Free Bad Blood by Shannon West Page B

still got out of this thing before a few minutes ago?”
    “You could have.” Kerrick settled Blaine more comfortably against him. “But stop trying to pretend you wanted to. I had you the first time you saw me.”
    “Yeah, you just keep on telling yourself that.”
    Kerrick dropped a kiss on his lips. “Smartass,” he said fondly and then quieted as he suddenly lifted his head and stiffened in alarm.
    “What is it?” Blaine asked, pulling away a little. Then he heard a soft footstep behind him and whirled around to follow Kerrick’s gaze.
    “Colby!” His cousin stood on the trail, some twenty feet away from them. His little mate, Amelia, stood just behind him, peeking over his shoulder and four former members of Blaine’s pack, along with their females stood beyond her. Blaine recognized them all as Colby’s closest friends.
    Colby was staring at him with a look of horror on his face. “Blaine?” His voice was hoarse and sounded stricken. “Blaine, what the hell are you doing ?”
    Blaine scrambled to his feet. He pulled out of Kerrick’s grip when he tried to put him behind him.
    “No.” He turned back to Colby. “What are you doing here?”
    “What am I doing here? What the fuck are you doing?” Colby glared menacingly at Kerrick. “You were kissing that-that…”
    “What do you want, Colby?” Blaine was acutely aware he had no clothes on as he faced his cousin. He’d been nude around him all his life during shifts and runs, but suddenly he felt exposed in front of him. “Kerrick ordered you to clear out.”
    “Kerrick ordered me? Kerrick? So, what, are you a fag now, Blaine? For this son-of-a-bitch?”
    “Watch your mouth, Colby,” Blaine said menacingly, his hands clenching. He took a step toward him, but Kerrick put a restraining hand on his arm.
    “Are you letting him fuck you? Is that why he didn’t banish you too? You’re going to be his little ass whore?”
    Blaine snarled, his canine teeth dropping out of his gums as he lunged for Colby. Only Kerrick’s strong grip around his waist held him back.
    “Get out of here, Colby!” Kerrick said, the steel in his voice at odds with its quiet tone. “Or I’ll turn him loose on you. Find another place to go and be quick about it, or I’ll throw you off the side of this mountain myself.”
    Colby shook his head, his face a mask of revulsion as he stared at Blaine. Amelia plucked at his sleeve, imploring him to go, but he stood his ground. His face was pale and his wide eyes were shockingly blue.
    “ Him , Blaine? You want him of all people?”
    Blaine knew he was going to attack even before he moved. He could see it in the feral gleam of his eyes. With a suddenness that surprised even Blaine, Colby fell down on all fours and shifted into his wolf. His ears lay back against his head and his long fangs gleamed in the weak light. Blaine staggered back a step, disbelieving his eyes, as Colby leaped for Kerrick, taking the larger man by surprise and ripping down his chest with his wicked long claws.
    Colby landed on top of Kerrick and took him by the throat, his fangs sinking into the tender flesh like a knife into butter. Bright blood shot from the wounds, and Blaine saw Kerrick flash his eyes toward him, as if desperate for one more look. Colby had taken Kerrick by surprise, and Blaine saw that he was about to rip out his throat. With a fierceness and strength that surprised even him, he tore Colby off his mate and threw him across the clearing. The screams of Colby’s female registered only dimly as he saw Colby’s body slam into a tree and slide to the ground. He shifted in mid-leap, landing on top of Colby and sinking his teeth in his throat. Colby never made another sound.
    Heaving in great gulps of air, Blaine turned back to his mate, running back to him and standing over him protectively while he challenged the others, whining and snarling in fury. They backed down the trail, pulling a screaming Amelia with them as they held up