Free Scarlet Night (Limited Edition) by Megan Parker

they both knew she had meant to stare and that she wasn’t sorry for it, either.
    Baring his, thankfully, still-human teeth at her, he leaned over and sniffed at her throat. Her breath caught and she held back the urge to cough as the proximity to her windpipe was invaded. Then, with the speed and grace she’d come to expect in such a short time of knowing him, he drew back and snarled. “You’re with them ! Vail! You reek of their clan!” He bellowed as he grabbed her by her throat in his other hand and began to squeeze. “Spying on me? Hoping to plan an attack on my pack, eh?” She could smell the alcohol radiating off him and her sea-blue aura began to whip out in an effort to escape. His speed and strength were too great, however, and as his choking grip continued to hold the air from her lungs her head began spinning. With a hazy sense of direction and a fading recollection of her training swimming lazily in her oxygen-starved brain, her auric tendrils quickly died and fell limply before withdrawing back into her body.
    “L-Let go!” She gasped, struggling to get the words out, “Won’t...hu-urt!” She cried out, the pain seizing her and her voice came out as a soft squeak. She was going to die! Unable to calm her fading mind to focus her aura, her frail body thrashed and clawed in an effort to free itself from the vice around her throat.
    But it only made him squeeze that much harder.
    “Pretty thing like you, huh? Did they send you? Did you think you could seduce me and gain my trust? Maybe even allow you into my pack even for a fuck?” He growled, his hold loosening only a bit as his eyes moved to her chest.
    She whimpered as her body began to shake even more. She couldn’t die, not yet.
    He brought his free hand up and traced a growing claw down her neck and onto her chest as he let out a groan. Zoey’s body had stopped shaking and she let out a soft breath as his grasp loosened even more.
    He rubbed at his temple with his free hand and blinked his eyes several times, “Dammit. Shouldn’t have drank so much…” He growled and shook his head, looking up at her and his eyes seemed to soften and he began to lower her to the ground. “I… I’m not goi—GAH!”
    He cried out and stumbled forward as a bright purple light flashed and collided with his back. Zoey, free of the grip, hit the ground hard with a pained grunt and looked up through her still-unfocused eyes to see what had happened. The therion growled, roaring angrily, and pulled himself up, rubbing at the back of his shoulders. Though the auric blast had been enough to knock him over, he didn’t appear to be hurt by the attack.
    “… the fuck?” He turned and snarled at his attacker.
    Serena glared from atop a nearby tree branch, her purple aura outstretched and “held” in her hands like a bow. As she watched, Serena moved to draw back the “string” on her semi-transparent, neon-purple bow and her aura shifted, appearing ready to fire. Though the therion couldn’t see the spectacle of her auric weapon, he did have the pleasure of watching her go through the motions.
    Zoey frowned. She’d never seen an auric wield their aura that way before, and while it was impressive—albeit unconventional—she had to do something.
    “Serena! Stay back!” she shouted, holding out her hands as she stood.
    “Don’t think so, Zoey! He was going to kill you!” Serena frowned at Zoey disapprovingly before returning her attention to the therion as she dropped from her perch on the tree and landed in an attack stance.
    “Enough of this bullshit!” The therion growled and turned away, rushing off deep into the darkness of the forest. Zoey fought the desire to follow him and scolded herself for even thinking about it. She knew he was dangerous, but she couldn’t help but feel drawn to him.
    “That’s right! Run off, you chicken-shit bastard!” Serena shouted after him and went to move forward.
    “Serena… please. Don’t.” Zoey frowned,