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“All that crap you think is important and blah, blah, blah, you’re better than the rest of us. But we have something you don’t, kitten. Well, a few things, but one really important one that you still don’t seem to understand. Want me to clue you in?” I waggled my eyebrows at him when he simply crossed his arms over his chest. “Money. We have alotof fucking money.”
“I’m more than capable to look into a company,” he drawled like I was being crass.
“A private company? Can you?” I chuckled. “A German company that you wouldn’t have a tie to get our tax records? And you think we record it all?” I clucked my tongue when he opened his mouth. “I’m personally worth more than your whole council, kitten.” I nodded when he frowned. “You signed up your people in the hopes of getting one of my properties. I have a lot more.
“I also can access your tax records. I doubt you claim it all, but no one with a brain wants to piss off the IRS, so you claim enough that it matters. You list your property, and even if you all have some Cayman Island accounts, I get the gist.” I shrugged. “I’m worth all of you combined. And I’m not even a hundred. Maybe you’re not the bestest and smartest and awesomest one here, huh?”
“Oh good, more people want you dead now,” Elijah grumbled.
He was right, but just to put the final nail in the coffin, I focused on the tiger guards I was about to fight.
“They signed you up to fight knowing you could be hurt and don’t even plan on letting you have the prize. They’re going to take it. You all deserve better. Way better. Even if you don’t come work for us, I hope you take this to heart and get out.”
I glanced over at Watson and let her see that telling the guards that would show up was one of the main reasons I held this spectacle. The councils were forgetting it was their job to protect their people and do what was best forthem, not the councils.
I saw the understanding in her eyes and was glad she wasn’t mad, but that she saw someone she would fight alongside with.
Nice.
I glanced back at the head tiger councilman one last time. “Except I am on the side of the little guy. It’s in the rules you signed that you, nor anyone on the council, can take possession of the prize, nor any monetary gains from the competition, orIget to recoup the value of the prize in any way I see fit.” I tilted my head and studied him. “How much do you think your life is worth to me, kitten?”
Elijah cursed under his breath. “That’s why you were so damn picky about the wording on that clause. You’re not allowed to pull fast ones on me, Jasmine.”
“She didn’t,” Natalia defended. “She was practically singing how fun it would be to announce it. You just didn’t hear because there’s no way she would lose. You know that better than anyone. You spar with her. I’m ancient, but I’m not stupid. She’s better trained than anyone here.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I admitted. “Someone is always better at everything. I’m a dedicated student.” I clapped my hands together and looked at the tigers. “I don’t get off on hurting nice people, so if you’re knocked out and not in a ton of pain when you wake up, know I actually liked you.”
They seemed shocked to hear that, but Natalia gave the countdown, and they snapped into fighting mode.
They were fast and worked well as a team. I’d give them that. It wasn’t a hard compliment to give. I would say it to them even… Once they were conscious again.
I had them all knocked out in no time.
I dove over by one when it was over. “Rita, medic here. He tried to duck and I clipped him funny.”
“We got it, Jasmine,” she promised, already there with a team. She reached over and patted my back. “You pulled your punches—everyone knew the risks.”
I shot her a look not to pump me with bullshit. “They were signed up for this. I’m not killing someone or leaving them permanently injured because other people forced them to do this to try and smack me down.”
Shockingly, one of the other members of the tiger council came over and helped the guy, forcing him to shift to heal even unconscious. He gave me a look that the head guy couldn’t see, and it was clear that he wasn’t on board with the current agenda of the council either.
Well, at least someone was willing to jump in like that.
I was less than thrilled when I realized Phil, Dylan, and several of the top ISLE brass were there. We hadn’t invited them, and I found it rude that they showed up anyways.
And I also didn’t want to piss them off. I shot Elijah a glance and then looked to Phil, making it clear that he better handle that or at least cover what else I was up to before I hacked ISLE onaccident.
He nodded that he had it, and it was good timing at least because people were shocked at the outcome. Tigers were known for having their shit together and being the best among shifters.
Still, Natalia started the next fight right away so people were distracted.
It went about the same. Faster even since the hawks didn’t work as well on a team.
I swallowed loudly when wolves were next.
“I heard you were taken by wolves and are scared of us,” the guy who came into the area first said. “What did they do to you? Did they have fun with you? I’m sure you’d enjoy it.”
Asshole. “Scared of you? No, not even a little bit, pup,” I said with a dark chuckle before chugging a bottle of water. “The ancient ones I met in Rome gave me pause, but you’re just a barking prick I’m going to enjoy hurting now.”
