Page 13 of Fangs & Fur

“Hey, Xander! Long time no see!” Tyler bounces on the balls of his feet with a cheery smile on his lips. “The boss has been asking about you.”

Xander shrugs, but his eyes don't stay on Tyler for long before they slide back to me, “Just been a bit busy.”

I smile sheepishly as he speaks to Tyler with his gaze transfixed on me. Yet Tyler doesn’t seem to notice as he giggles and wraps an arm over my shoulder. “Well…care to look after my new friend tonight? He needs some cheering up.” Tyler winks at me, and I blush.

Xander chuckles, “I’d be happy to.”

“Great!” Tyler nearly screams as he peels away, only to come running back with his arms stretched open. “Can’t say bye without a hug.”

His arms encase me as he pulls me into his embrace, and his sugary perfume fills my nostrils. I stand stock-still, feeling the thrum of my heart in my chest. It’s been months since anyone last hugged me, and it takes a few seconds for my brain to catch up.

Finally, I force myself to hug him back, but as he pulls away, his mouth opens as if he’s about to speak. The words never come. His gaze drifts over my shoulder, unfocused and far away, before his eyes roll back and his jaw goes slack. A second later, all the strength drains from his body, and he drops, dead weight, toward the floor.

In the blink of an eye, my world tilts as I go down with him, but before either of us hits the floor, movement flashes beside us. Xander catches Tyler’s head in one hand while his other arm bands around my waist.

The three of us are all only inches apart. Face-to-face-to-face, I can only stare in shock at Tyler. He looks as though something has possessed him.

“What the hell!? Tyler!” I yell out.

Sucking in a raspy gasp, the whites of his eyes glow when he speaks, yet his cheerful voice is gravelly and cold.

“Someone’s already holding a piece of you. If they break it, you’ll break too,” Tyler croaks. The entire club seems to go silent as his voice echoes around us as if we’re in a tunnel. Tears fill my eyes as my heart pounds in my throat.

“Tyler!” I cry out, trying to shake him from whatever seizure he’s having.

Xander is deadly quiet beside me. I don't even think he’s taken in a single breath, and his eyes are laser-focused on my friend.

With a sputtering cough, Tyler begins to shake. Only after a few more desperate gasps and whines does his eyes finally roll back towards the world of the living.

His skin is clammy and cold, and his lips are blue. “Cole,” he whimpers.

Xander lifts his head. “Cole,” he commands.

Within seconds, a shadow looms over us, and I'm bundled against Xander’s chest as another figure steps in beside us.

Tyler practically climbs the man with tears rolling down his cheeks and fragile mewls slipping from his lips.

“What happened? Is he alright?” I ask Xander. His body heat encases me and sets my nerves to rest as we watch Tyler be carried from the club in bridal style, his head buried in the guy's chest.

“He’ll be fine,” Xander states, his hand finding my hair as he sweeps his fingers through the strands. It immediately calms my raging heart. “Let’s get out of here.”

I nod and stand on shaky legs. Xander grasps my shoulder, steadying me, his eyes asking me a silent question. I shake my head and walk to the exit, despite the shiver that scrapes down my spine at the sudden coldness. Finally, I wrap my arms around my middle.

The club is still raging as I walk onto the sidewalk with only the neon red sign lighting up the street before me. Tyler and Cole are nowhere to be found, and Xander is close behind.

“Here.” He wraps his leather jacket over my shoulders. It’s toasty warm, and his smell is so deeply embedded into the material that I can smell it as I follow him away from the club and into a dark alleyway.

“Will Tyler be okay? Who’s Cole?” I can’t seem to find which question is more important. Tyler’s well-being or the strange, untalkative man who took him away.

Xander is kind enough to walk beside me, his large frame filling most of the tight space as we reach the backside of Church where a vacant car park awaits.

“Cole is Tyler’s childhood best friend. He’ll be fine with Cole,” Xander explains, his hand finding the small of my back as we cross the lined tarmac to the far corner where a sleek motorbike awaits.

Xander’s bike.

I halt. I’ve never ridden a motorbike before. Maybe I can call for a ride instead? Then the thoughts of the driver flash in my mind, and my stomach churns.

“I’m going to be si—” I can't even finish my sentence before my Cosmopolitan is crawling up my throat and splattering on the ground at my boots. Xander is at my side, his arm wrapped around my middle, supporting me as I heave again. My body shakes and my eyes water. I feel absolutely disgusting.