“Why don’t you?”

The Daimon lunged. Vane ducked under the water and pulled the Daimon’s feet out from under him. They fought in the water until Vane caught him in the chest with his stake.

The rest ran off.

Vane stood in the darkness, listening to them splashing away from him. His heart pounded in his ears as he allowed his rage to consume him. Throwing his head back, he let out his wolf’s howl that echoed eerily through the misty bayou.

Inhuman and baleful, it was the kind of sound that would send even the voodoo mavens scurrying for cover.

Now certain the Daimons were gone, Vane raked his wet hair from his eyes as he made his way to Fang, who still hadn’t moved.

Vane choked on his grief as he stumbled blindly through the water with only one thought in his mind… don’t be dead.

Over and over in his mind, he saw his sister’s lifeless body. Felt her coldness against his skin. He couldn’t lose them both. He couldn’t.

It would kill him.

For the first time in his life, he wanted to hear one of Fang’s stupid-ass comments.

Anything.

Images flashed through his mind as he remembered his sister’s death. Unimaginable pain tore through him. Fang had to be alive. He had to.

“Please, gods, please,” he breathed as he closed the distance between them. He couldn’t lose his brother.

Not like this…

Fang’s eyes were open, staring unseeingly up at the full moon that would have allowed them to time-jump out of this swamp had they not both been wearing the collars.

There were open bite wounds all over him.

A deep, profound grief tore through Vane, splintering his heart into pieces.

“C’mon, Fang, don’t be dead,” he said, his voice breaking as he forced himself not to cry. Instead, he snarled out, “Don’t you die on me, you asshole.”

He pulled his brother to him and discovered that Fang wasn’t dead. He was still breathing and shaking uncontrollably. Shallow and raspy, the hollow sound of Fang’s breaths was a symphony to Vane’s ears.

His tears broke as relief pierced him. He cradled Fang gently in his arms.

“C’mon, Fang,” he said in the stillness. “Say something stupid for me.”

But Fang didn’t speak. He just lay there in complete shock as he shook in Vane’s arms.

At least he was alive.

For the moment.

Vane ground his teeth as anger consumed him. He had to get his brother out of here. Had to find someplace safe for both of them.

If there was such a place.

With his rage unleashed, he did the impossible, he tore Fang’s collar from his throat with his bare hands. Fang turned instantly into a wolf.

Still, Fang didn’t come around. He didn’t blink or speak.

Vane swallowed the painful lump in his throat and fought the tears that stung his eyes.

“It’s okay, little brother,” he whispered to Fang as he picked him up from the foul water. The weight of the brown wolf was excruciating, but Vane didn’t care. He paid no attention to his body that protested carrying Fang.

So long as he had breath in his body, no one would ever hurt anyone Vane cared for again.

And he would bring death to anyone who ever tried.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Aimee dropped a plate as pain tore through her. Trying to breathe, she leaned against the sink.

“Something wrong?”

She looked at Tony, one of their cooks, and shook her head. “Just a weird twinge.” Since he was human, it wouldn’t do any good to explain to him what was happening with her and her powers.

Fang was hurt.

She could feel it. And more than that, she had an overwhelming need to find him.

Now!

Don’t do it…

He didn’t want her around him. He’d made that more than clear. And yet she couldn’t shake the feeling inside her that said it was imperative to get to him. He was too close to death. Closing her eyes, she zeroed in on him and saw Vane fighting Daimons while a group of them were feeding on Fang. She saw their collars vividly in the darkness and knew that made them helpless in the fight.

They’d be devoured.

Unable to stand it, she forgot about the plate and ran for Peltier House. Dev had gotten off duty about an hour ago. She flashed herself up to his door and knocked on it.

“Come in.”

She opened it to find him sitting on his bed, watching TV while flipping through a motorcycle magazine. “The wolves who saved me are in serious trouble. I can’t leave them alone in this fight and I might need backup.”

Dev didn’t hesitate. “I’ll grab Etienne and Colt. You get Alain.”

Grateful for his understanding, she left him to go to the next room to knock on Alain’s door. Before she could even lift her hand, her cell phone rang. Aimee answered it to find the wolf Fury on the other end.

“Were you serious about offering protection to Vane and Fang?” His voice was deadly earnest.

“Yes, why?”

“Because their father has betrayed them and left them for dead. There was nothing I could do, but I’m hoping you guys are able to save them.”

She listened as he filled her in on more details than her vision had provided. Best of all, he gave her their exact location. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I owe them, but I can’t do anything more. Save them, Aimee, please.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Thanks and I’ll try to keep the pack away. Also, whatever you do, don’t tell anyone about this call, especially not Vane or Fang.” He hung up before she could respond.

She frowned at his parting words. What a weird request.

Shaking her head, she put her phone away, knocked on Alain’s door, and told him what was happening. Like Dev, he shot to his feet to join her.

Once they were gathered together, she took them to where she’d seen Vane and Fang in her vision and to the location Fury had given her. The Daimons were already in flight as they came in.

To her left, Vane held Fang, who was now in wolf form. She ran to them with her brothers right behind her.

“Vane?”

He looked up with an angry snarl until he realized they weren’t Daimons. His anger melted under a stern frown of confusion. “What are you doing here?”

She hesitated at telling him the truth. No one needed to know the extent of her powers or of her ability to hone in on other beings’ whereabouts with an unerring accuracy. And most of all she didn’t want to betray Fury.

“What happened?” she asked, trying to turn his attention from her to them.

Vane shook his head as if trying to wake up from a nightmare. “We were attacked…”

“Look,” Alain said, stepping forward. “I don’t mean to be rude, but the Daimons are out in force tonight and while most of them are cowards, there’s enough Spathi running around that we don’t want to be caught out here undermanned. Let’s get everyone back to Sanctuary and then talk.”

Aimee couldn’t agree more.

Vane eyed them suspiciously.

Dev put his hand on Vane’s shoulder. “You saved Aimee and my father told you we would welcome you in anytime. We meant that. Now come on. Let’s get you both cleaned up and tended to.”

Aimee didn’t move until they’d all vanished. She looked around the area as the events of the night played through her mind. Vane’s and Fang’s combined agony lingered here like a phantom wraith that haunted her.

Anya was dead and their pack had turned on them. She winced in pain as she felt for Fang. This wouldn’t be easy on him.

Wanting to help, she flashed herself back to Sanctuary. Her brothers had taken Fang to Carson’s examining room while they and Vane, who had dressed himself in a fresh pair of jeans and a T-shirt, stood in Carson’s office, relaying the events to her brothers.

Carson was inside the other room alone with Fang.

She stood to the side of Dev and waited silently while they talked. It amazed her how much of the horror she’d seen in her visions that Vane left out. But then maybe not. Admitting your father was out to kill you and your brother for no reason had to be hard on him. Who would want to tell that to complete strangers?