Page 40 of Cowboy Wolf's Kiss

I couldn’t explain why my Wolf was behaving in such a way because I refused to divulge any of Jezebel’s personal history without her consent.

No, I hadn’t told my Angel yet, either.I just didn’t want her to worry.

Jezebel kept her secret close to the chest, and I respected that.It was not mine to tell.And I did not want to put her in the position of having to do that just to figure out what was going on with Demon.

The Wolf was fine.He could handle himself.

He did a good job chasing away the shades.The ghosts that plagued her night and day were relentless far as I could tell.

My poor sweet Angel.Having to deal with all that shit alone?I was amazed by how strong she was.How brave.And if Demon could ease her burden by keeping watch as our woman rested, then by the gods, he would.

Jezebel deserved to have some peace.If I could give that to her, I would.Hell.I would do anything for her.She just didn’t know it yet.

Jed was crooning to Lee-Lee as I rolled to a stop in front of Jezebel’s house.A creeping sensation crept up my spine.I frowned, glancing around the driveway.

Her front door was wide open and the tarp I’d draped over a hole in her roof was blown halfway off.I was not worried about rain since the weather had held up.

No rain for days, so the roads and the roof were both dry.It was cold, but the sun was shining.Not too uncomfortable yet.Still, I knew I’d nailed that tarp down.I frowned and shifted the truck into park and slid out of the seat.

“Jez?”I called her name.

Goosebumps were spreading across my arms, and a growl was building up inside my chest as I jogged up the steps to her house.I sniffed, noting she wasn’t inside immediately.

The door must have been open awhile because it was cold inside, and her scent was faint.All the fresh air had diluted it.

Fear slammed into me, making my pulse race and my chest reverberate with Demon’s growl.

“JEZEBEL!”I yelled her name.

I ran back down the stairs and moved around the house to the small backyard.My heart was beating so hard, I thought it might fly right out of my chest.I slid on the graveled path when I saw her.

“Fuck!”

My woman was frozen in fear, her eyes were wide, and her mouth was open in a silent scream.She had on her pajamas, too thin to be outside, and one hand was pressed hard against her heart.Frozen tears streaked her cheeks, and I called her name, but she didn’t move or blink or anything.

“Jezebel!Talk to me!”I ran right to her, turning my head to the side for just an instant and that was when I saw them.

Shades.

About a dozen or more ghosts in various and gory stages of decay.Their bluish forms were mottled and sickly, like oozing, dripping mockery of the humans they once were.The figures were all clamoring for her.They seemed angry and downright nasty, just straight on latching onto her life force as they fought for her attention.

I didn’t have time to think.So, I just acted.

Demon tore through my skin, decimating my clothing, but I did not give a flying fuck for my jeans or sweatshirt.

Snarling and snapping, I felt energy pulse through me, forcing the shades to stop their attack and to focus on the angry beast.

When Demon wore my skin, I always felt like a watcher.Like it wasn’t me.But this time, it was my fury feeding the beast.Like our concern for her,our bond to her, united us like nothing else ever had.

She was a miracle, my woman.A goddamn thing of beauty and power.How I coveted her.She brought the two warring sides of me together, and I owed her for that.

I’d pay her back, too.I would keep her safe from these nightmares.I would protect her in this world and the next.Knowing she was mine to keep safe ignited a feeling of pure possession like nothing I’d ever experienced.

“Mine!”

My snarled words shook the very earth as I snapped my lupine jaws and spoke in a demonic, guttural voice, one that I had never used before.And those shades, they backed right the fuck off.

I growled again loudly, circling Jezebel, breaking the wraiths’ hold on her.She gasped, and she collapsed onto my back, sucking in oxygen greedily.

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