Vixen (Dark Protectors #11.5) - Rebecca Zanetti Page 0,39

lights flashed behind her eyes just as the bone in her wrist snapped in two. She yelped.

The wolf growled and jumped for her.

Evan careened off the floor and wrapped both arms around the wolf’s body, tackling the beast to the cement. They landed hard, both scrambling for purchase. The wolf raked sharp claws down Evan’s arm, and he bellowed, punching rapidly toward the animal’s throat.

Grunting, swearing, Evan scissored his legs around the wolf, trapping it. Then he punched the animal between the eyes, his fists too fast to track.

The wolf snarled and snapped its teeth, aiming for Evan’s neck.

Evan swore and grabbed the wolf’s jaw with both hands, yanking in the opposing directions. The bone dislocated with a loud snap, and the animal yipped. Evan kept going, tearing the head in two. The body shuddered, furry and bloody, into death.

Holy crap. Tabi turned and coughed, trying not to throw up.

Evan hitched toward her, leaning down. “Like me? You only like me?”

She tried to answer, but everything hurt. “We need to heal ourselves.” She pulled him to sit next to her while also sending healing cells to her wrist. The bone popped back into place, and she jumped.

His eyebrows rose. “Okay.”

She took a deep breath. “Imagine your injuries and send healing cells to them. Close your eyes. You can do it.”

He followed her orders. “We’re not done talking, mate.” Then the cut on his forehead healed much faster than any new mate’s should.

It figured.

Chapter 15

The storm continued outside while Evan finished showering, letting the heated water get rid of all the blood and dirt. He looked at his chest. Oh, the scars from his time in the military were still there, but no recent bullet holes. Not a one. He should feel good about that.

Right now, something was driving him. Something deep and uncomfortable. He didn’t regret killing the Popovs, because those two would’ve never stopped coming for Tabi and her company. While he didn’t give two fucks about the company, she did, so that mattered. More importantly, she mattered.

He flipped off the water and stepped out of the steam, drying off. Power sang through him, even more so after the fight. Was that normal? Maybe it was just normal for him. He’d have to figure this whole immortal thing out and deal with this bizarre strength, but that was second.

First was waiting for him in his living room because he’d told her to wait there. After her shower.

He stalked into his room, not surprised to see both dogs on his bed. He gave them a look and drew up clean jeans, not bothering to button them. Then he padded barefoot into the living room and finger combed his hair as he went.

Tabi sat on the sofa, dressed in his faded Metallica T-shirt with a blanket over her knees. “Feel better?”

“No.” He paused, looking at her. God, she was beautiful. Strong and smart and fragile and spunky. An entire package, and she’d only lived a sliver of her long life. What would she be like in a hundred years? A thousand? Everything inside him wanted to know. Wanted to be there. But there had to be a there. “You will never walk into danger like that again.” The words were out, and he let them hang in the air.

She paused in her perusal of his healed chest. “They had you in a cell.”

“I got out of the cell,” he countered.

She plucked a string on the blanket. “How did I know you could get out of a cell?”

“Again, that doesn’t matter. What you know or don’t know—don’t ever walk into a trap like that. You’re smart, Tabitha. You knew it was a trap.” More importantly, she had to learn to trust him. He could take care of himself, even in this new world. “Yet you came—with a fucking light blue box from a jewelry store.”

“It was an extra box,” she said, all sass.

“Watch it, baby,” he warned, wanting to go gentle since it had been a shitty night. “I like your sass usually. Not so much right now.”

Her eyes flared and warmed. Yeah, she liked it when he called her baby. She equally didn’t like being told what to do. He knew both facts about her, because her feelings all but danced across her pretty face. “Please. I knew one of them wanted to follow me to and from my factory to find it. Yet I figured I could get you free. Didn’t know you could break bars,” she muttered.

“You blew up