Bound in Sin (Bound #3)(21)

He could hear the snarls and shouts and they seemed to burn his ears. The image of Paige running into that vampire’s arms was branded into his mind. Why? Why?

He rushed outside. Saw the blood on the ground. Michael. Still alive. Barely moving.

Paige–she was…

“Hello, alpha.” The taunting voice came from his left.

Drake’s claws were out and so ready to claw that SOB apart.

“Did you lose something?” The vampire asked as Drake turned to face him.

The vampire was tall. Blond. Bleeding. And he held Paige in his arms. The embrace wasn’t one of a lover, though. One of the vampire’s arms locked around her throat, while the vamp’s other hand held a wooden stake right over Paige’s heart.

“Because it looks like I found something.” The vamp smiled, flashing fangs.

Drake saw the other vampires stalking toward him. Was he supposed to be intimidated? Scared?

He was just pissed. “Let her go.”

The vampire–he had to be the one Paige had told him about, the one she’d called Gabe-shook his head and laughed. “If that’s what you want…she’s already served her purpose.”

Drake was looking at Paige then. He saw her eyes flare wide in horror, then Gabe spun her around so that she faced the vampire.

“You’re free now,” the vampire told her, voice soft, almost tender, “because that’s what your wolf wants.”

Paige struggled against him, clawing, punching–

Drake realized, too late, just what the * was doing.

You’re free now.

He was killing her.

Drake roared and lunged forward, forgetting the other vampires, desperate to reach Paige, to help her and–

Gunfire.

Bullets. Thudding into his flesh. Burning. Tearing apart muscle and bone.

His blood spilled onto the ground. His legs stopped working. He wanted to reach Paige, but he couldn’t.

He was falling.

The snow turned red beneath him.

His claws lifted as he tried to dig out the bullets. So many. In his chest. His back.

He managed to tilt back his head. He could see Paige. She was still fighting with Gabe. The stake was covered in blood.

But she was still alive.

She glanced back at Drake and screamed his name.

He’d promised to protect her. She’d asked him for just one thing.

I want you to rip his head off, and I want you to make damn sure that he never rises again.

Now that vampire was laughing. She was bleeding.

And I’m dying.

No, no, he wouldn’t die. He wouldn’t go out like this.

Drake called on the beast within. Wake up. Drake pushed to his feet. Stumbled. Yanked out the silver in his shoulder and barely felt the burn.

Wake up.

The beast hated silver.

But the wolf loved the woman who was screaming for him.

A vampire came at him, still with a gun in his hand. Fool. You came too close. Drake grabbed the gun. Shot the vampire in the chest. Swiped out with his claws.

This time, it was the vampire that fell.

Drake dug another bullet from his flesh. The smoke from his blistering fingertips rose in the air.

Another vampire came at him.

A swipe of his claws and the vampire’s blood flowed.

“Stop him!” Gabe’s scream of fury.

Then all the vampires swarmed him. Even though Drake still had at least three silver bullets in him, he didn’t hesitate when they attacked.

He roared and slashed into the chest of the nearest vamp. Another one down. Bye, *.

The other two vamps–they just turned and ran.

Drake grabbed a weapon that had been tossed aside and turned his focus on the one that mattered. The vampire that was about to lose his damn head.

“How?” Gabe gritted as he stared at Drake with fury boiling in his dark gaze. “You can’t–you’re not strong enough–”

Paige’s laughter cut through his words. “He’s strong enough…if he’s got vampire blood in him.”

Drake could still taste her on his tongue.

Mark me.

The wolf had claimed his mate. Marked her. And tasted her blood.

“You bitch.” Gabe shook Paige, sending her head snapping back.

Begging for death. Drake fired the gun. It just clicked. No more bullets. That was all right. He wanted to get his hands bloody.

“You did this to him!” Gabe shouted. The guy didn’t even seem to see Drake closing in on him. The stake had fallen from his hand. “You made him–”

“Stronger,” Paige gasped out as blood dripped from her lips. “I made him strong enough to kill you…just in case I couldn’t.”

Her words had Drake’s body tensing. He’d kill the vamp for her, all right. A promise is a promise. Drake grabbed Paige and yanked her away from Gabe. Drake’s wolf was snarling, his claws were fully extended, and he was ready to destroy.

The stake broke beneath his feet, and he broke Gabe’s neck with one twist of his wrist.

But the vampire just laughed–and his bones snapped back into place almost instantly.

“Try harder,” Gabe murmured. There was no fear on the vampire’s face or in his eyes. “Come on, let’s see what you can do, alpha. Let’s see if you can fight as hard as you father did.”