Her comment drew Tyler’s attention. “Why should I trust you?”

  “Because we’re trustworthy,” Delilah replied. “Which is more than can be said for your feral pack of dogs. You can’t get your own mutts under control, those fuckers catcalling and ass-grabbing as though they own every inch of flesh that enters this place.”

  Tyler studied her closely. “You better watch your mouth.”

  “Or what?” Delilah asked.

  Tyler stumped out the cigarette on the bare wood of the desk and folded his arms. “My boys and girls out there are proud to be who they are. This is a safe place for those who’ve never had a safe place in their life. We’re untouchable, princess. You don’t like it, you leave. If you want what we’ve got, then you better start playing ball.” He opened a top drawer and drew out three grimy shot glasses. He unscrewed the top of a hip flask and poured three equal measures of something that Jasmine assumed was vodka. “What do you say, girls?”

  He slid the two shot glasses toward Jasmine and Delilah, who both stared at him.

  “Suit yourself,” Tyler muttered. He pinched his shot glass between two fingers and slammed the contents into the back of his throat. He gasped, then wiped his lips with the back of his arm. “Beautiful.”

  What happened next happened so quickly that when Jasmine thought back to that moment, she couldn’t make sense of it. One minute Tyler was standing on the other side of the desk. The next minute he was gone. The door flew off its hinges with a crash as a large, wolfish shape tangled with Delilah. The pair of them spilled into the proper of the bar.

  Jasmine looked around, perplexed, struggling to take in what she was seeing. Delilah responded to the attack, her pale skin replaced with the dark hair of her hell-hide. Together, they tussled on the ground, fists flying into faces, roars filling the bar as they crashed into the wooden furniture and sent it shattering into splinters and fragments.

  Jasmine stepped through the hole that had once been a doorway. Delilah squirmed in the grapple with Tyler, white teeth flashing before chomping into his shoulder. He reared back, howling in pain as Delilah managed to shove him back and gain herself a little space.

  She jumped to her feet. Tyler jumped to his. Their heads nearly scraped the ceiling as the members of the Garou Nation Biker Club drew closer, pulling into a circle of excited jeers and hoots. It seemed that the entertainment had begun, and Jasmine had earned herself a front-row seat.

  They slowly circled each other, claws at the ready, maws snarling as they stared into each other’s yellow eyes. Where Jasmine had thought Delilah was monstrous in her hell-hide, it was nothing compared to Tyler. His fur was jet black, so thick that it looked like you couldn’t run your fingers through it without getting tangled. His whole appearance was shaggier than Delilah’s, and his claws were gnarled and twisted. He had a few patches on his body where no hair grew, with silver scars lining the flesh beneath. His monstrous muscle mass added to his hell-hide physique, and Jasmine was concerned for Delilah’s safety.

  “Get her!” someone in the crowd cried, met with a raucous round of approving cheers.

  Tyler winked.

  Delilah snarled.

  They charged at each other.

  The force was so great that Jasmine felt their collision in her bones. Their claws drove into each other’s flesh, and they wrestled for dominance. They kicked, scratched, punched, and bit. Blood splattered on the wooden floor, their claws gouged deep dents in the woodwork, and combined with the shouts of encouragement, their growls and cries created a mighty din.

  Jasmine moved to interject. Someone held her back.

  “Y’all don’t wanna do that,” one of the Garou members warned. “Ty-Ty can get purty nasty if he don’t get what he wants.”

  “And what does he want?” Jasmine asked, eyes fixed on the blur of Delilah.

  “A fair fight,” the Garou replied.

  Jasmine held her position, thinking this over. Was this yet another fight for approval? Was this just the way of the supernaturals? To test each other with violence and aggression? She supposed it was how things worked. In the animal kingdom, dominance went to the powerful, those who could squash their enemies like bugs. It was only humans who had developed enough to have moved from brawn to brains in the hierarchy of societal dominance.

  Tyler yowled.

  Delilah was on his back, arms wrapped around his throat. Her teeth chewed on his ears, and her claws were spiked into his chest. He bucked, writhing beneath her grapple as he spun and twisted toward the crowd.

  The Garous made space for the pair, parting like the Red Sea. Tyler bowed down, throwing Delilah over his shoulder. She kept her hold and forced them both onto a nearby table, which split in half and buckled beneath their combined weight.

  Tyler threw his head back, smashing his hard skull into Delilah’s snout. Her hold loosened, and he spun swiftly, straddling her body. He slashed across her chest, carving grooves in her muscle. She bucked her hips, eliciting a rowdy chorus of perverse comments from the men in the room, but she was able to create space to remove herself from beneath him.

  They stood again and circled each other, sizing each other up. Delilah’s wounds knitted themselves together as Tyler charged at her. She stepped to the side and used his momentum to propel him into the wall. He tripped over a chair, then smashed through the plaster, leaving a gaping hole.

  Delilah panted heavily, chest rising and falling. She didn’t look for Jasmine. She remained focused on her target as she let the hell-hide take over.

  For a moment, all fell quiet. The Garous shifted uncomfortably, not prepared for their prized cock to lose. Plaster dust obscured the space beyond the hole, and Jasmine wondered if Tyler was unconscious or even breathing.

  Delilah stepped forward.

  Tyler exploded from the hole and dove at her in one swift leap, claws outstretched. Delilah batted his arms away, but his weight fell into her. She staggered back onto the pool table. Its legs shook with her weight. Tyler drove his fist down, but Delilah rolled to the side, and his fist shattered the surface and buried itself deep into the green.

  Delilah punched back and caught Tyler in the chin. The roars and cheers grew in volume, the rowdy bunch clapping and waving their arms. Jasmine was sure she saw a few of the members collecting bets, unconcerned for their leader’s safety or the state that this place would be left in when the fight concluded.

  However it concludes…

  Jasmine tensed, wanting to jump to Delilah’s aid, not knowing if it was a good idea or not. She knew she needed the help of these guys. But did Delilah need her help, too?

  Tyler stepped back and moved his shovel of a hand to his jaw. He flexed his jaw, eyes flashing with intent. His muscles seemed to swell even larger as he stomped closer to Delilah.

  Delilah swung again.

  Tyler caught her wrist in his hand.

  She punched with the other fist.

  Tyler caught that, too.

  They locked eyes, and Tyler’s snarling face twisted into a mask of rage. Drool dripped from his saber-like canines as he threw his head at Delilah. Their skulls connected with a mighty knock, and Delilah’s eyes rolled back momentarily.

  She kicked out at him, but he twisted both her arms sharply. Something broke. Delilah yowled.

  He threw her down onto the floor, Delilah unable to block him with her wrists broken. His weight bore down on her as he screwed his hands into fists and pummeled her chin. Delilah took blow after blow, roaring and crying out as Tyler lost himself in the flurry.

  Jasmine had seen enough.

  “That’s enough, Tyler!” she cried, breaking past the hand trying to restrain her and sprinting at the pair. She lowered her shoulder and shoved hard at Tyler. He slowly rolled off, and Jasmine felt as though she’d just charged at a brick wall.

  His attention turned toward her, no semblance of humanity left in his eyes. He coiled back and sprang at Jasmine. His fist connected with her chin and sent her sprawling.

  She climbed up quickly, moving out of the way just in time to avoid the mass of black fur that was now in the air, claws outstretched, ready to drive into her stomach. Instead, the claws drove into the wood, sticking momentarily and locking Tyler where he was.

  Jasmine sprinted to Delilah. She skidded by her side. “Del, are you okay?”

  A brown fist came up to meet Jasmine’s stomach. Her ribs cracked, and she was sent flying back. She found Delilah’s gaze locked on hers and saw no semblance of humanity left in her pack-mate.

  Shit, Jasmine thought.

  Now they were both on her, primal rage directed at the intruder who had stopped their tussle. Tyler broke toward her, barreling like a rhino on the charge. This time, Jasmine was ready. She shifted to the side, managing to grapple around his neck and arm before she twisted and used his momentum to direct him back to the cave entrance he’d made in the plastered wall. He disappeared through the crack, and something shattered on the other side as his mass collided with the object.

  Delilah gently shook her wrists, testing their strength and finding them healed. She turned her focus to Jasmine and charged, despite Jasmine’s protestations.

  This time, Jasmine dropped to her knees and leaned backward, slipping between Delilah’s legs. As Delilah skidded in an attempt to turn quickly, Jasmine ran at her and delivered a powerful uppercut to her jaw. Her teeth clapped together, eyes glossing over with the impact and pain.

  Now they were on either side of Jasmine. Debris and plaster cracked under Tyler’s heavy load as he stepped back into the bar. Delilah shook her head and narrowed her eyes at Jasmine. Those watching fell into stunned silence, no one in the room having seen what was unfolding before their eyes before.

  Jasmine turned her head back and forward between the pair as they closed in on her. She gritted her teeth and steadied her stance. “Easy, now…” She flexed her arms and stretched her fingers, drawing out ten long, sharp bone claws that earned a small burst of gasps from some of the crowd members.

  “You don’t want this fight,” she warned. “Neither of you. Trust me.”

  She kept turning between the pair, studying their eyes for intention while they drew closer. She flexed her fingers, drawing the gaze of the two hell-hides pulling to a stop, just out of arm’s reach of Jasmine.

  “Last warning…” Jasmine stated, this time flashing elongated fangs, eyes growing dark. “I won’t say it again.”

  The tension was palpable. The only sound was Delilah and Tyler’s panting. Jasmine looked imploringly into Delilah’s yellow eyes and saw something connect. The woman began to shrink. Her snout receded and morphed into a human nose, and hairs dissolved into her pale skin while it resumed its usual position.

  Jasmine turned to Tyler. His lips peeled back in a snarl. He looked past Jasmine to Delilah, and a twisted grin appeared on his face as he shrank.

  Within a matter of seconds, two naked humans stood on either side of Jasmine. Delilah stood straight, unabashed by her nudity, even as those in the crowd drank in her form. Tyler met her boldness, his body appearing to be chiseled with an eight-pack and pecs that would make Hercules jealous.

  “That’s better,” Jasmine stated, retracting her claws.

  Tyler studied Jasmine closely, gaze lingering on where her claws had been. “What are you?”

  “That’s a big question,” Jasmine replied.

  Tyler chuckled and swept his gaze across the room, clapping his hands. “Okay, pig-shits. Show’s over. Back to whatever the fuck you were doing. Me and these lovely ladies have some business to attend to.” He snapped at the bartender, who had abandoned his post to join the fray. “Three beers. Pronto.”

  Delilah flashed a satisfied smirk, glad to finally get served.

  A few minutes later, Jasmine, Tyler, and Delilah sat near the door that had been ripped off its hinges with beers in front of them. Tyler wore a baggy tee and jeans, and Delilah sported a replica of her former outfit that Jasmine had collected from the trunk of her car. Foam coated Tyler’s lip before he ran his tongue across its length.

  “You’re a vampire,” he stated confidently to Jasmine.

  Jasmine cocked an eyebrow.

  “No sense denying it,” Tyler continued. “I see the fangs. I get the pale face, the dark bangs…it all adds up. What I don’t understand is where the claws come from.”

  “Sorry to tell you, but you’re wrong,” Jasmine returned.

  Tyler smirked. “So, what are you?”

  “What I am is none of your business,” Jasmine replied.

  “Fine, keep your secrets.” Tyler turned his attention to Delilah. “You okay, sweet cheeks?”

  Delilah rolled her eyes.

  “What the hell was that?” Jasmine asked, motioning to the trail of destruction that had been left in the bar. “Have you gotten whatever madness consumed you out of your system?”

  Tyler laughed from deep in his throat. “I needed to test your mettle, didn’t I? Could smell the hell-hide on this bitch and wanted to see what you’re both capable of. If it helps, you passed with flying colors.”

  Delilah leaned closer to Jasmine. Her beer remained untouched. “Just wrap this shit up so we can get out of here, please.”

  Jasmine nodded. “We need information.”

  “Information comes at a price,” Tyler stated, leaning back and lacing his hands behind his head. “A steep price.”

  “We’re prepared to pay,” Jasmine stated. “Money isn’t an issue for us. I just need your word that you’ll comply.”

  Tyler’s brow creased as his attention caught. “What do you want to know?”

  “I want tabs kept on this compound,” Jasmine informed Tyler, sliding a piece of paper with an address across the table. “I have business with the owner, and I need further intel on what’s taking place at that property.”

  Tyler studied the address. “Oh, I know that place. Out in the sticks. I’ve heard some bad rumblings about goings on there.” He eyed Jasmine darkly. “What’s a pretty thing like you want with a place like that.”

  “My business is my own,” Jasmine returned.

  Tyler considered this for a long moment, scratching his chin. He finally placed the paper down and slid it back toward Jasmine. “Look, I’m afraid this is a busy time for us, princess. Happy to help you, but if we do, we’ll need a fair chunk of change. I can maybe shift some things around for the right price, but unless your numbers please us…”

  “Cut the bullshit,” Jasmine returned, Dimitri’s advice echoing in her head. “It’s winter. You and your people are indoors on a weekday fucking around the pool table and drowning your sorrows with God’s amber elixir. You’ve got nothing else going on, and you’d be damn lucky to receive whatever we choose to pay you, got it?”

  Tyler looked impressed. He leaned forward and folded his arms to rest them on the table. “Fine. I can get my guys to scope it out, take notes, feed you the info. Just show us the figure.”

  Jasmine exchanged a look with Delilah, then jotted down a number on the same paper the address was on.

  Tyler studied the number and gave an affirming nod. “Generous.”

  “Unlike some, I value my honor,” Jasmine quipped.

  Tyler smiled. “I think you’ve got yourself a deal.” He extended a hand across the table.

  Jasmine hesitated. “Before we seal the deal, I need your word that discretion is your priority. This shit is important. You cannot get caught. You cannot slip or let them get wind of our gathering of intelligence. I need a promise that you’ll behold the utmost honor as you accrue information. Agreed?”

  Tyler was clearly amused by Jasmine’s urgency. “Please. You insult us. Everything we do is with the utmost integrity.”

  Jasmine looked over her shoulder to where two Weres were rutting on the floor, caught between shifting into wolf and human.

  Tyler rolled his eyes. “You have my word. As my people will tell you, my word is law.” He reached forward and grabbed Jasmine’s hand, forcing the shake. “Consider it a deal.”

  “Deal,” Jasmine replied.

  Jasmine drained the remainder of her beer and rose with Delilah.

  “Be sure you keep me informed,” Jasmine warned Tyler.

  Tyler nodded, resting an arm over the back of his chair. “I have to admit. You’ve got me real curious about what’s happening over at that place. This is no small operation, I’m guessing.”

  Jasmine considered answering but thought better of it. “You have my number.”

  “Oh, indeed I do,” Tyler teased.

  As they left the roadhouse, Jasmine and Delilah had to endure a final round of wolf whistles and jeers at their appearance before they emerged out into the cool morning air. They breathed the fresh breeze in deeply before climbing back into Delilah’s truck and setting off for Boston.

  Jasmine looked back at the roadhouse, and as the building slipped into the distance behind them, she wondered whether she had made the right decision. She wondered whether Tyler could truly be trusted.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Del was quiet as she entered the truck and handed Jasmine a steaming coffee cup.

  They had taken a rest on the drive back to Boston, Jasmine and Delilah nowhere near as talkative as they had been on the way up to Maine. They sat in the parking lot, staring out of the windshield and watching the civilians mill around the fast-food complex, many dressed in suits and filling their bodies with caffeine for the day ahead.

  The weight of their experience with the Garou Nation Biker Club pressed down on them, and Jasmine could tell that something was bothering Delilah. She didn’t want to press the issue, so she simply waited. Soon, she was rewarded for her patience.

  “I’m sorry,” Delilah muttered.

  Jasmine frowned. “For what?”

  “For what happened back there,” Delilah returned, placing her coffee in the cupholder.

  “Del, you’ve got nothing to apologize for—” Jasmine stopped when Del raised a hand.

  “I thought I had it under control,” Delilah continued. “The hell-hide. I thought I had conquered it. But…back there…when he sprang at me…when my anger elevated…I lost it all.”