Page 23 of Wicked Ways

She heard the sharp retort of gunfire, seeming to echo in the distance. “Oh, shit.” Her heart was jackhammering in her chest. Where was Cain? He’d better not be hurt. If he was, she’d kick the his ass.

Another shot.

Screw this. She wasn’t going to keep hiding inside while all hell broke loose outside and two men risked their lives for her. She’d find Santiago or Cain and do whatever she could to help them.

Miranda’s fingers tightened around the steak knife she’d grabbed moments before. Not much of a weapon, sure as hell not something that could stop a bullet, but better than nothing.

Carefully she eased open the door. Her gaze swept over the porch. The winding drive. Santiago’s car was to the left. She could just make out the edge of his trunk.

That was where she needed to go. One step at a time. Check the car. Find the men. Simple enough plan.

She used the house for cover as long as she could. Miranda had zero experience when it came to sneaking up on a killer, but she’d watched enough spy shows to know to keep her head down and stay to the shadows as much as possible. She bit her lip as she moved, not wanting to make any unnecessary sounds. The handle of the knife was slick with her sweat, but she tightened her hold.

Just a few more steps.

She caught sight of a man. Crouching. Moving alongside the car.

Santiago.

She breathed his name.

His head jerked toward her. His fingers lifted to his lips, and she instantly got the message, choking back any additional sound.

His fingers were wrapped tightly around his gun. He crept forward and⁠—

Paul charged from the darkness. He grabbed Santiago by the shoulders and wrenched him around. “If you wanted to find me, all you had to do was bleed. Just. Like. This.”

Miranda screamed and lurched forward as his fangs shot toward Santiago’s exposed throat.

Too far. Not enough time. She wouldn’t reach the agent in time.

The vampire had knocked Santiago’s gun out of the agent’s hands, and his fangs were sinking into the man’s neck. Too deep, too⁠—

A snarl of fury had the hair rising on her arms. Not a human sound. Far too savage.

A black shape charged from the darkness. For an instant, all Miranda could see were gleaming white teeth—a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth that put the vampire’s to shame—and then the animal sprang forward from the shadows.

Jaguar. One huge, freaking scary wildcat. She’d seen one of them before, on one of those Discovery Channel shows, but, oh, wow, this was different. The jaguar was giant. Muscled. With claws that looked far more dangerous than the blade of her knife.

Then the animal’s body was flexing, moving, attacking in a lethal glide of muscles and power. The jaguar slammed into the vampire. Paul shrieked, dropping his prey. Miranda grabbed Santiago’s arm and jerked him toward her, even as she swung out with her knife, catching the vampire along the right side.

She felt the jaguar’s hot breath on her skin, and Miranda stumbled back. Santiago was moving now, cursing, and wrapping his arms around her and yanking her away from the fray.

The battle was brutal. The jaguar fought in a blur of movement. Claws. Teeth. Blood.

The vampire was attacking just as fiercely. Swiping with claws of his own, snapping those fangs at the beast. Grabbing the large cat and tossing the beast onto the roof of the car.

But the jaguar stood quickly. Launched off the car and caught the vamp in the chest with its front paws.

The cat’s body vibrated with a fury she’d never seen before. The cat was incredible. Easily over seven feet in length and solid muscle. Its black head was broad, its nose twitching, its ears flat against its head. The jaguar’s powerful jaws were open, dripping with saliva. And its eyes…

Glowing, golden eyes. Eyes that she knew well.

Her lover’s eyes.

Not an it, she realized, her mouth drying. He. Cain.

Shifter.