Rescued By the Mothman (Monster Bounty Hunters #1)

Chapter 11

Sable

Clarissa called her uncle and put him on speakerphone. She barely managed a hello before he spoke, his voice a whisper.

“It’s me. Listen, some of John’s friends are here. They are running rampant through the edge of town and heading to the center, smashing things up, causing fights. The pack is out after them. But it was a distraction. John is….”

There was the sound of a crash and a struggle before the phone went dead. Clarissa’s face paled.

“My uncle. I have to get to him.”

“I’ll go, stay here.”

“No!” He’s my uncle and if those idiots are running around town, I’m no safer here.”

She was probably right. At least next to me, I could keep her safe. I grabbed her hand, and we ran.

“Delly, lock the doors!” she called as we left.

Shouts and thuds sounded from around the corner. I wrapped my arms around her.

“Hold on tight.”

She squeezed me as I picked her up and leapt into the air.

“Don’t look down.”

She instantly looked down and screamed. I held her tighter, and she pressed her face into my chest. It was only a few minutes to her uncle’s house. She screamed most of the way there. The moment we landed, she took off running for the front door before I could even tuck in my wings.

“Wait!”

It was too late. 3 men walked out. Two holding bats and one an axe. Clarissa stumbled backwards, but one grabbed her arm. The distance between me and her was too much to cover before he had her, so I stopped and pushed down the anxiety building inside me. The man pulled her to one side, and she yelped in pain. I knew I needed to remain calm to make sure she wouldn’t get hurt. But I was verging on incoherent rage. It took every bit of my willpower to stand still and assess the situation.

“Let her go.”

“Or what, monster scum?”

“Or you are going to find out what monsters can really do.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Yes.”

To his credit, one of the other men looked nervous. The one holding Clarissa turned and ran his tongue up the side of her face. That was the moment I knew I was going to kill him. I walked forward, my eyes fixed on him. Watching his body for the twitch of muscles that indicated he was going to move. I saw his leg muscles tighten as he moved to step backwards. Then the twist of his chest as he turned slightly to pull Clarissa. I knew he was going to put her in front of him before he did it, so I leapt into the air.

Two beats of my wings and I landed on the roof behind him. Before he could finish spinning around, I leapt back over his head in a fast somersault, spreading my wings to slow down as I neared the ground, and landed next to him. He was off balance and, as he stepped to steady himself, I pulled my arm back and punched him with all I had. And what I had was a lot.

His face crumpled beneath my fist. I felt his skull shattering. Bits of bone splintering into his brain. As he fell back, I held a hand out to Clarissa and she twisted out of his now limp grip. Our hands met, and I spun her around, so I was between her and the men.

“Go check the back. Quietly.”

She nodded. I spun back around, looked at the man I’d punched, twitching on the ground. His two friends looked horrified. I could hear Clarissa’s footsteps as she took a wide circle around the house to keep away from them.

“Monster!” the one with the axe yelled before charging at me.

What an idiot. I’d just killed his friend with one punch. I didn’t let my guard down, though. Angry people were dangerous and unpredictable. He swung the large axe, and I knew I couldn’t dodge it. I was big and not very nimble on the ground. I raised both arms to block it and the haft hit my forearms. A sharp spike of pain radiated up to my shoulders. This guy was big for a human. I kicked out and got him square in the crotch. He howled and fell to the ground. I almost felt sorry for the guy. I’d likely permanently ruined his sex life. Not that assholes like him deserved any sex.

I picked up the axe and spun it around before looking at the nervous guy. He dropped his bat and held his hands up in submission.

“Tell me the plan, fuckface.”

He jumped with fear as I spoke. I thought he was going to vomit right there. He took another look at the friend I’d punched, who was still now with blood oozing from various points in his face. His voice shook as he answered me.

“The others are just meant to fuck some shit up in town, cause a distraction. We were here to kill the wolf.”

I listened for a moment. I could hear Clarissa talking to her uncle inside the house. He sounded rough, but alive.

“And Delaney? Where is he now?”

“Trying to get money or something.”

“Here? In town?”

“Yeah, I don’t know the details.”

“Listen to me. I’m going to let you go. But if you go near this hate group again, I’ll hunt you down and make you regret it.”

He nodded, and I tucked the axe into my belt.

“Get out of here and take this dumbass with you.”

I waved the axe towards his moaning friend, whose pants were turning red with blood now. He dragged his sobbing friend into the car and drove like a bat out of hell down the dirt road back into town. I didn’t know if he’d actually rethink his life choices or if he was just going to get reinforcements. I hoped the wolves had it under control.

Inside the house, Rez looked bloody. Not as bloody as the three corpses that Clarissa was trying hard not to look at. She seemed almost green. Rex looked up at me from the sofa.

“You get ‘em?”

“One down, one taking his friend to a hospital. He might make it, but he’ll wish he hadn’t. You ok?”

“Yeah, one just got a lucky blow to my head before I could shift. Knocked me out briefly. I’m glad you turned up when you did.”

I gave Clarissa’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, and she nodded back at me. She might need comforting later, but at this moment, she was calm and determined.

“We need to take my uncle to the hospital.”

He scoffed.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. Wolf healing. It’s all good.”

Even I wasn’t convinced. Clarissa definitely wasn’t.

“I don’t care. At the very least, you are coming to my house, so I can take care of you.”

It was the right move, despite the whispering in a selfish part of my brain that pointed out there’d be no fucking her into a screaming mess while her uncle was around. I watched her fussing over him. This caring, beautiful woman who drove me wild and wasn’t afraid of a fight. Who felt the way I did about family. It all made sense now. Everything in my life made sense. Every experience had brought me to this point, and it was all for her. To be strong for her. To rush in when I needed to defend her and to hold back when she needed calm. How had I not seen it before? I realized she was talking to me.

“Sable?”

“Yes, sorry, what was that?”

“Can you help me get him to the car?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll grab some clothes.”

She dashed up the stairs, her tight little ass wiggling as she went. Rez laughed and then coughed with the pain that caused.

“I need to make a quick call.”

Rez nodded, and I moved to the kitchen for privacy. I was overwhelmed. I tried to focus on the job. Delaney needed money. He wouldn’t leave. I felt in my gut we were close now. There was always a thrill of excitement that settled in when a chase was coming to a close, and I could feel it now, like an itch in my veins.

I tried calling Vedrac, the lich. But his mate said he was at Lyla’s. Lyla with her mate and her growing family. She seemed so calm and settled in it. I’d never been settled. I didn’t even know if I was capable of it. What if I wasn’t able to give Clarissa what she needed? I dialed her number.

“Sable! How are you?”

Even just hearing her voice was soothing.

“Good. How’s incubating a dragon?”

“Tiring, she’s a kicker.”

“You can’t blame Falkon for that. You kicked me whenever you didn’t get your way as a toddler.”

“And you could always just fly away and taunt me from the air,” she teased.

“Yeah.”

“What’s up, bro? Is it time?”

“Yeah, Heather said Vedrac was over there. Can you ask him to give me a call? I think I’ve nearly got him.”

“Of course, I’ll tell him straight away.”

I paused. I didn’t know how to say everything that I wanted to.

“What else?”

She always knew when something was up with me. It was nice and also very annoying.

“Well, I dunno. There’s this woman. I don’t know what to say. But once this is done, I’m going to need some sister advice.”

“Of course, whenever you want. I’m always here for you.”

“I know. Even when I was young and a dick, you never gave up on me. Despite everything.”

“And I never will.”

“Thanks sis.”

I hung up and went back to check on Rez. He was smirking at me.

“What?”

“So, one of you has figured it out, at least?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

I knew exactly what he meant, but it felt vulnerable saying it.

“I’ve got wolf hearing, boy.”

Well, fuck. I should have thought of that. Clarissa had my brain completely scrambled.

“And a wolf’s nose. I can smell hormones. Including mate hormones.”

There it was. The word had been said.

“She’s my mate.”

Saying it felt weird and full of wonder. My mate. Something I’d never thought I’d have. Rez laughed again.

“You look like a kid that just discovered ice-cream for the first time. I remember that feeling.”

His eyes grew misty.

“What was she like?” I asked as gently as I could.

“Fiery enough to handle a wolf and beautiful as all hell. But sometimes it takes humans a little longer to understand what’s going on with a mate bond. Give her time.”

“I will.”

“Hurt her and I’ll have my whole pack rip you to pieces.”

“I could never.”

We heard Clarissa’s footsteps moving back to the stairs, and both fell quiet. Rez closed his eyes, a smile on his face.