The Hellhound's Un-Christmas Miracle - Zoe Chant Page 0,54

from Rotorua’s earth. She’d thought she was imagining it last time, or mixing it up with the smoke from the burning houses, but now…

Fleance bared his teeth in a snarl. *I’ve had enough of your games, Angus. You can’t keep treating people like pawns!*

*Why not?* Parker yawned. *No one’s stopped me yet.*

*Caine did. And by the look of you, it almost killed you.*

Anger writhed in Sheena’s head. She was on her feet and growling before she realized it wasn’t her anger. She cowered backwards, hoping Fleance hadn’t seen her reaction.

Fleance seemed completely focused on Parker. He either didn’t care about, or couldn’t feel, the anger seeping as thick as oil from the alpha hellhound’s mind.

*I came here to make you pay for what you did, Angus. You hurt so many people and used us to do it. Manu, Rhys and me—we were just kids! I’d just lost my parents. I trusted you. How could you do this to me?*

Parker sighed and flicked his ears. His emotions rolled over Sheena, thick and foul. He didn’t even care. He was happy to let the kid whine, let him get it out, but—

Sheena was as off-guard as Parker was when Fleance struck.

He didn’t stop talking, or rear up, or tense. He had no tell at all. One second, he was standing on the ruined car and Sheena was trying desperately not to let Parker’s description of his voice as whining taint her own mind, and the next he was in the air. Parker jerked into motion, but he wasn’t quick enough. Fleance hit him and they both went down in a roar of sulfurous smoke.

9

Fleance

He couldn’t believe it had worked.

He knew what Parker thought of him. That he was a shrinking coward, too pathetic to realize how useless it was to fight against Parker’s chains. The fight the day before would have proved to Parker that he was still too weak-spined to stand up for himself. That he wouldn’t take Parker down if it meant risking inviting him back inside his head.

That was then. Now, he had Sheena to protect. Anything was worth keeping her safe.

So, he’d whined, and complained, his voice as nasal and annoying as he could make it without taking the piss. And when he’d seen Parker relax and—heart sinking—Sheena let down her guard, he’d made his move. Halfway through a sentence, mid-complaint. Bam.

And now he had Parker in the dirt.

The larger hellhound scrabbled at the ground, trying to get enough purchase to pull himself upright. Fleance didn’t let him. He pinned Parker with his forelegs, snapping at his shoulder and neck.

Parker snarled at him, foul-smelling saliva dangling from his jaws. He surged forward and Fleance just managed to dodge his teeth. The movement put him off-balance and Parker took advantage at once, slithering to his feet.

He didn’t stop. Neither did Fleance. By the time Parker had put on an unnatural burst of speed and slithered to where he was, he’d already dodged aside in time to rake his claws down Parker’s flank. Parker screamed and turned on him. They faced off, stalking around one another, each waiting for the other to make a mistake.

They both made the same one.

Sheena came out of nowhere. She attacked Parker from behind, giving Fleance the opening he needed.

They circled him like sharks. Fleance tried not to be distracted by the way Sheena stalked—her pure, animal grace. When he snapped at Parker, she charged him; when he wheeled around, she was already there. Even without the mate bond, they moved in unnatural harmony.

But every movement cost Sheena, more and more. Her feet twitched as she set them down, trying to force her onto another course. By the time they managed to pin Parker down, she was panting, short, pained gasps.

This close, Fleance could smell the rot in his uncle’s flesh. Something was wrong with him. More wrong than usual. It was as though the evil in his soul had started affecting him physically, as well.

Parker’s head was hard against the ground. His one visible eye rolled to fix on Fleance.

*Checkmate,* his uncle hissed.

*No.* Flames licked at the corners of Fleance’s mouth. *You made a mistake, uncle. You shouldn’t have touched Sheena. You could have walked away, and none of this would be happening.*

*Walk away?* Parker was all fire and sick-smelling yellow smoke. *Walk away? Look at me!*

*I’m looking. What happened, your Portrait of Dorian Gray finally overloaded?*

*I’m an ALPHA. I need a pack! You think I’d let an opportunity like her just walk away?*