’t mutual.” He snarled and glanced at the other female. Her presence surprised him. Mora was one of the most docile females in the pack, and he’d trusted her enough to make her his secretary. He’d just seen her an hour before.

  Her gaze dropped when he looked into her eyes. “You too?”

  Fear showed when she glanced up. “They made me,” she blurted.

  He could believe that. Mora was half human, couldn’t shift, and had mated to another half-breed who couldn’t protect her against the full-bloods.

  Tina’s arm flew out and knocked the smaller female to the floor. Mora stayed down and the smell of her blood filled the air. Chase shook his head, giving Tina his attention.

  “You’d make a cruel alpha bitch. You’re supposed to protect the weakest members, not bully and abuse them.” He moved slowly, placing his body closer to Mora and getting between her and the other werewolves. “It’s over.”

  Mora stood and moved behind him but he didn’t glance back. It might be a mistake to turn his back on her but he liked the little she-wolf and her mate. They’d been the only pack members to actually welcome him when he’d arrived. The previous alpha had looked down on them for their weakened bloodlines while he hadn’t, being a mixed breed himself.

  “They made me steal your phone,” Mora whispered. “Tina has it.”

  Rage gripped him as he glared at the bitch in question. “Why?”

  Tina smiled. “We told her we’d kill her mate if she didn’t bring it to me. She was quite helpful.”

  “I meant, why did you want my phone?” He had a sinking feeling that he knew.

  The club doors opened and his worst fear came true as a scent reached his nose. “Son of a bitch!”

  * * * * *

  Jasmine was irritated as she glanced at Jenny. “I thought Chase didn’t want me to leave the house? He said it was too dangerous because he has enemies who could target me. I had to promise him I wouldn’t leave the house before he left this morning.”

  The woman behind the wheel shrugged. “Don’t ask me why my brother does anything. I got the text message for both of us to come to the club, so that’s where we’re going. I’m not thrilled either. I hate blood bags and howlers, but my brother wants us at Mooning.”

  “Vampires and werewolves? Aren’t you one of them?”

  “I’m talking about the full-bloods. They snub our kind but they also fear us. Some will attack without provocation just because of what we are.”

  “Is Chase the only family you have left?”

  “No. We have cousins, aunts and uncles.”

  “Are they living close to here?”

  “No. We left the pack that most of them live with.”

  “Why did you leave?”

  Jenny glanced away from the road to frown at her. “You’re full of questions.”

  “I’m curious, and your brother isn’t around to answer them. You won’t get into trouble for telling me what I want to know.”

  A chuckle broke from her new sister-in-law. “He told me. You laid down the law. Okay, I’ll share. Our people don’t think we’re werewolf enough to make good mates. They believe our vampire blood runs too strong, since our fathers were ancients and really powerful. They fear we’re dead inside.”

  “Fathers?”

  “We’re half siblings. Chase left home before I did, but I followed him here after spending ten years with our mother. She wanted me to follow in her footsteps.”

  “What does she do for a living?”

  “I am not talking professions. She wanted me to hook up with an ancient blood bag to give him a few children. They find it an ego boost to have the ability to create offspring if the circumstances are right, but I didn’t want to become some jerk’s science project.”

  “It sounds so cold.”

  “It is.” Jenny sighed. “That’s why I went to my brother for his protection. I met my father a few times and he’s the cruelest, most vicious creature imaginable. It amazes me that my mother e