Wayne took Avery’s elbow as she staggered a little in her heels. She wasn’t used to wearing them, much-preferring combat boots. But her mother had been explicit; she would not be allowed in unless she looked the part. So, she had raided her mom’s closet for a slinky dress and heels and had even borrowed a brunette wig. Her mom had wigs for – ugh – when she role-played with her mates. Avery had allowed her beast a small shudder for that, and then she was on her way.
While being pinned to the ground by Avery’s huge lioness, her mom admitted that the coin was basically a token for a fight club – a fight club where the shifters fought in their man-beast state. The club had been around for a few months, and for a price members were given one of the tokens which allowed them entrance.
So Avery took the token, called the team and now she and Wayne were about to go inside, get the lay of the land and hopefully, arrest everyone involved. She was also hoping to find some of their missing people.
They approached the door where her mom said it took place. It looked like a closed fish market. Avery would think they were at the wrong location – were it not for the gorilla shifter guarding the door.
Assisted by Wayne, she tottered over to him and vaguely attempted to flutter her eyelashes at him. It didn’t work very well. She was wearing false eyelashes, and when she kept closing her eyes in rapid succession, they stuck together, making it look like she was squinting. Not that it really mattered. The gorilla’s eyes were stuck on her legs anyway.
Wayne handed him the token, he glanced at it and nodded. He mumbled something about a security check and started patting them down, checking for weapons. Expecting this, they hadn’t bothered bringing their guns. His hands lingered a little on Avery, and Wayne cleared his throat.
The gorilla reluctantly removed his hands and allowed them to pass. He gave Avery a wink, and she continued her awkward squinting motion because seriously, she could barely open her eyes. She must have looked like she was making a Mr. Magoo impression.
When they were through the door, she ripped the eyelashes off and dropped them to the ground. She was supposed to be incognito, given that someone could recognize her as SEA, but what was the point in wearing a disguise if she couldn’t even see?
Cutter was outside the building, along with Wes, Lake and about a dozen members of the tactical team, waiting to hear from Avery and Wayne. Waiting to storm the building and hopefully arrest some of the shadier people who live in Los Lobos.
“Holy hell,” breathed Wayne as he took in the surroundings.
The dingy exterior of the building in no way prepared them for the burst of decadence within. It was like an upscale hotel mixed with a bordello – all lush reds and gold and velvet drapes. It reminded her of Isis’ bedroom. Except Isis’ bedroom didn’t have waiters milling around with cocktails and champagne, and it definitely didn’t have a huge pit in the middle of it.
Avery took a few steps closer to take a good look. Around the edge, there were soft looking seats so people could sit in comfort while they watched what was going on inside. The pit looked to be about fifteen feet deep, and there was wire netting over the top - presumably to stop any fighters from getting away. It was currently empty, but it had two doors or hatches on each side.
Her lioness grunted as she noticed the faint stains on the wall of the pit. Someone had tried to clean them, but she could tell they were blood. She exchanged a glance with Wayne and started trying to search the crowd for Gretchen or Alfie.
There were dozens of people there – humans, shifters, witches, and vampires. Lots of people who the SEA had arrested over the years. Avery tried to pull the bangs of her wig over her face. Yeah, she recognized more than one that she had personally arrested. Wayne was wearing a wig and glasses, and while Avery thought he looked hilarious, no one seemed to recognize him.
“Shit, is that the old mayor?” whispered Wayne, inclining his head towards an older, attractive man with a smile that could disarm at a thousand paces.
“Crap, I think it is.”
He had been very popular until it was discovered that he got his nineteen-year-old maid pregnant… and her sister… and that he had spent public funds on a new swimming pool for his mistress. He was certainly a colorful character. He was also there with a woman young enough to be his granddaughter, and he was shamelessly cupping her butt cheeks while he chatted with several other well-dressed men. Given his past behavior, perhaps it wasn’t such a shock to see him there.
Wayne stiffened and then snarled softly. “I see Alfie.”
Avery followed his line of vision, and her own animal snarled as she spotted the huge male lumbering through the crowd.
“And there’s Gretchen,” she murmured.
She was standing a little way away from everyone, watching them from the shadows. Alfie joined her. He tried to clasp her in his arms, and she batted away his efforts. She was more interested in watching everyone.
“Now?” muttered Wayne.
Avery shook her lip. “I think we need to witness one of the fights – at least the start of it. We should stop it before it goes too far. But at the moment, they’re just a bunch of well-dressed dicks standing around drinking alcohol.”
He grunted in agreement, and she continued surveying the crowd, memorizing all the people who were there.
“I’m going to try and see what’s happening behind the scenes.”
“Good idea. The fighters must be behind those doors.”
She nodded at the pit.
Wayne filtered away, smoothly making his way through the crowd. Avery grabbed a glass of champagne to fit in a little more. She was already getting a few looks – mostly because her dress was kind of low cut – but she really didn’t want anyone to look at her too hard.
“First time?” purred a velvety voice in her ear.
Her lioness yowled in surprised fury, and Avery whipped around to find herself face to face with a vampire. Not just any vampire, he was Alexei Petrov. The male was nearing his eighth century and was excruciatingly wealthy. He owned a large publishing company and many other smaller companies. He had his fangs in a lot of pies.
Avery knew him by sight but had never been introduced. As far as she knew, he was generally on the right side of the law, though her boss, Juliet once interviewed him regarding a case she was working.
She smiled at him. “Is it that obvious?” she asked.
She wasn’t a natural born flirter, she had to really work at it, but usually men just took whatever she said as flirtation, especially if she smiled at them. Plus, she had been undercover before. She could manage a little small talk with someone old enough to be an exhibit in a museum.
“It’s my first time, too. A potential business associate brought me – I believe he’s trying to impress me and he thought this would be the way to do. I’m guessing tonight will be my last visit here.”
Avery raised an eyebrow politely. “Oh?”
He smiled in amusement. “I’m not entirely sure what is happening, but if SEA agents are here incognito, I don’t imagine it’s anything legal.”
The smile froze on her face. She could play dumb and pretend she had no idea what he was talking about.
He leaned forward. “Your secret’s safe with me, but I don’t really wish to spend the night in an SEA holding cell, so I think I’ll be going.” He downed his glass of blood and pulled out a business card. “By all means contact me if you wish to interview me. I’m sure my assistant will find you an appointment.”
He winked at her and strolled away. Her beast growled in annoyance, but she wasn’t going to waste her time trying to stop him. Besides, she already knew who he was, even without his business card. For now, she had bigger fish to fry.
The lights dimmed slightly.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” boomed an announcer, “if you’d like to take your seats, our first fight will begin in a few moments.”
Avery held back as people jostled for seats. She noted that the former mayor managed to wangle a seat, front and center, mostly because he pushed a middle-aged woman out of the way to get it.
She pulled out her phone, ready to call Cutter and have him send in the cavalry.
“Tonight,” continued the announcer, “we have a very special contender. With us tonight we have a crime fighter…”
Her lioness let out a small meow. No, it couldn’t be.
“Los Lobos own vigilante…”
Please no.
“Presenting Wolfman!”
The lioness roared in outrage as Avery watched, horror-stricken, as Wolfman – her boyfriend – was thrust into the ring.
“No,” she breathed, her chest tightening.
She hadn’t given him a thought since she got there. She thought he was safe, at home, away from all this. What the hell was he doing here?!
“Tonight, Wolfman will face his deadliest foe yet. Tonight he will face the undefeated champion of the ring. Tonight he will face the unbeatable tiger!”
An enormous beast of a tiger hurtled into the ring, heading straight for Wolfman. Her Wolfman. Her mate! Her gloriously sexy, funny and charming male. He may have this crazy idea that she was too good for him, but nothing could be further from the truth. Bigger, tougher shifters than him would think twice before doing half the crazy things he did, but Wolfman – her Winston – was so incredibly brave. Too brave huffed her agitated lioness. He just tried to help people, tried to save them without even being asked or paid to do it. He was her hero, and not just because he donned a costume and fought crime. He was her hero because he was sweet and funny and loved everything she loved. He was the kind of guy other men wished they could be. Her lion had fended off the advances of more than two dozen sneering lions, left her pride and waded through the revolting waters of dating morons to get to him, and she damn well wasn’t letting him get away now.
Rawr!
*
Wayne reached out and steadied a tray of drinks as a waitress stumbled slightly. She looked up at him and smiled sheepishly. He grinned, all teeth and predatory charm and gave her a wink. She blushed profusely, and he could scent a sliver of arousal floating his way. She was a pretty, petite brunette with chocolate eyes and high cheekbones. Ordinarily, she would peak his interest, but not now. No, his interest hadn’t been peaked by other women in months.
He was perhaps more rugged than handsome. His face had hard lines, and his nose looked perpetually broken thanks to one too many fights with his brothers when he was younger. But he could still charm females with just a laid-back smile and a lazy wink.
Perhaps he should relieve her of the tray, take her away to a dark corner and persuade her into divulging everything she knew. Wasn’t the first time he’d done it. His gator sneered, and Wayne sighed and let her go on her way.
He could have talked to her, could have charmed her. She might have known something useful that might help him – like how to get to the ‘employees only’ area. He needed to take a peek at what was happening. Needed to know for sure this place was as bad as they were expecting. Needed to make sure there was no back exit in case anyone decided to make a run for it in that direction.
He just wasn’t in the mood to charm anyone at that time. Nope, not since that damn, curvy lioness tripped her way into his life, and he did mean tripped. Right through his window and straight into his bed. He knew he had to wary of Avery’s sisters, but he had no idea this would happen. His beast and his dick had been enamored with her ever since they met her and it was really starting to piss him off.
Wayne sighed and sidled into a dark corner. He found himself in a corridor with locked doors. He waited a few moments, lurking in the darkness. He was good at lurking, gators generally were.
It paid off as a couple of tough looking males walked past him. They unlocked one of the doors and quick as a flash, Wayne leaped out and grabbed the door before it closed fully. He waited a few moments to allow the males to move away, and he peered through it.
No one seemed to be hanging around, so he slipped through and carefully started moving towards the growling noises.
He peeked into an open area, and his gator growled at all the beasts in cages. Shit. Avery warned him, but wow, they were half man, half beast. Incredible.
He must be near the bottom of the pit. He could make out the doors he’d seen. The men in black – why were bad guys always in black – were using cattle prods to get the creatures riled up. Probably pissing them off so they could throw them through the doors and let them fight to the death. His gator flicked his tail in disgust.
He frowned as two guys seemed to be dragging a man – not a creature – to the door. The man was in black, but he was definitely still human shaped. His outfit looked kind of familiar.
Wayne stilled as a booming voice announced that tonight they had a special guest – Wolfman. The door was then dragged open and the man hurled through it.
Shit. That was why the outfit was familiar. The man was Wolfman. Wayne vaguely knew about the vigilante crimefighter, knew it was widely believed he was a shifter, but it didn’t look like he would last ten seconds against the roaring tiger-beast currently being pushed up to the other door.
He’ll be ripped apart. Wayne grabbed his phone. He could call Cutter. Except he couldn’t - no signal down here.
Another few seconds and he’ll be a meat patty snickered his unhelpful beast.
Wayne looked around wildly for something, anything. His eyes alighted on what appeared to be a power switch. Well, there was a lightning bolt and a warning sign.
“That looks like fun,” he drawled.
*
“Uh, good boy?” tried Wolfman.
Nope, didn’t seem to be working.
“Down boy?”
Nor did that. The huge beast just kept advancing on him. Riled by the crowd, the creature snarled and howled, swiping a ginormous paw at Wolfman. He dodged, jumping to the left. He missed the wicked looking claws, though his cape didn’t fare quite so well. The beast shredded it like butter.
His wolf was pushing him to shift. He should; he at least stood some chance as his beast. More than he did as his human side. Though, probably not much more.
The creature let out an unnerving howl and swiped at him. Wolfman managed to dodge, though it was a close thing. Maybe he could do this – maybe he could keep avoiding him. His wolf didn’t seem too convinced. His beast had a strong feeling that the animal in front of him was merely taunting him. Playing with his food.
Shit. He was going to die in this pit surrounded by obnoxious assholes, and his beautiful Avery would never know. Maybe she’d think he just abandoned her. Maybe she would find comfort with one of her enormous, buff workmates.
The hell she will howled his beast.
Avery was his, and she was not allowed any male other than him. Certainly not a larger, stronger one!
He scrabbled at his belt, and his fingers alighted on his torch.
“Ummm…”
He whipped it out and shined it in the creature’s eyes. Yep, just made him angrier. Wolfman dove out of the way as another massive paw tried to catch him.
Wolfman was considering that he needed some kind of plan - because his utility belt really didn’t have anything more useful than a torch, when the lights cut out. Even the massive beast braying for his blood paused, but only for a moment because the next, he was back to trying to maul Wolfman. There were shouts, the pounding of feet and a few screams around them, but they didn’t seem to distract the tiger in any way. At least, until he heard a blood-curdling roar and a massive lioness hurled herself into the fence.
The protective wire barely even slowed her down. She pushed right threw it and dropped in front of Wolfman, taking a protective stance and snapping her massive jaws at the tiger. She was long, sleek and her pale gold fur shone even in the half-light. She was unnaturally beautiful. It couldn’t be anyone else.
His beast roared excitedly and then roared in alarm at seeing their gorgeous lioness.
“Avery,” Wolfman breathed, both relieved to see her and now horrified that she had taken the tiger’s attention.
She nodded her head slightly and then with a snarl, launched herself at the tiger. The animal was a lot bigger than her, undoubtedly a lot stronger, and a lot more agile given that he could stand on two legs, but even he was surprised at the lioness’ speedy attack. She was trying to get in as many scratches and bites as she could before he used his superior strength to fight back.
His wolf didn’t hesitate. Protecting himself was one thing, but he needed to help his fearless mate. Mine. His wolf pushed free and threw himself into the fray. He couldn’t let anything happen to her. His mate, his goddess, the most incredible woman in the world. She was his since the moment they met in that stinky alley. His since she pressed her perfect lips to his. His since he first caught her glorious scent, and no one was going to take her away.
They fought the beast together. When the beast managed to throw lioness to the ground, up popped the wolf to take a bite out of him. Admittedly, the lioness was a much more skilled and strong fighter, but as he caught the pride shining in her glowing golden eyes, it just pushed him to fight harder. Sadly, nothing they did seemed to have any effect on the creature. He just seemed to be getting stronger, and bigger somehow, while they just tired themselves out trying to fight him.
Avery growled in frustration and with a huff, she pushed through her shift, into her naked, human form. Now, that did give the beast pause for thought. He stopped trying to put the wolf’s innards on the outside of his body and just stared at Avery, a sneer curling his upper lip as his gaze crept over her long limbs.
The wolf growled. Eyes on her face, dick.
“We don’t want to hurt you,” said Avery in her gentlest, honey-soaked voice.
The tiger snorted.
“But you need to calm down.”
She held up her hands and tried to take a step towards him. Both the wolf and the tiger snarled in objection. The tiger lunged at her, and the wolf moved to intercept.
Avery groaned and slipped back into her lion skin, leaping on the tiger. The wolf wrapped his jaws around the beast’s leg while Avery clung to his back, her jaws planted in his shoulder.
The beast howled and stumbled around the ring, dragging the wolf as if he were a naughty child who wouldn’t let go of his leg. He wouldn’t either, at least until iron-clawed hands grabbed him by the scruff and ripped him away from the flesh of his leg.
The tiger creature held him up in the air. The wolf’s paws scrabbled for purchase, but he was truly helpless at this beast’s mercy. He caught a look of fury in Avery’s eyes, and she dug her fangs into his flesh with even more enthusiasm.
The beast let out a sound between a roar and a scream, throwing his head back in agony. Winston took the opportunity to shift and slipped out of his grasp. He dropped to the ground on wobbly, tired legs, but he wasn’t going to stop now. He had a mate to protect. Admittedly, she was probably protecting him more than her, but he wasn’t about to desert his lovely lady.
He ignored his twisted ankle and was about to throw himself into another shift when… thukt! Thukt! There were a few moments of silence and then, thukt! Thukt! Thukt! Thukt!
Two darts shot into the beast’s considerable chest. Then apparently whoever was doing the shooting decided it was best to send four more, just to be sure.
Winston held his breath as the huge creature weaved on his feet. Quickly, Avery shifted to her human form, and Winston caught her as she jumped off the falling beast. As the animal dropped to the ground – making a louder noise than King Kong did when he fell off the building – Winston collapsed under Avery’s weight, and they sprawled on the ground. She wasn’t heavy, but he doubted he could lift a balloon at that moment.
“You alive?” shouted a loud, disagreeable voice. Avery’s friend, Cutter.
“Not sure,” yelled Avery.
Then she started chuckling. A small trickle at first, but soon it devolved into full-blown chuckling. Avery slung an arm around him, hiccupping with laughter.
Winston stared at her for a moment before joining in. With his last remaining strength, he gathered her in his arms and buried his face in her hair.
Mine.