What the hell? Why this glamour again?
One of the shifters followed, tearing into the office, hot on my tail. I could sense him, hear his panting, smell his foul sweat. He was that close. I didn’t dare glance back.
I skidded to a stop and took a sharp left. A crash sounded behind me. I kept running and reached a landing with a set of steps that led up and another that led down. A door stood to my left. I tried it, but it didn’t budge. I froze for a beat, unsure of which way to go.
A horrible snarl rent the tight space, and I whirled to face a huge creature the size and shape of a gorilla. It stood on two legs and pounded his chest with boulder-sized fists. A shifter unlike any I’d ever seen before. My hyper-sensitive ears reverberated with its growl. My nose wrinkled as the stench of animal musk hit me. And my eyes... everything looked different, sharper somehow, especially the creature’s claws and pointed teeth.
The next thing I knew, I was snarling back at the beast, crouching low, one hand on the floor.
Um, what the hell?
Was a glamour capable of scrambling your brains this badly and making you believe you were Queen of the Jungle? I didn’t think so. At least, I’d never heard of anything like that, but the world held many secrets, so, who knew.
A small voice inside an even smaller corner of my brain tried to make itself heard.
This isn’t a glamour, you idiot.
Then what the hell is it?
Whatever the answer, it didn’t matter—not with King Kong advancing in my direction.
I pounced.
Really? What in the dreadful world of Planet of the Apes had gotten into me?!
I soared through the air like some acrobat, and a second later, I slammed into the beast’s chest. My claws slashed and teeth gnashed, snapping shut on something. King Kong’s ear?
Gah, nasty!
I bounced away, flipping in midair, then landed on all fours and spat. King Kong roared, a leathery hand pressed to the side of his head. With a shake, he leaned forward and dropped on his knuckles, bearing his throat in a furious growl.
“Ew, ever heard of mouthwash? Or mints?”
Another stinky growl.
Shit! I’d really pissed him off.
He charged. I held still for a heartbeat, then jumped out of the way. The beast went flying down the staircase, bouncing on the steps, crashing through the railing, and rolling to a stop at the bottom landing.
I whirled and kicked at the locked door. I stared open-mouthed as it swung open with the sound of splintering wood. What had Walter cooked into that ribeye? I rushed through the door and found myself in a covered garage with a couple of cars up on racks, and a few empty spaces for more. It was dark, and I shouldn’t have been able to see, but my eyes seemed to be doing some Superman shit.
The smell of gasoline and grease was worse here, nauseating. Huge, closed metal doors lined the left side, the kind that roll up on a chain. Outside the doors, I could hear the sounds of a battle raging. How many was Jake fighting now?
God, please, let him be okay.
My eyes roved around looking for an exit, but I’d reached a dead end. King Kong roared behind me, his massive feet thundering. He was coming. Frantically, I searched the wall for a button that would open the garage doors. Nothing. I ran to the other end and searched there. Still nothing.
King Kong burst into the room, stomping like a giant. His savage glare homed in on me right away. He could see me as clearly as I saw him.
I dropped to all fours—what was the deal with that?—and hid behind a wide rolling toolbox, the kind with a bunch of little drawers. The beast came at me, feet thudding against the concrete floor. My eyes darted left and right, looking for an escape. There was none.
The beast came around, and without thinking, I jumped inside the closest inspection pit, dropping to the bottom in a crouch. I glanced back up from its depths. King Kong’s head appeared above, a massive noggin the size of a car tire.
He’s too big to fit. He’s too big to fit.
The beast’s shoulders were as wide as a wardrobe, and this space was only big enough for one human, preferably a mechanic. This reasoning was all well and good, but it didn’t change the fact that I was freaking trapped in a hole that could easily become my greasy grave. I wrinkled my nose at the tarry smell and wiped sleek hands on my pants. The stuff had smeared all over me and I reeked.
Without taking my eyes off the beast, I moved toward the metal rungs that led out of the pit. King Kong bounded in their direction and blocked the exit with its massive body. Placing one hand to either side of the slit, he roared into the tight space. I clasped my hands over my ears, my eardrums threatening to burst. He reached one arm in, his enormous hand grasping, trying to reach me. I crouched low, heart in my throat.
My panic mounted. Tingling energy coursed through my body, growing, pounding. My heart hammered in my ears, speeding up like a locomotive. My anxiety surged like lava inside a volcano, looking for release. My body convulsed.
Oh, crap! Panic attack.
Breathe, Toni, breathe.
My heart was bursting. I was having a seizure.
King Kong roared again. The sound drove me over the edge, and I blacked out.
Chapter 36
A wave of change rippled through my body.
It was release and closure, both at the same time. Part of me reveled in the moment while the other fought to make it stop. But the former had been denied for so long, it wouldn’t back down.
The time had come.
At last.
My every limb flailed out of control, rippling from within, finding a new shape that it had craved since the beginning of time. Bones elongated and thickened, twisting in different directions. Sinew knitted itself thicker, growing in bulk. My clothes ripped and fell away in tatters.
Pain racked me. It was exquisite, and I welcomed it. I’d yearned for it, craved it, and it was finally here. No one could stop it now.
I’ve been caged, repressed, and forbidden, but no more!
Fur and claws and a tail... They all sprang into place, exactly where they should have always have been. My senses, which I had always thought sharp and keen, revealed their true power. What I could hear, see, and smell now put my past to shame. Even the many years of grease accumulated in the dark corners of the pit revealed themselves.
Joy rippled through me, and I howled, lifting my head, flattening my ears, reveling in the knowledge of what I was: a werewolf.
My head snapped toward my enemy still blocking the exit. It had stopped roaring and stared at me curiously, his reaching arm frozen.
Without fear, without inhibitions of any kind, I attacked.
I leaped and snapped my jaw around the beast’s forearm. He pulled back, but I didn’t let go. This enemy was strong, but I wasn’t afraid of him. I could hold my own. I was strong, too. He swung his arm, and I still held on, bitter blood filling my mouth.
As he prepared to slam me against the floor, I released him, soared through the air, and landed on all fours. Teeth bared, I circled the beast. My thoughts had turned to liquid, incensed by the taste of blood. Instincts took control, letting me know exactly what I needed to do.
I feigned toward the pit, and when the beast leaned that way to block me, I jumped toward the wall in the opposite direction, bounced against it, then toward the beast’s heavy body. I slammed against his shoulder, setting him off balance, then landed a few feet away. My enemy teetered for a couple of beats then, with a final push of my haunches against his leg, King Kong fell sideways and got wedged inside the pit. For good measure, I pounced on him, then hopped back onto firm concrete.
His visible arm and leg flailed as he struggled to pull himself out, but he only managed to embed himself further. I snapped my teeth in triumph, then turned my attention toward the sounds of battle outside.
I trotted out of the garage in leaps and bounds, going the way I’d come. When I reached the window-lined hall, I sprang toward the glass panels with
out a pause. I crashed through them, shards raining all around me, and landed in the outer garage.
My keen eyes scanned the area. I’d landed next to a dark SUV, sandwiching myself between it and the wall. With another push of my hind legs, I jumped on top of the car, bounding from its hood to the roof. From there, the battle took shape, igniting a wild yearning to join and brawl. But against whom?
Chaos reigned, and I had no idea who was friend or foe. Cars were smashed. The metal door that led to the street was thrown open, twisted. Claw marks raked one side. A couple of bodies lay bleeding on the grease-stained ground—about a dozen others still fought. Where had they come from?
Claws, fangs, tusks, horns flashed. I saw vampires, werebears, werecoyotes, but where was the wolf? He was my friend. I had to help him.
A panicked feeling built in my chest. I couldn’t spot him. Then I heard a snarl that spiked my awareness. I whirled to find a dark gray wolf pushed against the corner, two vampires looming over him. He was bleeding from a gash by his snout and another by his side.
Bounding over two cars, I reached him and pounced on one of his attackers. Caught by surprise, the female vamp let out a piercing cry. My jaw clamped around her neck, and I bit with all my strength. As we toppled over, the vampire reached back and dug her claws in my throat.
We landed with a thud. I was large, so much larger than her. I pressed my full weight on the vampire, sinking my own sharp claws into her. I jerked my head, tearing half of her neck off. She screamed in agony. I spit and bit again. My large muzzle encompassed what was left of her neck, and as I snapped my jaw closed, her head broke off. I snarled, shaking myself. The vampire’s head rolled off to the side, its oily black eyes unblinking, its tongue lolling.
Something inside me twitched at the sight of the severed head.
What are you doing?!
I shook my great head—pushing the small, bothersome voice aside—and turned toward the second vampire and the wolf. He was deeply injured, favoring his right side, limping, but he still held his own against his enemy. I joined his side and snarled at the vampire, a tall male with a thick neck and shoulder-length hair.
The gray wolf gave me a sideways glance, his nose twitching, inhaling my scent. Distrust filled his eyes. My fur reeked in a cloying way with that dark stuff from the pit. I could smell it myself. He didn’t like it any more than I did. I figured he couldn’t recognize me, but that didn’t matter. I knew him, and I knew I had to protect him.
He was pack.
The thought seemed both right and wrong, but at the moment, only the battle mattered.
In unison, we attacked. I aimed high while the gray wolf aimed low. The vampire moved fast, his arms striking in a blur of movement that slammed against the side of my head. I flew sideways and crashed against a car. Dazzled, I stood and blinked.
The gray wolf had his jaws clenched around the vampire’s ankle. The vampire leaned down to grab him, but I lunged forward and smashed into him. He lost his balance and fell. The gray wolf and I went for the neck. He got there first, and with one powerful snap, took the vampire’s head off.
The gray wolf spat blood, his long pink tongue flicking to one side in disgust. His eyes met mine. They shone with mesmerizing silver light. He lowered his head in thanks. I bowed slightly, watching him closely, relieved that he was all right, his wounds already healing.
The fight went on around us. A small coyote soared overhead and crashed through the windows and into the building.
Suddenly, the sound of sirens filled the air. They wailed, piercing the night, getting louder by the second. My ears perked up and so did the gray wolf’s.
Help is coming, a part of me said, though I couldn’t quite fathom why. The only help I knew were my fangs and claws, and my own strength.
The battle slowly came to a halt. Then, everyone scrambled, running out of the twisted metal door, jumping on top of cars and leaping to the roof, escaping.
Whirling toward a white van, the gray wolf rushed in its direction. I followed him, intent on staying by his side to make sure he remained safe. He circled the van to the back doors. There he shifted, his magnificent furred body elongating and becoming slick—foreign and familiar at the same time.
I angled my head, regarding him curiously. He attacked the van, breaking one of its back windows with his elbow, then reaching inside to pull on something, and finally yanked the doors open. He seemed to hold his breath as he peered inside the dark interior.
I moved closer for a better look.
A sweet, warm scent pierced through my nose, making me want to sneeze. I blew air out, shaking my head. A man sat inside the van, strapped to a bolted chair, and swathed in many scents.
“Stephen!” The one who had been the gray wolf exclaimed. He darted into the van and went to the odd-smelling man.
Stretching up, I put my front paws on the back of the van and peered in. I blinked at the humans, a strange sensation of calm descending over me. I didn’t want to fight anymore. It was all going to be all right.
Jake pressed his fingers to Stephen’s neck.
I shook my head.
Jake? Stephen?
Yes. Those were their names, weren’t they?
A whimper escaped me as more and more confusing thoughts popped into my head.
“Thank God!” Jake exclaimed. “You’re going to be all right, buddy.”
I pulled away from the van, front paws landing on cold concrete. Jake glanced in my direction, frowning at me.
“Thank you,” he said, lowering his head. “What’s your name?”
I shuddered. My name? What was my name?!
The sirens had reached us. Car doors slammed shut outside. Voices. Rushing steps. Panic filled my chest. They couldn’t find me. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I turned tail and ran.
“Wait!” Jake called behind me. “Tell me who you are.”
I ignored him and jumped through the hole I’d made in the windows. I landed inside, skidded to a stop, then ran toward the steps where I had first fought King Kong. I hurtled up the stairs, ignoring the beast’s angry growls echoing from inside the garage. It seemed he was still stuck in the pit.
With four giant leaps, I climbed to the third floor where, without stopping, I rammed against a flimsy door and burst onto a flat roof. Without pausing, I dashed in the direction of the shining moon, bounding from roof to roof until I lost myself in the sounds, sights, and the smells of the city.
Chapter 37
I awoke by degrees, becoming painfully aware of something prickly against my skin. My entire left side felt irritated. Also, I was cold, very cold. I blinked my eyes open to a purplish sky painted with yellow and orange at the edges. A few birds sang in the distance.
What the hell?!
I sprang to a sitting position to find the only thing I was wearing was nail polish. And it was pretty chipped. With a gasp, I draped my right arm over my breasts and placed my left hand over my crotch. My gaze danced frantically, and my lungs worked double-duty.
Where in the world am I? And how in the witchlights did I get here?
I set to answering the first question. From the looks of it, I sat atop a roof, sitting on a bit of gravel next to an air-conditioning unit.
Now, to that second question... The last thing I remembered was...
Wait, no!
The last thing I remembered must be part of a dream because there was no freaking way I sprang up claws and caught up to a gazelle-fast Fae. I also remembered four figures appearing out of nowhere and then... And then what?
I had no idea. And what about Jake? Was he all right?
Trembling, I rose to my feet, and still covering my important bits, walked to the edge of the roof. Across the street, Cup o’ Java stood with its blinds closed.
Crap!
I was on top of my office building, but how? Maybe I’d passed out and Jake had brought me here. I shook my head. No, that made no sense at all. He wouldn’t leave me naked on a roof. Maybe I’d been abduct
ed by aliens, and now I was pregnant with a buggy-eyed green baby. I shuddered.
And what about Stephen? Had Jake found him?
The questions kept multiplying inside my head like rabbits on hormone therapy, and no matter how creative I got with my answers, none of them made any sense. As important as figuring out what had happened was, I had a more pressing issue... I needed to get down from here before people started filling the street below. It was probably close to 6 AM, so it wouldn’t be long.
I ran to the back of the building, tiptoeing and cringing as gravel poked the soles of my feet. There wasn’t a fire escape, so an ivy-infested old trellis might be my best bet. When I got there, I sighed, relieved to find that the trellis reached to the top of the building.
After making sure no one was around, I swung a leg over the ledge and lowered my bare ass onto the trellis, my feet and hands searching for purchase through the dense vines. A chili wind blasted my butt cheeks, making me shiver. Adding insult to injury, goosebumps rose all over my skin and my breasts perked up. A blush rushed into my cheeks as I imagined some perv watching me climb down. But I refused to check again and reassured myself that no one roamed the alley at this early hour.
The trellis creaked, making me fear it would give under my weight, but it held, and I made it to the ground. When I scanned the area, I confirmed that the alley was, indeed, empty, and no one had ogled my behind. Or my spleen.
The smell of garbage wafting from the nearby dumpster reminded me I’d left my purse back by the repair shop. Damn, would anyone notice it? I had to get back there to retrieve it. But that was a problem for later since I was still working on the “naked” one.
Scanning the alley in both directions, I found my path still free of Peeping Toms, ran out of the alley and around the building. If someone saw me, I would surely be booked for indecent exposure, and I would get kicked out of the building. No doubt my contract included a clause dealing with streaker females.
At the corner, I halted and checked the street. No one. I was about to run toward my office but stopped when I heard a car. I waited, heart in my throat, pressing my backside tightly to the wall. The car eased by and disappeared.
The Tracker's Mate: Sunderverse (Mate Tracker Book 1) Page 20
