The Wolf Within (Purgatory #1)(26)

Holly laughed behind him. The sound was cold. Bitter. Not at all like her.

But how much do you know her? You didn’t even know she was a vampire. The insidious whisper slid through his mind.

“Pointing the gun at me isn’t the problem.” She’d wrapped the sheet around her body, sarong style. Her hair had dried. Her cheeks were still flushed, and her skin seemed to shine. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “A few hours ago, he shot me in the heart with one of his wooden bullets.”

And Duncan remembered the thunder he’d heard as he’d given chase after Saul. He’d been rushing through the woods, so intent on his prey that he hadn’t even paused at that sound. He hadn’t thought—Holly—

A snarl broke from his lips.

Pate’s eyes widened. “Easy. It only killed her for a few minutes.”

A few minutes…

“You’re not freaking out because you just screwed a vampire.” Pate still seemed confused by that point.

His back teeth locked. “I’m a werewolf. Who the f*ck am I to judge?”

But Pate’s eyes had gone back to Holly. “There’s no going back now.” His voice was almost sad.

Her chin lifted. “You never understood. There was never going to be any going back. No matter what you hoped.” Then she headed into what looked like a bathroom. The doorframe was broken, and he could just see some tile inside.

Pate’s gaze followed her.

“Eyes over here, *,” Duncan growled.

Pate’s green stare cut to him. “Could you get some damn clothes on? Or my eyes will be going blind.”

“I shifted,” Duncan gritted. “She was in trouble—”

“Oh, yeah, I see that.”

“There wasn’t time to take my clothes off. I had to rush to her.”

“I’m sure you did.”

“And it’s not like there are backup men’s clothes here.”

Pate’s lips twisted. “Sure there are.” He spun on his heel and headed out the broken door. His hand waved toward the right as he pointed down the hallway. “Second door on the right. Check the top drawer of the chest.”

What?

“When you’re both dressed, drag your asses downstairs,” Pate said, the words an order from unit’s director.

Duncan stalked down the hallway. Went in the second door on the right. He yanked open the drawer and pulled out a pair of jeans. They fit perfect, as did the faded t-shirt. They had to belong to a guy near his size. Who the hell was he? And they—

They smelled like Pate.

There’s no going back now.

Duncan slammed the chest closed. The wood shattered. Pate’s reaction had been too personal. He’d known Holly’s secrets. His clothes were in her spare bedroom.

Mine. The wolf started to claw inside of him.

Carefully, slowly, Duncan sucked in a deep breath. He could still taste Holly, only now…now her scent was blending with Pate’s.

He stalked from the room and saw Holly. She had already dressed. She had on jeans that hugged her ass too well and a loose top. Her hand was on the bannister, and she was near the foot of the stairs.

Pate was reaching for her. Curving his hand around her shoulder.

There was no sign of the other agents. Just Pate. Just Holly. Pate pulled her close against him. Held her.

Duncan’s eyes narrowed. Pate was whispering to her, and when he focused hard enough, Duncan could just make out the guy’s words.

I’m sorry. We’ll make it work. Everything will be fine again, I promise.

Holly shook her head. Tried to pull away from him.

But Pate just tightened his hold around her. His lips brushed over her forehead. I won’t lose you.

Oh, hell, yes, he would. Duncan bounded down the stairs. “Get your hands off her.” A lethal order.

This wasn’t about getting an order from his unit’s director. Wasn’t about the supernatural nightmare that was his life.

This was about some prick having his hands all over the woman that Duncan wanted.

And Pate needed to back the hell up before Duncan wrecked the guy’s face.

“I was worried this would happen,” Pate said with a sigh. He didn’t let Holly go. Big mistake. “Don’t you see, Holly, he’s linking with you? Bonding?”

“My fist is going to bond with your face,” Duncan promised.

Holly pushed Pate away. Then she whirled to face Duncan. She blocked his path, stopping him before he could carry through on that sweet promise he’d made to Pate.

“Don’t,” she said, shaking her head.

He reached out his hand. Ran his fingers over the spot that Pate had kissed on her forehead. He needed to get some things clear, fast. Wolves… werewolves didn’t react like humans.

Pate had that bit right. Duncan was linking with her. He wanted her again. Wanted her naked and screaming beneath him. She hadn’t screamed with pleasure before, would she next time?

“My bite…it’s…ah, making you react this way,” Holly said, her words rushed.

The bite?

“It…creates a connection. Between vampire and prey. There’s pleasure in the bite.”

Yeah, he’d gotten that part.

“The pleasure is addictive. It’s how vampires lure their prey to them, again and again.” Her lips tightened. “The vampires who aren’t interested in torturing their prey, that is.”