The other three cahirs were coming, two on one side, one on the other.
But the hellhound was already stalking toward Shay to finish him off. Shay wasn’t moving.
The other cahirs would arrive too late.
Yelling, Tynan leaped off the porch to land right in front of the hellhound. Then he ran…ran faster than he ever had before.
No predator could resist fleeing prey.
As he tore across the lot toward the three cahirs, the scrabble of heavy claws grated in the gravel behind him. Closing on him.
What is going on? Who had screamed? Even as Margery ran into the living room, Donal shouted, “Lock the door,” and disappeared outside.
Outside. She reached the door, looked out, and horror met her eyes.
Tynan tore across the parking lot with a ghastly monster after him. Huge and gray and…it was a hellhound. Oh Gods.
Closer to the lodge, Donal sprinted toward someone on the ground. Blood spurted upward in rhythmic fountains—an artery had been torn open.
Zeb—it was Zeb. At that rate, he’d bleed out quickly.
Donal would save him.
But no, Zeb was growling, fighting Donal, pushing his hands away. The cahir was disoriented.
Margery’s hands closed into fists. Donal needed help. She took a step forward, and terror seized her. Hellhound.
But Zeb would die.
Her heart slammed so hard against her ribcage she couldn’t draw a breath. Hideous growling came from the other end of the lot.
She couldn’t help Tynan. Must help Donal.
Pulling in a breath against the constriction in her lungs, she abandoned safety and scrambled to Donal. She skidded the last inches on her knees and bumped against Zeb’s hip.
“Zeb. Easy, Zeb. Peace, cahir.” She took his hands—please, Mother of All, help—and pushed the calm of the Goddess into the cahir. “It’s all right, Zeb. You’re safe. We’re all safe.”
Such a lie.
But Zeb stilled, letting her hold his hands. His dark eyes were dazed.
“Bless you, banfasa.” Donal put his hands lightly on Zeb’s neck, stopping the arcing blasts of blood, and with a blast of power she could feel, healed the artery.
A ghastly shriek split the air.
Donal turned to look across the lot.
Terrified of what she’d see, she followed his gaze—although she had to lean forward to see past a pair of legs standing between her and the sight.
The hellhound was down.
Thank the Gods.
A grizzly and panther circled the hellhound’s still figure. As Alec stood over it, the hellhound shimmered and trawsfurred into human form. Dead.
Tynan was bent over, hands on his thighs, gasping for air. When Alec slapped his shoulder and said something, Tynan’s response made the sheriff laugh.
Males.
But Tynan was alive. Was safe. As the pressure around Margery’s ribs eased, she could breathe again.
Hearing a whine, she squinted at the shadows. “Donal, there’s a wolf over there. Shay. It’s Shay, and he’s hurt. I’ll take care of Zeb.”
Donal eyed Zeb. “That’ll work.” He rose, squeezed her shoulder, and headed for Shay.
Zeb tried to rise, too.
“If you move, you idiot, I’ll shoot you,” Breanne said in a very calm voice.
Margery blinked, realizing that the pair of legs between her and the hellhound belonged to Bree. The alpha female held a big pistol in one hand and a dagger in the other.
“Where’d you come from?”
Breanne smiled tightly. “I followed you out.”
Tynan walked up, his eyes narrowing. “By the Gods, what are you two doing out here? Don’t you—”
“Perfect timing, Deputy,” Margery interrupted the forthcoming lecture. “Can you help Zeb inside? I think he’s concussed, and I know he’s lost a lot of blood.”
The look Tynan gave her said the lecture was only postponed.
“Let’s go, cahir.” He pulled Zeb to his feet, supporting him when the cahir’s knees buckled. Breanne stuffed the pistol under the waistband of her jeans and took his other side.
Closer to the trees, Donal was trying to hold Shay’s leg to heal it and failing.
The wolf was riled up. And, Gods, Shay sure had a scary growl.
Margery eased herself down to kneel beside the wolf, then tangled her fingers in his fur, past the undercoat, against his skin.
Don’t bite me, please, Alpha. She kept her voice to a low murmur. “Hey, Shay, you know Donal, let him heal your leg so we can go inside. Breanne’s waiting for you, and she won’t let you come inside if you’re bleeding. I bet you can have some cookies if you’re a good wolf.”
Donal flashed her a grin. “There’s a lure.”
She smiled and kept talking, knowing it didn’t matter what she said. The words helped her connect more deeply to the calm at her center. There was the slow