When I’d left my high-rise apartment, all I wanted to do was get some air while waiting on news from the witches. That was it. Instead, the pondering thoughts of my future were rudely interrupted by the screams of a human as I traversed the less traveled streets of downtown Los Angeles.
I cocked my head to the side, pushing my long strands out of my face and trying to decide if I was in the mood for drama. I really wasn’t, given I had my own issues to deal with. So, I kept walking along the cracked sidewalk, switching back to my previous dilemmas until the incessant cries of the woman broke through my thoughts once more.
“Wh-what are you?” the female stuttered, the slight breeze carrying her words closer to me.
A growl echoed through the deserted streets. I sighed. Gods, I hated supernaturals who preyed on weak humans. We had a pecking order—an unwritten law—that most supernaturals abided by, but this one clearly didn’t like to follow the rules. I was going to have to do something about that.
With purposeful strides, I crossed the single-lane street, flipping off the driver who honked at me. He should be thanking me for using my invaluable time to save one of his kind.
A streetlight flickered above the brick alleyway, but I couldn’t see much and continued to follow the moans and grunts behind a dumpster.
The female human was on the trash-filled ground, curled in the fetal position, while a scraggly grey wolf nipped at her ankles, merely playing with his food. Idiot mutt.
Magic gathered in my hand, and I flicked a stream of it right at his tail, singeing half the hair off. “Didn’t your mother teach you not to play with your food?” I drawled.
The young woman’s hazel eyes widened at my appearance, and her fair skin became almost translucent behind the thin curtain of ebony hair.
Unfortunately, I made the rookie mistake of watching the prey instead of keeping my focus on the wolf. He lunged for me, claws scratching my arm, but that was the only hit he’d be allowed. I flicked my wrist once more, sending a stream of power at his chest that acted like electricity, and didn’t let up until I smelled burnt hair.
He fell over onto his side, looking more like an oversized house-dog than the badass shifter he should have been. After a couple of growls, his form shimmered, but I had no desire to argue with a rogue. I blasted him with another bout of magic, stopping his shift.
Bending closer to the ground, I snapped my fingers to get his full attention. “I don’t think so, furball. No shifting back to human form until you’re long gone from this territory. You clearly don’t belong to any of the local packs, so run along now before I kill you instead.”
Don’t give him the option. Just kill him now before he becomes a bigger problem. Ah, my inner darkness had decided to come out and play. Well, I wasn’t in the mood. Instead, I ignored that voice and took a step back from the mangy shifter, groaning at the blood I’d dripped on my favorite high heels.
His jowls snapped at me, foam forming along his jaw while his beady black eyes narrowed.
Power pooled in my hand once more, and I let my own growl out. “I don’t give second chances. Go now or die.”
He yipped as the power of my words slammed into him, then rolled in the opposite direction before jumping over the woman who was still on the ground. The wolf limped along before using the dumpster to launch himself over the fence and disappearing into the night.
“Who are you?” she muttered, snot running down her nose.
“Nobody you’ll remember,” I replied, ready to make her forget this whole incident.
More tears streamed down her face as she sat up and reached to hug me. “You’re my hero.”
My head shook as my palm went to her forehead. “Honey, I’m the furthest thing from a hero. I just hate bullies. Now, you’re going to forget this happened, and I’m never going to see you again.”
My hand stayed in place as I pushed magic into her mind. I couldn’t do this trick on other supernaturals, but I certainly took advantage of it with the feeble minds of humans when necessary.
She mumbled incoherently as I stepped away into the shadows and waited until she stood, crying at the sight of her torn clothes and bruises. Hopefully, she’d figure out the