Fleance had never seen Parker so angry. His hellhound form had melted away, but its rage had festered so close to the surface Fleance could feel it, even as he was led away in handcuffs. Now it was as though the rot had seeped through the hellhound’s skin. Parker’s coat was ragged and patchy, and the smoke that oozed through it was thick and greasy. Fleance felt nauseous.
It’s hellhound magic, he told himself as his heartbeat thundered in his ears and a million years of evolutionary instinct told him to run. That’s all. He’s just trying to frighten you.
His own hellhound was cowering low inside him, ears flat to its skull, teeth bared. Fleance’s breath locked in his throat.
Parker wasn’t just trying to frighten him. He was succeeding, sending terror rolling to the very depths of his soul. And not just because of his magic.
Because Fleance, and his hellhound, knew what he was capable of.
All the more reason not to let fear distract us, he thought, as much to himself as his hellhound and convincing neither of them.
Parker’s hellfire eyes trailed over him, down to his hand clenched tight around Sheena’s. A rough chuckle that made the hairs on the back of Fleance’s neck stand up grated out of its throat.
*Patched up your lovers’ quarrel already? Never say I never did anything for you, kiddo,* Parker rasped.
Fleance felt sick. The idea of his uncle having anything to do with his relationship with his mate made his stomach turn.
“Yeah, okay, that’s definitely what I saw,” Sheena whispered from behind him, her voice thin with fright. “I take it back. Your fiery eyes are much nicer than that thing’s.”
The monstrous hound peeled its lips back over its fangs. *And everyone keeps saying this is a first-world country,* it snarled pleasantly. *I’ll forgive you that ‘thing’ this once, sweetheart. In the future, you’ll call me ‘sir.’*
Sheena bristled. Fleance squeezed her hand. “She won’t say anything to you in the future, because we’re leaving. Now.” Fleance’s hellhound, even paralyzed with fear, lent its growl to his voice. He faced Parker down.
His car was two miles away, maybe more, beyond the small forest that surrounded the burning neighborhood. Behind Parker.
He had to get to it and get Sheena to safety. No matter what it took.
Parker lowered his head with a wolfish grin, as though he’d heard Fleance’s thoughts. Impossible, Fleance reminded himself.
*Leaving so soon?* He could imagine how this would go if Parker was in human form: the wide smile, the friendly clap on the shoulder that turned into a grip so solid there was no escaping it. The hellhound’s bare-fanged grin was a terrifying parody of Parker’s gleaming salesman smile. *I’m disappointed, Flea. I’m sure you didn’t come all this way to turn tail the moment you saw me. Not after all this time.*
“You don’t know anything about why I’m here.” He knew that was the truth. If he couldn’t sense Parker’s presence when he was invisible—if the alpha bond was truly broken—then Parker couldn’t read his mind.
*Give a man a chance, Flea. Let’s see if I can guess what brought you all this way.* A strange shiver rippled through the hellhound’s filthy coat.
*You know this guy?* Sheena’s voice filtered into Fleance’s mind. A whisper, directed at him alone. A thin echo of the intimacy of that first kiss—but it was something. Fleance clung to it like a lifeline.
*He’s dangerous,* he sent back, and his hellhound shuddered with relief when he felt his voice slip through a crack in Sheena’s mental defenses.
*Yeah? No shit. Look at him.* She moved to his side, staring wide-eyed at the leering hellhound. *What do we do?*
Fleance’s stomach tightened. Look at him. She was right, anyone could see the creature in front of them was a monster. And that monster had made Fleance in his image.
Shouldn’t have come here, his hellhound whined. Not ready. Not strong enough.
Fleance gritted his jaw. We’re here now, he reminded it. We have to be ready. Sheena needs us. And… look around you. Past the smoke. Snowy mountains, frozen trees—it’s time for another Christmas miracle.
*My car’s at the end of a gravel road a few miles away,* he said to Sheena. *Keys in my back pocket. When I say go, take them and—*
Sheena was already saying *Okay, cool, how long’s a mile in real time though* when Parker growled impatiently. She froze, fingers just brushing Fleance’s back pocket.
*Oh, no, please, keep talking among yourselves. I can see I’m expected to hold up this whole conversation by myself.* His eyes blazed. *Now, where were we? Right, right, your reasons for being here.*
“Don’t matter, because we’re leaving.”
*Damn, Flea, did I teach you that badly?* The monster laughed. *No, no, you’re playing it all wrong. I know something brought you here. Excuse me. Someone. And it’s obvious you and the little lady didn’t know each other before today. There’s only one other person here.* His grin widened. *What were you thinking, Flea? You wanted to take me on?*
*Keys,* Fleance muttered urgently to Sheena. They didn’t make a noise as she snuck them from his pocket.
Smoke hissed from Parker’s nostrils. *But suddenly, whatever it was that brought you here is no longer your priority.* His huge head twisted to look at Sheena and Fleance shifted.
*Now!* he called as his hellhound rose up. It didn’t hesitate. Whatever fear had kept his hellhound paralyzed while Parker was talking dissolved as it took form. Its massive paws hit the ground running and he lunged at his former alpha.
Too late. Parker was already moving. He writhed like a snake, dodging Fleance’s attack and reaching for Sheena with one massive, claw-tipped foreclaw.
Pain ripped down the golden cord that bound Fleance to his mate. He tried to turn in mid-air and landed clumsily.
Sheena was face-down on the ground. Fleance’s hellhound snarled and ran to her, pressing its snout
