Moon Burned (Mirror Lake Wolves Book 4)

by Jennifer Snyder

  It looked like Eli’s plan was about to be put into action after all.

  10

  It didn’t take long for Eli and Dorian to pounce on Benny. They attacked him as he tried to fight them off with his hands. He let out a roar of rage and transformed into full vampire mode. The veins in his neck pulsed with anger as his eyes became solid black.

  I took this as my moment to get Alec out of here.

  He was behind me. His face pale. His mouth open. His eyes wide. He wasn’t staring at Benny quarreling with Eli and Dorian. Instead his eyes were on me.

  Alec was afraid of me in my wolf form.

  A piece of me broke at the fear reflected in his eyes. Did he think I would hurt him? Surely not. I inched forward, hoping to make it clear I was no threat by my slow pace. That the last thing I intended to do was hurt him. Something in his face shifted the closer I came.

  “Mina, you’re beautiful,” he whispered. The fear and unease I’d witnessed in his eyes melted away to be replaced by a look of pure wonder.

  The piece of me that had broken now healed at his words. I should have known he would need a second to process what he’d witnessed. I should have known he would be okay with what I was, that he wouldn’t be frightened of me.

  When I reached him, I bowed my head. His fingertips brushed along the soft fur between my ears, and my wolf warmed with affection for him. However, the sense of urgency to get him out of here wasn’t far behind.

  I nudged against his hand and walked around him, hoping he’d take the hint and follow me. I made it a few steps away from him before someone grabbed my back leg and jerked me toward them, sending me soaring through the air. I crashed to the ground a few feet away and pain shot through my front leg from the way I landed.

  “You’re not going anywhere!” Benny shouted.

  Eli let out a ferocious growl. I watched as his teeth sank into the vampire’s throat while he was distracted with me. Black blood sprayed everywhere. It coated Eli’s soft fur, making him look as though he’d rolled in tar.

  Dorian bit into Benny’s arm, not giving him the chance to recover from Eli’s ambush and retaliate. I watched on as the two continued to maul Benny until I was positive, even being a member of the undead, there was no life left in him.

  I searched for the vampire in charge, the one with the scar, knowing his reaction would not be good. What I saw instead once I found him had my stomach rolling.

  Benny wasn’t the only one dead; Shane was too.

  He lay a few feet away from me on the ground. His neck had been twisted at an odd angle, and his eyes were bulging and bloodshot as they stared unblinking up at the night sky.

  While it was true I’d never cared for him, it was also true I hadn’t wanted to see him die tonight. He might have been an asshole, but that didn’t mean he deserved to die.

  Peter’s sobs reached my ears. He’d made his way to Shane, crying, as he mourned the death of yet another brother. Empathy and sorrow flooded me, even after everything his family had done to mine.

  I made my way to my paws, wincing at the pain that pulsed in my right front leg. Damn Benny.

  A commotion near the SUV captured my attention.

  The vampire with the scar had David pinned against the vehicle. His fangs were deep in his neck as he drank greedily. I wanted to jump into action, but my wolf refused to listen. She reminded me we needed one vampire alive; we didn’t need David.

  The problem was I wasn’t the type to sit back and watch someone die if I could help it.

  I lunged forward, ready to save David’s life, even if he had been willing to trade mine for money. Eli intercepted me before I could get to him. He nudged me away, telling me without words I’d better not interfere. He knew as much as I did we needed that vampire alive. From the gleam in his eyes, I imagined he also thought the vampire was doing us a favor by taking David out. Somehow, I could sense that about him.

  My paws remained rooted in place, but I let my eyes wander. They drifted to David. His eyes had rolled back in his head, and his mouth was wide open as though he was trying to let out a scream.

  When the vampire finally released him, David’s knees buckled unable to hold up his weight, and he slumped to the ground. His eyes closed. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought he was dead.

  The vampire picked David up by his shirt collar and opened the trunk of the SUV. He shoved him inside before turning his attention to us. His cold, dark eyes shifted between the five of us remaining.

  Alec. Where was he?

  My heart broke for ever having laid eyes on him. I’d marked him for death because of it.

  The vampire continued to stare as he wiped David’s blood from his mouth. A large smile twisted onto his face. He was clearly satisfied with himself.

  Eli moved to stand in front of me. Dorian did the same. All thoughts of Alec flew from my mind as I worried Eli might do something stupid.

  This entire situation was about to go from bad to worse. I could feel it.

  “Don’t worry, little wolves.” The vampire chuckled. “I’m not planning on hurting her. She’s my golden ticket.”

  His words didn’t bring me any relief.

  I kept my eyes on him, waiting to see what his next move would be. When his attention seemed to shift to Peter and his eyes darkened, I knew another tragedy was about to take place.

  In the blink of an eye, he went from standing beside his vehicle to being in front of Peter.

  “That’s enough of your blubbering,” the vampire hissed as he towered over Peter. “I can’t think with that crap in the background.”

  He reached out and snapped Peter’s neck, killing him instantly.

  “No!” Alec shouted from somewhere.

  He was standing beside his truck. I watched as he took a hesitant step back as though he were attempting to put distance between himself and what he’d witnessed. My stomach twisted with guilt. He shouldn’t have ever been involved with any of this. He should be home or fishing. Hell, I’d even prefer him hanging out with Lilly Pendergrass instead of being here.

  Anywhere besides here.

  “You,” the vampire said as he started toward Alec in a slow, menacing walk. I moved to position myself between them, to save Alec from the hands of that monster, but Eli and Dorian blocked my path. I fought them, nudging to get by, nipping at their necks, but it did me no good. They stood strong regardless. “You’re coming with me. You’ll make for a great snack later.”

  Pinned between Dorian and Eli, I watched as the vampire reached for Alec. He plucked him up as though he weighed nothing. Alec fought, throwing punch after punch to the side of the vampire’s face and neck, but it didn’t help him. Alec was no match for the vampire. Still he was a fighter. He never stopped.

  “Screw you!” Alec shouted. “You’re a damn psychopath!”

  “You were warned,” the vampire said once he reached his SUV. He opened the back door and proceeded to shove Alec inside. “Now you see what I can do. Do not leave this vehicle. Do not try to escape. Do not try to run. If you do, I will kill you. That’s a promise.”

  Alec swallowed hard, but he kept his dark eyes fixed on the vampire until the door closed. That was when his gaze drifted to me. Undiluted anger raged through the chocolate brown of his eyes. I wasn’t sure if he was pissed at the situation or me. Maybe both.

  All I did know was that Alec was a force to be reckoned with.

  “Now, let’s get back to what I came here for,” the vampire said as he cracked his knuckles. He sauntered toward where I stood with Eli and Dorian. “Her.” He pointed to me.

  Eli released a low growl, but Dorian nudged him. This was what we wanted. It was why we were here tonight. I was supposed to go with him. I was supposed to be taken.

  I forced my wolf to the side as I shifted back into my human form. She didn’t want to go, but I made her anyway. The shift was swift and painful because of my front leg, but it only lasted a few seconds, and then I stood naked in front of the vampire. My righ
t wrist ached, but it wasn’t nearly as painful as I thought it would be. It was possible I’d sprained it. A sprain was nothing. It would heal quickly with my abilities. Thank goodness because it seemed as though I was going to need all of my strength to make it through the night.

  The vampire’s cold, deadly eyes roamed over me as he took in my naked body. He arched a brow before wetting his lips.

  “My, my, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. I might try having a little fun with you before I turn you over to Regina,” he said, smoothing his long fingers over his jawline.

  I straightened my back and forced my chin high, refusing to show any reaction to his words. There was no way I’d let him have any amount of fun with me. I’d kill him before I let it happen.

  He must have caught on to my train of thought because he laughed.

  “I’m only joking, sweetheart. You aren’t my type. I prefer someone more like your lover boy over there. Mr. Green Eyes. You were his type though,” the vampire said as he pointed to the ashes that used to be Benny. “You should be glad he’s dead. He definitely would have enjoyed having fun with you.”

  Eli let out a growl. He didn’t care for this conversation and neither did his wolf. Or maybe he was telling the vampire to keep dreaming. Who knew?

  A smirk twisted at the lips of the vampire. He took a step forward. I forced myself to remain where I was and look strong, even when all I wanted to do was run.

  “Enough of all this. It’s time to go, sweetheart,” the vampire said.

  My muscles tensed even more as my body prepared to fight since I wouldn’t allow it to run.

  Eli and Dorian hunkered down, ready to fight as well. Apparently they’d changed their minds about letting me go with him. Relief trickled through me. I didn’t want to go with him anymore. Not like this.

  “Great. Here we go again,” the vampire grumbled. His eyes rolled. “I’m not in the mood for any more bullshit tonight, fellas.”

  Fear twisted its way through my gut because I believed him. He would kill them both without a second thought, snap their necks like he had Peter’s. Had he been the one to snap Shane’s neck or had that been Benny?

  Eli stepped forward, baring his teeth.

  “Eli, don’t,” I pleaded, reaching out to grab his fur. Dorian did the same, snapping his jaw at the vampire. “Dorian, please.”

  Neither of them listened.

  All hell was about to break loose.

  Eli snapped at me. I knew it was his way of telling me I needed to let go of him, but I refused. There was no way I’d let him go head to head with this monster. Dorian either. This guy was vicious and strong as hell. I didn’t think even with our odds of three against one we’d be able to take him.

  Couldn’t they see it was stupid to try?

  Dorian launched himself forward, erasing the distance between himself and the vampire in one jump forward. The vampire swatted him away like a fly, sending him soaring through the air. He landed twenty feet away near Peter’s front porch, and I swore the ground seemed to vibrate with the impact of his fall. Bones crunching echoed through the air followed by a whimper. Dorian was down, and I didn’t know if he would be able to get back up.

  A loud growl ripped through the night.

  Eli.

  He was rearing back, ready to charge the vampire same as Dorian had. A lump formed in my throat as my heart hammered so hard against my rib cage I thought I might be sick. Eli’s odds of taking the vampire down would be no better than Dorian’s. Didn’t he see that?

  Not wanting anything to happen to him, I did the only thing I could think to—I made both of my hands into one tight fist and reared back while I focused on Eli. Closing my eyes, I forced all thoughts from my mind and delivered a solid blow to the back of his head, knocking him out cold.

  Sickness sloshed through my stomach as I watched his body go limp and crumble to the ground at my feet.

  I’d betrayed him and hurt him, but worse of all, I had no idea if he would ever forgive me.

  It had been my only option, though. The only way to make sure Eli lived to see another day. Hopefully when he woke he’d realize that too. If not, well… at least he’d still be alive.

  The sound of someone clapping pulled me from my thoughts.

  “Bravo, little wolf. I didn’t think you had something like that in you. You, my dear, are a spitfire if I ever did see one. You’d make a fantastic vampire. Too bad you were born a mutt instead.”

  Anger lapped at my insides, causing a few choice words to build across the tip of my tongue. I swallowed them, opting to keep my mouth shut instead.

  “I am impressed, but it’s time to go,” he said. He tossed me something shiny. My ring and bracelet. I caught them and slipped them on without asking why he’d given them to me. Maybe he knew about our need for silver. His fingers snapped, drawing my attention back to him. He motioned for me to get in the vehicle. “Regina is waiting.”

  I stepped around Eli on shaky legs and started toward the SUV. This was it. I was on my way to meet the bitch who’d taken my mother and so many others from my pack.

  My night had turned out as it should after all.

  Determination pulsed through me. I knew without a shadow of a doubt my face would be the last thing Regina saw before she turned to dust. She would wish she’d never touched a single member of my pack.

  I would see to it even if it was the last thing I ever did.

  11

  The inside of the SUV smelled like blood and dirt with a little sweat mixed in when I slipped in the backseat. It soured my stomach.

  “Sit back and enjoy the ride,” the vampire said with a wicked grin as his eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. “It might be the last one you get for a while.”

  I covered my bare chest with my arms and stared out the dark tinted window, watching as we pulled away from Eli.

  Alec took off his T-shirt and handed it to me.

  “Here, put this on,” he insisted.

  I took the warm fabric from him and slipped it over my head. “Thanks.”

  “Aw, how sweet,” the vampire teased as he watched the two of us in the mirror.

  I flipped him off. Maybe it wasn’t the brightest idea I’d ever had considering my situation, but it was what I was feeling so I went with it.

  Minutes passed. Weird music filtered through the speakers of the SUV. It wasn’t anything I’d ever heard before so I couldn’t use it as a distraction. It only made my anxiety worse.

  Alec reached for my hand and interlaced his fingers with mine. There was a time when his touch would have calmed me, when it would’ve acted like a sedative. This was not one of those times. In fact, the time for that had long since passed. Now only Eli held that much power over me.

  Still holding Alec’s hand made me feel less alone. It helped to ground me. His touch was something familiar in my unfamiliar circumstances.

  I needed to be grounded.

  It was the only way I would be able to keep it together. And I had to keep it together if I was going to get us out of this mess alive. Not only did I need to keep Alec safe, but I also needed to figure out how to take down Regina and rescue my pack. Then I needed to burn her place down.

  Doubt crept in.

  Suddenly it felt as though the weight of the world pressed against my shoulders. How could I think I would be able to do this all on my own?

  My entire body trembled. I was in trouble.

  Movement in the trunk pulled me from my thoughts. David was coming to. I waited for cries of pain or hysteria to echo through the vehicle, but nothing came besides a low moan. He had to feel like shit. He’d nearly been drained. I was positive he’d feel weak and would have a headache from hell. He wouldn’t be much help in getting us out of this mess. Not in the state he was in. I glanced at Alec. He wasn’t going to be much help either. He was only human.

  The weight on my shoulders pressed down.

  I was in this alone.

  Dorian was hurt. I’d knocked Eli out. Ho
w were they going to track me now?

  Tate!

  Had he followed us like he was supposed to? He’d been in Eli’s truck with the engine running, waiting. How long would he have waited before deciding something must have happened to Eli and Dorian? Would he have gone to Peter’s to check on them before attempting to follow the vampires’ vehicle?

  God, I hoped he was smart enough to know better.

  There were headlights behind us; they illuminated the inside of the SUV, but I had no idea if they belonged to Eli’s truck. It was too dark out, and I didn’t want to risk glancing behind us. It might tip the vampire off to something.

  I leaned against my seat and squeezed Alec’s hand in mine as I released a slow breath. I prayed Tate was behind us. If not, we might be seriously screwed.

  “We’re going to be okay,” Alec whispered.

  I shifted to face him. I knew his words had been meant to console me, but they hadn’t. They were empty words filled with broken promises. Alec didn’t know if we would be okay any more than I did.

  “Keep telling yourself that.” The vampire chuckled.

  I didn’t say anything. Neither did Alec.

  For the remainder of the drive from Mirror Lake to the city we were all silent. Even David. I assumed it was because he’d passed out again.

  Once we finally reached the outskirts of the city, it was about another twenty minutes before we stopped in front of a cute boutique shop. It was called Sassy Classy.

  Why were we stopped here?

  “In need of a new dress?” I asked unable to help myself. I couldn’t fathom why we were parking here.

  Was this the meet up place? Were we going to be handed off like some strange drug deal going down in a parking lot?

  “Funny,” the vampire said as he pulled out his cell and tapped on the screen.

  Was he contacting the owner to see if they were open or another of Regina’s goons? Or maybe it was customary to get Regina a new dress before showing up. As though having exactly what she’d asked for—me—wasn’t enough. Maybe we were late and she’d need something else to appease her.