"Chill, Dean. First we all drink, then you can fuck her up," another warned.
"Appreciate the chivalry," Katie retorted.
If ever you were going to appear, Rhyn, now's the time!
Dean backhanded her again, following her to the ground. He pounced, tearing at the jumper. Her head spun. She batted at him with clumsy arms, at last landing a punch in the neck, as the creatures in Hell had taught her. He gagged. She tried to shove him off, but he snagged her hips and dragged her down, pinning her hands over her head.
She squirmed. His knife cut through her jumper, slicing into her skin.
"Dean, fuck, chill man! She's gotta last the night! We're all famished!"
She cried out, and the other three pried him off. She scrambled up, watching them wrestle Dean until he shook them off. She looked down at her newest cut. It wasn't deep but it stung. At their silence, her gaze returned to them.
She saw their expressions change as they got a whiff of her blood. Whatever control they hoped to maintain slipped.
"I'm warning you," she said again, backing away. "If you…"
She heard the beastly snarl and caught the blurred mass of darkness, punctuated only by two flashes of silver, as Rhyn flew by her. A new terror filled her. As if the four fledgling vampires weren't enough…She turned and ran. One of them snagged her, but his attention shifted at the strangled cry and sound of snapping bones. Dean's head sailed over them. She stared in horror and launched forward. The vampire holding on to her didn't fight her but joined her, running with her from the possessed shapeshifter. She followed him, praying he knew the town better than her, until they ran into a dead end.
Rhyn shoved her into the side of the building with a massive paw, holding her there for a split second as a warning before he launched himself at the vampire. She heard the kid scream and hunched her shoulders, nearly vomiting at the sounds of his body being torn apart. When there was silence, she felt the beast approach her, its bloodied fangs at the same level as her head.
"Is it too late to say sorry?" she managed.
He growled low, and she jumped, squeezing her eyes closed. Swallowing hard, she tilted her head to one side in a display she hoped he took to be an apology. There was a long pause before she sensed him change forms behind her. He gripped her throat roughly and pulled her against his body. Her body shook, but she didn't dare fight him, not when he was so pissed.