Moonlight's Ambassador (Aileen Travers Book 3)(75)

My eyes went to Liam, closing fast as he moved with a spook's speed to cover more ground than a human ever could. It still wasn't going to be enough. She was too close, and I was too slow.

"Caroline, no!" Brax roared from behind me, the alpha in his voice. Power flowed from him. The wolf's paws paused before she shook off its effects, advancing on me with that same stealthy creep.

Her muscles bunched. I threw myself to the side—her teeth closing on my arm instead of my neck. I screamed, a long, thin sound of pain as those teeth savaged my arm. They unlatched to close on my leg, her head shook hard once. There were twin roars, one a wolf's and the other the pissed off sound of a big cat crossed with a very angry bear.

Caroline released me, dropping me to the tracks and sprang backwards. Liam landed between us, fully vamped out. His fangs lowered as he hissed, his eyes glowing with that electric blue. Claws tipped each finger as he crouched in front of me. Brax's wolf barreled into hers, forcing her further back.

Pain savaged me, fire flaring up in my arm even as my leg went numb, the cold of a glacier's ice sheet inching up the limb. The two extremes competed with each other as I struggled up.

"Stay down, Aileen. You're bleeding out," Liam ordered, his voice otherworldly. He didn't turn to see if I obeyed. I did, but only because I was too weak to fight off the compulsion. I could see the veins of his power reaching out to me from him, soothing my worries and convincing me that he was right.

My eyes slid shut, and I slumped to the ground, my head bouncing off the steel track like a rag doll’s. It was too much effort to get up anyway.

"Caroline," I whispered.

The wolf's ears swiveled forward as she looked my way. She made a hurt sound, almost a whimper and then she bounded over the side of the tracks. There was a splash below, followed by several more, as Brax's wolves followed her.

I pulled myself along the tracks until I could look over the edge, the effort stealing the last of my strength. Blood coated the wood and metal under me, drops of it falling to the water below. Down the river, I could just make out the ripple of water as a wolf paddled along, letting the current do most of the work. Several wolves trailed behind, falling farther behind as the bigger wolf widened the distance.

She was going to get away, and I didn't know if I was glad for that or upset by it.

Nathan was beside me before I could decide, rolling me over and distracting me from the sight of Caroline's retreat. "Aileen, stay with me." His hands busied themselves. Pain crashed through the numbing cold as he tightened his belt around my leg, creating a tourniquet. I screamed and tried to move away. He held me down, making sure the makeshift tourniquet was tied off before taking off his shirt and pressing it hard to my shoulder. The new pain was too much, and I blacked out for a moment.

"Liam, she needs you," Nathan shouted, his voice tight.

I opened my eyes as Nathan stared down at me, his face tight with worry. Impossible. The bite must be making me hallucinate. I thought I read that in the book. Werewolf bites could be toxic to vampires, especially baby ones who didn't have the sense to get out of the way in time. Nathan would never be that worried for me, not the pain in the ass yearling they got saddled with.

Liam's face appeared next to Nathan's, his eyes wild. "Aileen, stay with me."

I smiled. My face was numb, my body cold, so at least I hoped it was a smile. I didn't feel much of anything anymore.

"Get Brax," Liam ordered.

I might have imagined it, but his fingers felt gentle as they touched my face. "You, stupid girl. Why didn't you run?"

"Then the big, bad wolf would have bitten off my head," I said in a slurred voice. "I'm rather attached to it."

"You believe us now about how dangerous she is?" he asked, his mouth tight as he felt along my neck for my pulse. It struck me as odd. We had one; it was just significantly slower than a human's. Hm. I raised my head and looked at my thigh. Perhaps I'd already be dead if my pulse was stronger. Didn't the pulse have something to do with how fast you bled out?

Maybe. It was hard to think right now.

"She said she didn't do it." Why was it so hard to think? My eyes fluttered shut.

Liam shook me. Hard. I couldn't bring myself to care.

Fire across my cheek. "Ow. What was that for?" I asked in a plaintive voice.

"You need to stay awake." His voice was urgent.

Something occurred to my foggy brain. "Why aren't I healing?" I raised my head. "Why aren't you healing me?"

"I've already tried. It's why you're not dead. Caroline’s wolf's bite is more toxic than anything I've encountered. Brax may be able to help," Liam said. He looked up, his expression darkening. "Where is he?"

"He went in after the pup," Nathan said, sounding as angry as Liam looked.

"If she dies, I will take it out of his arrogant hide," Liam snarled.

"Not his fault," I said, my teeth chattering. My breath rasped out. Why was it so bloody cold? "Caroline should be the priority."

"Bullshit," Liam snapped. Ah, there was the autocratic dick I was used to. It was a comfort to know he was there in all this, like a horsehair blanket designed to abrade and keep you on your toes. "He should have seen to you while he sent his pack after her."