"They're just sick," she murmured.
"Save the redhead for me," someone called out, triggering crude laughter from his companions.
Beth's fingers dug into Tyr's forearms as she watched these men discuss their friends like pieces of meat. Her heart pounded against her ribs, fury mixing with fear as she realized just what kind of monsters they were dealing with.
Tamera stepped forward, her lips curved in a dangerous smile. The redhead's eyes glinted with barely contained fury as she faced down the leering men.
"Good luck with that," Tamera called out, her voice ringing with challenge.
Before the men could respond, Tamera's form blurred and shifted. Where the petite receptionist had stood moments before, a sleek caracal now crouched, her tufted ears laid flat against her skull. The wild cat's muscular form tensed, powerful haunches coiled and ready to spring.
The men's laughter died in their throats, replaced by startled shouts as they stumbled backward. The caracal's lips pulled back, revealing impressive fangs as she released a bone-chilling hiss that echoed across the parking lot.
Beth's breath caught in her throat as she watched Tamera stalk forward, every movement radiating lethal grace. The caracal's golden eyes blazed with intelligence and fury, fixed on the men who had dared threaten her.
"Wow," Beth breathed, unable to contain her admiration. "Tamera rocks!"
"She certainly knows how to make an entrance," he murmured, his cool breath tickling her ear.
The leader's face contorted with rage. He jabbed his finger toward Tamera's caracal form and Jacinth.
"Get them!" he barked at his men. "Grab the woman and the cat, you can do what you want with the dog!"
The men with bats surged forward, cruel grins spreading across their faces as they closed in on Tamera and Liam. Even knowing Jacinth and Arthur were keeping them all safe, Beth's heart hammered against her ribs as she watched them approach her friends, their weapons raised high.
But just as the men came within striking distance, things suddenly turned bizarre. The baseball bats seemed to waver, like heat mirages on hot pavement. Their dark wooden surfaces began to shift and transform, bleeding into bright neon colors - hot pink, electric blue, sunshine yellow. The rigid forms softened and expanded until each man found himself holding nothing more threatening than a pool noodle.
Shouts of confusion erupted from the group as they stared at their transformed weapons. Men cursed and threw the foam tubes aside and scrambled away, stumbling into each other in their haste to escape.
"What the hell?" one man yelped, jumping backward. "What kind of freaky shit is this?"
Beth couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up from her chest. She turned in Tyr's arms, eyes sparkling with delight.
"I'm so sorry," she told him, trying and failing to contain her laughter, "but Jacinth is officially my new number one hero."
Tyr's lips curved into an amused smile as he watched the chaos unfolding outside. "I'm going to have to agree with that," he admitted.
Beth pressed closer to Tyr as another man jerked his rifle up, stumbling backward. His finger squeezed the trigger, and Beth's heart lurched—but instead of the expected gunshot, a powerfulstream of water burst from the barrel, arcing through the air like a super-soaker.
The man's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at his weapon, now transformed into something more suited for a pool party than an attack. Water continued spraying everywhere, soaking his tactical vest and boots.
A piercing scream cut through the chaos. Beth's attention snapped to one of the men near the trucks as he dropped his rifle, clutching his hands. The weapon clattered to the pavement, its metal surface glowing an angry cherry-red in the darkness.
"What the—" Another man yelped, frantically trying to maintain his grip on his own rifle. But Beth could see the metal beginning to shimmer with heat. One by one, the weapons grew too hot to hold, forcing their owners to release them or risk severe burns.
The parking lot filled with the sound of metal hitting concrete as rifles dropped, accompanied by pained curses and shouts as the men waved their scorched fingers in the air. Some blew on their hands while others stuck their fingers in their mouths, trying to cool the burns.
"My hands!" one of them wailed, his tough-guy facade crumbling as he hopped from foot to foot. "They're burning!"
Beth felt Tyr's silent laughter vibrating against her back as they watched the scene unfold. From here, she could see Jacinth's satisfied smirk as the Djinn observed her handiwork. The ancient being's dark eyes sparkled with mischief while beside her, Arthur maintained his serene expression, though Beth caught the slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.
Beth leaned back against Tyr's solid chest, watching the chaos unfold outside. She'd bet everything she owned Arthur had heated those weapons—it matched his precise, practical style perfectly. The pool noodles though? That had Jacinth written all over it.
"Uh oh." Tyr's arms tightened around her waist.
"What?" Beth scanned the scene, trying to spot what had caught his attention.
"Over by the truck on the left."
