Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“Hey.” I stand my ground but don’t offer offense. “Is Jared or Trey in?”
“Nope. Who the hell are you?”
“Someone who wants to talk to a wolf.”
“No wolves in here.” His feral eyes flick up and down, sizing me up. “At least, not for the likes of you.”
Insults, great. “You got a beef with me? Bring it.” My bear could use a fight.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a flash of auburn hair. Jordy. Fuck, I don’t want her involved in this.
“Ready when you are.” The guy folds his arms over his chest and the light in his eyes flares. Lots of muscle mass and a barely contained animal. Not sure what species, but he smells dangerous.
“Or you could just let me pass.”
“Got orders. No bears allowed. In fact, the wolves said if you showed and The Bastard wanted a fight, I could take you down.”
“The Bastard? Is that what you call your animal?” I shake my head in mock pity. Behind my back, I wave Jordy away. She paces back slowly, not drawing attention to herself. Good girl. “I’m a fighter and I got a booking tomorrow,” I tell the bouncer. “You gonna stop me from walking in then? Got a right to be here.”
He shakes his head and I get a whiff of his scent. Something fruity—bananas?
“Gorilla,” I murmur and the green eyes narrow. “All right, monkey boy, you take dictation?”
“What?”
“Can you read and write? I’m gonna leave a message.”
“Fuck off.”
“You don’t want to know the message?”
The gorilla starts to pull away to shut the door. Before he can, I punch him in the face.
He recovers in a split second and comes roaring after me. I dance backward.
“You want more of this? Sign up to face me in the cage. Animal to animal.”
“They told me about you,” he spits. “You’re in league with the leeches. You fight for them.”
“I fight for whoever pays me.”
“Species traitor.”
Fuck this. “You wanna go, banana eater? Let’s go.” He’s big, but not the brightest bulb in the box. It’ll be easy.
The gorilla stops in his tracks. I can practically read the moment he has an idea.
“Hey,” he shouts to the cat shifters. “Didn’t one of your females get bitten last week?”
Fuck.
The head cheetah, a guy with a face full of piercings and a black mohawk lopes forward. He’s lean but not scrawny. “Not one of ours. We protect our own.”
“She was a cat, though.” Another pipes up. “A rare one. Lynx or something.”
“Yeah. And a vampire bit her.” The gorilla says.
“Yeah? So?” The cat’s hackles are up. If he was in animal form his hair would be on end. Pissed.
“So this guy works with vampires.” The gorilla points at me. I growl at him and he shows his teeth. Not blunt like a normal gorilla. Sharp like the predator he is.
“Asshole,” I mutter as the cat shifters head from their bikes towards me.
“Not so brave when the odds are against you,” the gorilla scoffs.
“Fifteen to one isn’t a fair fight,” I mutter and back up until I reach Jordy. “Kit, you get ready to run.”
“Grizz,” she grips me. The cheetah pack spreads out, starting to flank me. I can’t let them circle until Jordy’s outta here.
I reach into the jacket she’s wearing, pull out my flask, unscrew the top and take a swig.
“Now. Head for the Camaro.” I give her a push. Declan, Laurie and Parker are still a half a parking lot away, watching us. They’d have my back but they’re smaller than most shifters. Their animals are messed up, broken. Not exactly fighting material. Still, I know they’ll protect Jordy.
I turn back to the lead cheetah and growl loud enough to set him back a step. “You know I can take you?”
“Not all of us.” His eyes are lit. Fuck, I’m surrounded by crazy shifters. “You the grizzly?”
I straighten. “I’m a grizzly. One of them. We’re apex predators. Not exactly endangered species. At least, not like cheetahs.” I show my teeth.
“That’s funny. There’s a bunch of us and only one of you. Now who’s the endangered species?”
One of the cheetahs breaks off from the pack and heads for Jordy. Fuck. No.
“Leave her alone,” I snarl just as the cat blocks my Kit’s path.
“You with him?” He bends down, getting in her face. “You with the grizzly?”
She looks at me, eyes wide.
“You smell like him.” He grabs her and she squawks.
Aw, hell no.
“Get your hands off her.” I head towards the guy tugging at Jordy. She’s fighting, trying to free herself.
The pack closes in. I grab the first body in front of me and haul it out of the way. It goes flying, three more take its place. With a roar I push forward.
They push me back, but I got a secret weapon. I raise my flask and drain it. Power hits my cells. Before my vision turns black, I call my bear.