He grinned. “This is going to feel so good.”
Something shot out from the darkness to his right. Something that was all silver fur and fury.
Aiden, in wolf form.
He launched at Jack a heartbeat before as the trigger was pulled, and the shot that should have blasted a hole through the middle of my body instead clipped the branch just above my head and sent a rain of bark and leaves falling around me.
The gun went flying. As man and werewolf fell to the ground in a growling, tearing, screaming tangle, I raced across to the gun and picked it up. Magic surged, and I spun around, only to see Aiden torn from Jack and flung against the nearby tree. He slithered to the ground and didn’t immediately move.
Jack, however, was up and running.
I reached for a tripping spell, but before I could either finish it or launch it, Belle stepped out of the darkness and smashed a clenched fist into Jack’s face.
He was out cold long before he hit the ground.
She shook her hand, and then glanced at me with a wide grin. “Told you all the boxing classes would come in handy one day.”
I laughed even though tears stung my eyes. We’d survived. Against all the odds—and a half-breed witch who was probably stronger than either of us—we’d not only won, but had come through relatively unscathed.
I lowered the gun and limped across to Aiden. His form changed as I approached, and he pushed upright, holding on to the tree with one hand. There was a half-healed cut near his right temple, and blood seeping down the side of his face.
His gaze, when it met mine, was slightly unfocused. “Why do you smell of raw meat?”
“Long story. And you’d better sit down before you fall down.”
“I can’t. I need to stop Jack—”
“He’s been stopped.” I grabbed his arm as he somewhat unsteadily launched away from the tree. “You, my dear ranger, are concussed. So sit down and do what you’re told for a change.”
He snorted but nevertheless obeyed. “There’s a case of the pot calling the kettle black if ever I heard one. You were supposed to be headed to my place, not out here chasing down bad guys.”
“And if we’d obeyed, the soul eater would have claimed another victim and our dark witch would have escaped.”
“That is also true.”
I smiled and carefully sat on the ground beside him, my shoulder lightly pressed against his. “Want to lend me your phone? I’ll call in your people, and an ambulance.”
“I’ve already called Tala, and I don’t need—”
“Maybe not, but I’m guessing Jack hasn’t got many teeth left after Belle’s blow.”
“Obviously my fear of her left hook was justified.”
“It was my right, actually,” Belle called out. “And you’ve nothing to fear from me as long as you treat Lizzie right.”
“That I have every intention of doing.” He winced and gingerly rubbed his head. “When this goddamn ache goes away, that is.”
“Well, I do have the keys to your apartment now. There might be no getting rid of me.”
His gaze met mine, and a slow smile spread across his lips. “How do you know that wasn’t my intention in the first place?”
“You offered me a single bed in the second room.”
“Any decent hunter knows you have to lure your prey into a false sense of security before you pounce.”
I patted his knee gently. “I’m afraid pouncing of any kind is off the menu for you until your concussion symptoms are resolved.”
“I’m sure a gentle kiss or two won’t hurt.” He unlocked his phone and then handed it to me. “But do me a favor—next time you decide to run after a bad guy, try not to lose your phone. If we hadn’t already been close enough for me to chase your scent, this might have ended very differently.”