Werewolves Be Damned

by Stacey Kennedy

  “Well now, what do we have here?”

  Glancing over his shoulder, Kyden spotted the burly werewolf and New York City detective, Foley. He approached, the moonbeams shone off his bald head and his yellow eyes were focused on Nexi as he offered his hand. “The long lost guardian/witch combo I’ve heard about?”

  Nexi laughed, shaking his hand. “That’d be me.”

  Kyden looked to the dead body at his feet, noticing the grass area wasn’t damaged. Odd, he thought, considering the brutal nature of the death. By all appearances, the man hadn’t put up much of a struggle. Lifting his head, he asked Foley, “Got any details for us?”

  Foley leaned against the swing set. “A teen called in the murder an hour ago and when we arrived, this is what we found.” The streetlamp overhead beamed down on his tall, thick frame clad in jeans and a navy blue T-shirt. “After the vamps cleansed the scene, my partner tracked a wolf scent from this location.”

  Knowing that didn’t explain much about what unfolded tonight, Kyden encouraged Haven with a jerk of his chin. “Do your thing.”

  Standing on the other side of the deceased man, Haven nodded grimly, then she raised her hands in the air. Not a second later, Kyden shivered as the magic swept across him, and when the scene erupted, Nexi’s sharp intake of breath twisted his gut.

  He suspected, at the sight of the werewolf stalking the man, it brought her mind back to the murder of her parents. He grabbed her hand, knowing he couldn’t do anything else as this no doubt stirred a painful memory, but he needed to focus on the grisly murder happening before his eyes.

  The man scrambled back, trembled with fear, as the wolf approached. The mortal never made a sound, never screamed out for help, and Kyden had seen the same reaction many times. Most mortals couldn’t react when in true fear. It paralyzed them.

  Only a mere second passed before the wolf pounced, tearing into the mortal’s throat. When the wolf jumped away, blood rushed from the gaping wound at the man’s neck, and within two breaths, the man stopped struggling. The wolf shifted into his human form, glancing down at the body with a vehement glare.

  The vision froze.

  Kyden gave Nexi’s hand a final squeeze before releasing it. Part of him wanted to keep her away, shelter her from all this danger and death, but the smarter part—not the territorial side—knew better. She’d chosen this life. “Go on,” he said softly, giving her a small nudge on her lower back. “Have a look.”

  She stepped up in front of the killer, and Kyden followed right on her heels. He examined the werewolf’s face. While the wolf’s sinister stare appeared harsh, his features were soft.

  Nexi must’ve thought the same, since she turned to him with a furrowed brow. “Why would he do this to him? He seems, I don’t know—” She examined the werewolf again, then shrugged. “Nice looking.”

  “Don’t let the looks fool you,” Haven interjected with haunted eyes. “Trust me, they’re deceiving.”

  Kyden agreed—he’d seen vampires who looked like the girl next door turn into lethal killers. “In most cases, a wolf attacks because the animal inside takes over and they can’t control the urge to hunt.”

  Nexi nibbled her lip, eying him with curiosity shadowing her expression. “I know I’m the newbie here, but he appeared in complete control of himself.”

  Kyden nodded. “If he had lost control, he wouldn’t have been able to shift. His wolf would’ve taken over.” He scanned the man from head to toe, memorizing his features before turning to Nexi again. “What troubles me more is this is the second werewolf killing recently.” Pain rippled across her features at the reminder of her parents’ death, but he couldn’t sugarcoat things. “And the murders have happened in two different states.”

  Silence drifted among them.

  Kyden spotted the concern in Haven’s eyes and even in Foley’s tense posture. Briggs hadn’t lied to Nexi—werewolf killings were rare, so why had it happened twice? And why had Nexi’s family been targeted, as well as the man at Kyden’s feet?

  It had crossed his mind that the werewolves knew of Nexi’s true supernatural heritage and for whatever reason that might’ve been the cause of the attack, but the theory only made sense if no killings came after it. The man at his feet was a mortal. What could possibly tie this human and Nexi’s parents together?

  Kyden had no clue. That was the problem, thus further frustrating him.

  After a long pause, Foley broke the silence. “Before you arrived, my partner sent word that the werewolf he tracked is at a club owned by the New York pack, Howl at the Moon.”

  Nexi rolled her eyes, folding her arms. “Do supernaturals have nothin’ better to do than spend their nights at clubs?”

  “Supernaturals are sensual, invigorating creatures,” Kyden told her, thinking to himself that he used to be one of them. Now he was simply a deprived supernatural. “Attending clubs is a good place to meet others looking to fulfill that need.”

  She snorted. “Hard life.”

  Kyden agreed something had been hard for weeks now.

  It wasn’t his life.

  Chapter Nine

  The moment Nexi entered Howl at the Moon she concluded supernaturals excelled in the nightlife industry. Everything in the dance club portrayed wealth, including the red leather couches, dozens of crystal chandeliers over tables, and huge tropical fish tanks lining the wall.

  Leaning against the marble bar, she eyed a strawberry daiquiri, craving some liquid courage right now, in a room full of wolves. She knew they weren’t supposed to be bad, but that didn’t change the fact that they had a habit of attacking—and sometimes killing—people.

  Instead of hoping for the impossible with the booze, she scanned the dance floor, trying to find the killer that Foley’s partner tracked to the club. Inside the classy lounge, tables were scattered in front of the stage at the back, and couples swayed to the beat on the dance floor before the blues-rock band.

  The longer she studied the werewolves, the more questions rose in her mind. In the nightclub, mostly werewolves attended, but there were a few mortals, all of whom looked out of place, uncomfortable even.

  Needing clarification, she turned to Kyden next to her. “At the vampire club it seemed so energized with…” She paused, her cheeks warming, then she finally gave up trying to find an easier way to say energized with lust. “Everyone tonight seems like they’re in love and no one seems at all interested in the humans. Why is that?”

  Kyden’s mouth curved in his sexy way. “Most of the couples are destined mates and carry a deep bond forged by their magic.”

  Perhaps with their near kiss attempt tonight made her all very needy, since seeing all the couples around her, brought forth a sense of almost…jealousy. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she studied a couple on the dance floor who embraced each other in a way that illustrated Kyden’s words.

  Intense passion all but dripped off the air. When she looked to Kyden, he stared at her with something similar, causing her body to flush. She cleared her throat. “Guardians don’t have this type of thing, right?”

  He shook his head, leaned against the bar, and the soft lights above accentuated his six-pack. “Our bond is based on love, not on a soul-deep connection like werewolves. But we do have a ceremony that magically bonds guardian mates and deepens the relationship.”

  Her lips parted to ask what exactly that meant in normal talk, when she spotted a familiar face over his shoulder. She squinted, wanting to be sure she saw this right, but her eyes didn’t betray her. “He’s there.”

  Kyden didn’t hesitate. He spun on his heel and rushed the werewolf. Nexi had never seen him move so fast, and she liked—a lot—that he took her word without investigating himself if she had the right person.

  Not giving the man the chance to run, Kyden had him by the throat with one hand while the other gripped the werewolf’s shoulder. Struggling against Kyden’s hold, the werewolf attempted to free himself, as Kyden shoved the wolf backward to the far
side of the club.

  Nexi hurried after him, watching the werewolves in the club glancing their way before each and every one ignored the commotion. She wondered if anyone would protect the werewolf—one of their own—from Kyden, but no one moved to help him. Clearly, they didn’t mess with Otherworld business.

  Staying right on Kyden’s heels, and unable to tear her eyes off his flexing back muscles under the force of disabling the werewolf, she followed him down a long hallway. Only a few steps later, he entered a room off to the right.

  When Nexi stepped over the threshold, she wasn’t surprised by the private lounging area with the small silver tables scattered throughout, or the low, intimate lighting. However, she was sure as shit flabbergasted by the werewolves on the circular bench.

  The nude werewolf straddled the male werewolf’s lap, moaning deeply with her head thrown back. Nexi groaned in discomfort. Kyden pushed the killer to the floor, kneeled on his back, then he looked to her with a smile.

  Her face heated all the way up to her hairline and she looked away, avoiding Kyden’s awareness of her embarrassment. Glancing to the cavorting wolves, she said in a loud clear voice, “Sorry to interrupt.”

  Both jerked their heads toward her. The woman’s eyes widened and with a gasp, she was on her feet, totally buck-ass nude. She grabbed her clothes from the floor, then ran out of the room with a face burning brighter than Nexi’s. Which Nexi thought was ridiculous, wasn’t as if the door had been locked.

  Besides, having sex in some club—even a fancy one—didn’t spell romance. Not that Nexi had much experience in that department. Still, if being a supernatural meant sweaty sex in a nightclub with a stranger, she’d rather be labeled a mortal, who had morals.

  Glancing away from the door the woman had vanished through, she discovered the man standing with an arrogant slowness. He pulled up his pants over his hips, grinning at her. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

  To her immediate horror, she almost blurted out that yes, in fact, the view hadn’t been horrible to watch. But she was relieved that Kyden interrupted such humiliation before it had a chance to leave her lips. “Get out. Now.”

  The man zipped up his fly, and winked at Nexi.

  Once he left the room and shut the door behind him, Nexi exhaled a long deep breath, but her thoughts were doing strange things. Like, putting imagines of her and Kyden doing what she had witnessed—plus many more interesting things—into her mind.

  Breaking her train of thought, Kyden said in a tight voice, “You know why we’re here.” He’d never sounded so dangerous, and when he stood, towering over the werewolf remaining on the floor, he’d never looked so dangerous, either. “You’ll answer for the life you’ve taken. What’s your name?”

  “Jaxon.” The wolf’s black eyes widened as dark strands of hair fell over the side of his face. “You’re wrong. I didn’t kill anyone.”

  Kyden’s eyes narrowed. “Tell me why you ripped that man’s throat out.”

  Now realizing the cornered situation he found himself in, the soft, shocked edge to Jaxon’s features faded away to a callous expression. His stare skipped from Kyden to Nexi, and something about how he watched her made her blood ran cold. As if Kyden weren’t the threat to him, but she was…or maybe that she was the enemy.

  Ice laced her veins. “Don’t look at me. He’s the one threatening you.” She’d never met this wolf and she certainly didn’t deserve the evil eye.

  Before she could say as much, Kyden punched Jaxon across the face, hard enough to send teeth flying, as he sneered, “Eyes on me, wolf.”

  Jaxon spit blood and looked at the hardwood floor.

  Smart wolf.

  Standing over the wolf, with clenched fists, Kyden demanded, “Answer me.”

  Jaxon wiped the blood off his mouth, then he raised his head with a wicked glare. “That killing tonight had been an order.” He looked to Nexi with a sinister smile. “I don’t need to tell you what this is all about. Soon you’ll know.”

  She blinked. “What does that mean—”

  Without any warning, Jaxon shifted into his wolf form, and he lurched off the floor. He plowed into Kyden’s chest, sending him soaring before the wolf turned to her. Nexi tightened her muscles and she readied her stance, as Kyden had taught her.

  Power filled her with the knowledge that now she had the chance to fight a werewolf. No matter that this wasn’t one of the wolves who’d killed her family, he deserved a good beating nonetheless for the innocent life he stole.

  Kyden had given her skills.

  She wasn’t helpless any longer—the frightened woman cowering away from the snarling wolf. She was a guardian with increased strength. This wolf had nothing on her, and she possessed the rich hunger for revenge adding fuel to her kick-ass fire.

  Jaxon lunged for her and when he was only a hairsbreadth away, she drew in a deep breath, catching a whiff of the wolf’s woodsy scent. Then Jaxon smacked into her, and, dammit all to hell, she went airborne.

  Kyden watched with a fury that he couldn’t control as Nexi crashed into the wall. Rage stole over his logical mind. He pushed off the ground from where Jaxon had shoved him, and he prepared to rip the wolf limb from limb. Sure, in an instant, he could kill Jaxon with his sword, but all guardians loved a fistfight. To win a battle using his blade against a weaponless supernatural did nothing good for the ego.

  Using his physical strength to disable an opponent had always met a primal need in Kyden. Besides, the exercise kept guardians’ sharp and fit. The sword was merely the instrument used to kill quickly, if needed, and to erase any evidence of the supernatural death.

  Now with a hot hunger to unleash his force on Jaxon, Kyden stepped forward to attack, when suddenly Nexi yelled, “Stop. He’s mine.”

  He stopped in his tracks, regardless that his instincts were to refuse her. He didn’t want a single mark on her beautiful body, but he had a responsibility to train her. Nexi needed to learn to fight in the field and personal interests aside, she needed to experience a true fistfight, or so he forced himself to believe.

  Deep down, all he wanted to do was give her a safe path to travel.

  Nexi squared her shoulders, took her stance as he’d taught her, and looked ready to decapitate the wolf with her bare hands, making him damn proud. He couldn’t spot nervousness in her expression, only the raw desire to make right a wrong.

  With a fierce light in her eyes, she called Jaxon forward with a wave of her hands. “Come get me, fur ball.”

  Kyden groaned as the wolf pummeled into her, and she tumbled backward. To her credit, she jumped to her feet and issued a hard blow to Jaxon’s jaw. He reciprocated with his own, and Nexi dropped.

  Kyden nearly pounced to teach the wolf a damn fine lesson, when Nexi shouted, “Touch him, and you are so dead.”

  Turning to her, he discovered her pushing off the ground. He clenched his fists and fought against himself to help her as she circled Jaxon, who continued to snarl at her. Pride for her filled him, in the face of a werewolf now, knowing her history. She looked unafraid. Her arms were up and ready to defend herself, her stance perfect.

  Jaxon pounced and slammed into her, sending Nexi straight to the ground. The one disadvantage Nexi would always have was that she was little, and no training would ever change that. Though Nexi would learn in time how to use this as an advantage, just as Finn used his thin frame to trick those he attacked into thinking him weak.

  Now Nexi simply took the brunt of the hit.

  Kyden watched Jaxon lean in to bite her shoulder, but there would be none of that tonight. Lurching forward, Kyden kicked Jaxon’s head, getting the werewolf off her. He had hoped he’d trained her enough, but apparently, he hadn’t. Maybe he’d been too easy on her, or too careful, because of his interest in her.

  Managing to get to her feet, Nexi scowled. “I said, I’ve got this.”

  As much as Kyden knew she needed to experience the fight, he also couldn’t allow it. Watching her be tossed around twis
ted his guts in a way he couldn’t endure. When Jaxon dove at her again, Kyden had enough and intercepted, slamming his fist into Jaxon’s snout.

  The wolf fell.

  He grabbed his sword from his scabbard, turned to Nexi and said softly, “More training will get you there. Be proud of what you accomplished tonight.”

  “Kyden.” Her back straightened, fists clenched at her sides, and her voice became a low growl. “Back off.”

  Hot anger, and a confidence he had never seen in her before, rushed across her face, causing Kyden to raise an eyebrow. He didn’t even recognize the woman before him. Nexi didn’t have the sassy expression threatening to castrate him. Nor did she have any hint of the mortal softness he’d seen, or a hesitation in her next move.

  Before him stood a guardian.

  One who happened to be royally pissed off at him for interrupting her fight.

  Kyden, standing motionless, watched as Jaxon snarled and leapt toward her. With a punch that Kyden didn’t think she had in her, she leveled Jaxon, sending him straight to the ground.

  He didn’t get up.

  Without pause, she grabbed Kyden’s sword out of his hand, and shocking him senseless, she stabbed the blade into Jaxon’s side. He could only stare at Jaxon in complete surprise, as the magic in his sword dripped into Jaxon’s fur.

  After the wolf vanished, along with every speck of blood, Nexi thrust Kyden’s sword back into his hands. She grumbled something incoherent, then threw up in her hands in frustration. “See, this is why you drive me insane.” Pacing in front of him, she huffed. “You go all caveman on me, get all bossy, doing this and that, always being so damn forceful with me—”

  Kyden watched her in silent wonder. How had she gained the confidence she had in that very second? She had looked like a supernatural then, not a mortal any longer. Had he been underestimating Nexi and how far she’d come, as quickly as she had?

  Perhaps.