"Talk to me, Fang."
"And say what?" He continued to advance on her until he'd pressed her against the wall and cocked his head. There was a light in his dark eyes that was truly scary. It was a light that warned her to be wary and one that told her this wasn't the wolf she'd learned to love.
This was the one she'd seen that first day in Sanctuary. The feral wolf who terrified everyone.
He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply while he stroked her cheek with one hand. "I can already taste your blood."
He sank his teeth into her flesh.
Hissing, Aimee knocked him back with a fierce blow to his solar plexus. "What are you doing?"
He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him in a hold made of steel. "This is what you want, isn't it? Your wolf to attack you?"
Aimee twisted out of his offensive grip. "Who are you?"
"I'm Fang, baby. Can't you tell?"
No. This wasn't Fang. There was something definitely wrong. He didn't even smell right.
Then she saw it. The tiniest flash of red in his eyes. And in an instant, she knew what it was.
He was possessed.
"No . . . ," she breathed as terror consumed her.
Had something followed him back from the Nether Realm?
He tried to bite her again.
Aimee reacted on instinct. Kneeing him in the groin as hard as she could, she shoved him back. He stumbled away, cupping himself.
Please let it only be the demon feeling that and not Fang. Fang she wouldn't hurt for anything. But the demon was a whole other story.
She stood over him, aching for his pain, but not enough that she would be his willing victim. "If you can hear me, Fang, I need you to push this away and come back to me."
His eyes glowed bloodred in the darkness as he straightened up. Without responding at all, he grabbed her roughly.
Aimee whimpered in pain.
That single sound seemed to reach whatever part of the real Fang was still there. She saw the regret flash in his gaze as he released her.
Pure anguish contorted his features as he staggered back. "Run, Aimee. Get out!"
She hesitated, not wanting to leave him here. But she could tell he was holding on to himself by a narrow margin and doing his best not to hurt her. Staying here would only make it worse on him. "I'll get help."
His legs buckled an instant before he fell to the floor where he writhed as if in utter agony. He flashed back to his wolf's form.
Aimee winced, desperate to soothe him.
But first she had to make sure he didn't hurt her. Torn, she knew she had no choice but to leave. It was the best for both of them.
With no idea of what she should do, she flashed herself to Club Charonte-the dance club and bar that Xedrix and company had opened with her brother Kyle's help. Surely a demon would know and be able to tell her how to help Fang with his current dilemma. She couldn't think of anyone else who would have an inkling.
If Xedrix couldn't help her, she didn't know what she'd do.
The club was packed tonight with college students, young locals, and tourists dancing while demons moved through them as staff.
If the humans only knew. . . .