Bennett - Milly Taiden Page 0,22

aggression, you’ve outstayed your welcome. Please leave before you’re made to regret it.”

Bennett couldn’t quite believe that he was speaking with such force and clarity. He puffed out his chest. It had to be the effect of Dakota’s kiss. She had somehow made him strong and confident.

Screw a vat of toxic waste.

Fuck the serum.

All he had to do was kiss Dakota, and he was a superhero.

“Bennett’s right.” Dakota waved her fingers at him, but he didn’t move.

“I don’t have the patience for this. We’ll just tell the boss they attacked first.”

And just like that, the sounds of gunfire filled the lab. Bennett wasn’t too sure what happened after the first few shots were fired. He was pulled out of the way by Dakota. His head collided with the ground, making him a little bit dizzy.

“She’s one of the shifter people!” Baldy shouted in surprise, and he continued to discharge his weapon.

With a loud, resounding roar, Dakota shifted into a beautifully ferocious tigress. The orange tint of her fur was in sharp contrast with the white and black stripes. Bennett had never seen such a beautiful animal, and for a second, he was completely immobilized by the sight. She bared her teeth on a threatening growl. It was followed by a warning chuff.

It was only when she launched herself at the attackers, claws and fangs out, that Bennett decided he needed to be a man of action. He couldn’t let Dakota deal with all three attackers alone.

It wasn’t a matter of male pride.

Though there was a little bit of that, he also knew that if he wanted another shot at all the kissing, he needed to stay alive. He needed Dakota to stay alive. While she was busy wrestling the leader for his gun with a very frightening looking mouth, Bennett jumped up to his feet with his hands up in defeat.

“You’ve got to understand,” he pleaded with the other two who were coming toward him.

The one on the left hit him in the temple with the butt of his gun, making Bennett whimper in pain. From the corner of his eye, he saw Dakota growl at his attacker. She shouldn’t have. One of the shots fired by the leader hit her in her left leg. The sound she made made the air pause. The cry of a wounded, angered animal was not something Bennett ever wanted to hear again. Especially not when it came from Dakota.

The man with a beanie on his head opened the refrigerated cupboard and pulled out the decoy vials Bennett had prepared.

He was a highly educated man with scores of diplomas and published scientific journals, but he felt that replacing the serum was one of his best exploits. He tried to keep his face in a mask of horror.

“No!” Bennett shouted. “You can’t touch that. It’s not a serum. It is a volatile substance that we are experimenting on.”

The men laughed at him, thinking he was trying to lie to them.

Bennett thought the jest was important. If he didn’t put up a fight, they might catch on that the serum had been faked.

“Go for it,” the man with the hat called out to his leader.

“Kill him.”

The two words made no sense to Bennett. No sooner had the command been issued than he felt a searing pain explode through his entire body. He didn’t even have time to look at all of the gunshots riddling his body. Nor did he see Dakota tearing the two men limb for limb while their leader made off with the fake vials.

He had passed out, sure he would die.

Chapter Twelve

Dakota

Kill him.

The order, given by the man who had managed to shoot her twice, was jarring. Dakota had only taken a good chunk out of Baldie’s leg. It would require medical attention, and soon. She had hoped to nick the carotid artery, but she had missed. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t bleed out.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t inflicted enough damage to incapacitate the leader.

Kill him.

The asshole had actually called for Bennett’s execution.

Dakota and her tigress weren’t about to let that happen. She launched herself at the other two men, knowing there was no way she could stop both of them. She knew that if she tried to push Ben out of the way, they would aim and fire some more.

She had to get rid of them and fast.

Dakota cut through the air with the speed and agility of a woman protecting what was hers. Her paw, claws stretched out to inflict maximum damage, met