The hound—still with that pole sticking out of its side—lunged for Sam. The breath of hell came at him.

“Stop!” Seline screamed, and she pushed Sam to the side. Pushed him with that power she’d absorbed from the bar, then put her body in front of his. “Stop!”

It figured the woman didn’t know you were never supposed to come between a hellhound and its food. Especially not once that hound had gotten a taste of its prey’s blood.

The hound snarled and tried to lunge around her. It didn’t look so ghostly anymore. The beast’s thick, matted fur was a mix of black and blood.

Seline’s fingers sank into that fur. “I said, stop!” Her voice had risen to a scream. “Don’t hurt him!”

The hellhound stopped. Its great body shook, as if holding back were an enormous effort.

Sam stood as frozen as the hound. Even masters couldn’t usually call back their hounds once the beasts had a taste of blood. Nothing stopped them but the prey’s death.

Seline caught the hound’s great head in her hands. The beast’s teeth were longer than her fingers, and the hound was way too close to her throat.

“Seline . . .” He inched closer to her.

The hound growled. Screw that. Sam kept closing in on her.

“You’re so sure I’m its master.” Her voice was quiet now, void of any emotion. “Let’s find out if you’re right.”

The woman obviously didn’t understand the rules about hellhounds. They had been known to bite off the hands that summoned them. They could never be fully controlled.

Which was why they were always sent right back to hell when their job was done. That was the prime rule with the hounds—always send them back fast.

The hound’s teeth snapped together.

“Easy.” Seline didn’t look worried then. She was frowning as she stared at the hound. “You’re a big, ugly bastard, aren’t you?”

The hound blinked.

Her left hand smoothed over its side. “This is gonna hurt,” Seline warned. She grabbed the bar and yanked it out. Blood gushed and sprayed into the air.

But almost instantly, the wound began to heal. Seline dropped the bar.

The hound’s thick, raspy tongue came out and licked her shoulder.

“Uh . . . let’s not do that, again, okay?” Seline said softly. This time, Sam caught the faint tremble in her voice and saw her wince. “But you’re welcome.”

The hound’s head began to lower. Subservience. Acknowledgment that she was its master.

Well, damn.

Seline glanced at Sam. “I don’t think it’s so bad. Just a big dog—”

Bullshit. Sam reached out to touch Seline’s shoulder. In an instant, the “big dog” lunged up and slammed its claws into Sam’s chest.

“No!” Seline’s snapped order.

The hound froze.

“Tell the beast to go to hell,” Sam said. He wished he understood how to send a hound back, but that was one power beyond him.

“Go to hell,” Seline told the hound instantly.

The hound didn’t vanish. In fact, the beast appeared to be getting bigger, stronger. Not good.

When they weren’t in hell, the hounds survived by drinking blood and fear. They weren’t some cute freaking pets. They were pit bulls for the devil.

But Seline was petting the thing now.

Sam risked a fast glance around the club. The stragglers were rushing for the door. Smart. But even as those folks pushed out, two familiar figures hurried forward.

Keenan and his vampire.

Keenan took one look at the hound and froze. He grabbed Nicole and tried to push her behind his back.

Fuck.

Too late. Over the centuries, hounds had developed a particular taste for vampire blood.

Seline’s hound whipped around and leapt into the air. The floor shook as the beast hurtled toward its new treat.

“No!” Seline’s shout, but this time, the beast didn’t slow. Claws swiped out and cut into Keenan’s chest, but the Fallen didn’t move.

“Run, Nicole,” he choked out, “run.”

Wrong advice. The hounds liked the chase. Keenan should know that.

Keenan grabbed the hound’s paws. Sam rushed to help him, with Seline right by his side.

With a howl, the hound shook off Keenan, and Sam saw that Nicole hadn’t run away. She started kicking and clawing at the beast. Her fangs were out, and she was screaming for the hound to get away from her angel.

Before Sam could reach her, the hound tackled her and the beast’s teeth went for her throat.