Page 111 of Shifter Situations

I shook my head at them, wincing when skin hit the ground in front of me.

Anna had torn a chunk of flesh from Barbie’s ankle. The meat attached wasn’t the usual pink of healthy muscle.

“That’s where the Komodo dragon bit her,” Stone commented. “I’ve been counting the minutes to see how long it would take her to heal from his venom. It’s been sixty-two.”

“The rest of her leg looks fine,” I acknowledged.

He shrugged, disagreeing but not wanting to talk about it with so many people around.

My eyes traced over Sloane’s body, scanning for any tells or tics about things that may be bothering her or causing pain. She didn’t seem fazed by anything right now, but I could feel her anger through our bond, the finality of her next movements.

She flung herself off Anna’s back, landing in a crouch about ten feet away from us. Anna’s wolf lashed out, claws extended to swipe at Sloane.

Barbie caught the brown wolf’s paw with her left hand, using her right hand to bend it backward, snapping it at the joint. Alpha power rolled off her in tangible waves, forcing Anna to shift again.

When I glanced around the amassed crowd, all the shifters had dropped to their knees except Charlie and me.

Baylor cut his eyes up at me, tilting his head to the right. The Colorado faction alpha glared at me, his eyes murderous as I smirked back at him.

Sloane had her hand around the back of Anna’s neck. She followed my line of sight, snapping her attention from the faction alpha back to me.

“I’ve already warned him that his life is in yours and Baylor’s hands. Would you like me to take care of that problem today too?”

Her gaze bounced between Bay and me as she questioned us. Her voice neared an echo as her demon roiled beneath the surface of her skin, ready to protect anyone she thought of as her treasure.

I’d have to remember to explain the significance of that to Bay later.

My brother shook his head. “No. Let him sweat it out. He’s too weak to be a real threat.”

Barbie shrugged, indifferent to his response.

The Colorado faction alpha would be at the top of her to-kill list when we got a break.

She nodded her head to the struggling woman in her grasp. “Would you like her heart now?”

“I’m sorry,” Vaughn said, cocking his head as he looked at me. “What are we doing?”

I knew I hadn’t given her an answer earlier. Truth be told, I hadn’t wanted to at the time.

I studied her eyes, heavier in glowing green and fiery red than normal. And I didn’t know how she knew what I’d want when I didn’t know the answer myself, but when she asked so casually…

“Briggs?” Barbie called, waiting patiently for my reply.

I tossed my arm over the fae’s shoulders, smiling at my mate and him. “I’m going to stomp on her heart.”

“Of course, you are,” he drawled, sarcastically adding, “Because the Devil forbids we do anything without covering ourselves in a blood sacrifice first.”

Stone chuckled, crossing over the rope to stand behind Anna, replacing Sloane’s hand on the back of her neck with his own. She tried to fight against him, snarling when his talons extended to pierce her skin.

Barbie squatted down in front of her, placing her index finger under Anna’s chin.

“My mate wants your heart,” she murmured. “And I want to keep your soul as a trophy. I have a beautiful glass box to preserve you in. You can give your heart willingly, and I’ll grant you a quick and merciful death—”

“Fuck you.” Anna spat, and I grimaced.

York leaned forward, whispering, “Wrong answer.”

Sloane wiped her cheek, continuing to speak in that calm voice that let everyone know she was teetering on the edge of homicidal rage.