Free To Crave a Blood Moon by Sharie Kohler Page B

palm exploded across his face. He could have moved, could have dodged the blow, but he took it. Deserved it. For what he was. For fucking her… for what could happen if he didn’t break them out of this cell.
    The two lycans watched with avid interest the little drama they had orchestrated, silver eyes glittering.
    It occurred to him that he might not get a better chance than now, while they were so distracted. And God knew his wrath needed an outlet.
    Blood pumping, he whipped past Ruby and launched himself at Annika. They went down hard. The pistol flew from her hand and Sebastian dove after it. He wrapped a hand around it just as Ruby’s scream shook the stale air and settled deep in the pit of his clawing gut. He glanced over his shoulder and froze.
    Yusuf held Ruby before him, his pale hand stark and obscene against the flesh of her throat. Her eyes fixed on him, round and enormous. Pleading.
    â€œOh, Sebastian, Sebastian.” Yusuf shook his head. “Points for trying. But do you really want to see her pretty neck ripped open?”
    Sebastian started toward them.
    Yusuf pulled Ruby’s neck back from her shoulders in a deep arch. She whimpered, the tendons in her throat stretched tight. Sebastian stopped hard, feetsliding to a halt on the cold floor. It would take little effort for the lycan to decapitate her—Sebastian knew he was capable of such viciousness.
    Chest tight, he rose slowly from his crouch. Annika stepped forward and plucked the gun from his fingers. It took all his will to stand strong. The hunger scraping the insides of his belly nearly brought him to his knees. He felt broken. Weak. Spent. Perhaps he needed to find a way to finish himself off… before he finished Ruby.
    â€œAll right now. Let her go,” he growled.
    Ruby whimpered again as the lycan pulled her tighter against his front. Her breasts strained against her tank, the full mounds riding the bastard’s arm.
    Yusuf smirked. “But she feels so good.” The lycan inhaled the flesh of her neck. “And she smells so sweet… even with your stink on her.” He dragged long-nailed fingers across her throat.
    â€œYusuf,” Annika hissed in warning. “Don’t. Gunter won’t…” her voice faded at the quelling look her cohort sent her. Clearly Yusuf outranked her.
    Sebastian angled his head and frowned, looking between the pair… realizing too late what it was Annika already saw coming.
    â€œNo!” He rushed forward just as Yusuf scratched her throat… not too deeply, just hard enough for three scratches to well with blood.
    Sweet, intoxicating woman blood… earthy, already a hint spicy from the savory bread she had consumed, filled his nose.
    With a groan, Yusuf lowered his head and licked her neck, his tongue nearly as dark as her wine-red blood that he lapped.
    Straining to escape his mouth, Ruby cried out, the sound stark and desperate, clawing through Sebastian.
    â€œNo!” he shouted again, savage fury spiraling through him. But it was too late. The damage was done.
    The lycan released her. She fell to the floor on all fours, her hair falling in a dark veil that covered her face.
    Yusuf stepped over her. Chuckling, he and Annika took the tray and departed. The bolt fell into place, a loud clank as he sank down beside Ruby, afraid to touch her crumpled form. Afraid not to. His throat tightened with emotion. His hand hovered above her head.
    She lifted her face, tossing back her hair, her brown eyes glowing embers that reached inside him. She splayed one hand against the bleeding scratches on her neck. “Shit,” she muttered, shaking her head. Fresh blood kissed the press of her fingers, and the sweet aroma made him dizzy with need.
    â€œRuby,” he breathed, the sound of her name brimming with pain and regret. Undoubtedly, she could hear it. Read it in his face.
    â€œWhat?” Her wide-eyed gaze scanned him, quick as a moth