The shifter leaned back, releasing Sasquatch, who still didn’t move. The stranger’s dark eyes held mine before roaming over my face. I felt Jasper move into the alleyway. The shifter made no sign that he knew, though I suspected he did.
“What sort of game ends with a beautiful woman getting stabbed?” he asked.
Heat bled into my face. “I call it a game, but it’s actually training. It’s like hide ’n’ seek. If I can’t properly hide, I get stabbed by the worst human being this town has to offer. If I do, I’ll get to stab him, something I dream about.”
“He can smell you. How could you possibly hide?” A crease formed between his brows. “What are you? I haven’t smelled magic like yours.”
“She is—”
“A nutcase,” I said, cutting Mr. Tom off. If this guy didn’t know who—and what—I was, there was a reason. Austin wanted to keep it a secret. “Listen, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get this game over with so I can meet my friends at the bar. We’re out of the public eye, as Austin requested, so we should be good.”
The shifter studied me for a long moment.
“Shall I walk five paces, turn, and blaze you with my peashooter, mister?” I asked, once again ruining my hard stare with my big mouth.
He held out his hand to Sasquatch. Without needing to be told, Sasquatch filled it with the knife.
“All due respect,” the shifter said, “I wasn’t told about this activity. I’ll need to clear it with the alpha. I would recommend, however, that you find a different way to practice. Being stabbed is probably more detrimental to your training than it is helpful.”
“Maybe, but I will stab him one day, without Austin having to raise a fuss, and it will be glorious.”
“Austin…” The shifter was staring at me with renewed focus. His expression was locked down tight, and I didn’t have a link with which to read him. “Does the alpha know you use his name so frivolously?”
“If he didn’t, would you tell?”
“Yes.”
“No one likes a tattletale.” I took a step back. “Thanks again. For trying to help, I mean. You couldn’t have known this idiot had the green light to stab a bitch.”
“How did you know to intervene?” Sebastian asked, then sucked down the liquid from another vial.
“Reveal your—” The shifter cut off as Sebastian slowly hazed into focus, standing now. He tucked the empty vial into his back pocket.
The shifter didn’t speak for a moment, scrutinizing Sebastian. Which was understandable. He didn’t telegraph his emotions much more than shifters did, and his crooked smile didn’t reveal the fear I knew he was feeling.
Finally, he said, “It’s my job to know.” He nodded at me. “We’ll have to have that duel at high noon some other day, when I’ve had a chance to bring my pistol.” He mimed tipping a two-gallon hat. “Ma’am.”
He left the alleyway and turned right down the street. I watched him go, taking in the sleek grace of his movements.
“He’s good at his job,” I said.
“He literally came out of nowhere.” Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair. “He could’ve killed me if he’d tried.”
“You weren’t expecting him,” I said, taking Cheryl out of my pocket. I held it out for Sasquatch. “Here, do it with my knife.”
“A-are you k-kidding?” Sasquatch stuttered.
“Oh. He lives,” Mr. Tom said.
“He said no.” Sasquatch wiped his hand down his sweaty face. “You don’t defy the order of the pack.”
“Or what?” I asked.
“Or you get punished, obviously.”
“Yeah, but…that’s just, like, the law, right? You shouldn’t do it, yes. Fine. But if you don’t get caught, who’s the wiser? In two seconds, there will be no proof. I’ll hold up my shirt so I don’t get blood on it. Besides, they can’t tell me who can and cannot stab me.”
“No way.” Sasquatch shook his head and hurried away. “I’m not playing anymore!” he hollered over his shoulder as he left the alleyway.
“Great. Just great.” I closed up Cheryl and jammed her into my pocket. “That shifter just screwed up my plans to stab Sasquatch. That’s such crap.” I stormed out of the alleyway, and everyone except for Ulric followed me. He was hunched on the roof, changing back to human.
Somehow he was still the first person to try to talk sense into me.
“No offense, miss, but it makes sense,” Ulric said, catching up. He pulled his shirt over his head, having already put on his pants. “If the new people catch wind that this sort of violence is tolerated, things could get hairy really quickly.”
“I don’t care about that. I had a training system in place, and these new people are just going to march in and tear it down?”
“I agree.” Mr. Tom nodded. “This is no time for sense and logic.”
I sighed. “I’m going to go find Niamh at the bar. I’ve about had it with today.”