Vaewolf: Damn the Darkness: The Prophecy's Promise (Hearts of Darkness Book 3) Read Free Page B
Author: Eliza March
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to save Jude and get him the medical care he needed.
From the sounds coming from Jude, he was beginning his human shift. Big mistake. The bleeding wouldn’t stop if he returned to his human form. He had greater stamina as the wolf. The one hope Jude had of surviving his wounds was to remain in wolf form.
Jackson needed help, and from the look of things...he needed it soon.
He risked glancing over his shoulder once more to check on Jude, who was in half transition, before he focused on the circle of cats closing in on them.
Then immediately Jackson attacked, going straight for the closest demon. Avoiding the wings, Jackson drove his fist into the demon’s chest and ripped out his heart so quickly his opponent took a moment to look down at his heart before he collapsed.
Jude groaned, but Jackson couldn’t take the time to worry about his pack member’s injuries, not with the remaining demon and six rogue jaguars descending on them.
He’d need to hold them off as long as possible, alone. He could do that. The rest of his wolf pack wasn’t far behind. But could they get there in time? The downside was Jude couldn’t wait.
Jackson growled at the jaguars trying to circle him, and then let loose with a distinctive howl that filled the night. The pack heard him and returned the howl. They were already following his scent through the swamp. The intermittent returning howls sounded closer, and relief shot through him.
His pack. His family.
The jaguars instinctively dropped back into the trees becoming shadows in the night. The remaining demon let out a sound Jackson took for a sarcastic laugh. Then the big, bull-horned creature spoke, saying something in whatever language demons used—demonish—one language Jackson didn’t speak, but the gist of the statement had been clear enough.
“This isn’t over. We will meet again.”
Damn straight they would. Jackson snarled, and the demon nodded backing up. He moved closer to the tree line, finally disappearing into the forest along with the rogue jaguars.
Jackson didn’t move until he heard the first of his pack approach. He’d considered going after the jaguars then considered Jude’s condition. He bent down and shook the injured man.
“Jude shift damn it.” He bit into his own wrist, took some of his blood, and wiped it over Jude’s lips, hoping he’d last until he completed the shift back to wolf. Several seconds passed without Jude reacting, then his tongue flicked out from between his teeth, and he licked the blood from his lips. A low growl rumbled through his chest.
Once the blood strengthened Jude, Jackson released a long sigh of relief.
Although the wolf shift started slowly and seemed to take forever, Jude was his fanged and golden furred self by the time the rest of the pack arrived. A few members of the pack gave him a sniff or two to make certain he was okay, then they stood around him in a show of protection. Jude’s littermate, Kade, nudged his brother a few times for encouragement, while several other wolves circled the perimeter making certain no further attack threatened.
As soon as the man returned fully to wolf form, the bleeding from his wounds slowed to a trickle, then Jackson nudged him in the direction of home. Jude, weak but alive, standing on wobbly legs, took a few steps, and the rest followed, walking close by for support.
Jackson took the rear, remaining in vaewolf form until they crossed into St. Loupe Parrish, home to his pack of Weres. Someday he’d lead all the packs and the vampires as well. Destined to be the future leader of the Lore, all the supernatural beings formerly under his father’s domain, Jackson wondered how he would learn how to handle all the responsibility alone, especially now, when he had to deal with the local rogue elements. He’d sworn to protect the humans in his Parrish as well as the rest when the time came—and, like it or not, it appeared time was running out.
Less than a year—he didn’t
From the sounds coming from Jude, he was beginning his human shift. Big mistake. The bleeding wouldn’t stop if he returned to his human form. He had greater stamina as the wolf. The one hope Jude had of surviving his wounds was to remain in wolf form.
Jackson needed help, and from the look of things...he needed it soon.
He risked glancing over his shoulder once more to check on Jude, who was in half transition, before he focused on the circle of cats closing in on them.
Then immediately Jackson attacked, going straight for the closest demon. Avoiding the wings, Jackson drove his fist into the demon’s chest and ripped out his heart so quickly his opponent took a moment to look down at his heart before he collapsed.
Jude groaned, but Jackson couldn’t take the time to worry about his pack member’s injuries, not with the remaining demon and six rogue jaguars descending on them.
He’d need to hold them off as long as possible, alone. He could do that. The rest of his wolf pack wasn’t far behind. But could they get there in time? The downside was Jude couldn’t wait.
Jackson growled at the jaguars trying to circle him, and then let loose with a distinctive howl that filled the night. The pack heard him and returned the howl. They were already following his scent through the swamp. The intermittent returning howls sounded closer, and relief shot through him.
His pack. His family.
The jaguars instinctively dropped back into the trees becoming shadows in the night. The remaining demon let out a sound Jackson took for a sarcastic laugh. Then the big, bull-horned creature spoke, saying something in whatever language demons used—demonish—one language Jackson didn’t speak, but the gist of the statement had been clear enough.
“This isn’t over. We will meet again.”
Damn straight they would. Jackson snarled, and the demon nodded backing up. He moved closer to the tree line, finally disappearing into the forest along with the rogue jaguars.
Jackson didn’t move until he heard the first of his pack approach. He’d considered going after the jaguars then considered Jude’s condition. He bent down and shook the injured man.
“Jude shift damn it.” He bit into his own wrist, took some of his blood, and wiped it over Jude’s lips, hoping he’d last until he completed the shift back to wolf. Several seconds passed without Jude reacting, then his tongue flicked out from between his teeth, and he licked the blood from his lips. A low growl rumbled through his chest.
Once the blood strengthened Jude, Jackson released a long sigh of relief.
Although the wolf shift started slowly and seemed to take forever, Jude was his fanged and golden furred self by the time the rest of the pack arrived. A few members of the pack gave him a sniff or two to make certain he was okay, then they stood around him in a show of protection. Jude’s littermate, Kade, nudged his brother a few times for encouragement, while several other wolves circled the perimeter making certain no further attack threatened.
As soon as the man returned fully to wolf form, the bleeding from his wounds slowed to a trickle, then Jackson nudged him in the direction of home. Jude, weak but alive, standing on wobbly legs, took a few steps, and the rest followed, walking close by for support.
Jackson took the rear, remaining in vaewolf form until they crossed into St. Loupe Parrish, home to his pack of Weres. Someday he’d lead all the packs and the vampires as well. Destined to be the future leader of the Lore, all the supernatural beings formerly under his father’s domain, Jackson wondered how he would learn how to handle all the responsibility alone, especially now, when he had to deal with the local rogue elements. He’d sworn to protect the humans in his Parrish as well as the rest when the time came—and, like it or not, it appeared time was running out.
Less than a year—he didn’t