by P. Jameson
Vegas swayed one last time, the room twirling like a twisted carnival ride. And when she blinked again, her eyes didn’t open. There was only the sensation of falling.
And then nothing.
Chapter Four
Monster’s ears rang with Bastian’s command. His heart thundered so loud the thump of it was all he could hear. And the voice inside that whispered sometimes when he was around Vegas, the one she awoke within him, became a furious roar.
Never. Never hurt her. Not her.
His chest burned hotter than he’d ever felt before. The tips of his fingers sizzled and it reminded him of the single time he’d ever felt the fire Malcom and Ratchet contained. It had burned from his hand while he held a picture of Vegas sitting sadly in the basement with the other Dolls. One glance and all his protective instincts had roared to the surface taking him by surprise.
Now he felt it again. Charging through him until he thought he could pull a firecat from his body the way the others did. But when he tried to shift like he used to, before the witches’ curse, there was nothing but his anger and frustration to call forth. No roaring, blazing animal side to fight his battle.
Nothing to protect his female.
Goddamn it.
But before he could tell Bastian to take his fucking threats and push them up his ass, Vegas went down like a sack of potatoes.
Monster lunged forward to catch her before she hit the floor.
“Shit.” He held her awkwardly in his arms and glared up at Bastian, who looked unconcerned. “She needs to eat. It’s been too long.”
“She can eat when she’s worked for it.”
Fucker. Monster was going to kill him someday. Tear him to shreds. Make him regret this moment. All of his moments.
“She won’t be able to cook product like this,” Monster argued. Whatever he needed to say to get some food in her.
Bastian sniffed and sat back in his chair. As if he hadn’t just lost his shit over her refusing to do as she was told. As if he hadn’t just ordered Monster to fucking kill her. The man was an evil goddamned beast.
“She can have the Dolls’ leftovers tonight. Now get her out of here.”
Monster scowled.
How benevolent of him. As if he fed the Dolls enough for there to be any leftovers.
Monster lifted Vegas carefully into his arms and strode angrily from the boss’s office.
“Leftovers my ass,” he muttered under his breath.
She’d be eating like a goddamn queen by morning. He’d see to it. Because fuck the plan. Fuck promises. He was getting her out of here. He was gonna make her safe. Take care of the only sliver of hope he’d felt in years.
Pushing through into the dark stairway that led to the basement, he stared down at Vegas. She lay limp in his hold, her weight barely registering. Like a feather that could blow away in a stiff wind. She wasn’t pretty, not in the way he was used to, but he didn’t care. Her bravery made him crave her like nothing else. The way she’d stood her ground before the demon boss.
Monster had kept as close as he could in the office, practically looming. Hoping she understood he had her back. Hoping she remembered his promise.
He stiffened as a soft whimper escaped her throat and her fingers curled against his chest. If she woke and saw him holding her, she’d be terrified.
He prepared to set her on her feet before she decided to kick or scream.
But she didn’t wake. Instead she… she… snuggled closer to his chest, pressing her cheek to his shoulder, freezing Monster to his spot on the floor. She was chilled, her skin cold through his shirt, and her breath cool where it hit the hot skin of his neck. But it didn’t matter. He only seemed to grow hotter and hotter.
Mine, the voice inside claimed, and it sounded so sure.
Monster nodded his agreement. The voice had to be right. He’d always trusted the animal he contained before. And he knew this one wasn’t sick from his raising.
This one was new.
“Mine,” Monster whispered out loud, letting his gaze roam the soft features of her face.
Kill her? Never.
He was going to keep her. For forever.
However long that turned out to be.
***
Monster yanked open the door of Alley Cat Waste Management so hard it nearly came off its hinges, and stalked into the warehouse.
Leaving Vegas in the basement with Nyla and the others was the hardest thing he’d ever done. But she was safe with them. For a little while. For now. Bastian wouldn’t bother her until morning.
Monster found the dime-store clock that hung on the wall over the offices. 7pm. Enough time to lay it all out for the guys and get back to her before morning.
Raunchy music blared from the upstairs loft, and he could hear Fang slurring his words already. The nightly party was in full swing. The smell of booze and sex was on the air, and he hoped his clan wasn’t too far gone to do what needed doing.
Mama Kitty poked her head around the door of her office and her wary gaze met Monster’s. She was Ratchet’s mother, and the only female to remain with the clan throughout the years the brutal Fathers ruled. When they were all dead and gone, and the sons had grown into monsters to take their place, she still stayed. As the only female in the Alley Cat clan, she became everyone’s mama.
But it didn’t mean she’d had it easy. As a human in the midst of a dark shifter clan, she’d had it harder than any of them. And maybe she’d turned into a monster of her own along the way.
“Mama.” Monster nodded at her before starting up the stairs.
But he hesitated when she called his name, and backtracked.
“How are they?” she asked low, and he saw true concern flash in her human eyes.
“Not good. We need to move forward with our plan.”
Her eyes widened. “When?”
“Now. Tonight.”
Mama Kitty had always been strong, Monster knew that. Otherwise how could she have survived in a brutal clan like theirs. But ever since she’d tried to give Marlee back to Bastian in order to protect Rachet, she’d been a shell of her former tough-as-nails self. And right now, she looked stricken.
“So soon?”
Monster nodded. “Can you get Ratchet on board?”
She looked away. “He’s not exactly talking to me these days.”
Monster thought about how he’d feel if she had put Vegas in danger like she had Marlee, and anger flickered in his center.
He couldn’t blame Ratchet for his distance. But they needed him if they were going to save the Dolls.
“I would feel the same if you put my mate at risk,” Monster said sharply, and she cocked her head in surprise. Alley Cats didn’t care for their mates. It was how she ended up here in the first place. She’d been tossed aside by Ratchet’s father like a piece of trash. “But this isn’t about you, or him, or anyone except those captive females. So talk to him. And I’ll talk to the others.”
With that, Monster took the rickety steel stairs two at a time until he reached the loft where the clan always gathered to get drunk and forget about their miserable existence.
Smoke filled the room, along with the pleasured moans of random females Felix and the others had brought in to meet their physical needs. Half-empty bottles of liquor littered every available surface. Beer cans and red plastic cups were everywhere, some tipped over, the contents leaking out.
In the corner, Fang and Smokes shared a curvy female, each violently claiming one end of her. She moaned and writhed in pleasure as they rutted out their frustration. Until a few weeks ago, it would have been Monster at the other end of that woman, while Fang took her hard. Tag-teaming was their favorite thing to do. Using whoever would let them… was their favorite thing to do.
Now the idea sickened him.
Monster looked away, scanning the room for their leader. He found Felix slouched lazily on the sofa, staring bleary-eyed at the scene taking place in his lap. His pants were open, legs spread
wide to accommodate the female between them. His cock was in her mouth as she desperately tried to get him off. “Suck harder,” he demanded, and tipped a bottle of tequila to his lips, drinking it down.
Monster ran a frustrated hand over his jaw.
Shit. Goddamn it.
This wasn’t going to be easy. He sure could use Ratchet’s backup right about now.
He scanned the room for Skittles, the clan’s second in command. The cat felt a claim for one of the Dolls too. If anyone would be on his side, it was Skittles.
But he wasn’t around.
Weighing the options, Monster decided it would be easier to get Fang’s attention.
Approaching the lusty trio, he pushed his shoulders back, giving off that tough-ass air he’d been forced to portray so often. He wasn’t feeling tough. He was feeling desperate.
“Fang.”
The brother didn’t stop pounding away at the female. “Hey, ugly. Long time no share-y. This pussy’s good. Real good. You want in on it?”
The girl let Smokes’s cock pop from her mouth and grinned slyly. As if she liked the idea.
This one was a mess. Monster knew the ones who actually wanted to fuck his ugly ass weren’t okay inside. Maybe he didn’t care before. But now… now he knew what broken girls lived like, that they hurt, that they lost hope.
He knew all about broken girls. He had one of his own.
Going to fix her, the voice promised.
“Hard pass,” Monster said, and the female gave him a dirty look. He turned his attention back to Fang. “Need to talk to you.”
“Now? You serious? I’m balls deep in the best pussy I’ve had in years.” The girl giggled and returned to Smokes’s cock. “Ain’t coming out until little-Fang’s made a mess of ‘er.”
“Yes, now. Right now. It’s important.”
“Fuck, man,” Fang growled. “You’re messing up my rhythm.” He reached around to play with the female’s pussy and she squealed. Fang threw his head back and groaned.
“Fang.”
“Almost done,” he growled, and Monster cringed at the sound of skin slapping against skin.
“Aw, fuck, take it, baby,” Smokes groaned as he spilled into the female’s mouth.
Monster clenched his fists. If he had to beat Fang off the female to get his attention, he would.
“Goddamn it, Fang. It’s about the Dolls.”
His head popped forward, eyes blazing angry at Monster. But his thrusting slowed. “The fuck do I care about them for anyway? None of ‘em are mine.”
Monster glared at the cat he’d been the closest to for all his years. Fang had always been a little off his rocker. Their youth had been hard under the Fathers, and they each coped their own way. Fang’s way was to become a crazy-ass psycho. He’d made a second career out of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Irreverent as hell and perpetually drunk. It was his way, it was his mask. It protected Fang. The way Monster’s scars protected him.
But lately, the cat had been edgier. Angrier. Wilder.
More than he was, even before the witches cursed their animals.
Fang pulled free of the female and smacked her ass before tucking his dick back in his pants. “Later,” he grunted when she protested. “Run along now.”
Monster narrowed his gaze on Fang. “You saw the picture?”
The picture Marlee had brought with her when she escaped. The one of the Dolls in the basement. Monster and Skittles had both known immediately when they’d seen the picture.
“Yeah, I saw it,” Fang grumbled, stalking off to the counter for more liquor.
Monster followed. “How?”
Skittles had the picture, and he wouldn’t let anyone else touch it. Monster wanted it, was gonna fight him for it, but decided it was only fair he keep it since Monster saw Vegas on the daily.
The picture was all Skittles had of his female.
Fang swiped a bottle of vodka and tipped it to his mouth, swigging the clear liquid before tossing his classic smirk at Monster. “Snuck it out of Skittles’s jacket.”
“Fuck, he’ll kill you, Fang.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, ugly. But he will not kill me. Because I returned it after taking a look.” He grinned and it didn’t reach his eyes. Never did. But this time… it was more off than normal. “I’m smart like that. Smarter than everyone around here thinks.”
The last part was muttered as an afterthought.
“You wanted one of them to be yours,” Monster said quietly.
Fang laughed, a hard, short sound. “Naw, man. That life ain’t for me. I like pussy too much. And booze.” But he couldn’t hide the thin glint of pain in his eyes. Monster had seen it too many times throughout the years and recognized it.
“Look,” Monster said. “I need you and the guys to sober up. I need you to help me.”
“Let’s see… sober up? Not possible. I thought you knew me. Help you? If you’re looking for a fun night, I can help you. Otherwise… nope.”
“I’m serious, goddamn it. Don’t you want things to get better around here?”
“Better?” Fang smiled wide, showing his teeth and swinging one arm out like he was introducing a big circus event. “What could be better than this den of debauchery?”
Monster swallowed hard.
This wasn’t what he’d expected from his brother. Not from any of them to be honest. Except for maybe Felix. He’d expected them all to be working on their plan to get the girls safe. He’d expected them to be cleaning up the place so it didn’t smell like sin and puke. He’d expected… change. Expected them to take this chance at a new existence seriously. Yet, here they were, lost as ever.
Anger spread across Monster’s chest, hot and furious.
Maybe the other two dolls didn’t belong to Fang, but they belonged to someone. Someone in this room would help him fight for them. Fuck, and if they didn’t…
He couldn’t think of that.
“The Dolls are in danger. And we need to free them. Tonight. If you won’t help me, then you’re not the man I thought you could be.”
Fang sobered some, his expression falling to serious.
But Monster didn’t stick around to see what he would do next. Fang had given him an idea. Monster knew how to get at least two of these fools to pay attention.
All it would take was a picture.
Chapter Five
Dear Eddy,
Mama Kitty says I can never have a female of my own like the Junkyard Dogs and other werewolves have. That I’m not made for a female, and I would only scare her. I wish that wasn’t true. I would like to find one who could love me. I would be very careful with her. I would try hard not to scare her. I can never tell Fang or any of the others, but I would like for one person, just one, to love me. Just for a minute even, to see what it’s like. See if it’s all it’s cracked up to be. And if it was a female, I think my heart could love her back. And then maybe the bad things wouldn’t feel so bad. Maybe. But Mama always tells me straight. If she says I can’t have a female… I guess I can’t. And that’s why I cried. That’s why I was cut today. I’m telling you because I hope it will keep me from thinking about it anymore. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Monster
***
Monster stood anxiously at the edge of the loft, watching as Skittles’s picture got passed from Alley Cat to Alley Cat, each of them staring intently at the five Dolls.
All the females had been chased from the room. The liquor was abandoned for at least a few minutes. Even Felix was on his feet… looking disheveled as fuck, but still.
Skittles stood in the center of the clan and didn’t tear his eyes away from the scrap of paper. Mama Kitty leaned against the stair rail, watching. Ratchet had joined them, waiting along the fringes and frowning as hard as Monster did. Marlee was at his side, tucked into one of his big arms. But she didn’t look the least bit frightened of any of them anymore. She knew she was safe even in a den of beasts.
Monste
r wanted that for Vegas.
“Is there more of ‘em?” Smokes asked, passing the photo to the next cat.
Skittles looked at Marlee for an answer.
“N-not…” She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. “Not that I know of. Not unless Bastian acquired more after I left.”
“Were there many new ones during the years you were there?” Ratchet asked. His thumb absently rubbed over her shoulder where he held her. It looked easy to do. A simple touch like that. Maybe Monster could do that for Vegas after she was free.
“Not too many,” Marlee answered, “just when he needed something. Maybe four were added in the ten years I was there.”
“Then why isn’t there more now?” Felix slurred.
She turned to glare at him. “Because eventually they would pay off their debt. Or… that’s what he called it anyway. One day they just didn’t come back. I always hoped he had let them go.”
Felix scoffed. “Doubtful.”
Ratchet growled a warning, and Felix held a palm up in sarcastic surrender. But truthfully, no one wanted to see Ratchet get mad. He spit fire at them all the last time he’d shifted. Singed Fang’s hair good.
The photo was passed to a new set of eyes, and Monster shuffled his feet impatiently. No one had claimed the other two Dolls yet. Each time it was passed, a male shook his head, trying to cover up what Monster knew was longing in their gaze.
The photo landed in Fang’s grip and he glared down at it. Not for the first time, but Skittles didn’t know that. “What’re their names?”
Marlee eased away from Ratchet and went to look over Fang’s arm. He shrank away from her like she was contagious. Monster didn’t blame him. Ratchet had threatened to fry anyone who touched her.
A male with no animal inside to protect him from a fire attack… well, you take that threat seriously.
“That one is Vegas—”
“Mine,” Monster blurted, and then snapped his mouth shut when he realized it came out as a growl. All his brothers turned to him, eyebrows raised, but he shrugged off their attention, pretending to pick something from his jeans.
He caught Marlee’s intense gaze. She was sizing him up, trying to understand if he was good like Ratchet.
