The gun was still in Jadee’s hand and she lifted it, trying to sit up. She couldn’t just lay there or she’d die for certain.

Peggy’s sobs came from the back of the truck. They were broken, raspy cries. Jadee managed to get to her feet and stumble in that direction. The gun was useless but she could hit the bastard with it. She was willing to club him but didn’t think it would do much damage.

She froze when a new sound reached her, and she turned, wondering what other horrible thing was coming. It panted, whatever it was. Loudly. She braced for impact, gripping the gun tighter. It seemed to be coming right for them.

A big, dark shape suddenly came into view, dashing on all fours as it broke from the woods.

It wasn’t a Vampire or a soldier. She wasn’t sure what the hell it was.

It loomed bigger and she threw up her free arm, trying to protect her face and throat. The impact would probably kill her. She even closed her eyes, not wanting to see any more.

The thing passed by so close she felt it brush her leg.

I’m still alive.

She opened her eyes, the image of that beast stuck in her mind. Werewolf?

She’d glimpsed something shiny hanging around the thing’s throat. The memory of the necklace she’d seen with a silver ring hanging from the chain flashed through her head next…

Lavos!

A shriek hurt her ears, and snarling followed.

Something slammed into the truck hard enough to make metal groan.

Jadee tried to decide what to do. It only took her a second. She jumped inside the cab of the truck and dropped the useless gun. She closed the driver’s door then lunged across the seat, having to stretch to close the passenger door. She got it shut and hit the lock button. Sounds of a vicious fight filtered into the truck, reminding her of the hole in the driver’s side window, so she scooted over, getting far from the opening. She shoved the broken piece of what used to be the housing for the airbag on the passenger side out of the way.

It took effort to get the jammed glove box open and she gripped the metal flashlight the rental guy had pointed out to her. It was heavy and solid. It would help her see and she could use it as a weapon. She wished she had a shotgun in the truck.

She straightened, bumping her knee on the dash as she curled her legs up. She turned the flashlight on and twisted in the seat, trying to find the source of the fight. It definitely still raged, based on the repeated shrieks and snarls that filled the night.

Jadee found them. The big beasty thing was on top of the blond about twenty feet from the tailgate. It had the soldier pinned to the ground, one of its meaty arms swinging, claws slashing at the thing’s throat. Blood sprayed across a nearby tree.

She watched until it was over. The blond’s head actually rolled away from the torso.

The beast paused and stared her way. It looked like some kind of messed-up huge demon dog. It wasn’t furry like a wolf and it had a more muscular body. She studied his shoulders. They looked more human in shape than canine. Her gaze traveled over the rest of his body. Those thighs were too thick to belong to a dog and he wore black underwear. The small amount of material hid the area between his hips to a few inches down his thighs. She also spotted a tail. The shorts in the back were lower than they should have been, probably to accommodate it.

And she’d seen correctly—a chain with a ring hung around its throat.

She glanced up at the creature’s face again. It had the extended jawline and sharp teeth of a wolf but the eyes were wrong. They were more human looking. Their bright blue color and the fact that they glowed caused a sharp pain in her chest. It is Lavos.

Beasty version of Lavos stepped off the still body of the soldier and looked away from her, moving toward something out of the line of her flashlight. She moved the beam, following him.

Peggy lay face down and not moving.

Grief struck next. Peggy’s normally blonde hair had been turned a bright red and appeared wet. It was blood, so much of it that Jadee knew she was dead without needing to inspect the body.

Lavos sniffed at her then lifted his head again, staring at Jadee. He did a very human thing by shaking his head slightly from side to side to let her know Peggy’s fate.

Jadee turned off the flashlight and slumped in the seat. She didn’t want to see any more. Tears filled her eyes. Lavos had saved her but no one else had survived. She’d heard Brent being attacked and watched Mark die on the hood of her truck. They were all dead.

Pain lanced through her as she hugged her knees and huddled on the passenger side of the cab. She didn’t know what to do…and wasn’t sure if she even wanted to do anything at all.

At least the blond monster was dead too. The last soldier had been found. She focused on that bit of good news.

Lavos checked on the three humans, or what was left of them. None of them had survived being attacked. He lifted his head and watched Jadee. She remained inside the truck, unmoving. He put off going to her as long as he could, and then shifted back before slowly approaching the driver’s side door. He tried the handle but discovered it locked. He reached inside the broken part and grabbed hold of the inner handle, popping it open.

“Jadee? It’s Lavos.”

“I know.”

He bent down, staring at her. Her eyes were closed, and she held a flashlight as if it were a child’s toy, clutched to her chest with both hands. The interior lights of the truck weren’t bright but he knew she could see him if she’d just open her eyes. She might be too afraid.

“I’m back to normal. It’s safe to look at me.”

She did. He expected to see horror or revulsion in her eyes, but not the tears. It made him want to climb inside the truck and pull her into his arms. He might have done it except he had blood coating his skin. He glanced down, grimacing at the sight. He probably looked just as bad in skin as he had while shifted.

“I was tracking the soldier into town when I realized he’d turned this way. I came as fast as I could. I had hoped you’d made it to the highway.”

“I might have, but the blond jumped in front of the truck. Peggy grabbed the wheel.” She released the flashlight with one hand, jerking her thumb toward the front. “I was intent on running that bastard down but instead got a tree.”

He tried to make sense of it. He could see damage to her left cheek. She had struck her head at some point. It worried him.

“Running him down?”