circle out onto the rough wood of the third floor. Frankly, this high above the ground, I wasn’t sure a circle would even work. It was two short steps ahead of me but before I could move, a god-awful growl sounded from the darkness nearby. It rattled my spine and ribcage, instantly sending the hairs on the back of my neck straight up and shriveling my boy parts.
Enough with the darkness. I cast an orb of light ahead, letting it hang just below the ceiling. Much of the vast space was now lit, only the corners in shadow. The light was plenty bright enough to reveal the source of the growl. An enormous white wolf, easily over two hundred pounds, stood stiff-legged and snarling, bright yellow-green eyes locked on me. An even bigger wolf, this one black and tan, lay on the floor to one side, just watching. That one was Awasos, so I had no trouble figuring the white one for Stacia Reynolds.
I long ago got over hitting pretty girls in fighting practice. And it was much easier to contemplate when they were shaped like one of Nature’s most efficient killers. She dodged away from the spinning blocks of wood I sent after her, darting back and forth. Thought I had her baffled, but she surprised me by flattening out low to the floor like she was coming under the blurring ring, then leaped up and over it, coming down, paws outstretched, jaws open. My reaction was automatic, a burst of kinetic energy to throw her back, followed by a bolt of electricity—just about the last of my borrowed power.
She twisted in midair like a cat, but the mini-bolt caught her and she yelped before hitting the ground in a white-furred lump. Turning to Awasos, I figured he’d attack next, but he only yawned and put his head on his forefeet. I glanced back at the white wolf only to discover she was gone, replaced by Stacia’s human form… her very naked human form. She lay unmoving and I worried I’d really hurt her. Mindful of ‘Sos, I moved cautiously to Stacia, trying to ignore her nakedness. She lay on one side, breathing but unconscious. Pulling on her shoulder caused her to roll onto her back, which left her breasts fully exposed. I was actually successful in keeping my gaze on her face as I mentally wrestled with the little red-suited fellow on my left shoulder. He kept demanding that I look at her perfection. But I didn’t… for a full five seconds, but then his white robed opposite suggested that her wounds might be lower on her body and red-boy quickly agreed. So I dropped my gaze, truly intending to check for wounds—honestly. But I got trapped by her chest. Until a band of steel closed around my throat and I felt myself lifted off the ground. Her other hand gripped the hair on the back of my head as she stood with boneless grace, my body’s weight hardly an inconvenience. “Snap… your neck is broken,” she said mildly, green eyes glittering in the pale white light of my orb.
She dropped me, still holding my eyes with her own. A low chuckle sounded behind me. Turning around, I found Chris, Tanya, and Arkady standing in the stairway. Chris was laughing, Arkady grinned, and Tanya just studied me.
“Fooled by the helpless naked female act… classic,” Chris said. Arkady chuckled, a sound like rocks tumbling.
“I thought I’d really hurt her,” I said, wincing at the defensive tone in my voice.
“Do you think ‘Sos would just lie there if she were really hurt?” Chris asked.
I shrugged. “She got me good. I just don’t know what will hurt a were and what won’t.”
“Hitting them with a bus is a start,” Tanya said. “Please feel free to do so with this one.”
“Nice,” a soft feminine voice said behind me. I was afraid to look, but when she came up next to me, my peripheral vision picked up green clothing, so I took a quick glance. Stacia wore black leggings and a bulky green UVM sweatshirt. Her feet were still bare, but she seemed unconcerned by the unheated building and the frigid air that clouded with our breath. “He held back… I could tell. Both the mind blast thingy and the personal lightning bolt… which stung like hell, by the way. You should try one, Tanya… you might like it.”
Chris sighed, glancing from one to the other before coming back to me. “Not shabby