Badlands: The Lion’s Den(6)

His brother Liam was standing by the front door with Jose. He handed Finn a bottle of mineral water. Finn took a long swig of it.

“You going to let her go?” Liam asked him. He glanced at Jose. “That’s his new girlfriend.”

“Nice.” Jose nodded approvingly. “A step up, for you.”

Finn snorted. “What are we, in kindergarten? She’s not my girlfriend, and she doesn’t want my help. Whatever happens to her is nothing to me.”

“Yep. Sure.” Liam gave him a knowing look, which annoyed the hell out of Finn.

“I mean it,” Finn growled. “She’s not my problem.”

“Of course she’s not.” Liam shrugged. “Can’t go picking up every waif and stray that wanders through Darwin.”

“Damn straight.” Finn nodded, and thought of how she’d smelled. There had been that hint of cinnamon mixed in with her natural musk. Did that mean she would taste like cinnamon as well?

Liam leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his broad chest. “She knew what she was getting into, coming to the Badlands.”

“Course she did,” Finn said, and tried to believe it. Everyone knew about the Badlands.

“Say, you see those four wolves in the doorway across the street? The ones who aren’t wearing our mark?”

Finn brightened. A fight? Something to take his mind off the sexy lynx?

He looked at the doorway where Liam was pointing.

“What four wolves? There’s nobody there,” he said, puzzled.

“Yeah,” Liam drawled, “That’s because they just took off after your little lynx. They all turned the corner at 14th Street.”

Finn dropped his bottle of mineral water and took off after them at a dead run, shifting as he ran.





Chapter Three




A garbage can came flying out of an alley, clanging on the concrete. He heard the sound of snarling and hissing, and loped down the alleyway, roaring with rage.

A chemical smell stung his nose. Two wolves were rolling on the ground, clawing at their eyes with their paws and yelping.

The lynx was backed up against a dumpster, in human form except for the claws that protruded from her fingertips. Her purse lay on the ground, contents spilled out.

She held a canister of mace in front of her, pointed at the other two wolves.

They were facing her, crouched low, the fur on their backs ridged with fury. Finn dodged the cloud of mace and took a swipe at one of the wolves with his paw. His claws raked the wolf’s flesh, ripping bloody strips. The wolf howled, and turned and ran, blood streaming down his side. He left a long red trail behind him.

His companions joined him, legs churning, eyes wild with fear. Their agonized yelps rang through the air as they raced away.

“Be sure to rinse your eyes out with running water for at least twenty minutes!” Flora called after them. “Also, don’t attack strangers! Or anybody! It’s very rude!”

Finn wanted to say, “Are you for real?” but he was still in lion form, so it came out as an astonished growl.

“Get back!” Flora cried out, pointing the can of mace at Finn. “If necessary, I will mace you!”

If necessary? Where was this woman from?

Finn quickly turned human again, his fur melting back into his skin, fangs retracting. He rose from a crouching position. His eyes stung from the lingering cloud of mace. “Damn, woman!” he complained, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “Put that thing away – I’m here to help you!”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you.” She was breathing hard. “I was doing fine,” she added, but she didn’t look too sure of herself. Her shirt was ripped and hanging open. She quickly peeled it off, reached into her purse and pulled out another shirt.

Finn couldn’t stop himself staring at her. That soft, rounded belly, her generous breasts straining against the white cotton bra…

“I know, I know,” Flora muttered as she buttoned her shirt.

“You know what?” Finn said.

“I’d be so pretty if only I’d lose a few pounds.” Her voice was sadly self-mocking.

“Who ever said that to you?” he said, indignant.

“Oh, my family, my mate-to-be…” She caught herself and looked away as she scooped the scattered contents of her purse back in.

So, she was supposed to be mated. To some idiot who didn’t appreciate a good thing when he saw it.

And given the fact that she was in the Badlands, things obviously hadn’t gone well there.

“Did he hit you?” he asked, and a sudden swelling of rage bubbled up inside him.

“No,” she said quickly. “Please forget I said anything. I’m fine, really.”