Her brain finally kicked into gear and she dashed into the living room to grab the small revolver that had been her father’s off duty weapon. She wasn’t in the habit, was probably very rusty, but he’d taught her to shoot with this weapon. Had told her never to hesitate if she needed to defend herself, and they’d deal with any fallout after she was safe. She would do the same for Adam. As he had done now, without hesitation, for her.

She ran to the back door. Pulled it open. The motion lights had come on, but they were out of its range and she couldn’t see what she could hear. But then she saw Cutter, darting into the semicircle of light and then plunging back into the shadows, that terrifying snarl seeming to echo from the walls of the house.

She heard the sound of a blow, a human grunt. Adam? Or the shadow he was wrestling with? How could he fight hand to hand with his arm like that? She knew now—oh how sweetly she knew—just how strong he was, how well he’d adapted, but sex, even as energetically as they’d done it last night, was a very different thing. He was dealing with someone who probably wouldn’t hesitate to kill him if he had to.

To get to me.

She stepped outside. Heard the thump of a body against the ground. The pavers of the far end of the driveway, she judged from the direction and distance. He’d never actually made it even close to the yard, let alone the house. Thanks to Cutter’s early warning.

She heard another blow. Heard Adam swear. She adjusted her grip on the pistol as her dad had taught her, and crept that way.

A sharp, loud crack shattered the night. She froze. No mistaking that for anything other than a shot.

Not Adam, not Adam, not Adam...

Another shot, and a red-hot poker seared against her upper left arm. She heard a scream, a split second later realized it was hers. Her flesh sizzled, burned, and she had the oddly disconnected thought she should be able to smell it, like a burned steak. Then she stumbled backward as the pain radiated through her. She hit the steps up to the deck with the back of her legs and collapsed onto them. Barely managed to keep from curling up into a ball. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. Even Cutter’s snarls seemed to fade as the ringing in her ears grew louder.

She wasn’t sure of the exact moment when she became aware of the change. It hadn’t stopped, but had at least stopped getting worse. She sucked in a much-needed breath, and then another. And another. Finally, the ringing subsided a little. Just in time for her to hear a rough voice saying, “Cutter, guard!”