Dead of Winter (Battle of the Bulls #2) - T. S. Joyce Page 0,51

she couldn’t see anything in front of him, and when he stopped abruptly, she ran right into the back of him. He jammed his finger at a group of riders, waiting off to the side. “If you assholes had anything to do with this, I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”

“Why would we?” one of them asked. “We can’t win if you don’t buck. We didn’t do this. We wouldn’t.”

Raven believed them. They looked as sick as she felt.

“Quickdraw!” a voice echoed over the masses.

“Two Shots! We’re here!” Quickdraw pulled Raven in front of him. He swung his massive arm, scooping people out of their way as they headed for the voice.

Cheyenne was with Two Shots, carrying a medical bag. “You didn’t eat the snack basket in your rooms, right?”

Quickdraw shook his head. “No. You told us not to eat anything right before we buck unless you give it to us.”

“And Dead?” Panic swirled in Cheyenne’s eyes.

“He didn’t eat anything either,” Raven blurted out. “He’s okay. Are you okay?” she asked Two Shots.

He looked relieved and shook his head. “I’m fine. Where’s Dead?”

“With First Time Train Wreck. He’s emptying his stomach.”

Cheyenne arched her eyebrows high and her voice was stern as hell as she told them, “I want us all together right now.”

As they made their way in Dead’s direction, the boys cleared the crowd in front of them. Cheyenne grabbed Raven’s hand and squeezed it hard and fast. “Everything’s okay.” But she sounded just as uncertain as Raven felt.

There was yelling up ahead. Yelling and cussing and the masses were swirling, moving, circling one of the doors.

“Get the fuck out of my way,” Dead demanded. He was carrying a man’s body like it weighed nothing. The bull shifter in his arms wasn’t First Time Train Wreck. This one was blond-headed, and stockier. It must’ve been another drugged bull shifter Dead was bringing into Train Wreck’s room. Dead turned slightly to the side, and Raven caught a glimpse of the man’s face. He was foaming at the mouth. Shit.

“You can’t just take him,” one of the handlers yelled. “The paramedics are coming!”

“Bring me Last Chance!” he yelled at the crowd down the opposite end of the alleyway.

“You shouldn’t move their bodies!” an onlooker yelled back.

“Bring me that fuckin’ bull, or I will destroy every one of you motherfuckers that gets in my way. We will take care of our own. I don’t know who did this, but I know it wasn’t me or my herd. Bring Last Chance to Train Wreck’s room and make space for the paramedics to get through and work.

Dead cast Quickdraw and Two Shots a fiery look as he disappeared into Train Wreck’s room.

“Let’s go get Last Chance,” Two Shots said low.

Quickdraw and Two headed right for Last Chance’s room while Cheyenne pulled Raven inside behind Dead.

Inside the room, Train Wreck was on the ground, covered in towels, his head resting on a duffle bag. He was shivering, but his pupils weren’t blown anymore. “They put it in the food,” Train Wreck told Raven through chattering teeth. He nodded toward a snack basket that was identical to one that had been sitting in Dead’s changing room.

Raven knelt beside him as Dead and Cheyenne went to work on the other bull shifter. They were calling him Jack of All Trades.

Raven murmured to Train Wreck, “I know what this drug is. It’s temporary. I know this is awful, but it’s temporary. Your bull isn’t gone. He’s just been put to sleep for a while.”

“Whoever did this damn-near overdosed them,” Dead growled. “They could’ve fuckin’ killed them.” His voice shook with rage.

There was a scuffle outside, and then the sound of chaos followed. Finally, Two Shots came through the door, carrying the body of Last Chance. The bull shifter was seizing in his arms.

“Where’s Quickdraw?” Cheyenne asked.

“Fighting.”

“Fighting who?” Raven asked.

Somberly, Two Shots answered, “Everyone.”

“Why are you helping us?” Train Wreck asked. “We’re your competition.” He gave a dark huff of a laugh. “You should be happy we’re down.”

“What an awful way to win,” Dead told him as he rolled the bull shifter on his side. “Why would we ever want to win that way. There’s no honor in that.” Dead flashed him a pissed-off glance. “You’re a bull shifter. We don’t hate you. We are you.”

The empty smile fell from Train Wreck’s trembling lips. “You’re not like I thought.”

“Get back!” Quickdraw bellowed, and outside the open doorway, Raven could see the crowd surging forward. The people in front were yelling that Two