Page 153 of Dominion

Hearing the crunch of tires, he shrank back into the shadows. The blue Range Rover that had been parked in front of Melissa’s house that first night turned down the drive and he dived into a nearby ditch to hide. Two more cars followed it down the drive.

He fought the desire to shift to protect himself and his female and jogged along the ditch that led toward the lot.

The white Toyota pickup truck that had also been in front of Melissa’s house was parked there, along with the blue Range Rover and other cars. Was the pickup Melissa’s vehicle? He hadn’t pictured her as the sort of girl who drove a pickup, but then, he’d misjudged her in at least a half-dozen ways, hadn’t he?

The lot appeared to be a construction project that had never been finished. The concrete foundation and shell stood ghost-like against the dusky sky. He palmed his gun and moved quietly, skirting around behind the building.

Deep male voices echoed off the walls, distorting the sound and making it harder for him to track their location. They appeared to be dividing up, circling around.

“Hello?”

His heart stopped. It was Melissa’s tight voice, calling out.

“We’re here. We have the money. Jeremy recovered it for you.” Her voice wavered on the lie.

“Yeah, I got it back from the guys who robbed you.”

Who the fuck was that? Jeremy?

He ground his molars, wanting to kill the motherfucker. Had Melissa’s intent been to make sure Jeremy came out of his mess clean? Was that why she’d risked her life to come here today? That bastard did not deserve her loyalty.

“Get down on your knees, hands behind your head,” Rabago shouted.

Cody still couldn’t see anyone, but it didn’t sound like they were in the same area. He crept along a concrete wall and peered around a pillar. Melissa and Jeremy were on their knees, fingers clasped behind their heads. The duffel bag of money lay in front of them.

Shit.

This was bad. Rabago would shoot them both the second he verified the money was there and there was nothing Cody could do—not with Melissa so vulnerable.

He scented shifters all around—they must be moving in quietly.

Rabago and four men stepped into the area from all directions, surrounding Melissa and Jeremy, guns trained on their heads.

“Check it out.” Rabago jerked his head toward the money.

One of his guys darted forward, running on bent knees, keeping his head ducked until he reached the bag. He grabbed it and dragged it back before looking inside. “Yeah, looks like it’s all here.”

Fuck.

Melissa’s nostrils flared and she turned her head in his direction, as if she scented him. But that was impossible.

Rabago saw her head turn and whipped his gun around to aim in Cody’s direction, firing.

“Melissa, get down,” he shouted and jumped out, firing at Rabago and missing when the guy jumped behind a pillar. The crack of guns shooting from all directions echoed off the walls, deafening him.

Melissa and Jeremy dropped to the floor. The man with the money had been shot, and Jeremy crept toward the bag on his belly.

Cody bolted for Melissa, taking two bullets to the chest.

“No!” She lunged for him, horror streaking her features.

Her scream and the bullet wounds almost forced the change upon him, but he had to stay in human form if he wanted to help her. He tackled her back down to the floor and laid on her, keeping his head down.

“No,” she sobbed. “Oh, God, no. Cody?—”

“Hush, baby. Don’t move.”

She choked on her sob, stifling it in surprise. The silly female must have thought he was dying.