Blondie demanded. He looked as if he were going to start edging away from Baer and his crazy talk, but that was only going to put him in the line of fire.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll explain on the way home. Let me take care of these guys, and then we can get out of here.” Baer flashed the man a reassuring smile, but it didn’t help to remove the look of confusion from his face. “Stay here and keep your head down.”
Blondie continued to stare at him like he’d lost his fucking mind, and there was a part of Baer that still believed that was true. Naturally, he’d lost his mind. Who would believe stories of an alien race trying to destroy the earth while six immortal men were tasked by goddesses to use magic to stop them? It was utter nonsense.
And now it was his life.
Baer turned to look around the table they were using as cover, but a hand dug into his shoulder, pulling him close. “What the hell are you doing? Are you a cop? You’re going to get yourself killed!”
“No, but I’ve got it. There are only two of them. Easy enough.” He winked at the blond before scanning his surroundings. The pestilents were picking themselves up off the floor after dodging the flying chair. None of the customers were looking their way. Everyone was hunkered behind whatever cover they could find. The ceiling wasn’t particularly high, and the walls were close. If he chose something with wings, it would have to be really small, or he’d never get up in the air.
Birds were useful in terms of speed and talons, but he didn’t like shifting into birds. They were hard.
No, something with claws and sharp teeth was needed here. Something fast and scary.
Baer looked over at the blond again and smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay. I promise. Just stay here.”
“Not going anywhere, big guy,” Blondie replied with a small waver in his voice.
Closing his eyes for a second to block out all the noise and distractions, Baer conjured up a familiar image. Tawny yellow fur. Massive paws with thick retractable claws. Long tail. Sharp teeth and even sharper eyes. He tapped his powers, letting the energy rush over his body like a warm wave. From where he and the other man were crouched, he doubted anyone would be able to see the soft glow that encompassed his body as he changed.
The first few times he’d shifted, the experience had been terrifying. Bones broke and reformed. Muscles stretched and twisted in weird ways until he came out on the other side in an entirely new form with new abilities, strength, limitations, and even instincts.
But it was a hell of a rush.
Behind him, he could hear a strangled squeak from Blondie, but the sound was suddenly muffled as if he’d placed his hand over his mouth. For now, Baer couldn’t think about it. He had to concentrate on taking care of the pestilents.
Muscles bunched and tensed as he crouched just a second before launching himself from his hiding place. He leaped over tables and chairs, the pads of his paws barely touching the furniture. He flew through the air toward his targets. The pestilents screamed and tried to raise their weapons in time to protect themselves. They were too slow.
Baer let his too-human brain retreat while the instincts of the cougar took over. Claws sank deep into weak flesh, tearing apart bodies. He bit down on the throat of the female pestilent and shook his head, snapping the creature’s neck. Baer dropped the lifeless body and jumped away from his prey as the male pestilent fired wildly at him while trying to crawl away. His sweaty blond hair hung loose in front of his eyes, and more sweat trickled down his lean face. The second the gun was out of ammo, he pounced, ripping the life from his would-be killer.
Pestilent blood coated his tongue and Baer gagged, even in the cougar’s body. So much for yummy pumpkin doughnuts and fresh coffee. That would have been better than this endeavor. He got only the taste of rancid meat. But if it got them another of their missing brothers safely to the plantation house, he’d take it.
Hurrying behind a table, Baer quickly shifted into human form before sliding over to where Blondie was hiding. Baer lifted his shirt to his mouth and hastily wiped away the blood from his face and across his