Broken Souls by Jade M. Phillips Page B

hand,
seeking out my next target— the shortest of the three. But once I caught sight
of him, he scrambled backward tripping over his own feet. He turned and bolted
into the horde of spectators, faster than a speeding bullet. I tried to calm my
heaving chest, thinking I was no piece of meat and sure as hell wouldn’t let
anyone treat me that way.
    The crowd parted, leaving me standing alone with fisted hands
and bared fangs. My body trembled and I breathed deeply, trying to subdue my
own fury. I scanned the people watching me, their faces contorted in confusion,
and couldn’t help but think a small blonde vampire hurling large werewolves
like Frisbees on a windy day was probably quite the sight.
    “Enough!” A baritone voice boomed from behind me, but I made
no move. “There’s nothing else to see here.”
    Jax appeared before me, fully dressed in old-western pants
and suspenders, his frown even more distinct than before. If I wasn’t so wound
up I might’ve been frightened by his booming presence, but the adrenaline
coursing through me made it hard to care. He grabbed me by the arm and stormed
me through the astonished watchers and out the back door of the Saloon, the
cool air blasting me in the face. He threw me to the side none too gently, and
I frowned at him.
    “Watch yourself vamp. Remember, you are still on probation.”
    My insides still quaked with adrenaline, fear, and most of
all anger, but I stood up straight and met the werewolf’s eyes with mine. “They
were trying to take me to their room,” I growled. “They said they wanted to
have fun with me.”
    Jax and I eyed each other for one long moment, the brisk
night air stinging my flushed face. If at all possible Jax’s frown deepened. “My
young wolves know better than that. You must be mistaken.”
    Jax folded his arms over his chest and stilled. The wolf-man
still had blood on his face from the earlier brawl and it was obvious his power
would certainly match my own strength, not to mention sway the legion to have
me killed. In that regard, I didn’t want to anger him, but I also didn’t want
to get taken advantage of either. He needed to know what his young males were
up to.
    “I am telling you the truth. I acted that way out of
self-defense.”
    His face turned a deep shade of red as he let my words sink
in. “I don’t believe you. I train my young ones to act with respect and they
would never do such a thing.”
    I was about to release a huff of annoyance when a young man
exited the doors with a trash bag and stopped in front of us. My eyes had
already adjusted to the darkness and I soaked in the details of the newcomer. A
band tied his long hair in a tail and his darkly tanned skin was a contrast to
his yellow eyes. He looked a lot like Jax, though thinner and not quite as
tall. His gaze lighted on me and he frowned.
    “Are you okay?” he asked. “I saw the way those three treated
you. It wasn’t right.”
    Relief subdued me over the fact that Jax would finally know
the truth. I glanced to the stunned werewolf leader, ignoring the urge to say
‘I told you so,’ thinking I’d be no better than the immature threesome that had
assaulted me in the saloon.
    Behind the werewolf and beyond the horizon, was a subtle
glow signaling daybreak, and I could tell he was letting the young man’s words
sink in for the expression on his face. Anger flushed his cheeks more than when
he thought I was the one mistaken.
    “Then it’s true…” Jax grumbled. But he did not apologize nor
give me even a glance. “I will talk with those three later. For now, we must go
home. Come Orie.”
    The younger werewolf named Orie frowned. “But curfew isn’t
for another hour.”
    “Now!” Jax barked.
    Orie quickly stuffed the bag in a metal trash can on the
side of the building and scurried to follow Jax who hustled me away into the
dark.
    “We will be having a guest with us for a while,” Jax
grunted, tugging me along. “Her name is Ruby.” Apparently