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Fuck

Jude yanked the steering wheel to the left Every instinct he had screa, but not out of the city

Instead, he’d gone--

To Erin

For a sports car, Zane’s "baby" sure wasn’t going fast enough He shifted hard and the engine roared Zane would have to trail as fast as he could on the motorcycle they’d found at the cabin

Erin Be safe, sweetheart His claws ripped through his fingertips

"I got Antonio on the phone He’s sending help" Dee eased onto her knees beside Erin "I-I found this in my SUV" She handed her a loose jacket

HerSoshe had

Erin put the jacket over her

"Can’t she change? Like Jude did back at the den, can’t she--"

"She’s too weak" If Antonio didn’t get there soon with the ambulance, she’d be dead Erin brushed back a clump of her mother’s hair They really looked so irl, heras she stroked her--

Her mother’s lashes lifted, so slowly Yellow eyes, hazy with pain, tried to focus on Erin "R-run" Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth

Goosebumps rose on her arms "Mother?"

"Run…"

Her breath whispered out and her eyes closed

"Oh, God!" Frorabbed her arm "Did you check on the other driver?"

"Yeah, yeah, it’s a guy He’s fine, just has a little cut on his forehead"

Her fingers tightened "Do you have your gun?" She’d seen it earlier Dee always carried her gun Always

Dee brushed back her shirt, revealing the butt of her weapon

A twig snapped Close Too close

Her mother had almost killed herself? Why?

Run

The wolf--her ht for that other SUV Attacked it

To protectfrogs Just silence, sht hand hesitated over the gun butt Erin held her stare and rowl--froun

Erin expected to see a wolf lunge at them

Instead, she saw a e Lance Harper-- the freaking judge! --walked from the brush, as calm as you please Blood trickled down the side of his face He ss, and said, "Erin, beautiful Erin, I’ to have to punish you"

And he lifted his claard her

"Shoot hied for her

Dee fired Once Twice

The deafening shots echoed in Erin’s ears

The judge froze He looked down at his chest, at the blood soaking his shirt, and he shook his head "Takes more than that to stop me"

She knew that, oh, dammit, but she knew--

He attacked

Chapter 20

Dee ran forward, her gun up, but the bastard moved too fast His claws raked down her arers and she screaht her shoulder

"No! " Dee didn’t understand Harper wasn’t like other shifters He’s likeas a fully transformed shifter

And when he transforo, asshole!" Erin sank her own claws into his side, and twisted

He howled in fury and pain, and he tossed Dee into the air When she caet up

Dee!

His head turned, just a few inches, and Harper met Erin’s stare His brown eyes were rin on his face chilled her "Always knew you liked the blood Just likesome frantic space between theht then! When Dee had called for backup, she’d called Night Watch and Antonio Not Jude and Zane Dee had thought they were in thethe stalker

But he’d come for her, instead

Harper raised a hand to his side His fingers touched the blood that pulsed and flowed so hotly "Wanted to do this…in human form"

Her claere up, ready "Do what?" Hot Harper? Lance Harper? His naain She’d been in his courtroom so many times, been so close to him, and never suspected

He’d tried to rape her He’d killed Tortured

The judge?

She shook her head No, no, this didn’t make a bit of sense

He watched her with those dark eyes, and his blood splattered on to the ground He didn’t seem to notice or even to care

"You disappointed e blinked at that, looking vaguely surprised "Well, of course, you are I recognized you the first moment you stepped into my courtroom" His smile had faded completely "I divorced uessed she was lucky he hadn’t killed the woman "There’s no way you could have known fro Backup would arrive soon Had to Just how ? Because when Antonio arrived, she knew he’d unload on the asshole

"I knew the second I caught your scent that you were mine"

Bullshit She hoped Her eyes narrowed "So what? You decided to make my life hell because you liked the way I smelled?"

He jumped toward her Harper closed the distance in less than a second Stronger than ers wrapped around her aryou wanted I punished the fools who hurt you or got in your way I made sure your life was perfect"