Dead After Dark (Companion #6.5)(6)

Suddenly a loud electrical shriek pierced the air, making her flinch as it assaulted her wolf’s hearing. She covered one ear with her hand as she prayed it wasn’t bleeding. “What is that?”

Dare pointed to the stage where a group of Weres were tuning instruments. A loud guitar wailed before they started a song and the crowd cheered them.

She grimaced at the sight and sounds. “What terrible music,” she groused, wishing they were back home and not in the midst of this dive.

Once they were on the ground floor, Dare was only able to take two steps before he was surrounded by five of the meanest-looking werebears she’d ever seen. The eldest of them, who looked to be their father since he bore an uncanny resemblance to the younger ones, stood over seven feet tall. He looked down at Dare as if he were about to tear him into pieces.

“What the f*ck are you doing here, Wolf?”

Dare’s nostrils flared, but he knew the same thing she did. They were outnumbered and in hostile territory, surrounded by animals.

Angelia cleared her throat before she spoke to the eldest bear. “Isn’t this Sanctuary?”

One of the younger blond bears shoved at Dare. “Not for him, it’s not. It’s more like cemetery.”

Dare caught himself and held the look of hell wrath on his face. Luckily, he held his temper and didn’t fight back.

Yet.

A tall blond woman, who resembled the men closely enough to be another relative, stopped beside them. She gave Dare an insulting once-over before she raked the werebears with a scathing glare.

The bearswan laughed at them. “He’s not Fang, guys. Congratulations, you’re about to skin an innocent wolf.” Tucking her tray under her arm, she stepped away only to have the eldest bear stop her.

“He looks and smells like Fang.”

She snorted. “Trust me, Papa, he’s nothing like Fang. I know my wolf when I see him and that boy there is seriously lacking.”

The youngest bear in the group snatched at Dare’s hair. “He has the mark of a Kattalakis.”

The waitress rolled her eyes. “Fine, Serre. Kill the bastard. Not like I care one way or another.” She walked off without looking back.

Serre let go of Dare’s hair and made a sound of disgust. “Who the hell are you?”

“Dare Kattalakis.”

Angelia froze at the deep, resonant voice that went over her like ice. It was a voice she hadn’t heard in centuries, and it was one that belonged to someone she’d assumed was long dead.

Fury Kattalakis.

Her heart pounding, she watched as the bears parted to let him approach. Tall and lean, Fury held the kind of toned body that most men had to work out for. But not him. Even in his younger years, he’d possessed defined muscles that had made the other males in their patria green with jealousy and the women swoon with heat.

If anything, these past centuries had honed him even more. Gone was the insecurity of his youth. The wolf before her was sharp and lethal. One who knew exactly what he was capable of.

Merciless bloodshed.

The last time she’d seen him, his blond hair had been long. It was much shorter now, falling just to his collar. But his eyes were still that unique color that was one shade darker than turquoise.

And the hatred in them sent a chill over her.

His black leather Aerostitch-styled jacket had red and yellow flames on the sleeves and on the back, was a white skull and crossbones that peeked out threateningly from behind the flames. Unzipped in the front, it showed off a plain black t-shirt underneath. The Kevlar padding on the jacket added to the width of his already wide shoulders. Black Aerostitch pants were tucked into a pair of black biker boots that held silver buckles up the sides.

She swallowed at the incredibly sexy sight he made as he stood there, ready to take them all on. And against her will, her heartbeat sped up. Whereas Dare was hot, Fury was incredible.

Mesmerizing.

And that werewolf had a butt so tight and fine, it had to be illegal even in this day and age. It was all she could do not to stare at it. Or more to the point, stare at him.

Ignoring her obvious ogling, Fury glared at Dare. “Long time no see, brother.”

“Not long enough,” Dare said between his clenched teeth.

“You know him?” the father bear asked.

Fury shrugged. “I used to. But if you guys want to chop him up and make hamburgers out of him, I wouldn’t mind in the least. Hell, I’ll even go get the grinder.”

Dare moved toward him.

Serre grabbed him and held him back. “Hitting him here would be a very big mistake on your part. Even if we don’t like him.”

Fury winked sarcastically at the bear. “Love you, too, Serre. You guys always make me feel so welcome here. Appreciate it.”

“Our pleasure.” Serre let go of Dare.

The father bear sighed. “Since it appears we’ve made a mistake, let’s leave the wolves to their business.” He cast a warning look to Dare. “Remember. No spill blood.”

None of them spoke until the bears were completely out of earshot.

Fury watched the two before him warily. Dare and he, along with Vane, Fang, and their two sisters, Anya and Star, were litter mates. All born at the same time to their Arcadian mother. Their mother had kept him, Dare, and Star, and then sent the others to live with their Katagari father.