Part 20 (1/2)

He didnat know. But he would battle the thing with every ounce of strength and resolve he had.

He had never pushed through the change so quickly, willing his body to transform from man to wolf. The pain was blinding, but within seconds he came down on all fours and raised his head, looking for the monster.

To his horror, it had circled around to come arrowing down toward Kenna.

Talon stepped in front of his mate, baring his teeth in a snarl as the dragon plummeted toward them.

The sharp whistling sound of the monsteras descent filled Talonas ears. Every self-protective instinct urged him to run for the cover of the rocks, but he stayed where he was in front of his mate as the thing dived.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT.

AS THE DRAGON shot down from the sky, Talon could see its red eyes focused on him and Kenna. Before the beast reached them, Ross, Jacob, and Grant came charging out from behind the rock, automatic pistols in their hands, firing at the dragon.

Talon saw bullets bouncing off the creatureas silver scales. He howled, trying to tell his cousins to go back, but they kept firing.

In response, the monster gave a great roar, raining fire down on the three werewolves.

aNo!a Renata screamed, running toward her mate.

Jacob whirled and pelted back toward her, and Ross and Grant followed, dodging and weaving through the trees to keep from getting burned.

Reversing course, the dragon came at Talon and Kenna again, sending another blast of fire down from the sky, but this time it seemed to hit an invisible barrier above their heads and bounce back at the beast.

Kenna had put up a s.h.i.+eld!

The creature roared again, circling them, but now it didnat try to attack. It kept flying around them, flapping its great wings, and Talon thought it must be considering some other strategy.

Centuries pa.s.sed as the thing circled them. Finally, it landed on the road, about twenty yards from where they waited.

It could have advanced toward them. Instead, it stood looking at them for a long moment, then backed away. Turning, it disappeared from view around an outcropping of rock opposite where the rest of the Marshalls and their life mates had taken cover.

Long seconds pa.s.sed. Then, to Talonas astonishment, a man wearing only a pair of jeans stepped out from behind the rocks. He was tall and well-built, with long dark hair, deep-set eyes, a strong chin, and well-shaped lips.

He kept his gaze fixed on Kenna. aI picked up from your mind that you come from somewhere else. Where is it?a he asked in a rough voice.

aFrom another universe. It runs parallel to this one.a Instead of challenging her, he nodded thoughtfully. aThere is a creature like me there, and he surrounds himself with slaves?a aYes.a The man turned to Talon. aYou showed great courage, standing with your mate. Go change. So you can join the conversation.a Talon answered with a low growl.

aI wonat hurt her,a the man said. aShe was talking to me, in her head. I could pick up a lot of it, but not all. We need to sort this out.a Talon used his teeth to s.n.a.t.c.h up the pants head discarded. Dragging them across the ground, he disappeared behind a tree, where he silently said the chant that changed him from wolf to man. When he had transformed, he pulled on the pants and dashed back to the road, where he put himself between the man and Kenna.

aIf youare a s.h.i.+fter, where did you get a pair of jeans?a The man laughed. aThatas your first question? I picked this place of confrontation. I left clothing here. My name is Ramsay Gallagher. Now. Iave had a lot of names over the years.a aYeah. Well, you were going to kill us. Why did you break off the attack?a Gallagher gestured toward Kenna. aShe stopped me. Not by force, but when I read her thoughts, I knew I had to talk to you.a aWhy should we trust you not to kill us when you get what you want?a Talon demanded.

The man turned his hands palm up. aI could have killed you already. You and your friends.a aKenna put up a s.h.i.+eld.a His expression hardened. aDo you think that would have stopped me if Iad wanted to blast you?a The other men had come out from behind the rocks. They were still holding their guns, pointed at Gallagher.

He flicked his gaze toward them. aYou might as well put your weapons away. They wonat hurt me.a aYou could be bluffing,a Logan challenged.

Gallagher shrugged. aGo ahead and shoot if you think it will do any good.a Logan raised his automatic.

aPut that down, you fool!a Talon shouted.

Logan glared at him. aHe just challenged me.a aAnd you donat know if heas got some kind of s.h.i.+eld, or if heas going to hurl a thunderbolt at you.a aLetas try to stay calm,a Ross said.

Logan lowered the gun.

aWe should get off the road,a Gallagher said. aWhy donat you all come to my house?a aWhere is it?a Gallagher gestured toward the nearby mountain, where Talon had seen the chalet perched on the side of a cliff.

aIf we go up there, weall be trapped,a he said.

aI think weare going to have to trust each other,a the dragon-s.h.i.+fter said.

aEasy for you to say, when bullets bounce off your scales.a aWhat can I do to prove my good faith?a aLet me see inside your mind,a Kenna answered. aLet me find out who you are.a His gaze shot to her. aThat could be dangerous.a aWhat can I do to you?a aI donat know.a The tension pulled taut as they stared at each other. Then Gallagher lifted one shoulder. aSee what you can do.a aCan I touch you?a When she took a step forward, Talon put a hand on her arm. aStay away from him!a aWhatever he can do, he can do it from there. Iam the one who doesnat have enough power to bridge the distance between us.a aYou can get the other women to help you.a Rinna must have heard. From the corner of his eye, Talon saw her step out from behind the rock.

Logan growled deep in his throat. aI want the other women to stay where they are.a Talon nodded, knowing that his cousin was within his rights to insist on protection for his mate. If it was protection. Gallagher could probably reach them from where he was standing.

While all that was going through Talonas mind, Kenna stepped forward. It was all Talon could do to stay where he was.

There was an awkward moment when she must have been trying to decide where to touch Gallagher. Finally, she put her hands on either side of his face.

Somehow Talon stayed where he was as his mate pressed her hands to the monsteras cheeks.

How she could stand to touch him was beyond Talon, but he watched in silence as she closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

Gallagher also closed his eyes, and Talon tried to imagine what was going on between them. They were two enemies trying to reach some kind of agreement. Or were they? Did their psychic abilities give them something that he and Kenna could never share?

Maybe she heard that thought in her head, because she opened her eyes and looked at him.

aThis has nothing to do with us,a she murmured.

He answered with a tight nod.

aLet me do my job.a He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. She was right; the sooner she could finish with this Vulcan mind-meld, the sooner they could settle things with Gallagher.

Talon folded his arms. He might have turned away, but he found he couldnat take his eyes off the sight of his mate touching another man so intimately.

No, not a man. A monster, he reminded himself, then struggled to put his mind into neutral so as not to interfere with what Kenna was doing.

Time seemed to stretch as she stood very still, her fingers moving on Gallagheras face, pressing a little.

Suddenly, she gasped, and her eyes snapped open. Gallagheras eyes opened, too, and they stared at each other with an intensity that made Talonas insides churn.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE.

aITaS A TRICK. Youare him.a Kenna lowered her hands and stumbled backwards into Talonas arms. She was breathing hard, and he could feel her whole body trembling as he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

aIam sorry. So sorry,a she whispered, twisting to look at Talon, then back at Gallagher. Talon could feel her struggling to steady herself. Still her voice was high and strained when she said, aHeas Vandar. Somehow heas Vandara”here. He was trying to fool me, but I figured it out.a aChrist!a Talon looked toward the rocks, wondering what their chances were of making it to shelter. And then what?