by Olivia Myers
“Oh shit,” she gasped.
“You’re tellin’ me,” Jazz bit back, unceremoniously shoving the other woman off her. Li scrambled to her feet, and her eyes immediately darted toward the door. “Not so fast. Elsie, block the door!” Jazz called out, and Li watched in dismay as the redhead blocked off her only exit. Li wrapped her arms around herself, backing away from Jazz as the Hellcat leader rose to her feet. Li could smell the scent of her own arousal, could see her own slick coating Jasmine’s thighs. Heat rushed to her cheeks, but more than anything, fear flooded her heart as she took in the other woman’s expression. “Rodney’s girl, eh?” Jasmine asked. Li opened her mouth to speak but immediately snapped it shut, knowing nothing she said could save her.
“We gotta get rid of her, Jazz. If Rod finds out where our hideout is—” one of the Hellcats hissed, but Jazz cut her short with an upheld hand and a sharp glare.
“I realize the repercussions of what has happened,” Jazz hissed, considering Li through angry eyes. “Rodney’s girl. Wonder why I’ve never seen you with him. Or, for that matter, wonder why I’ve never seen you at all. You his dirty little secret?” Jazz rumbled, clenching her hands into fists and taking a step toward Li. The Siamese shifter stared imploringly at Jazz, trying to think of something, anything, that could save her ass.
“I’ve seen her. I know exactly who she is. Her name’s Li. Back when Jane was runnin’ things, this little broad got caught in the middle of a gang fight,” the short brunette announced, stepping between Jazz and Li. She considered Li through curious eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “Jane put her life on the line saving this girl, and she paid for it in the end,” she said sourly.
“This is the one Jane died for?” Jazz hissed incredulously. “She wasn’t even one of us!”
“Exactly!” Li shouted angrily, shoving past the short brunette and getting in Jasmine’s face. “I’m not one of you. I’ve never been one of you. It was the old leader’s fault for getting me caught in the crossfire to begin with. If Rodney hadn’t been so compassionate…” she trailed off. Her cheeks were wet.
“Isn’t Rodney the one who almost killed you?” Elsie asked from her place at the door.
“It was an accident. He didn’t know.” Li replied, hugging herself uncertainly. “He thought I was one of you.” Jazz considered Li through narrowed eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Okay. All right. It was an accident. Tell me, Miss Priss Puss—what you know about the Hellcats?” Jazz demanded. Sneering, Li stared defiantly at her.
“Rodney told me what you bitches did to this city. Extorting the businesses, taking advantage of your power as shifters and making it so the non-shifters didn’t have a choice but to listen to you,” she spat. Jazz stared at her for a long moment before snorting in amusement.
“Fair enough. And what did you, as a mistaken Hellcat, do to deserve to die?” Jazz inquired, more gently this time. Li seemed taken aback, faltering a bit before regaining her courage.
“I was just…I was trying to buy some fish at the market. A fight broke out, and the Dogs of War were trying to put an end to your reign of terror,” she said, her voice wavering slightly.
“Oh, come on! Our reign of terror? You’ve been fed a load of shit, and you’re too dumb to fuckin’ know it,” the short brunette began to rant, jabbing a finger against Li’s chest. “You just keep eating the shit up. Dining on the literal poo-poo platter!” Li stared incredulously down at her, eyes widening as she noticed the tears spilling down the woman’s cheeks. “Jane was like a sister to me, to all of us. She took us in when no one else would, when the Dogs of War threatened our very existence as shifters in this city. And she died because she stuck around long enough to let Rodney know you weren’t one of us. Fact is, he probably already knew that. He just didn’t fucking care,” the brunette screamed in with an anger that soon gave way to anguish. Jazz stepped forward, pulling the short brunette into her arms and whispering soft words of comfort. Li opened and closed her mouth for several moments before managing to get something out.
“You don’t know Rodney. None of you do. You never even gave him a chance,” she stopped arguing when Jazz sent her a withering stare.
“Cate is right. You’ve been fed his lies for too long to even consider that there might be another side to the story,” the leader of the Hellcats said gruffly. Li swallowed thickly, fear for her life returning in full force. Perhaps it would have been smarter for her to at least pretend to believe her lies until she was free.
“What are you doing to do to me?” Li inquired softly. The Hellcats all exchanged glances before turning their gazes toward their leader.
“We should kill you,” Jazz said, almost casually. Just as Li opened her mouth to beg for her life, Jazz spoke again. “But we won’t. We’re gonna let you go. And you’re gonna tell Rodney where our hideout is. There’ll be a big fight, and we’ll all probably end up dead,” she continued, still in a conversational tone. Li stared at her, eyes wide and uncomprehending. She glanced to the other Hellcats who offered no argument.
“You’re full of shit,” Li spat incredulously.
“Elsie, move away from the door,” Jazz ordered simply, her voice sounding weary. The redhead hesitated for a moment, before stepping into place beside Cate and linking their hands together. Li stared at the door, not moving a muscle. “You’re free to go,” Jazz announced, catching Li’s eyes with her own intense stare. Li held her gaze and took a single step toward the door. None of the Hellcats moved. Another step, still nothing. She held Jazz’s gaze until her hand was on the doorknob. Jazz slowly quirked an eyebrow.
“I don’t understand,” Li said, turning her back to the door and marching back to the other woman. She threw her hands up, tears gathering in her eyes as she screamed at her savior. “I don’t understand. Is this some kind of mind game? Do you expect me to turn my back on Rodney just because you offered to let me go? What do you want?” she demanded, lip trembling and hands quaking at her sides. “Are you planning to kill me later, when I least expect it?” Jazz’s expression softened, and she raised a hand, wiping the tears away from Li’s eyes.
“We don’t kill innocents. Jane wouldn’t have wanted it that way. None of us do,” Jazz offered, shrugging a shoulder. Li raised a hand, gripping Jazz’s forearm.
“But Rodney said,” Li started shakily, her words fading.
“Believe what you will. But you need to leave. Things are going to get really nasty, really soon. You don’t wanna get caught in the crossfire again, do you?” Jazz offered, guiding Li to the door. She grabbed the doorknob, flinging open the back entrance to the club and walking Li out into the alleyway. The Siamese shifter continued to grip the other woman’s arm, sliding her hand down to link their hands.
“I almost wish you hadn’t saved me,” Li murmured. Jazz laughed, a tired and humorless sound.
“Doesn’t work that way, I’m afraid,” she replied softly, rubbing small circles on the back of Li’s hand with her thumb. Li looked up at her, taking in her scarred face, wild blonde hair, and bright green eyes.
“Do you regret it?” she inquired, inexplicably fearing the answer. Jazz only needed a moment to consider before replying.
“I regret a lot of things. Saving your life isn’t one of them,” she said. Then, with one final parting smile, she slipped into the back room of the club, leaving Li to stare at the door. She inhaled shakily, turning away from the building and shifting into her feline form for the long walk home.
***
Rodney was, as usual, absent from their shared apartment by the time she came home. She idly wondered what the gruff man would think of her spending the night out. She soon shook the thought off, however, as it was rare for Rodney to spend nights at home. He’d probably not even noticed that she was missing. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand, unhappily opening the drawer to gather a pile of clean clothes. She mused that a shower might help clear her head and give her some insight on what exactly she
was supposed to do with the new information. The answer should have been simple—it was obvious the Hellcats were trying to fill her mind with lies. Rodney had been nothing but kind to her upon finding out she wasn’t one of them. He’d been the one to take her to the hospital after her injury. He even brought her home, nursed her back to health. She loved Rodney, didn’t she?
Her mind flooded with images of the calico shifter who had saved her from becoming a splatter on the asphalt. Her smile, her eyes, the way her body felt pressed against her own. Her eyes widened, and she shook off these thoughts. Even if she wasn’t with Rodney, these sort of thoughts weren’t up her alley. She liked men—men with strong arms, too-much hair, and fragile egos. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat, stepping into the bathroom and setting her clothes on the counter. She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror, cringing at how greasy her unwashed hair looked. Shaking her head, she turned on the water in the tub, adjusting the knobs and waiting for it to reach the perfect temperature before slipping into the shower. Immediately, it felt as if all her troubles were washing away. She sighed happily, turning the hot water up a bit before dipping her head back into the steady stream of water. She rarely took time to actually enjoy her showers, even on her best days. She grabbed her loofa, soaping it up before rubbing the delightful smelling suds across her body. Her strokes across her own body were languid, unhurried, just the right amount of pressure. She sighed, her happiness tinged with something more as she pressed her back against the tile wall of the shower. She closed her eyes, and her mind wandered to the night before, or this morning, and how it could have gone so differently.
In her mind, she could hear Jazz’s gruff voice tinged with longing as Li rubbed the loofa across her stomach. She dipped slightly lower and drew her lip between her teeth. The loofa fell from her hands, and the water continued to trickle down her skin as her hand forged a path between her legs. She whimpered softly, jerking her hips against her own touch and wishing she had those strong arms she had dreamed of to hold her. Forcing herself to still her movements, she languidly stroked a finger in well-practiced circles around her clit. Occasionally, she would dive in for a direct stroke, sending shudders rushing through her entire body. Her free hand found its way up to her chest. She tweaked a nipple until it was perked and standing at attention. She imagined how Jazz’s large hand would envelop her entire breast, how the larger female would roughly pull at the small bud that topped her breast, pain mixing with pleasure until—
“Ah… ah, please,” she gasped, her climax cut unbearably short by the bathroom door slamming open. She shrieked as Rodney opened the curtain and stared lecherously at her.
“Having all this fun without me? Jeez. Makes me wish I had gotten home earlier,” he said and grinned toothily. Li stared at him through wide eyes, shoving past him with a huff and grabbing a towel to dry herself. She could feel her boyfriend’s eyes on her, and she made an effort to make herself as unsexy as possible. She couldn’t explain the feeling, but she didn’t like his hungry gaze all of a sudden. “Aww, come on, you gotta have a little bit left in ya,” Rodney murmured, reaching out to take her by the wrist. She jerked away, leveling a glare at him.
“I’m sure you had more than your share of girls last night without me,” she said dryly. He drew his hand back, looking briefly startled before barking out a laugh.
“Aw come on baby! I won’t make you do it doggy-style. I know how much you hate that. We have so much to celebrate, though,” he said cheerfully. She rolled her eyes, finding that the childishness that had once seemed endearing was growing rapidly irritating. She quickly got dressed, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail before turning to actually consider his words.
“What do we have to celebrate?” she inquired, though she was certain it was something as simple as out-drinking Jeff. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and spinning in a circle with her.
“Me and the boys came up with the greatest idea. I got a little drunk, and it, uh, it sorta came out that you’re…like them,” he said, the words starting off cheerfully but quickly becoming hesitant. Li narrowed her eyes at him, tensing a hand in his shirt collar.
“Like who?” she bit out, though she was already certain of the answer.
“You know, like the Hellcats—sexy shifter of the feline persuasion,” he said, grinning one of those smiles that used to always disarm her. Taking her silence as a signal to continue, he began to ramble further. “They were mad at first. Like, you know, Rod, man! She could turn on us so easy! But I told them how fuckin’ loyal you are to me, how you trust everything I say. That got them to lighten up a bit. But here’s the kicker.” He paused, setting Li back on her own feet. “Jeff came up with the idea, and I knew you’d go for it. You know, anything to help the good old Dogs.” He smiled, cupping her cheek in his hand. She scowled, slapping his hand away and narrowing her eyes.
“What’s the big idea, then?” she demanded.
“You pretend to be one of ‘em!” he announced, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She internally cursed herself for being foolish enough to think of the idea herself. At least she’d be able to poke holes in it.
“Don’t you think they’d recognize me? It’s not like we hide the fact that we’re together,” she said, feigning boredom with the entire conversation. He laughed, clutching his stomach.
“That’s the beauty of it, baby! We can use that to our advantage! Make ‘em think I been beating you or something, then you reveal that you’re one of those cat shifters and bam—you’re in Hellcat territory. Those dumb bitches don’t regulate their recruits enough to keep an eye on you if you slip off. You find out where they’re hiding, and we’ll shoot the place up.” He almost cheered as if it were the most brilliant idea in the world. Li wished, belatedly, that she had been smart enough to cover all the details with her original plan. Then, maybe she wouldn’t be stuck head-over-heels for the leader of a rival gang. Was she in love with Jazz? She’d always believed in the romantic idea of love at first sight, but this was impossible.
“I won’t do it,” she said simply, brushing past Rodney. She hoped he didn’t see the fear in her eyes.
“But babe—you have to do it. It’s a brilliant plan. It’s the only plan we got!” he growled, staring at her. She shook her head, thinking of some way to turn the tables—something, anything.
“You’d send me off into a dangerous situation just for the sake of shooting up some girl gang? What if they find out I’m lying to them? They’ll kill me, and then you guys will have jack-shit up your sleeve,” she snarled back at him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her roughly by the arm, yanking her toward him.
“Listen, babe,” he started, squeezing painfully when she tried to pull away. “Babe,” he repeated, his eyes narrowed. “You have nothing to worry about. Those Hellcats? Those dumb bitches? They have this thing against killing innocents. They wouldn’t kill you,” he said slowly as if he were speaking to a child. She tried, once more, to pull away with no luck.
“But all those things you said to me—you told me they ruined this city. You told me that you and the other Dogs of War had to put a stop to it,” Li said shakily. Visions of her own demise ran through her head.
“Please. You’re so goddamn gullible that it’s ridiculous. Apparently playing the nice guy isn’t doing the job. So I’m going to lay the cards out on the fucking table, and you’re going to listen,” Rodney said, shoving her toward the bed. She stumbled back, struggling to keep her footing before falling back. “Ever since I met you, all those years ago, it’s been leading up to this. This very fucking moment,” he hissed, looming over her. She scrambled backward, but he grabbed her by the front of her shirt, pulling her back toward him.
“Rodney, don’t do this. I love you,” she said, cupping his face in her hands. He smiled down at her, stroking a hand through her hair.
“If you love me, you’ll find the Hellcats for me,” he said gently. Tears pool
ed in Li’s eyes, but she slowly nodded. “Good. I knew you weren’t as stupid as you look,” he murmured soothingly, kissing her on the forehead. Then he stood, and Li exhaled a sigh of relief as he walked away from the bed.
“I…I can start looking for them now. If I start now,” she started hesitantly, slowly closing her mouth as the man shook his head.
“We gotta get their attention. Gotta think smart. If it was so simple to just go out and find them, don’t you think I would have done it already?” he growled. Feeling fear in her gut, Li simply nodded in response. “Good girl. Now, me and the boys, we got an idea. All you have to do is play along. It’s that simple. You can do that, right?” he urged, and she silently nodded. “Good. Come on.”
***
“Seems a bit strange that the Dogs of War haven’t struck yet,” Jazz mused aloud, idly tossing a ball of yarn from hand to hand. Cate hummed her agreement, munching on one of their recently-frozen fish. The headquarters were notably devoid of the other Hellcats, leaving the two oldest members to reflect on their next plan of action.
“Maybe she didn’t tell ‘em. Maybe we actually got through to her,” Cate suggested. Jazz rolled her eyes, ignoring the feeling of hope blooming in her chest.
“Maybe,” she rumbled. Cate opened her mouth to speak, but the door to the headquarters slammed open, and Elsie stumbled in. Cate sat up, considering Elsie with a quirked brow, but once more, she was cut off before she could talk.
“Jazz, we got a problem,” Elsie said. The eldest members of the Hellcats rose to their feet, rushing toward the door. As soon as they stepped outside, they could hear the screams.
“That sounds like Li,” Cate murmured, looking toward Jazz. Jazz, however, had already bolted down the alleyway. She turned onto the main street and darted through traffic to make her way toward the screams. It was a setup. She knew it was a setup. It had to be a setup. Why did she have such a sinking feeling?
She turned into yet another alleyway and saw Rodney slam his fist into Li’s already bloodied face. She roared in anger and rushed forward, leaping towards Rodney, who ducked away just in time. Having overextended herself, Jazz stumbled forward. She worked quickly to correct herself and turned toward Rodney. He bolted toward the back of the alleyway, shifting into his dog form and slipping into the darkness with an amazing amount of stealth.
