Free Demon Street Blues by Starla Silver Page B

it.
    “And I think she’s out of air,” Charlie exclaimed. “I’ll give her mine. I don’t need it anyway.” Charlie could easy use a spell to breathe under water. They just preferred to do things the normal way, to avoid raising suspicions from any unaware onlookers. But he wouldn’t risk a life for it.
    Charlie took off his oxygen tank and handed it to the woman. She looked puzzled for the briefest of moments, until Charlie shoved the mouthpiece through her lips, ordering her to breathe. He kept the headpiece with the microphone and the goggles. A second later, a large air bubble surrounded his head, like a helmet.
    Michael tried to free the woman’s foot, but to no avail. He wasn’t strong enough. “I can’t free her.”
    Charlie dove and tried to free the woman’s leg. The rock fell slightly, discharging a stream of blood from the woman’s injured leg, but not releasing it.
    The woman let out a short scream, nearly sucking in water as she almost dropped the mouthpiece. The scream rattled the brothers. They didn’t have much time. The blood would soon attract unwanted company, leeches, topped by the fact that the woman was in serious danger of dying if they could not free her.
    Charlie decided he had only one choice: to let go of the control he tried to keep so carefully in check. 
    He let the strength of the wolf course through his veins, which popped against his skin and sped up his heartbeat. In a blink, his blue eyes flashed to bright silver. The stubble on his chin darkened as if thickening, fast.
    A low snarl forced its way out of his throat and into the air bubble surrounding his head. Muscles rippled through his shoulders, down the length of his arms and with one thrust, he heaved the rock off the woman’s leg, as if the rock suddenly weighed nothing. It fell to the ground a few feet away with a slow crash.
    Charlie grabbed the woman, pulling her out of harm’s way. 
    He swam with her in tow, into the cave, as it was the closest spot they could safely check the woman’s injuries. A few seconds later, their heads popped out of the water. Michael surfaced alongside them.
    Charlie needed no help pulling the woman out of the water. She wasn’t a tall woman, about five foot five, and her body was thin, but well-toned. His wolf strength yanked her body out and to the top of a rock, with ease. His grip was firm and strong, but his touch and movement of her, gentle.
    The woman coughed out some water and fell onto her back, long white strands clinging to her water soaked skin, and the rock below her. Charlie straddled the woman’s hips, wild eyes peering down at her to see if she was okay. He guessed her to be in her mid-twenties.
    His wild gaze met hers; shock swirled through her widened hazel globes. She stared up at Charlie’s animalistic features, her mouth hung open in awe.
    Fuck! How am I going to explain this?
    “Wh- what…” her stunned voice trailed off, her voice caught in her throat.
    He jumped up and spun around, trying to re-cage the wolf. Perhaps he’d blame it on her injury. Although, it wasn’t her head that was injured.
    Charlie calmed himself, his chest stretching in extended breaths. There hadn’t been another option. He couldn’t let the woman die, stranger or not. But he’d just exposed himself, and therefore his family, to an unknown outsider.
    Michael’s empathy picked up on Charlie’s concern, and he knelt down next to the woman, distracting her from his brother. “Are you okay?” He could have answered on her behalf but bit his tongue. I so hate my life…
    She was more than okay. Charlie’s appearance hadn’t frightened her at all. She was mystified and electrified by it, almost to the point of arousal.
    Michael cleared his throat but said nothing to indicate he knew this.
    The woman nodded yes. “Yeah. I’m fine. Thanks to you two.” Her voice held an edge of exhaustion. She took a quick side-glance at Charlie.
    Michael helped her sit up. “Nasty cut you