Shouts lit up the night. Nevaeh paused her work, moving to stand beside me. She cocked her head, the street lights casting an amber glow across her light brown skin.
“What do you hear?” I asked.
Her ears rounded, sliding upward on her head. My friend halted the transformation right before her face began to lengthen, but whiskers still poked from her cheekbones.
She paused, ears twitching. “That Fae is at The Pit again tonight.”
“Well that’s not unusual.”
“He won.”
My brow pinched. I tugged at the silver ring in my lip. “Who did he fight, the ferret? He never wins.”
“Wolf Man. He shifted. The fight was a forfeit, not an earned win.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“A few shifters didn’t take too kindly to his victory.”
“Of course they didn’t.” I sighed and pushed off the wall, breaking into a jog. My heartbeat rose with each step.
Nevaeh was talking about a very specific Fae, one who couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble. I had found him more than once in the shifter districts, snarling and picking fights. Mostly, he kept to The Pit. His fights were legal and relatively unmonitored. This wasn’t the first time I’d had to chase him out of our territory, though. Probably wouldn’t be the last. I usually circled this alley several times a night. The Pit caused me far more grief than anywhere else in the city.
As often as I could, I spared the Fae from real punishment. He and the rest of his kind didn’t deserve the abuse they suffered. I was an Enforcer, I could do that much. I could stop the shifters.
Still, I had a part to play. If I didn’t perform well, the cost wouldn’t be worth the effort. Mordecai made sure of that. At the very least I would lose my position, which meant my ability to help. At most . . . I tried not to think about that end of the spectrum.
I rounded the corner, cracking my neck and stretching my fingers in front of me, Nevaeh close on my heels.
The scene that met my eyes stopped me cold.
Three shifters had that antagonistic Fae pinned to the ground and were kicking the life from him. I wasn’t even sure he was still conscious. He didn’t so much as flinch when the alpha of the group slammed a steel-toed boot into his side.
I cleared my throat loudly, rolling back my shoulders. “What the hell is going on here?”
Nevaeh straightened her posture to match my own, mimicking my pace as we strode from the shadows. She paused and I passed her, narrowing my eyes on the three shifters. They had stopped their assault the moment I had spoken, but one gripped the Fae’s throat, holding him up for another round of blows.
The alpha cracked a wicked grin in my direction. “We’re teaching this Fae his place.”
“He’s learning a lot while he’s unconscious, huh?” Nevaeh spat. I raised a hand, shooting her a glance. Her jaw snapped shut, fire still glinting in her eyes.
“Do you know who I am?” I kept my voice low, calm. My heart pounded in my ears, though, and I tried to determine the state of the Fae. Blood splattered the ground around him. His face was swollen almost beyond recognition. Thankfully that shock of red hair was one-of-a-kind in this city. But he was so still . . .
“Of course we do. And? You really want us to leave this Fae be?”
“There are laws against Fae brutality,” I said carefully, beginning a slow circle around the group.
“He’s a troublemaker.”
“I don’t care.”
“He took shifter money. He’s a nuisance. We’re doing you a favor.”
“I’m paid to deal with him, am I not?” I snapped. “Leave. Now. Before I report all three of you to the Great Dragon for misplaced Fae aggression.”
The alpha shifter shoved the Fae to the ground. His head bounced off the asphalt. I restrained a wince as he said, “Fine. He’s your problem.”
One of his companions raised a boot to deliver another blow. A small tug pulled at my throat, the smallest of shifts, and I growled. Low, threatening, lethal . . .
Inhuman.
All three shifters eyed me, considering, before they stepped away from the Fae. Muttered curses reached my ears as the men disappeared into The Pit. I hurried to the wounded Fae, sliding a hand to his wrist. His pulse tapped at my fingertips, weak but steady. I released a long breath.
“I have to take him back to the penthouse,” I whispered to Nevaeh. “I’m going to shift. Put him on my back.”
“But Reagan—”
“If I don’t get him out of here, those shifters will kill him. If they don’t, and I leave him, another shifter will. You know that.”
“If you’re caught you’ll be tried for treason. You’re already pushing your luck helping so many this month. If he catches you, Mordecai will kill you both.”
“Let him try,” I growled.
“You say that now,” Nevaeh pleaded, “but you know what’s happened when he’s caught you before. I can’t watch you get hurt like that again.”
“He won’t hurt me again. He won’t catch me.” My nostrils flared, but she was right. I wasn’t as brave as I sounded. I didn’t want her to talk me out of this, though. Helping the Fae . . . this was all I had.
I didn’t give her a chance to respond, dropping my lighter and cigarette case to the ground before I kicked off my boots. Stepping farther into the lane, I closed my eyes. Took a long breath.
A burst of electricity zipped through my veins.
Searing pain blazed to life in parallel lines along either side of my spine. I didn’t know why the wings always came first; they were the only partial shift I had never managed, but even if I had the weight of them was agony for my human form to hold up. A soft grunt slipped from my lips. Nevaeh shot a concerned glance in my direction. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the cracks as my bones extended and my frame widened. A low growl rumbled from my throat as my teeth extended, sharp against my tongue.
My whole transformation took maybe a minute. Bones, fur, wings . . . I let myself adjust to the new form, panting heavily. Shreds of fabric littered the ground around me. My clothing.
Oops. Forgot about those.
I stretched my spine, each of my paws, curled my toes. Lifting my wings, I shook myself and growled at Nevaeh.
She rolled her eyes and grinned. “The mighty winged lion might scare anyone else, but you’re only a cute wittle kitty cat to me,” she cooed.
I scowled, as much as a lion could. Nevaeh lifted the Fae without issue. She might be tiny, and a rat shifter, but the strength of our kind wasn’t based on our animal forms. We were all incredibly strong, especially compared to humans and Fae. When he was between my wing joints, she paused to stare at his immobile form.
“He’ll fall,” Nevaeh warned, crossing her arms over her chest. I looked pointedly at the belt she had looped twice around her torso. Her silver and brown eyes narrowed. “Not a chance in hell. This is brand new.”
Rounding my eyes, I stepped closer, nudging her arm with my nose. When I rubbed the top of my head against her side, she groaned and tugged the belt free. “You’re buying me a new one.”
I jerked my head in imitation of a nod, the weight of my mane adjusting with the motion. The second I heard the belt snap into place, I huffed a soft breath and bolted down the blacktop lane. When the buildings parted enough that I could open my wings, I spread them wide, letting them carry me into the sky.