Page 49 of Taken by Moonlight

14

Dante

The ride homepromised to be excruciating. I only wanted to grab Peyton and whisk her away, far fromdanger.

Peyton had grown quiet and I sensed the adrenalin kick had faded, leaving her exhausted. I signaled Alex with my eyes and nodded, and he told her to lie down on the emptyseat.

Stretched out on the leather seat, she fell asleep. Gabriel fetched a blanket from the drawer under the mini bar and draped it over her. Alex found a pillow and tucked it under herhead.

Good thing my betas were on top of caring for our lady, for I remained far tooangry.

Shaken.

Alex and Gabe settled into the back seat, each at a window gazing at the city as it passed in a blur of lights. In front, my driver Mason navigated through the streets while one of my fiercest fighters, James, sat shotgun. Literally shotgun, for the long gun rested in his lap instead of its customary place on the rack above theirheads.

They took no chances. A blast from a shotgun may not kill a werewolf, but it will cause enough damage to speed away and get to a saferplace.

“That was close. Too damn close.” I narrowed my eyes and extended my hand, claws erupting from my nails to drive home mypoint.

Alex frowned while Gabriel compressed his lips. I knew he wanted to say something, and heldback.

“Well?”

“You keep forgetting, Dante. She may be psi, but she’s still human,” he finally toldme.

The claws retracted. I had forgotten. I had gotten swept up into the sweetness of her, the passion she displayed, the vitality of Peyton, that I’d forgotten her vulnerability. Peyton couldn’t shift and race away from danger or use fangs to protectherself.

I doubted she even practiced self-defense against human males, let alone dangerous, sly shifters like theBrowns.

“She’s defenseless against another possible attack,” I said, pointing out theobvious.

At least until we shared the secret with her of how her psi gift could harm ourkind.

Not that I’d let either Brown get within fifty yards ofher.

“And what are we going to do about that?” Alex challenged. “It’s not as if you can teach her how toshift.”

Lifting a brow, I considered the younger werewolf’s bristling assertion. Seldom had Alex displayed such spunk. He’d always been respectful, but quiet in stating his opinion. Not now. Waves of aggressive energy radiated off him as he fisted his hands, his breaths coming rapidly, his glare directed atme.

Enormously pleased, I allowed myself to relax a little. If Peyton got Alex this emotional and protective, it meant Alex was hooked on her. Gabriel looked equally agitated, but Alex’s feelings concerned me more, for he disliked most skinwoman.

For my plan to work, my betas had to feel as connected to Peyton as Idid.

I pointed at Alex. “We are going to work together on this young lady this weekend. Alex, your job is to woo her with romance. I will introduce her to our way of life. And Gabriel, you will teach her tofight.”

Gabe blinked at me. “Seriously? Fight like amale?”

I smiled. “Fight like a girl. A kick ass girl. Wonder Womanstyle.”

Both of them ruminated over the idea. Alex’s shoulders lost some of their tension. “Goodplan.”

“I can research skin self-defense for women, teach her some easy moves that will give her enough time to get away,” Gabrielmused.

“How about gouging out eyeballs and ripping off testicles?” Mild Alex had been infuriated at the Browns’ attack. He wantedrevenge.

“Start with the easy things for Peyton.” I shook my head as Gabe started to pick up the limo phone. “Not now. I want you both to rest. We have much work ahead of us…and…”

I glanced at our sleeping beauty. “Much pleasure aswell.”