Chapter 24
Jude
Jude was going to fucking kill Kai when this was all over, if he survived, he admitted to himself. A fucking dragon! Earlier in the evening, Jude had suspected he was being set up and, once again, his instincts had been right.
That fucking warlock was going to regret his double-cross, Jude told himself. Jude just had to stay alive. He didn’t have to win; he just couldn’t let himself be killed. He’d eventually heal and then he’d track Kai down and take great pleasure in ripping him into small, bloody chunks very, very slowly.
Jude looked overhead and found the warlock leaning on the nearest gangway railing, smirking down at him. Jude had seen that same look directed at Kai’s other victims so often that it was etched on his brain in permanent marker. Jude pointed one finger in the warlock’s direction, making sure Kai knew the message was for him alone. When Kai’s smile widened in response, Jude reversed his hand’s direction and drew his pointer finger across his neck in an unspoken promise. Kai laughed and waved goodbye.
Jude forced his anger down, knowing his only hope was to redirect his anger at Kai at his current opponent instead. He promised himself if he made it through this, this was his last fight. He’d been a fool to walk away from his mate, no matter if Logan accepted him or not. Jude had run back to the devil he’d known trying to protect his mate from an unwanted claiming. Jude was done trying to distract his tiger with its love of blood and violence.
Honestly, it didn’t seem to be working anymore anyway. With each fight, his tiger had grown more and more dissatisfied. Jude knew it was only a matter of time before his tiger forced the issue. Obviously, his true mate was too important to be set aside no matter how large the beast’s bloodlust could be. Even now Jude’s tiger paced just under the surface, kept suppressed by the magically-enhanced building. Jude felt the beast’s worsening frustration and feared it was well on the path to madness. His tiger’s angry ‘Mate Mate Mate’ echoed through Jude’s brain like a broken record.
“Fucking shut up so I can get my shit together,” Jude silently pleaded with his inner beast. When Logan landed in front of him, cleverly using the chubby warlock announcer to break his fall, Jude finally understood what his tiger had been trying to tell him. Jude stood in shock as his mate stood in front of his corner, challenging the dragon with his mere presence. As fearsome as Jude knew Logan to be, a wolf was no match for a dragon, even if his opponent hadn’t already been a seasoned fighter.
Maybe together, though, they could manage to get out of this alive, Jude decided. He didn’t give a shit about the rules anymore. This match had been rigged from the beginning and Jude wasn’t going to risk death now that his mate was in his grasp once again.
Jude began to step up to Logan’s side, but before he could move an inch his mate pulled out a handgun and unbelievably emptied the entire clip into the dragon shifter. Jude wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but knew he didn’t have the time. The dragon’s wounds were no way fatal. They had better both be gone before the dragon gained consciousness.
Jude tried to get Logan’s attention, yelling at his mate that they needed to run. Logan just stared as he kept firing the empty gun, his finger depressing the trigger over and over. Realizing his mate must be in shock, Jude threw Logan over his shoulder and ran for the door.
The crowd above was roaring in outrage and apparently unwilling to let the evening go without a fight of some kind. Bodies rained down onto the first floor as a vicious battle began amongst the members of the crowd. Jude spared a single second to look for Kai, but couldn’t locate the warlock in the chaotic melee. Whether he was involved in the fight or had managed to slink away untouched as was his usual modus operandi, Jude didn’t know. It didn’t matter. Jude vowed he would get the asshole one day regardless. Kai could count on it.
Jude pushed through the double doors and entered the tunnel that connected all the warehouse’s outbuildings. He took the first flight of stairs at random and soon found himself running between cars in the crowded lot, doing his best to reach the area outside the building’s magical field. If he could just get past the barrier, Jude could coax his mate to shift. Once in their fur, Jude knew they would have a much better chance of escape. Not only that, but they would be much more able to defend themselves if any of their enemies caught up.
Just before he reached the tree line, a blue SUV pulled haphazardly to a stop blocking their escape. Jude pivoted and made to head the opposite direction when a familiar voice shouted frantically, causing Jude to halt in his tracks.
“Jude! This way! Come on, Jude. They’re coming!” Jude told himself once again how lucky Ryan was to have Izzy for a mate. He turned back to the SUV and threw Logan bodily in the back. He climbed over Logan’s limp body, momentarily unconcerned at causing his unconscious mate further harm. Logan was tough. Jude knew he would heal.
The back door slammed behind him and Jude secured Logan in place with a seatbelt. Before he had a chance to get settled himself, though, the vehicle rocked and Jude found himself thrown into the opposite door. Izzy spun the SUV in a tight circle and roared out of the lot. Jude looked up to find headlights following. Lots of headlights. And they were getting closer.
“Fucking drive, Izzy! They're gaining on us!” Jude yelled. He placed a kiss on Logan’s still lips and climbed over console pulling himself into the copilot’s spot.
“Turn left! Left! No your other left!” Jude yelled frantically as if the volume of his voice would make the vehicle magically go faster. Jude felt the SUV’s outer wheels leave the road’s surface as Izzy completed the sharp turn. Jude began to plan their escape if the vehicle actually rolled on its side. Jude held his breath, blowing it out in a rush when the wheels crunched back onto asphalt. Izzy crowed loudly obviously proud of his stunt driving skills.
Jude looked back at their pursuers and saw the two lead cars hadn’t been so lucky. They’d apparently missed the turn until it was too late, one running up onto the curb and crashing into a tree. The other vehicle actually had rolled as the driver cut the corner too hard in an attempt to avoid the first. The bloated black SUV effectively blocked the road completely as it lay on its side, its wheels still spinning in the air fruitlessly.