Keller Read online

  Even after scarfing down everything on his dinner plate earlier, Horace was hungry. His stomach rumbled loudly as he walked down the steps. The living room and dining room were bathed in darkness. He hesitated, unsure he wanted to continue on. Horace was still getting used to the O’Brien house, and it was big. The downstairs emptiness made it creepy.

  Stop being such a chicken and go find Keller. Horace took a breath and moved off the last step. His bare feet touched the cool wooden floor. He strained to listen but didn’t hear any noises coming from the kitchen.

  Straightening his shoulders and telling himself he was being foolish, Horace marched ahead. He’d slept behind dumpsters and in crawl spaces of abandoned buildings, for Christ’s sake. He could handle walking through a dark house in the middle of the night.

  Imaginary ghosts were nothing compared to the creatures that roamed the streets at night. And Horace was referring to humans, men who loved to prey on youthful boys down on their luck. Horace had become quite crafty at avoiding them, finding places to sleep that kept him hidden.

  A luxurious home with hardwood floors was a piece of cake.

  He stepped into the kitchen, and frowned when he found the lights were out. Where on earth was his mate? Keller hadn’t opened his own practice or even declared himself a town doctor, so Horace didn’t think anyone would call with an emergency.

  A thought crept into his mind. What if Keller had gone looking for the demon? What if he’d stupidly and purposely made himself a target so he could try and kill it?

  A chill swept through Horace. When he found Keller, he was going to kick his mate in the balls. He had no right to put himself in danger again. Keller had barely survived the first attack, and Horace doubted he would pull through another one.

  He started to go back upstairs so he could grill Quinn, but a clicking noise made him pause. He knew that sound. Buttercup made it when he waked across the floor.

  Toenails.

  But Buttercup was currently with Stanton. His friend hadn’t wanted to be alone, and Horace had agreed to let Stanton borrow the dog, even though he knew Stanton didn’t really like Buttercup.

  Horace began to back away, heading for the entryway. He kept his steps silent and slow since he didn’t know what was making that sound. His heart lodged in his throat and his pulse raced as he felt behind him, making sure he didn’t bump into anything.

  A low, menacing growl filled the air. Horace looked around the darkness and gasped when he spotted two red eyes staring at him. There was nothing more frightening than disembodied eyes glaring at you.

  Horace screamed and spun, racing for the stairs. He heard the toenails and knew whatever was in the kitchen was chasing him.

  “Keller!” Horace made it to the stairs but tripped on the first one, banging his shin pretty hard. “Keller!”

  Suddenly there was a wolf on his back, breathing its hot breath across Horace’s neck. The thing was huge, and now Horace knew what had bitten his mate. If the wolf bit him…

  All Horace thought about was keeping his baby safe. Keller had barely survived, and the guy was six feet five and muscular. Horace wouldn’t stand a chance, and he didn’t want that poison inside him, harming, or killing, his unborn child.

  A loud, malicious yowl rent the air. Horace didn’t dare look. He was too afraid to move. The wolf had him pinned down, and Horace was terrified that one move would make it attack.

  Fur rubbed against his arm, and a drop of saliva hit his cheek. The wolf’s breath made Horace want to gag. He didn’t dare a peek to see just how sharp its teeth were.

  Horace tried his best to remain still, but his body was shaking uncontrollably. His limbs jerked as the yowl echoed through the house again.

  Ever so slowly, Horace looked up and saw the black panther racing down the stairs. It tackled the wolf, and they went tumbling away from Horace.

  “Get up here!” Stevie shouted from the landing above him. “Hurry!”

  Horace hesitated, watching the wolf and the panther fight as if it were a car crash he couldn’t look away from. He’d never seen a more vicious fight and was terrified Quinn would lose.

  The panther had to be Quinn since Stevie was there.

  Horace screamed when his arm was grabbed. He jerked away, only to find Stevie a few steps above him.

  “You gotta get up,” Stevie cried. “Please, Horace.”

  They both looked in the direction of the fight. Stevie had stopped pleading and began to shout for Quinn to beat the wolf’s ass.

  The wolf broke free and turned toward them. Horace and Stevie screamed as they shot upstairs and raced down the hallway. They reached Horace’s room first, so they ran in there and slammed the door.

  “Where’s Keller?” Horace asked.

  “Out with Nomad trying to find the demon who is currently trying to break this door down.”

  The door kept thumping inward, as if the wolf was head-butting it.

  “And Nash?”

  “Still at the pub.” Stevie’s eyes widened. “Layne and Connor! They’re alone in their room.”

  “I’m pretty sure Layne is awake by now.” Horace braced himself against the door, but the thumping had stopped. He was too terrified to open the door and check, but what if the demon had heard them and had gone after Layne and the baby?

  “We need a weapon,” Stevie said. “You gotta weapon in here?”

  Horace spotted Keller’s medical bag across the room. “Hold the door,” he said before he ran for it. He opened the bag but didn’t see anything of use.

  Then he spotted the scalpel. It was in a sheath, but Horace had seen enough medical shows to know what one looked like. He grabbed it and ran back to the door.

  “What the fuck’re you gonna do with that pig sticker?” Stevie asked. “Piss off the wolf?”

  “You got a better idea?” Horace demanded. “We don’t have time to argue. Layne and Connor need us.”

  Horace blew out a breath, and the action only reminded him of the wolf’s breath on his neck. He would never forget that feeling, not for years to come.

  “Okay, ready?” Stevie grabbed the door handle. “On the count of three. One…two…”

  “Wait!” Horace pressed a hand to his chest, willing his heart to slow down. “On three or after you say three?”

  Stevie rolled his eyes. “Now!”

  Horace ripped the scalpel from the sheath and held it like he was Norman Bates in the shower scene. He doubted that was the most effective way, but what did he know about stabbing someone?

  They stuck their heads out and saw the hallway was empty. “We have to go to Layne’s room,” Horace whispered. “We have to stay together.”

  Stevie grabbed his hand and yanked Horace toward Layne’s bedroom.

  A growl stopped them in their tracks. Horace closed his eyes and prayed the wolf wasn’t right behind them.

  “Run!” Stevie yanked Horace as they took off. The wolf howled, and the sound was too dang close. Where was Quinn? Had the wolf killed him?

  Horace pushed that thought from his mind. Just as they reached Layne’s room, the door flew open. Horace and Stevie ran inside, slamming it behind them.

  “What the hell is going on?” Layne asked.

  “The demon is in the house,” Horace panted out.

  “He’s right outside the door,” Stevie shouted.

  The door thumped wildly, and Horace feared the wolf would break it down.

  Layne paled. “Tell me you’re lying.” He spun without an answer and raced for the crib. He didn’t pick Connor up. Instead, Layne spread his arms out, as if he could ward off the wolf from attacking the baby.

  Horace would die keeping Connor safe. There was no way he would allow the wolf to get anywhere near the baby.

  “Call Keller,” Horace said to Layne. “I don’t have my phone. Call him and tell him what’s going on. We need backup, and fast.”

  When Layne didn’t move from the crib, Stevie ran across the room and snatched the cell phone off
the nightstand. “What’s your password?”

  He ran to Layne, who used his thumb to unlock his phone. Stevie dialed then hurried back to Horace. The wolf was still ramming into the door.

  Then everything went silent.

  Horace looked in horror as the doorknob began to turn. A wolf wouldn’t be able to do that. It didn’t have opposable thumbs. Horace recalled reading that the cythraul could not only change into a wolf but a man.

  “He’s coming in!” Horace screamed.

  Layne ran to the door, and all three pushed their weight into it, trying to keep the demon out. Stevie talked bullet-fast, telling Keller that the demon was upstairs trying to kill them. He threw the phone down, turned, and pressed his hands against the door, digging his feet into the carpet.

  The three of them were no match for the demon. The door burst open, and a tall, distinguished-looking man entered. Horace had no idea where he’d gotten the suit, nor did he care.

  The guy’s eyes were a deep blue with a hint of red, his dark hair touching his shoulders, and dang it, the demon was hot. Horace hated himself for even thinking that.

  “Where is the male I hunt?”

  Even the guy’s voice was smooth and rich. Horace felt compelled to answer him but forced the words to stay trapped in his throat.

  The demon’s gaze wandered to the crib. Layne shrieked as he ran to it, once again spreading his arms. “Come anywhere near my son and I’ll—”

  The demon waved his hand, and Layne was still talking but no sound came out. Horace was ready to piss himself. How would he defeat a demon with that much power?

  When the guy kept walking toward the crib, Horace jumped into action, driving the scalpel into the demon’s side. He pulled the scalpel free and did it again, until the demon backhanded Horace so hard that Horace flew across the room and crashed into the wall.

  “Leave him alone!” Stevie ran toward Horace then circled around and headed for the crib.

  Horace wanted to get up and help them, but he lay there useless, his entire body in pain.

  Layne and Stevie kicked and punched, and Stevie even bit the demon’s hand when the guy reached for Connor.

  Horace had struggled to get to his feet, determined to help, when two panthers charged into the room. Layne and Stevie jumped out of the way just as the panthers reached the demon.

  Layne grabbed Connor and raced out of the room. Stevie hurried to Horace and helped him up, dragging him out.

  Quinn was in the hallway, completely naked, and bleeding. Stevie let Horace go and ran to his mate. Horace hit the carpet and cursed Stevie for dropping him.

  “Sorry.” Stevie came back and helped Horace to his feet again. “Use the wall to support yourself. I have to check on my mate.”

  Horace looked toward Layne’s room. He heard the fighting, the breaking of furniture, and loud yowls. He slid to his butt, unable to stand any longer. That smack had knocked him senseless. Horace’s cheek hurt, as if it were shattered.

  The room grew silent. Horace held his breath. Quinn stumbled toward Horace, as if to protect him. Horace saw the bleeding was coming from Quinn’s forehead. The wolf hadn’t bitten him, and Horace was relieved.

  Horace burst into tears when he saw a naked Keller and Nash hauling the guy out of the room. Only, the demon didn’t have his head. Horace spun and vomited, wishing he’d never seen that horrific sight.

  “We have to take care of him,” Keller said. “But I’ll be right back.”

  Horace waved a hand to say he’d heard his mate but refused to look up.

  “My room!”

  Horace glanced toward Layne’s bedroom and saw his friend gaping at it. Horace couldn’t see inside but didn’t doubt it had been destroyed.

  “At least we don’t have a demon problem anymore,” Stevie said. “I need a goddamn snack.”

  Horace heard heavy footsteps, and a second later, Nash appeared. He rushed down the hallway and pulled Layne and Connor into his arms.

  Horace wished Keller was there. Stevie was hugging Quinn, and Horace just lay there by his pool of vomit.

  Keller came back and scooped Horace from the floor, pressing Horace close to his chest. “Did you get hurt, bitten?” He brushed a hand over Horace’s face. “I’m gonna bring him back to life so I can kill him again.”

  “He didn’t bite me,” Horace said.

  “But he hurt you.” Keller sounded anguished as he carried Horace.

  “Just take me to our room,” Horace laid his head on Keller’s chest, thankful to be in his arms again. “Are you sure that thing’s not coming back?”

  Keller nodded. “We removed his head, and Hayward cut out his heart and set him on fire in the backyard.”

  His mate looked a bit green, and Horace didn’t blame Keller for appearing a bit sick. “You could’ve just said yes.” Horace shivered. “I didn’t need the details.”

  He snuggled close and breathed a sigh of relief when Keller put them both to bed. He looked up at his mate. “And the next time you sneak off to go demon hunting, I’m kicking your ass.”

  Keller chucked and kissed Horace’s forehead. “I have no plans on ever doing that again.”

  “Good, because you’re stuck with me.” Horace had resisted his feelings for Keller, thinking the man a jerk. But Keller had proven himself ten times over, and Horace was eternally grateful he’d given the guy a chance.

  Now he had a mate and a baby on the way that he would love and cherish. Horace knew his life wasn’t perfect, but it sure felt like it, especially with a brave warrior at his side.

  * * * *

  The salty air from the ocean triggered too many memories that Nomad would’ve preferred to keep buried. He didn’t like being close to the compound he’d been kept prisoner in for five long years. In fact, his skin crawled as he used the cover of darkness to scale the beautiful home.

  People needed to be more cautious when going to bed. Leaving a balcony door open was only inviting trouble. And Nomad was definitely trouble.

  When his feet touched the balcony, he scanned the area to make sure no one was around to see him. Satisfied that no eyes were on him, Nomad crept into the bedroom.

  The human was sound asleep, his arms tucked under his pillow. He was also alone, which worked in Nomad’s favor. He peeled back the sheet covering the male’s nude body, and whispered, “Wakey, wakey.”

  The human jerked to his side and scrambled across the bed. “Take whatever you want, just don’t kill me!”

  Killing Dr. Marcus Taft would end the male’s misery too quickly. Nomad wanted him to suffer for what he’d done to Keller. “I’ve already taken what I wanted,” Nomad replied. “I’m sure the children’s burn center will appreciate your sizable donation.”

  Marcus squinted at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  A smile curved the side of Nomad’s mouth. “Check your bank account.”

  Marcus got to his feet, the little pickle between his legs on display. Nomad would have to tease Keller later for being with a guy who was lacking. Or maybe he wouldn’t.

  “Who are you?” Marcus demanded. “I’ll have you arrested and thrown in jail for what you’ve done.”

  Nomad walked across the room, stopping inches from Marcus. He grabbed the human by his throat and lifted him into the air. “For what you did to Keller, be glad I didn’t slice your fucking throat. But that might have led back to my brother, so I’m giving you this friendly warning to leave Keller alone. Pay one more demon to come after him and I’ll drop you into the pit of Hell myself.”

  He let the doctor fall to the floor. Marcus grabbed at his throat and coughed. “Keller too afraid to face me himself?”

  Nomad hunkered down next to him. “No, he’s too busy enjoying his life to be bothered with scum like you. Luckily I have no problem taking out the trash. It’s what I was trained for.”

  The memories tried to take hold, making Nomad lose focus for a second. But that was all Marcus needed to grab a large knickknack off his n
ightstand and swing it at Nomad’s head.

  The heavy object struck, knocking Nomad on his ass. Marcus jumped up and tried to run, but Nomad got his bearings back and grabbed the guy’s ankle, yanking him to the floor.

  “You just couldn’t leave well enough alone.”

  “I’m getting a lawyer and suing Keller. He won’t get away with this.”

  Nomad stood to his full height. He glared at the whimpering excuse for a human being. “First, how will you pay for the lawyer when you’re wiped out? Trust me, that money isn’t going to be returned. I funneled it through too many encrypted channels.”

  Nomad lifted his foot and slammed it against Marcus’s leg. The human screamed his head off. “Second, didn’t I just warn you to stay away from Keller?” He tsked. “Consider yourself lucky it wasn’t your hand that I broke, but I figure you need it to do surgery so you can afford your way of life.”

  He bent and pulled a sweaty, pale Marcus toward him. “Contact Keller, try to sue him, or even breathe his name and I’ll be back. Only, next time, only one of us will be leaving this room alive.” Nomad growled, showing off his canines. “And I would take great pleasure in crushing your fucking throat.”

  He dropped Marcus and headed for the balcony, disappearing into the night and escaping California as fast as he could. But the dark memories followed Nomad all the way back to Georgia.

  He just hoped no one from his past followed him as well.

  THE END

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