Shadowed (Dark Protectors) Read Online Free

his buddies. “No offense.”
    “Offense taken,” Jase growled. “Explain yourself, peon.”
    Now that sounded like a full-blooded, pissed-off Kayrs male. Brenna’s breath heated. She had opened her mouth to speak when a second van, this one white, jumped the curb. People waving signs of protest billowed out, apparently having been stacked end-to-end inside.
    “Blast it,” she muttered.
    A woman with flashing blue eyes shook a sign. A muted orange cascaded off her skin as proof she was a powerful and irritated witch. “Get off the council now, Brenna Dunne.”
    Jase frowned and scratched his chin. “More friends of yours?”
    Henry stomped over to the woman until they stood nose-to-nose. “You evil harbinger! Leave my intended alone.”
    Jase leaned closer to Brenna’s ear. “Who are these people?”
    Damn it. She licked snow off her lips. “The protesters are a group called Citizens Revolting Against Pagurus.”
    “CRAP?” he barked out. “You have a group called CRAP protesting in Dublin?”
    The woman smacked Henry over the head with her sign. He yelped and backed away.
    “We prefer Citizens , if you don’t mind, Prince Kayrs,” the woman said.
    A harsh crease drew Jase’s brows together. “How do you know me?”
    She shrugged. “Your picture was plastered all over the immortal world when you were taken by demons. Everyone recognizes you by sight.”
    “I’m a damn milk-carton face,” he muttered. “Brenna? What the hell is going on?”
    The protesters shook their signs and surrounded the SUV. Henry and his buddies huddled close to their van. Embarrassment heated Brenna’s cheeks. “I’ll explain on the way home. Let’s go.”
    A male protester jumped forward and shook his sign in Brenna’s eyes. “Resign now, before the solstice, or you won’t live to see the darkest day of the year.”
    Jase grabbed the protester under the chin and slammed him to the icy ground. His head impacted with the sound of a melon splitting. Dropping to one knee, his hand choking the male witch, Jase let his fangs drop low and sharp. “If any of you even thinks of threatening Brenna again, I promise you’ll beg for a quick death when I’m finished discussing the matter with you.”
    The witch’s eyes closed in unconsciousness.
    Adrenaline ripped through Brenna’s veins. If Jase tightened his hold, he’d decapitate the witch. She shuffled toward him and slid her hand over his shoulder. “Jase? Let’s not kill the moron. This time.”
    He nodded, released the witch, and stood. Tension vibrated around the vampire in a more dangerous display than the swirling storm. His eyes morphed to a sizzling vampiric green as he flashed his fangs at the protesters. “I could kill you all before you thought to defend yourselves.”
    Absolute truth echoed in the soldier’s tone. Brenna swallowed. She’d forgotten how dangerous he’d been even before being taken by demons. Now, she eyed him with a new awareness. The moments of his life had converged into making Jase one of the most deadly predators in existence . . . maybe the most deadly. He stood, his gaze steady, his biceps undulating with the threat of movement. “Leave now.”
    People scattered like cockroaches.
    He turned toward Brenna. “Get in the car.”
    She swallowed and yanked open the door to climb inside.
    Without looking at anybody, Jase stalked around and slid into the passenger side. “Drive.”
    Heated air blew out of Brenna’s chest. She started the ignition and drove carefully over icy roads toward Nine headquarters.
    Silence filled the car with a heaviness that made breathing difficult.
    Finally, Jase stretched his legs out. “Why are you getting marriage proposals and death threats regarding the winter solstice?”
    Nothing much got past the vampires. Brenna flipped on the windshield wipers. “You’re aware half the world thinks I’m a freak, right?” She kept her tone even, as if the truth didn’t still hurt just a little.
    “You’re not