height. “You’re planning to anyway. It all comes
down to speed, doesn’t it? Can you shoot her before I get to you? Or are you
fast enough to shoot her and then me? That will be the only way you walk out of
here.”
“You’re crazy.” A bead of sweat coursed down the man’s face.
“Why’d you have to be there on that street, lady? You weren’t supposed to be
there. It was supposed to be an easy robbery. Fucking guy had to fight back and
then you saw me deal with it.” He thrust the gun at Natalie. “This is all your
fault, bitch.”
Orion’s strength and calm supported her, and she faced the
barrel of the pistol with what she hoped was cool disinterest, while praying
her lover had a plan. “If you’re going to do this, just get it over with. I
really don’t want to hear you talk us to death first.”
At that moment, Orion moved. Natalie and the gunman noticed
simultaneously. As he moved the pistol toward her lover, his finger already
depressing the trigger, she jumped at him. Her momentum knocked him off his
feet and she landed atop the gunman, clawing at his hand for the gun. He swung
blindly, connecting with her temple, and pain exploded in her head. Her vision
blurred before coming back into focus but she didn’t let go. Tenaciously, she
clung to the gun, determined to pry it from his hand as he tried to shove her
away.
When the wolf appeared, Natalie was certain it was a
hallucination brought on by the blow to the head. Though she hadn’t lost
consciousness, hadn’t even come close, the injury must be more severe than she
thought. Reflexively, she released the gunman’s hand and reeled backward,
bringing a hand to her head. The spot was tender, but seemed superficial.
The wolf clamped his jaws around the man’s wrist, making him
scream in agony. The gun clattered to the concrete and she had the presence of
mind to reach for it. Natalie scooped up the pistol and held it in her hand,
pointed directly at the gunman. The solid weight of the weapon was reassuring
in her hand, though she had no experience with firearms.
Stunned disbelief kept her crouching on the ground as the
wolf dragged the shooter a few feet from her. Slowly, the animal released his
grip and backed away from his prey. When the former gunman moved to sit up, the
wolf lunged forward, growling menacingly. Instantly, the man froze again, his
eyes never leaving the wolf.
“That’s right, don’t move,” said Natalie, keeping the gun on
him as she got to her feet. The man didn’t even look at her or the weapon. His
gaze stayed on the wolf as it backed away to the side of the car. As she walked
closer, to discourage the man from trying to run away, she saw a pile of
clothing on the ground by the wheel. It took a half-second to register they
were the garments Orion had worn all day. Even as the realization dawned, the
wolf was shifting back to her lover. An unintelligible sound was all she could
manage at the sight of his nude body.
“I can explain,” he said, before his gaze switched to their
would-be assassin. “Don’t move an inch.” Orion looked at her again. “Keep the
gun on him, Natalie. I have to change before the police arrive.” He knelt to
lift his clothes, rifling through the pocket of the torn trousers and emerging
with a cell phone. In seconds, he had dialed the police and summoned them.
Natalie kept the gun pointed at the man on the ground,
though her attention stayed on Orion, aside from an occasional glance at their
prisoner. He seemed unable to look away either as Orion went to the small trunk
of the car and pulled out a bag. Transfixed, still not able to believe what she
had seen, she watched him remove a pair of slacks and a white shirt from the
bag. He dressed quickly and stashed the torn clothes in the duffel before
putting it back into the trunk.
Without thought, she recoiled when he came to stand beside
her. Her chest tightened when she saw him flinch at her reaction. It pained her
to hurt him, but
down to speed, doesn’t it? Can you shoot her before I get to you? Or are you
fast enough to shoot her and then me? That will be the only way you walk out of
here.”
“You’re crazy.” A bead of sweat coursed down the man’s face.
“Why’d you have to be there on that street, lady? You weren’t supposed to be
there. It was supposed to be an easy robbery. Fucking guy had to fight back and
then you saw me deal with it.” He thrust the gun at Natalie. “This is all your
fault, bitch.”
Orion’s strength and calm supported her, and she faced the
barrel of the pistol with what she hoped was cool disinterest, while praying
her lover had a plan. “If you’re going to do this, just get it over with. I
really don’t want to hear you talk us to death first.”
At that moment, Orion moved. Natalie and the gunman noticed
simultaneously. As he moved the pistol toward her lover, his finger already
depressing the trigger, she jumped at him. Her momentum knocked him off his
feet and she landed atop the gunman, clawing at his hand for the gun. He swung
blindly, connecting with her temple, and pain exploded in her head. Her vision
blurred before coming back into focus but she didn’t let go. Tenaciously, she
clung to the gun, determined to pry it from his hand as he tried to shove her
away.
When the wolf appeared, Natalie was certain it was a
hallucination brought on by the blow to the head. Though she hadn’t lost
consciousness, hadn’t even come close, the injury must be more severe than she
thought. Reflexively, she released the gunman’s hand and reeled backward,
bringing a hand to her head. The spot was tender, but seemed superficial.
The wolf clamped his jaws around the man’s wrist, making him
scream in agony. The gun clattered to the concrete and she had the presence of
mind to reach for it. Natalie scooped up the pistol and held it in her hand,
pointed directly at the gunman. The solid weight of the weapon was reassuring
in her hand, though she had no experience with firearms.
Stunned disbelief kept her crouching on the ground as the
wolf dragged the shooter a few feet from her. Slowly, the animal released his
grip and backed away from his prey. When the former gunman moved to sit up, the
wolf lunged forward, growling menacingly. Instantly, the man froze again, his
eyes never leaving the wolf.
“That’s right, don’t move,” said Natalie, keeping the gun on
him as she got to her feet. The man didn’t even look at her or the weapon. His
gaze stayed on the wolf as it backed away to the side of the car. As she walked
closer, to discourage the man from trying to run away, she saw a pile of
clothing on the ground by the wheel. It took a half-second to register they
were the garments Orion had worn all day. Even as the realization dawned, the
wolf was shifting back to her lover. An unintelligible sound was all she could
manage at the sight of his nude body.
“I can explain,” he said, before his gaze switched to their
would-be assassin. “Don’t move an inch.” Orion looked at her again. “Keep the
gun on him, Natalie. I have to change before the police arrive.” He knelt to
lift his clothes, rifling through the pocket of the torn trousers and emerging
with a cell phone. In seconds, he had dialed the police and summoned them.
Natalie kept the gun pointed at the man on the ground,
though her attention stayed on Orion, aside from an occasional glance at their
prisoner. He seemed unable to look away either as Orion went to the small trunk
of the car and pulled out a bag. Transfixed, still not able to believe what she
had seen, she watched him remove a pair of slacks and a white shirt from the
bag. He dressed quickly and stashed the torn clothes in the duffel before
putting it back into the trunk.
Without thought, she recoiled when he came to stand beside
her. Her chest tightened when she saw him flinch at her reaction. It pained her
to hurt him, but
Similar Books
