On the Prowl (Bad Things #2)(10)

“Only for you,” he said then he leapt away from her. If it had been his call alone, that wanker would have burned. In seconds, Julian was back at the SUV. He crawled through the passenger side. The flames ate at his arm, burning the forearm he’d offered to her moments before. Then he was shoving against the steering wheel, freeing the worthless bastard who’d hurt Rose. Julian dragged the guy out of the SUV, and the blond was groaning and moaning the whole damn time.

The sirens were closer now. The human cops would be arriving soon. Not much time for talking…

So he’d cut right to the chase.

He brought his claws up and shoved them against the man’s throat. “Where were you taking her?”

Fear—he could smell it. The guy reeked of fear. A human who was in way over his head. “I-I was…”

“Where.”

“To…to a boat down on the dock. My boss…he has a boat there.”

Julian let his claws cut the fool’s skin. “The name of the boat.” Not a question. An order.

“Th-the Pandora.”

Because the bastard liked to put creatures into a box? “Where are the others you mentioned?” Julian barked at him.

“I don’t know, I swear!” The human was shaking. “I don’t—”

The cops were almost there. The sirens were blasting in Julian’s ears. “I have your scent. Wherever you go, I can find you now.” He smiled and knew his elongated teeth would flash. His beast was far too close to the surface. “Never make the mistake of going near Rose again. If you do, I’ll rip the flesh from your body.”

“Julian…” Rose’s soft voice. “We…we need to leave.”

He dropped the human. Just let him fall into a pile of waste on the ground. Then he turned toward Rose. Now she’s ready to leave with me. Good choice, love. Good choice. Rose was on her feet, but she was trembling—not the hard shakes of the human, but small tremors that rocked her body. He caught her hand in his, and his fingers smoothed over her wrist, a delicate caress that seemed second nature to him.

He pulled her toward the motorcycle. He got on and brought the engine snarling to life. She stood beside the bike, staring at him, her eyes so big and deep.

If a man had a soul, he could get lost in eyes like hers.

But Julian had traded his soul already.

Traded it for her.

The wind caught her thick, red hair, tossing it around her face. His fingers itched to brush it back. Control your shit, man. Focus.

“Get on,” he ordered her as his hands curled around the handlebars. “I’m not in the mood to deal with the cops.”

She glanced back at the human. “Simon…”

Was that the bastard’s name?

She bit her lower lip—a full, plump lip. She had such a gorgeous mouth. She was gorgeous. Heart-shaped face, killer cheekbones, and a body made for pleasure. Damn, but he’d missed her.

Rose brushed back a lock of hair that blew toward her eyes. “Are we going to just leave Simon Lorne here?”

Yes, they absolutely were. If Simon was smart, he’d high tail it far away from the Keys. “Get on,” Julian gritted again. “Simon’s boss may have reinforcements coming. He wants you in the collection.” Something that would happen over his dead body.

He could see the flash of police lights. They’d run out of time.

Rose slid onto the motorcycle behind him. Her legs pressed against his and her arms wrapped around him.

About time. “Hold tight,” he told her. “Because it’s going to be one hell of a ride.”

Then he took off, racing into the night, and the sirens screamed after them.

***

“Sir, sir are you all right?”

Did he look f*cking all right? Simon Lorne squinted up at the cop above him. Blood was dripping in his eyes. His forehead had slammed into the steering wheel on impact, and broken glass had rained into the car. “Need…ambulance.” Something that should be obvious. That freak had cut his throat, and Simon had burns on his arms.

“It’s coming. Just stay still. Help will be here soon.”

Not soon enough. The vampire was gone—taken away by that bastard on the bike. The bastard with the claws and with the promise of death in his eyes. Simon couldn’t even hear the roar of the motorcycle any longer.

The EMTs arrived a while later. Fucking finally. They loaded him onto a stretcher. Put him in the back of the ambulance. Then they started hooking him up to tubes—an IV and some other kind of monitor. They wrapped his burns. They bandaged his neck.

“Didn’t realize…she had a protector,” he said as he stared straight up.

The EMT—a pretty brunette—frowned at him as she leaned into his line of sight. “Sir?”

The ambulance lurched forward, leaving the scene.

The brunette was in the back with him. A man—thin, balding—worked at her side.

“Rose having a protector…that makes it…harder…” So much harder.

The brunette leaned closer to him. “Sir? I think you’re confused.”

No, he was very, very focused. He had to get back to the top of his game, and a pit stop at the hospital wasn’t going to help him. Science never helped.

Magic did.

His hand flew out and locked around her throat. “Harder,” he allowed. “His presence will definitely make things harder, but not impossible.”