“They’re f**king effective,” he snapped back. “They caught your ass, didn’t they?”
Well, he had her there, didn’t he?
“Where is your mate, little warrior?” another murmured silkily as his dark gray eyes danced in amusement. “I can smell his mark on you and it’s fresh. You know, he gets his hands on you, and he’s gonna show you exactly how a Breed punishes disobedient little mates.”
“Go to hell!” she snapped.
He grimaced back at her. “Aw, come on, it’s just hot as hell there and my AC doesn’t even make a dent. Let’s try for something cooler.”
She took a moment to stare at him in complete disbelief.
“Great, a comedian,” Liza murmured behind her.
“Yeah, all before breakfast.” Diane sighed. “I think I might be nauseous anyway.”
“I warned you not to bring him, Malcolm,” another Coyote spoke up. “He’s going to start playing his incessant games again.”
“Loki, stop playing the f**king horndog,” Malcolm snapped at the flirting creature. “We’re here to kidnap a Breed mate, not see if we can seduce her.”
“I’m still maturing.” The Coyote shrugged with a cold, far too experienced, far too cruel expression of displeasure.
“He has about as much common sense as his brother Farce had,” another drawled. “Remember what happened to him, Loki? The wrong end of a feline weapon I believe.”
Diane followed them with her eyes, keeping her position, shielding Liza with her own body. As ignorant as they acted, as playful as they pretended to be, she knew they were now at their most dangerous.
“Liza, go!” she hissed.
“We’ll just chase her.” The taller, broader Coyote reached into his pocket and pulled a cigar free.
With lazy amusement, he holstered his weapon before lighting the tip, sending the scent of tobacco to fill the early morning air.
She was screwed. She would get one shot off, that was it at the current setting.
She turned back to Malcolm. “I’ll kill you first.” With a flip of her thumb she placed the weapon on its highest setting.
Malcolm smiled complacently. “No, Diane, you won’t,” he assured her. “Because if you do, then we’re going to take your little friend behind you as well. And I think you know what will happen to her then. You have only one shot. That’ll leave three Coyotes for her to deal with. Do you think she’ll survive?”
Liza wouldn’t survive. What Council Coyotes had been known to do to innocent bystanders was horrifying.
And they were alone with no backup and possibly no hope of backup arriving in time.
The heaviness that settled in her chest was like a crushing weight.
“I’d rather fight,” Liza whispered behind her.
Diane nodded slowly. “Do you have a weapon?”
“A knife, that’s all I have.” Regret filled the other girl’s voice.
Diane drew in a hard, deep breath. “Don’t let them take you. It would be far better to use that knife on yourself than to be captured by them. Once they come for me, run for the hotel. Breeds will be looking for me. They’ll take care of you.”
“I’m surprised, Ms. Broen,” the sandy-haired mocking Coyote drawled then. “I’ve heard of your mate. I’m shocked he’s not at your side facing us with that prick-assed attitude of his. Or did he do as he always swore he would and run the other way the minute he realized he was mated?”
“He was only delayed a bit,” she assured him.
“More like expecting her to be the good girl and stay in their bed rather than heading out to save this little bitch.” Malcolm waved his gun in Liza’s direction. “How did you know we were coming for her, Diane?”
She hadn’t.