Using his supernatural speed he raced down the street, heading east before crossing over to the other side. Even though Estrella was momentarily out of his line of sight, he knew where she’d be entering the building and he planned to meet her there. Not to mention they had other scouts out on the street watching her that he hadn’t even told her about. He’d brought the full force of his pack here for her.

Ducking behind a building that sold wood flooring and carpet, he raced behind the few buildings until he reached the art studio. The black SUV with tinted windows was the only vehicle in the paved parking lot. It was too dark for him to see inside and there were too many heartbeats in the near vicinity for him to distinguish who was where.

As he decided on his next move, Estrella appeared from around the corner of the art building and strode toward the back door cautiously. As she moved, one of the side doors to the SUV opened and Rainer didn’t think. He just jumped into action.

Using his stealth and natural animal-hunting abilities, he hurtled himself at the tall male in a leather jacket and jeans who had stepped out and tackled him so that they fell back into the vehicle. Rainer quickly assessed that no one else was inside as he grabbed the vampire by the back of the neck then slammed his face into the window. It shattered under the impact. As they struggled, two of his pack mates who’d been lookouts appeared from almost out of thin air.

Releasing the guy, he shoved him at his friends. “Don’t kill him...yet,” he murmured, as his pack mates restrained the vamp who was still recovering from the bash to the head.

The vamp might be supernatural but Rainer guessed he was young considering how easy he’d subdued him.

He had complete faith in his pack mates’ abilities so he didn’t glance over his shoulder as he hurried toward the back door where Estrella stood. She’d seen him take down the vampire and now watched him in confusion.

He couldn’t do it. Just couldn’t let her walk in there and offer herself up like bait. Take out the vamps, but try not to kill them. Just make sure Estrella’s friend isn’t hurt, Rainer ordered Conrad telepathically and prayed the woman came out of this unscathed. If she didn’t, Estrella would never forgive him.

As Estrella’s eyes locked with his, it was like she could see what he’d just done. Her eyes widened in horror as she jerked the door open and raced inside.

Chapter 7

Estrella’s heart pounded wildly against her chest as her inner jaguar took over out of sheer panic. The guilt she’d seen in Rainer’s eyes had slammed into her chest with the intensity of a semitruck. In that instant she’d known what he’d done and panic had seared her with the knowledge that Sabrina might be hurt or worse.

Letting her beast take over, Estrella ignored the shredding of her clothes and shoes as she transformed. Her bones quickly realigned and fur now replaced skin as she sprinted down a short hallway. The sound of angry shouts and grunts had her terror growing.

She followed Sabrina’s scent to the door that opened up into a giant storage area that took up almost the entire back half of the building. She used her weight and strength and launched herself at it. Her paws hit the door and a loud crack split through the air as it broke underneath her.

She tumbled into the storage area to find Rainer’s pack mates still in their human forms fighting with the vampires. They were all spaced out in pairs fighting in the middle of the room. The overhead track lighting was dim, creating an eerie atmosphere draped in shadows. Blades and claws slashed at each other as blood and angry cries filled the air. A few of them looked at her and she knew the rest of them were acutely aware of her presence, but none of them could tear themselves away from fighting without getting killed.

Sabrina sat huddled in a corner, her eyes glassy with fear and probably a whole lot of shock. When she spotted Estrella, she let out a strangled sound. Estrella didn’t blame her. A giant freaking jaguar in an art studio would scare the crap out of her, too.

But her friend was alive. That was what mattered.

Quickly assessing the situation, she snarled and crouched low. All the males seemed evenly matched and the vampire she’d attacked the other night was fighting with Conrad. Too bad that vamp was hers. He’d taken her friend and he’d pay.

Ready to strike, she searched for an opening when a roar that made her entire body quiver filled the air. She’d known Rainer was seconds behind her but when she turned to see him in his giant wolf form hurtling through the door, she froze and stared at his magnificence. His black coat gleamed beautifully and his pale green eyes glowed. He growled at her, and even though she knew it was borne out of fear, the sound was angry and terrifying.

“No!” The vampire shouted, momentarily drawing her attention away from Rainer. The vamp used the opportunity to punch Conrad in the face so hard he flew back into a case of storage tubes with a loud crash. Knife raised, he raced at Rainer.

Estrella couldn’t attack the vamp in time, but she could do the next best thing. The thought had barely processed in her brain as she threw herself at Rainer’s body. She might be smaller as a human but in her jaguar form she was lethal and strong. Shouldering him, she shoved him to the ground, wrapping her forearms and paws around him. She braced for the impact of the blade slicing into her skin.

At the sound of the blade slamming into the floor next to her, she rolled and realized the vamp had intentionally shoved the blade there. He truly hadn’t wanted to hurt her so she used that knowledge to her advantage as she tried to keep Rainer’s body beneath her, to protect him.

But he was having none of that. Rolling them, he quickly pinned her beneath him and snapped and snarled at the vamp with the discarded knife.

The room around them went eerily quiet as the vamp held up his hands. “Don’t hurt the princess, please.” A quiet, desperate plea.

Rainer’s head tilted slightly to the side and if he’d been in human form, she’d have said he looked confused. Well, she felt the same. What was up with this guy calling her princess?

Hating that she couldn’t talk, she shifted back to her human form and tried to ignore the fact that she was naked in a room full of men and her shocked best friend who Estrella was purposely ignoring. She couldn’t deal with seeing Sabrina’s fear right now even if she could scent the sharp, almost acidic aroma.

Rainer still didn’t move or make an attempt to shift back to his human form. He just stayed hovering over her protectively, ready to strike anyone who came too close.

“Why are you calling me princess and why are you acting all concerned?”

The vampire who was clearly the spokesperson, went down on one knee and gave her a slight bow. What the hell? “I tracked this beast the other night following you. My own people have been after you, trying to bring you home, but when we thought the wolves wished to harm you—”

Anger slammed into her. “Hold the freak up! First, these wolves have done nothing but protect me. Second, I’m not a princess or a vampire. Hello? Did you not just see me turn into a jaguar?”

“You truly don’t know your heritage? I thought you were being evasive because the wolves were listening or coercing you. We needed to know before we took more drastic actions against them.” He shot a glare at Conrad who was a few feet away, carefully watching him.

She blinked and shook her head as she tried to wrap her mind around what he was saying. Yeah, she could feel a serious migraine coming on. She was going to go back to that heritage bit, but first, “Why were you all ‘you’re coming with me bonita’ all scary like if you’re so freaking concerned about me?”

He blinked at her, utter confusion in his expression. “I told you I didn’t wish to hurt you. We thought the wolf was following you, but couldn’t be sure. Then you attacked me that night. I only defended myself, but made no killing blows. And you are muy bonita. Pretty, beautiful—it’s not an insult.”

Rainer growled but the vampire and Estrella ignored him. He definitely didn’t like the vamp calling her pretty but that was the least of her worries right now.

The vamp continued. “I thought you would understand Spanish. Your mother spoke five languages, you grew up in Miami, and you are Hispanic.”

Estrella’s entire body went cold as she focused on one thing. This guy had known her mother? Had he been one of the men who killed her?

Rainer, seeming to understand the changes going on with her let out a soft growl then shifted back to his human form. His shift was brutal and he let out a groan as his bones shifted back into place. Still crouching over her, he gave his brother a sharp look. “Give her your shirt,” he snapped.

Conrad quickly stripped and tossed it to them. It was ripped down the side, but the black T-shirt would be better than her naked state. Estrella still had her arms crossed over her breasts as she glanced around the room. Luckily no one was watching her. The other pairs of vamps and shifters were definitely aware of what was going on, but they were all in staring contests with one another, ready to attack at any second. The only person staring at her in not exactly horror, but definite confusion, was Sabrina.

Her friend was in a slight state of shock. Her dark eyes were wide and her arms were wrapped around knees that she’d pulled up to her chest. As Rainer slipped the shirt over Estrella’s head, she slid her arms into the armholes but didn’t take her eyes off her friend. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “Did they hurt you?” If they did, Estrella would kill them.

Sabrina shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. So she just shook her head again.

Guilt punched through Estrella. She needed to deal with these lunatic vamps, then get her friend out of here. “We’ll be leaving soon, I promise,” she said before turning back to the vamp. As she stood, she was thankful the T-shirt fell almost to her knees. Rainer stood half in front of her, his entire naked body tense as he blocked her from the lead vampire.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you right now.” Rainer’s voice was almost pure animal in that moment.