He lifted his arm, causing the bird to hop. “She won’t fly with the hood on. She also won’t shift.”
“Don’t be so sure.”
He blinked slowly. “I’m a Shifter. We know how to move when we shift to slip out of our clothes and jewelry. Most of us don’t wear necklaces or rings because it hinders the process and might cause injury. Just imagine what a hood might do.” He tugged on the tassels hanging from it.
“What do you want?”
“Compensation. You slaughtered two of my brothers. Not my favorite brothers, but you owe me.”
“Owe you? I paid you the money, and you tried to kill me anyway. I was defending my life. I was defending my father’s life.”
“I can no longer conduct business with the higher authority breathing down my neck. We could have settled this privately, but you had to take matters to the law.” He flashed his teeth at me. “A mutual acquaintance told me about this opportunity, and I couldn’t resist. I’m intrigued that you have such a prestigious job. I wonder what would happen if you failed at this mission.”
I pulled out a push dagger and gripped the T-shaped handle. “You don’t know what you’re up against.”
He clucked his tongue at me and stared at the bird. “We stopped your caravan to seeexactlywhat we were up against. How many of you there are, what Breed, and I especially wanted to see the children.”
My eyes narrowed. “What the hell do you want with those kids?”
Something flashed in his eyes. “Thosekidsare Potentials, aren’t they?”
I feigned confusion. “They’re orphans. There’s nothing special about them except that they don’t have parents.”
General chuckled. “And I’m supposed to believe that the higher authority would take such interest in orphaned humans?”
I tried to come up with a quick lie to throw him off his game. “They’re the human children of Chitahs, you idiot.”
Doubt flickered in his eyes. “Liar.”
“We were ordered to move these kids out of a Breed orphanage where they were wrongfully placed. Someone lied to you.”
Doubt clouded his expression, and I scanned the trees again.
“I call your bluff,” he said, his voice a low register. “If I’m wrong, I’ll still ruin your mission and sully your reputation. Either way, you lose. If those children are Potentials, I can make enough money off them to live comfortably for two lifetimes. But maybe… maybe I want to get a closer look first. Finding a female companion isn’t as easy as you might think. Especially one who knows her place. Humans are such timid little creatures, and that appeals to me so much.” General licked his chops as if thinking about a tasty morsel of obscenity.
“If you put one paw on those kids, I’ll make confetti out of your intestines.”
Christian would have been proud of that line. He loved a creative threat.
“Is it money you want?” I asked, trying to stall him. Could I stab him faster than he could hurt Blue?
“Do you think I’d come all this way just for a few dollars?” His lips peeled back. “I want your precious cargo.”
“Blue, jump!” I flashed at General and punched him in the stomach, my blade piercing his gut.
Blue’s falcon hopped to the ground and collapsed, her wings flapping chaotically as the hood remained on her head.
General swung his arm and struck the side of my head. An explosion of pain radiated throughout my temple. With my fingertips dripping in light, I reached out and blasted him.
He stumbled backward and bellowed in pain. Despite my dizziness, I lunged and sliced my blade across his chest. It tore his thin jacket, but had it penetrated his skin? I flashed behind him and kicked him behind the knees. General dropped like a stone, and I was certain that bones snapped. Nothing likethathad ever happened before, but I was also juiced up on Vampire blood.
General twisted around and, in a fluid motion, shifted to a lion. A giant mane crowned his massive head, and my little knife wasn’t going to cut through that skin. He swatted his paw at me, and I hopped away from his razor-sharp claws.
Blue’s falcon cried out, the sharp sound piercing the night. When he turned toward her, I panicked.
“No!”
I stabbed him repeatedly in the haunches, and he roared before pivoting around. I flashed to the side, trying to draw him away from the bird, who could easily become a meal in one bite.
