Vivian Arend - Moon Shine

The screen she needed popped open. She did a happy dance silently in her chair as her fingers flew to input commands.

One set of commands locked the doors.

The next set primed the service entrance with the access code “united”.

The third shut down all programming access again.

Amy turned away from the computer and rushed to the main door of Evan’s office. She hesitated briefly, but it had to be done. The wolves on the other side of the door had made some big mistakes in staging a rebellion, but they didn’t know they were trapped. They didn’t know the game had changed, and unless they were told, they couldn’t change their mind and give up.

She stepped through the door and into the immediate attention of the rebel wolves.

Evan thrust Dexter into his mom’s arms, spinning on the spot to head back to the building.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Shaun was at his side, sprinting forward and matching his pace.

“Amy is still in there. I’m going to get her.” Evan attempted to jerk the door open, but it was firmly locked. “Shit, that’s right. The code.”

“Takhini has the place surrounded,” Shaun reported as Evan opened up the control panel and entered the password. “And those geeky computer dudes from Canyon who work for Amy did something they said would override any calls from inside the inn to the fire department or police department until we give the word. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I hope so too.” Evan tried the door again, but it still didn’t budge. “I need you to stay out here and keep things under control. If anything explodes, call the fire department. I’m going in and getting Amy.”

Shaun rested his hand on Evan shoulder. “She’s a smart woman, your mate. She’ll get it done, and then we can kick some butt and get those rebels to smarten up.”

Evan tapped in united again, hit enter and sighed with relief as the door swung open before he even touched it. “She is smart, and I have no idea why she’s willing to put up with me. But I’m so glad she is.”

He stepped through the door and pulled it shut behind him.

It was déjà vu. So much like a few weeks earlier when he’d walked into the darkness, only this time he knew somewhere ahead of him, his mate was waiting. He’d found her, and damn if he’d let anyone take her away.

She’d been in the hall recently. He followed her trail all the way to his office, getting in without any trouble. That’s when he realized what she’d done.

The door on the bar side of the room was open a crack, and laughter poured through. Nasty, mean laughter, followed by the sound of skin smacking skin, and the faint cry of pain from his mate’s lips.

Fury enveloped him. At that moment he had no desire whatsoever for the authorities to come and pick up the bastards. He wanted to tear them apart one piece at a time for daring to touch her.

He slung open the door and stepped through like an avenging angel, infuriated by the sight of Amy held tight between two wolves. Toby stood before her, his fist raised for the next blow.

“Touch her again and you die,” Evan promised. His words soft, but deadly.

“The guest of honour has arrived.” Another wolf rose to his feet, throwing the drink in his hand to the floor where glass and liquid splashed up over his flunkies. “We can do this so many ways, but the old ways are sometimes best. I challenge you for this territory. You’re not worthy to be in charge.”

“Let her go, and you and I can dance.” Evan stepped closer to Amy, keeping an eye on the wolf he assumed was Mike.

For some reason, Toby didn’t get out of the way. He opened his mouth to say something, but Evan had zero tolerance left by this point. He simply raised both fists, catching Toby under the chin with his rock solid hands, sending the wolf crashing into the others.

Evan turned a cold eye on the pack members who’d betrayed him and were now holding Amy’s arms. “Are you deaf? I said, let her go.”

He wasn’t sure who they were more afraid of, him or Mike. They glanced in both directions before opening their hands and stepping back.

Who they should have been afraid of was Amy. The instant she was no longer restrained she swung, one fist flying in an uppercut that crushed a jaw even as she followed through the opposite direction with a kick. The second wolf’s head snapped back as his feet lifted off the ground, and he flew backwards a good three feet.

Evan smiled at his mate. “Nicely done.”

Amy gingerly touched the swollen corner of her mouth, wiping away the blood. “Toby’s swings were getting a little boring. I’m glad you could join us.”

“Why, this is all so lovey-dovey and friendly-like.” Mike picked up the chair next to him and threw it across the room. He roared before setting himself squarely to face Evan and Amy, big fists rising to the ready. “Enough. Take the challenge, or get on your belly and crawl.”

“Hold that thought. Even though it was a touch too melodramatic.” Evan faced Amy. “Your choice.”

She looked confused, watching Mike out of the corner of her eye. “What are you talking about?”

“Do I fight him? Or do we let the authorities take care of him for everything he’s done? I’m pretty sure we can get him locked up for quite a while.”

In spite of the bruises on her face, he’d never seen her look more beautiful. “You would do that for me?”

“Anything. Because you’re my mate.”

“I’m just going to kill the both of you,” Mike snapped, picking up another chair and smashing it on a table. The wood shattered, leaving him with a long, deadly weapon. He lofted it in the air, stomping toward them.

“Kick his butt,” Amy ordered. She got out of his way, headed for the side of the room where the rest of the rebels were moving uneasily. “Any of you even think about interfering, and I’ll pull your lungs out through your eye sockets.”

That’s my girl , Evan thought, but he was too busy ducking Mike’s attack to say it out loud.

“We need to get out of here,” Toby groaned from his fetal position on the floor. “There’s no time. There’s no time.”

The deadly chunk of wood swung over Evan’s head again. This time he darted forward under the attack and into Mike’s space. He slashed out with an uppercut, following it immediately with a vicious jab to the man’s throat.

Mike jerked aside at the last second. Evan’s knuckles grazed his neck. They were too close together for the piece of chair to be effective, so Mike tossed it aside, the wood clattering on the solid floor of the bar.

Their dangerous dance continued, the physical battle somewhat reassuring. Amy had skills Evan could only dream of, but this? This was his area of expertise.

He jabbed again, making contact with the man’s temple before he scooted out of reach, headed for the bar. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey, smashing the glass over Mike’s head seconds before the brute ran into him, driving him back against the solid rock lining the bar.

Somewhere below them an enormous explosion went off, the reverberations echoing through the hallways and changing the pressure in the sealed building. Evan’s ears popped, but he was too busy diving from Mike to worry about what was happening elsewhere.

Lights flickered overhead, the fire alarms going off in a strangely musical sequence all over the hotel.

Inspiration hit. He caught Mike by the shoulder, using momentum to drop his arm around Mike’s thick neck and put him into a chokehold. At the same time he brought his knee in sharply, smashing it into Mike’s kidneys. The man’s legs buckled, and he fell to his knees, Evan a heavy weight on his back.

Another explosion sounded, and this time Toby shrieked. “We’ve got to get out of here. The gas line is open. The whole place will go up around us.”