She cracks open her water bottle and downs half of it before speaking. “Raiden left me in charge for a while when he was out of town with you, remember? It was mind-numbingly boring, and I had to dosomethingso I wouldn’t be tempted to give my toaster a bath. Started a rumor that a highly coveted position was opening up in Kodiak's security company, and it got all the gym-bros in a tizzy. So, you know, if you'd do me a solid and sweet talk that mate of yours into going along with it, that'd be swell.”
Kodi and Stone’s reactions are starting to make sense now.
“And now,” she announces with a flourish, leaning forward excitedly with her elbows on her knees, “we scout talent.”
With one last skeptical glance in her direction, I follow her lead, watching dozens of men fight in the pit below. Some remain in human form, and others shred their clothes as they shift, not bothering to strip first. It isn’t as bloody as I expected with all of those fangs and claws, though. They aren't attempting to eviscerate their opponents in a bid to show off how deadly and badass they are, they're simply trying to incapacitate one another as swiftly as possible.
When you have an abundance of power at your disposal or the right incentive, of course you can kill someone. Combating the desire to tear some asshole’s throat out when your instincts are raging and knowing when to hold back, though? That’s a true measure of strength.
These men are certainly showing off their skills, but not in the way I expected, and I’m genuinely impressed. When working security during treaty negotiations and events, taking someone's head if things get heated isn't going to make the situation better. Subdue and restrain; swiftly and effectively, in either form. And they prove their abilities several times over in various ways and in each of the terrains on the field. Pro and con of shifting, though?
Lots of naked men trying to top each other down there to win my approval.
"This is the weirdest job interview I've ever conducted."
“You mean the best.” Carina fans herself, attention rapt on Torin, and I can't help but smile.
Shaking off my distraction of all of the rippling muscles and dicks swinging around, I focus on their techniques, seeing if I can spot any red flags. I may not have any room to talk since I can’t fight for shit, but I’ve spent a good amount of time assessing threats and making escape plans.
Not knowing any of their names, I memorize their shifted forms and hair color to sort them in my head along with my mental notes of praise or criticism if it’s something small that could easily be worked on, like favoring a certain combination of moves to the point it’s predictable. Carina will be able to help me identify them later so I don’t sound like an idiot when I talk to Kodi. If I’m going to convince him to hire one of these guys, I want to make sure it’s someone that won’t ruin his company’s reputation; one that’s apparently impressive enough that any of these men would give their left nut to join.
They don’t stop, even after an hour passes. Hell, only four of them are showing signs of fatigue and slowing a little, but they shift their approaches to conserve energy and let their opponents come to them while they catch their breath. It’s impressive as hell, and once again, I’m beyond jealous that I drew the genetic short straw.
Kodi was right, though. I may have been a sweaty mess when I got back to the SUV in the forest, but I made it without keeling over. My scraped knee healed faster than ever. My hickeys are already gone. Maybe Stone’s gift will give me a fighting chance in this place.
Maybe it’ll fix me enough that I can actually shift some day.
Shaking off the flutters of hope that I know better than to dwell on, I study the scene below one final time, narrowing down my list of potentials to six candidates. Careful not to startle me, Carina makes sure I catch sight of her hand in my peripherals before reaching down to grab my hand. I’m not sure if the consideration is to preserve the image she’s attempting to cultivate, because she’s gotten a good read on me, or Raiden warned her, but I appreciate it more than she realizes.
Carina tugs me to my feet with a barely audible whisper. “Nod your head once with a small, approving smile, and we’ll leave before bumping into anyone. Let the mystery of your opinion drive them crazy and hype everyone up for a couple of days.”
Not rushing, but keeping our pace clipped enough none of the men will have time to bombard us for answers unless they sprint through the locker rooms without getting dressed, Carina guides us to the lobby. Winking at the receptionist, we slip out the front door.
Once we have a block between us, she sighs, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck from side to side. "You, my sweet, were absolutely perfect."
I scoff. "You're the one that told me how to act and what to do. These mind games are exhausting, and I didn't even do anything but watch the show. I have no clue how you and your brother play them daily without going insane."
We round a corner, passing a hotel with a massive pool outside, dozens of people splashing around and laughing without a care in the world, men and women alike.
"Beg to differ." She slings an arm around my waist as a small crowd on the sidewalk draws nearer, but at the sight of her raised eyebrow, they promptly scatter and let us through the throng with plenty of elbow room. "I saw the way you were studying them like there would be a pop quiz. What were your thoughts?"
It's still a novel thing that the guys care about my opinions, but for this woman I've known less than a day to ask, and with enough sincerity I know she's not fucking with me? I have to clear my throat a few times before I speak.
"Any of them would be a force to be reckoned with and were impressive. Red-headed lynx is someone you should keep an eye on, though. He pushed the boundaries of his restraint on several occasions and looked like he was getting a thrill from the power trip every time he won. Might be projecting my own issues, but if he was left unsupervised enough to feel comfortable in his position, I genuinely think he would start pulling shit or using unnecessary force."
She squeezes my hand once. "If you're projecting, then so am I, because I got the same vibe from him. Colin, by the way; always good to know as much as you can about potential enemies and friends alike. He's always been a bit of a hot head, so it wasn't a fluke because he was trying to show off. Who else?"
Rattling off my assessments of the majority and learning their names, I tell her very clearly, "Narrowed it down to three top contenders, and I plan to pitch all of them to Kodi and have him pick from there, or dismiss them and I'll suggest the next wave, but ultimately, Carina, this is his company and I'm not going to pout and manipulate him into hiring someone he's not comfortable with. I'll put in a good word for them though, and not as a favor to you, but because I think any of them have the potential to be good assets. I want him to trust my judgment."
She grins. "I might be just a little bit in love with you already, sister dearest."
Shaking my head with a smile, I ask. "The brunette that never shifted, what was his name?”
“Bastian.” She bites her bottom lip. “Why him?”
“Because he wasn’t trying to show off. He didn’t need to shift to subdue any of the beasts that came at him, so he didn’t. He didn’t make a big production for attention, just did his job swiftly and effectively, and carried on like it was no big deal, but not in a standoffish asshole way like he didn’t want to be there. He stands on his own merit withouttryingto convince anyone he deserves the position, and I respect that.”
Blowing out a heavy breath, she says, “Bastian refuses to shift; ever. That sort of stubbornness might get him or others killed.”
