Blood Moon, Original Version (Shifters #1) (5 page)

             
He didn’t want her to lay her trust in him; he could not take that responsibility upon himself. He had no answers to give her, but he also couldn’t bring himself to lie to her. He focused his sight past her, unable to look her in the eye.

             
“Did you ever believe in the existence of werewolves or vampires before you met me? Did it excite you to have sex with a werewolf?”

             
“No. so don’t speak to me like some common slut. I don’t throw myself at every guy I meet!”

             
The words cut Nate to the core. Of course he did not think she was that type of woman. He had touched a nerve.

             
“So why did you allow me to have sex with you?” he looked at her this time and waited for the answer.

             
Her eyes widened, her shoulder squared. She wanted to slap him; he could see it on her face. He pushed his luck.

             
“No, that’s not something you would do is it? Just with werewolves, right?”

             
“No, I don’t, and you’re heartless!” she turned her back on him.

             
This was not working. She would not leave his side. They were still too far from the way out of this place, she couldn’t just take off running through the catacombs, risk her losing her life to one of those vampires.

             
He walked briskly to where she was standing and took hold of her wrist. She stared at him with shock, her eyes wide with fear and wet with tears.

             
“You don’t deserve any of this you’re innocent. I couldn’t forgive myself if anything ever happened to you.”

             
Relief returned to her face as she relaxed her body. “Thank you.”

             
“You will have to trust me and do everything I say. That’s the only way I will be able to get you out of here safely.” She nodded her head.

             
“If I do as you say, you will get me out of here so I can go home?” she asked questionably.

             
“No harm will come to you.” He replied.

             
She looked down the direction of the tunnels, as if she still considered running. “And you will make sure I return home safely? You won’t let them follow me back to my home?”

             
Return home, why did he not want her to leave him? Nate wanted more than anything to keep her with him. “I’ll keep them away from your home. I won’t allow them to turn you.

             
She set her jaw firm. She let her arms fall to her sides and nodded her head. “It’s not like I have any other choice in the matter. Ok, I will do as you say.” She had no other option, but Nate only hoped that he could keep his word.             

             
Nate had made every opportunity for her to run and lose all trust in him. But he could not, would not do that to her. She had stirred feelings in him he had forgotten how to feel. To him, Maxine had given him a gift.

Chapter Sixteen

              Nate retrieved the torch, even though all of the fighting and commotion earlier, it had managed to still stay lit. Grabbing Maxine by the hand, he led her through the catacomb tunnels for what seemed like endless hours. Before they both came to a set of passageways that split into several directions, Nate extinguished the torch sending them back into total darkness. Although fear threatened to overtake her, Maxine calmed herself and stood closer to Nate.

             
“I’m sorry we have to walk in the dark.” He said.

             
She squirmed with uneasiness.

             
Nate sighed. “The Vampires will be waiting, my enhanced vision allows me to see better in the dark. I will be able to see an oncoming attack much easier in case I need to shift fast.”

             
Maxine listened to the words and knew he was right. But she was still reluctant to put her complete trust into him just yet.

             
But the close proximity didn’t bother her much since his touch made her feel safer. The only problem was, his touch also reminded her of the rejection she had also received from him.

             
“I can see just fine in the darkness, hold on to my hand and stay close. I can get us out of here.”

             
Then she could go home. That was of course what she wanted, to get back to her own life. She held his hand even tighter, interlacing her fingers through his. She stilled for a moment feeling the energy pour through her caused by the close contact.

             
Maxine’s breath quickened as her heart threatened to beat its way out of her chest. There was no other sound around them to indicate they were being pursued by any of the creatures. If she had not been holding his hand, Maxine would never have known that Nate was there with her. He made no sound as he moved through the tunnels. She thought for a moment that if she could not hear Nate, who was to say that vampires would not be as silent.

             
Werewolves and vampires were nothing like she had known, there was a reason they were not meant to be, at least not in the world she had been brought up in. This was not her world.

             
“We need to move faster.” His voice was urgent. In that moment, she wondered if he had felt her hesitation.

             
He moved more quickly pulling her along behind. Maxine was having trouble keeping Nate’s pace and almost tripped over her own feet. But Nate was there to help her keep her balance, never once allowing her to even bash a toe against the side of the wall.

             
Finally after the last time Maxine almost fell, Nate grabbed hold of the woman pulling her close. His strong masculine scent hit her nose bringing back the passion and need for him she had felt earlier.

             
“I will take the pace slower to allow you to keep up.” He whispered in her ear.

             
Quite taken off guard, she only nodded. She fought to pull herself away from his smell, it was intoxicating to her.

             
Nate knew what was happening; he couldn’t allow himself to get caught up in this woman again. He had a mission to complete. Nothing else would happen.

             
Nate began walking again tugging Maxine to hurry along. “Sorry, but we have no time to stop and rest, we have to keep going.” He urged.

             
Yes, that’s what he had to tell her, had to make her continue going on, to come to the point that much faster to get her away from him. She would be out of his life. She didn’t belong in this world, and he didn’t belong in hers.

             
But could he let go of her? Could he wipe away any memory of her from his life?

             
As they came closer and closer to the end of the tunnel, Nate knew that his life would never be the same again. Maxine had come into it and turned his world upside down.

Chapter Seventeen

              Nate sensed the vampires several feet before the tunnel ended. Pulling her closer, he moved cautiously. Nate’s actions told Maxine that danger lay just ahead. The fear returned and she clutched to him like a lifeline.

             
Before she knew it, they had entered the lair of the vampires. It was barely lit and smelt of rotting flesh. The sound of slithering and hissing echoed off the catacomb walls. It was as if they had walked into a nest of snakes. They were in the heart of the vampires keep.

             
Lifeless drained bodies lay on the cold stone floor. A few were still alive, but those that were, were being fed upon. They too would soon be dead as well.

             
“What is this place? A hive of some sort?” Maxine whispered. She said the words as low as she could in fear that she would be heard and bring the creatures on them in an instant.

             
“It’s the heart of the hive. This is where the master vampire dwells.” This is where his mission had taken him, this was his destination.

             
“There are so many of them.”

             
Nate knew that Maxine was on the edge of freaking out. She was more frightened than he had seen her the entire night. It would not be long before the vampires knew they were there and then all hell would break loose.

             
Behind him came a scream. As he turned, Nate saw that two vampires were now approaching from the tunnel behind them. Maxine shoved her body closer to Nate. Her grip was fierce as her body trembled. “Please get us out of here, do something!”

             
Nate knew there were too many of them. Even if he shifted, he would not be able to protect Maxine indefinitely. He felt torn between duty to his pack and mission, and the responsibility to protect this woman. There was still a few hours left before sunrise, too much darkness and not enough time before the first rays of dawns light.

             
Maxine tugged at his arm with more urgency. Her eyes never left the two creatures approaching them. It would not be long until the others followed suit.

             
Nate held her gaze, tried to make her understand, their time was running out, they were trapped.

             
“No.” she shook her head. He felt for the woman, her life too precious. She also knew what they were up against. But what could one werewolf do against a whole hive of vampires?

             
“Stay close.” Her life depended on it.

             
Every entrance was blocked. There was nowhere to run.

             
Inch by inch the vampires crept closer. With fangs bared and blood lust in their eyes, the vampires closed in on them.

             
Nate waited for the right opportunity to change. He still had an extreme amount of strength in his human form. He couldn’t risk bringing the rest of the creatures down on them if there was still a chance he could find a way out of this.

             
It was too late. The other creatures had already spotted them and began clawing their way up the side of the wall towards them using the claws to grip into the stone.

             
Maxine made a shrilling scream. The room was swarming with the creatures moving in a fast unnatural manner.

             
Nate looked for any place to hold up, somewhere that would be to his advantage. Anywhere he could make the change and keep Maxine shielded from harm at the same time.

             
Nate shoved the woman against a wall causing her to stumble into it. It was their only chance.

             
There was no way out of this now, he would have to fight with every skill he had. He would have to fight to his last breath.

Chapter Eighteen

              Nate’s body pressed up against her pinning her to the wall. She was blinded to the attack. She couldn’t see around him. All of her will was stomped down, she knew she was about to die. They had willingly walked straight into their grave.

             
All around them hell broke loose and turned to complete horror.

             
Maxine pushed against Nate’s body but couldn’t even move. At least if she could get out from behind him, she may be able to make a run for it instead of just being trapped in place waiting for her life to be taken away.

             
Another wave of vampires poured into the room. Nate had no choice but to make the change.

             
Maxine stood pressed against the wall behind Nate. Shock came over her as she realized what was happening. Nate was changing right before her eyes. She could not only see but also feel the change.

             
In werewolf form, Nate turned and grabbed Maxine by the arms. She was pulled tightly to his fur covered form. Before she had a chance to think, Nate had leaped across the room in an inhuman length.

             
Maxine stared down at the hands gripping her. Large fur covered paws with sharp claws, but she also knew she was in no danger from them. The only danger was what they were keeping her from.