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.The Pack let them goand concentrated on the beast, firing on its massive bulk.That accomplished nothing but turning itsattention on them, and pissing it off.More than half of the men shifted, including Kalen into his panther form.They ran circles around thebeast, keeping it occupied by taking turns running at it, snapping and barking, staying just out of reachof its deadly claws.She couldn't help them.Ben wouldn't recognize her in this state, so she could do nothing but watch,hand over her mouth, heart in her throat.Ryon stripped and shifted, joining his friends in battle.Then Jax ran toward the fray, legs pumping, alarge cylinder clutched in his hand.When Ryon made a flying leap and attached himself to the creature's back, the thing went nuts.Grabbed and swiped, trying to reach him, and when that failed, spinning his body in an attempt toshake him loose.Ryon was going to get himself killed.And there wasn't a damned thing she could do to stop it.FifteenRyon jumped onto the creature's back, sinking his fangs into the tough, leathery hide.It roared andtried to claw him off.Twisted and turned."Shift and catch!" Jax yelled.Ryon saw his friend run up, holding a large tube.The spike on the end was long and silver, and if itwas a needle, it was the thickest, most wicked one he'd ever seen.Then again, it would have to be topenetrate the creature's hide.The shift was difficult, especially while riding an enraged mutant lizard.In human form, he wrappedan arm around the thing's neck and held out the other."Throw it!"The first try missed, and he cursed when the tube sailed past them and landed on the ground.Itnarrowly missed being crushed by the creature's webbed feet as it stomped around, oblivious to the factthat they were trying to save its life.Or rather, Ben's life."We're trying to save your ass, you fucker!" he yelled.Jax threw the tube again, but it bounced off Ryon's fingers.The next second, he was thrown to theground, rolling to avoid being stomped or eaten.As he scrambled, he saw the cylinder lying just afew feet away.He went for it.Just as his fingers closed around it, he was yanked backward.The creature's claws dug into his shoulder as it dragged him to its hungry, gaping maw.Fetid breathwafted in his face and he had an up-close and personal view of those rows of deadly teeth that wereready to tear out his throat.Flipping the tube in his grasp, spiked end toward the creature, he drovethe business end into the vulnerable skin of its belly.The beast let out a roar as Ryon quickly pushedthe handle all the way in.He didn't know if that was the best spot, or even if it would work, but he'ddone his job.It would have to be enough.He was finished.The beast flung him away and he landed in the dirt hard.Unable to move, he took in the monsterstanding in place, shrieking in agony, no longer aware of anyone else in his vicinity.Ryon felt a pangof sadness, knowing the creature was not really evil.It didn't possess that sort of thought process.Allalong, it had simply been ravenously hungry.Angry.Confused.But never evil.Because the man underneath was good.Incredulous, he saw the creature begin to shrink.Scales became flesh, webbed feet and hands humanones.The knobby skull returned to its regular shape, and a full head of chestnut hair appeared.Thedistended torso became taut, the stomach flat.In less than a minute, a man stood swaying where thebeast had been, blinking as though he'd never seen them before.And indeed he hadn't.Ben Cantrell was tired, shell-shocked, worse for the wear, but a man all the same.He crumpled to theground.Some of the team ran to Ben, and the others toward Ryon.Nick and Jax appeared, looking down athim, smiling."You did it, buddy," Jax said, laying a hand on his chest."Great job."He tried to grin."That's why I get paid the big bucks.August is getting away, though."Nick spoke up."This time.Next time he won't be so lucky."Suddenly he remembered August's terrible claims, his story of betrayal that ran all the way to thepresidency.He wanted to ask if it was true, if Nick had known.But he was too exhausted to talkanymore.Then Daria came into his line of vision, and he'd never seen anything more beautiful."Ryon?" Her face was wet with tears.No sound would move past his throat."Always gotta be a hero, huh?" she said, stroking his face.He tried again to reply, but she shushedhim."Rest.You're going to be all right now."He wasn't so sure; everything hurt so bad.But he'd trust her.With a deep sigh, he let the darkness closein, and everything faded away." " "Daria jumped from the helicopter the second the creature began to change back into Ben.As herformer lover crumpled in the dirt, unmoving, she ran to her mate and dropped to her knees.Ryon layon his back, staring up at the people around him.She could've sworn she'd seen him talk, but hedidn't have the ability now."Ryon?" She put a shaking hand over her mouth.Hot tears slid down her cheeks.His lips moved, but hedidn't speak."Always gotta be a hero, huh?" She stroked his face, cutting off his second effort to talk."Rest.You're going to be all right now."He closed his gorgeous blue eyes, heaved a deep breath, and lost consciousness.His body wasbathed in blood, his hair matted with it.He must've gotten those injuries when the creature threw himto the ground.Her hand trembled as she smoothed back the strands of blond hair.Long lashes restedagainst his cheek.God, he was burning with fever."Christ Almighty," Jax murmured."Somebody get a stretcher.We've got to get him home."Micah took off.Nick's hand landed on her arm and squeezed gently.His eyes were calm."He's going to be okay.Trust me."She searched the commander's face for any sign of deception."Is that your word as a PreCog?""It is.He'll have a rough go of it, and it'll be a near thing, but he'll survive [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]