Force of the Dark Wolf (Force of Nature Series) by Kathi S. Barton Page A

get the small handgun away from her. Where she’d gotten it was anyone’s guess , but she was going to find out. She’d shot her father and had probably saved all their lives.
    Alexis tried to calm her , but there wasn’t any anything to do. She had to leave her alone to prevent her from hurting either one of them. She was struggling against even the smallest of comforts and Alexis was terrified that she was going to harm herself. When CJ came back into her living room Alexis stood and nearly fell over when Austin came in carrying a large wolf. All hell broke loose.
    “Stop that,” Dallas snapped at Darcy. The keening stopped immediately. Alexis might have been mad , but there were the boys who’d been awakened up from all the noise of the gun shot. She started to go to them when Connor said he had them and led them from the room. The wolf was laid on the floor near the fireplace.
    “That’s not…that’s not Paddy. Who…” She suddenly knew. “It’s Gordon, isn’t it?”
    Alexis’ hands began to burn and she put them behind her. She knew that at least one person in the room knew what was happening to her and maybe others , but she tried her best to hide it. Darcy was in no shape to tell on her. She looked up at CJ when she made her way to Gordon and was stopped by Phil.
    “Will you do it?” She looked at the vampire and shook her head. “You can, can’t you? You can save his life. I can hear his heart beating , Alexis , and it ’ s slowing. He’s been hurt helping you.”
    “What do you mean she can help him?” Austin turned to her , as did Dallas when Austin continued to ask. “Tell me what the hell he’s talking about. What can you do to help my brother?”
    “I can’t do it. Please, you have to understand that…please don’t make me do this. I’ve had to start over so many times.” She felt the tears stream down her face. “Please, Phil, you can’t want me to do this again.”
    She wasn’t sure how he’d found out she could heal. She really didn’t care at this point. But helping this man, this wolf , was going to change things forever. Too many people, all of them could get her into so much trouble knowing she could do this.
    “You have to, love. And no one here will condemn you. I’m not sure what you are , but you’re not wholly human , are you?” She shook her head at Phil’s question. “I thought not. Help him , Alexis , and if something happens to you, if anyone in here betrays you, I swear to you I will set it right.”
    She knew he was not only telling her he would protect her , but also warning the others. She looked down at the man on the floor. He was dying . S he could hear his heart as well as anyone of them in the room. She dropped to her knees next to him and started rubbing her hands on her thighs.
    “You’ll have to tell my aunts that I’ve…that I took ill. I want you all to be gone when I’m through here. And I don’t ever want to see any of you again. You’ve no idea what…it doesn’t matter. If Paddy finds out, if he even guesses that this is what I can do , then there will be no stopping him. You understand?” She looked up at the people standing there.
    “You save his life and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. Whatever.” She nodded at Austin. She didn’t really believe him, she’d been made promises before and look where it had…she nodded again.
    “Someone will need to make sure that he rests when you take him home. He’ll be weak and tired for a bit , but he’ll live.” She looked down at the wolf and put her hands near his bloodied fur. “You people had better be true to your word. I don’t want to run again. The children need me too much.”
    The pain ripped through her as soon as she touched him. She could feel each of his bites, each tear in his skin , and each place that the fur had been ripped from his body. She knew the exact location of the teeth marks that Paddy had given him, the depth of each bite , and even when