The Lawless clan lived on the fringe between Cross Step’s outskirts and the boundary that segregated the town from the rest of the United States. They spent most of their time in theirguer—their animal fighting form. The Lawless clan only deigned to entertain humans as sport, or worse, dinner.
Ever since Prime had killed Nev Lawless, the Lawless clan leader, only one large group of Ravagers remained. Or at least, that was the idea.
The bastards watched her with interest, and with hunger. She had a bad feeling her Monday was about to turn considerably worse.
The Ravager on the left huffed. “Everyone knows your claiming didn’t take. We’re here, we’re strong. And we want you. Give us a few days. We’ll plant brats in that belly easily enough.”
She drank more of her coffee, needing the caffeine boost. “Do I look that desperate to you?”
The one on the left sneered. “I told you, Mike. This bitch is too high-handed. Bet she’s frigid. Why else would her packmates ditch her? She’s got no problems in the looks department. And that body is hotter than hell.” His gaze felt like slime coating her body.
Mike grinned. “Maybe they’re just too weak to handle her. Pussies, if you ask me. I mean, how the hell do you let a female in heat go without fucking her for this long?”
Kate wanted to know the answer to that question too. “It’s early. I haven’t had my coffee yet. You two need a bath, and I’m in a rut rage like you wouldn’t believe. Do you really want me to hurt you this early in the morning in front of witnesses?”
The men blinked at her in surprise.
Mike leaned back in his chair. “Rut rage, huh? Thought that only happened to males.”
Rut rage occurred when a Ravager didn’t get the requisite sex he or she needed. Sexual creatures, Ravagers needed the daily release of certain hormones in the body to stay balanced. And Kate hadn’t been laid in nearly two months.
“Fuck it. I figure that cunt has got to be worth—”
Before Mike’s friend could finish his thought, Kate cold-cocked him in the face. She heard his cartilage pop and watched as blood exploded from his nose. Several nearby patrons swore and scurried out of the way. But she didn’t care. The violent release felt good.
“Thanks. I needed this.”
“Fuck you, whore. I’ll—” Mike scrambled back in his seat, but she was on him in seconds.
She grabbed his crotch. He retaliated by striking out at her, his claws tearing through her side as he rolled her onto her back on the ground. Fists met flesh, but she kept squeezing.
“What’s wrong, Mike? Rape is okay, but a little rough sex isn’t?”
“Let me go, bitch, or I’ll kill you.” When she gripped him harder and felt something crunch, he let out a whimper and babbled an apology. “Okay, okay. Stop, please. I’m sorry.” Tears left dirty trails down his cheeks.
The spot on her side where he’d struck her throbbed, and she shifted her hold. His flailing subsided at the same time she heard approaching sirens.
She shoved him off her. “Next time you’ll think twice about inviting yourself to breakfast, hmm?” Kate watched him curl in on himself and gag at the pain, much to her satisfaction.
A quick glance around her showed a shocked audience staring at the scene in horrified fascination. Mike was down, but his friend rose to his feet. The murmuring of the appalled crowd grew louder.
Kate hoped she hadn’t looked too aggressive. Hell, she’d practically announced her species by launching herself at Mike and his idiot friend. The Salinas, the local cops, had arrived and were closing in…
She leaned closer to the male whose nose she’d broken and whispered, “Lawless scum, beaten by a mere female.”
He launched a fist, and she turned to take it on her cheek. Seeing the Salinas in the periphery of her vision, she dramatized the event. “Ow! Officers, help! Help me, please!” She clutched her face and forced a few tears.
A dozen human cops converged on the scene and took the Ravagers into custody. They treated Kate like a queen. Never let it be said she didn’t know how to use her looks and gender to her advantage.
“It’s okay, miss. We’re here to help,” one of the Salinas said. Like clockwork, her chest attracted attention like a magnet.
“My head hurts, and it’s hard to breathe.” She forced a few shallow breaths and unbuttoned her blouse to show off her cleavage. “Do you see a bruise?”
Two more Salinas joined the ones crowding her, but no one could see any damage. Go figure.
She gave her statement of the attack, promised she’d call one of the many police officers who’d left their cards for a follow-up, and then left in the ambulance they’d called for her. All while wondering how the hell she planned to get out of this mess.
She let the EMT take her vitals and gave him the appropriate flinches and pretenses of pain.
