Charming the Beast (Purgatory #3)(25)
Author: Cynthia Eden

Connor shook his head. “I just want you safe—”

“And that’s why you’ll be going into Eclipse with her.” Eric spoke as if Connor should have already figured that part out. “I mean, come on…it’s a werewolf bar. You’re a werewolf. Partly, anyway. You’ll blend perfectly.”

Yeah, there was one thing Eric seemed to be missing… “She won’t. The instant the other wolves smell her, what do you think they’ll do?”

Eric’s grin stretched. “See, that’s where you come into the equation. If they launch at her, you’ll be there. It’s such a handy thing you’re good at kicking ass.”

***

“I didn’t even know this place existed,” Chloe said as she stared out the passenger window of the SUV and her gaze raked the exterior of Eclipse. From the outside, Eclipse looked just like any other run-down bar. But Eric had told her that it was actually a werewolf hangout. Humans never got past the doors, and she could certainly see why. Two big men—scary, guys who were as wide as they were thick—stood guarding the doors. Bouncers to the extreme.

“I thought you were all worried about her scent.”

This came was from the other guy who’d accompanied their little party. Agent Duncan McGuire. She turned her head and found him frowning at her. The dude had just sniffed her. “I don’t smell anything different about her.”

“That’s because you’re like Connor, half vamp, half wolf,” Eric said. “I was a little nervous earlier when we were watching the video, but you didn’t so much as twitch when you were near her.” He paused, then added, “Besides, you’re mated to Holly…and nothing trumps a werewolf mating. So even if you hadn’t been all vamped up, well, that probably means you wouldn’t be influenced by Chloe’s scent.”

He was mated to Holly? The vampire doctor? The pieces snapped together for her. “Wait! You’re Connor’s brother?”

Duncan glanced toward the front of the SUV. Connor was in passenger seat up there. “Guilty.”

“So…you’re the one he wanted to kill?” Only now they were both working at the Para Unit? Oh, there was so much more to the story that she needed to hear.

Duncan was still staring up at Connor. “I see you’ve been talking about me.”

Connor grunted. “This plan is shit.”

Ah, so obviously he wasn’t in the mood to share about his family. And maybe this wasn’t the best time. She had five minutes to go until midnight, so her fear level was about to shoot through the roof.

“The fact that her scent doesn’t influence Duncan is a good thing,” Eric pointed out. The guy sure seemed oddly calm. Did he have ice water in his veins or what? “It means Duncan can go in and provide back-up for you two without us having to worry he’ll go crazy.”

“I’d prefer for no one to go crazy,” Chloe said, just so they were all clear.

“Too late,” was Eric’s instant reply. “It sure looks like Keegan has gone over the line.”

She glanced back at the entrance to Eclipse. “What if those guys don’t let Connor and Duncan go inside with me?”

“Oh, they’ll let us in…” Connor’s voice was certain. “We’re not giving them a choice.”

Then he opened his door. Crap, that open door meant it was show time. Or, rather, trade time.

She started to push open her door.

Eric grabbed her arm. He was in the driver’s seat—fitting, since he was in charge of this plan—and he’d leaned back to grab her before she could slip out. “Remember, wherever you go, Connor can find you. He has your blood, and that’s all he needs. Even if the pack takes you away from here, we’ll come for you.”

His words were supposed to be reassuring. They weren’t. Because what if Keegan didn’t plan to take her anyplace? What if he planned to kill her on sight?

That was her fear. Her worst, horrible fear. And it was the reason she’d wanted to be with Connor so badly. To have one good, perfect moment to remember. Pleasure, to fight the pain.

Part of her just wanted to turn and run. But she couldn’t do that. If she didn’t go in that bar, Harris Grey would die.

Connor opened her door. Eric’s fingers slid away from her arm. Connor reached for her hand. She put her fingers in his.

She stepped from the SUV. Stood at Connor’s side. Duncan had already climbed from the vehicle, too. They waited there, just a moment.

“You don’t have to do this,” Connor told her, voice rough.

“Yes, I do.”

The lights were blazing in Eclipse, but she heard no noise. No music. No laughter. In a werewolf bar, she should have heard those sounds, right?

They started walking.

Eric hadn’t wanted to just storm the place because he’d said that if he did, Harris would likely be killed immediately.

So he’d agreed to Keegan’s rules, up to a point.

With every step that she took, Chloe felt her fear mounting. She wanted to be strong. She wanted to face Keegan without a tremble shaking her body. She wanted—

Her claws were coming out.

She looked down at her hands and saw the claws there.

“And your eyes are glowing,” Connor told her softly. “You’re beautiful.”

The two bouncers saw them coming. Their faces twisted as they looked at Connor and Duncan.

“I told you,” Chloe said, “they aren’t going to let you two in!”

One of the bouncers lunged for Connor. Connor broke away from Chloe. He grabbed the bouncer and tossed the guy a good ten feet. When the man hit the ground, he hit with a very hard thud.

“My turn,” Duncan muttered. The other guard was charging at him. Running fast and—

Duncan shot him.

Smoke rose from the man’s stomach as he fell.

“Silver always wins. Doesn’t matter the werewolf’s size,” Duncan said.

Right. The two bouncers—wounded now—were staying down.

Duncan opened the door to Eclipse. Connor went in first. Chloe sucked in a quick breath, and she followed right behind him. Duncan was pulling up the rear, and she didn’t look back, but she strongly suspected he had his gun at the ready.

Eclipse was so bright inside. Every light was on, so it was easy to see Harris Grey. He was in the middle of the room, bound and gagged and bleeding. His eyes were terrified as he stared at them, and he muttered frantically behind the gag.