Page 41 of Bad Moon Rising (Dark-Hunter 17)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Fang tried his best to turn into a wolf, but couldn't. This was so not good, but there was nothing he could do.
Fine. Human he was and human he'd fight if that was all that was left to him. But they were about to learn the one truth where he was concerned.
No one got the better of Fang Kattalakis. Ever.
"Let's dance, punks." He tried to blast them back.
His powers weren't working.
Oh, shit . . .
Misery laughed. "This isn't your realm, wolf. Here you're just a person . . . one with a life force that can feed us all."
Fang tsked at her. "Baby, I'm not worth the indigestion. Trust me." He slugged the first demon to reach him. The demon staggered away. He caught the next one with a blow to his chin that sent him reeling.
But he was seriously outnumbered.
Overwhelmed by the sheer size of their group, he was brought down hard on the cold, wet ground. Cursing, Fang did everything he could to break free.
It wasn't enough.
They pulled him deeper into the cave and strapped him down to a slab of stone.
"That's right, wolf. Fight us with everything you have." Laughter rang in his ears an instant before something hot pierced his thigh.
Fang cried out in pain.
More laughter filled his ears.
Misery came forward to look down at him. "The more you suffer, the stronger we become. We feed on pain. On misery. So give us your best."
A male stood beside her. "It's been a long time since we had one this strong here. How long do you think he'll last?"
"I don't know . . . it should prove interesting and, given his nature, it should be enough to break us out of here and into the mortal realm." She took the dagger from his hand. "In the meantime . . ."
She plunged it down through Fang's stomach.
Did he eat?"
Vane swallowed at Mama Bear Peltier's question and shook his head. Fang hadn't eaten a bite since the bears had taken them in two days ago.
His brother was dying, and just like with Anya, there was nothing Vane could do to save him.
Impotent rage filled him and he wanted blood for what had happened to them. Not just to Anya, but to Fang as well.
Mama Bear smiled kindly at him. "If you need anything, ask."
Vane forced himself not to growl at her.
What he needed was his brother to be whole again. But the Daimon attack had left Fang without any will to survive. They had taken more than his brother's blood, they had taken his dignity and his heart.
Vane doubted if his brother would ever be normal again.
Mama turned into her bear form and ambled off. Vane was only vaguely aware of Justin padding by outside in his panther form, followed by a tiger and two hawks. All were headed for their rooms where they could spend the day in their true animal bodies, safely locked away from the unsuspecting world.
If only he could do the same.
"It's a zoo, isn't it?"
He looked up at Colt's voice coming from the doorway. Standing six foot four, Colt was one of the members of the Howlers. Like Mama and her clan, Colt was a bear, but unlike them, he was also an Arcadian.
Vane was amazed the bears had tolerated one in their midst. Most Katagaria packs killed any Arcadian on sight.
He would have.
But then, Mama Lo and Papa Bear weren't the usual bunch.
"What do you want?" Vane asked.
Colt crossed his arms over his chest. "I was thinking . . . you know it would be a lot safer for everyone at Sanctuary if there were two Sentinels protecting the Peltiers."
Vane sneered at that. "Since when does a Sentinel protect a Katagaria clan?"
Colt gave him a droll stare. "That from a Sentinel who's stroking a Katagari wolf's fur?"
Rage darkened Vane's sight at the fact that Colt could see what he'd always kept hidden from everyone else. If it wasn't for the fact that he needed to stay here for Fang's welfare, he'd be lunging for Colt's throat. "I'm not a Sentinel and I'm not Arcadian."
"You can't hide from me, Vane. Like me, you've chosen to hide your facial markings, but it doesn't change what you are. We are Sentinels."
Vane cursed him. "I will never be a Sentinel. I refuse that birthright. I won't hunt and kill my own kind."
"Haven't you already done that?" Colt arched his brow. "How many Sentinels have you slain for your birth pack?"
Vane didn't want to think about that. That had been different. They'd threatened Anya and Fang.
Colt took a step forward. "Look, I'm not here to pass judgment on you. I'm just thinking it would be easier to-"
"I'm not staying," Vane snarled. "Wolves don't mix with others. Once I'm strong enough to protect Fang again, we're out of here."
Colt took a deep breath and shook his head. "Whatever." He turned around and left.
Vane's heart ached as he left the room long enough to take Fang's uneaten food to the kitchen.
If his brother didn't snap back soon, he didn't know what he'd do. They were both under a death sentence.
It wouldn't be long before their father would send scouts back to determine their fate. Once they found out that both of them had survived, assassins would be coming for them. He needed Fang mobile.
He could fight alone, but carting Fang's catatonic ass around with him wasn't going to be easy and it wasn't something he looked forward to doing when all he wanted was to lie down and lick his wounds too.
Damn Fang for being so selfish.
When Vane returned to his room upstairs, he found Wren just inside the door and Aimee Peltier on the bed beside Fang.
