Xolto followed Aria’s gaze to the first Dire and frowned. “Saw him a few streets over.”
“Yes. He’s been following us,” Aria said. “And now he has a friend.”
The overseer stiffened and addressed Udo, who wiped sweat from his face. “Sir. I think we should return to your building.”
Udo glanced up at the big Trog. “I have another dealer to visit.”
“There might be a security issue,” Xolto insisted.
The pink furred brow wrinkled. “Then deal with it. It’s your job.”
The overseer didn’t look happy, but Udo had a point. When Xolto’s yellow eyes drifted back to Aria, she nodded.
Udo had already turned away and continued down the street. Aria dropped back and let the crowd swallow her, hyperaware of the two shifters falling in behind them.
She hadn’t much experience with Dires. Her mind raced with potential scenarios, most of which she considered and dismissed. She lacked information, and that was a crucial component to making accurate decisions.
Udo led them into a busier section of the city, and Aria moved away from him and his guards. Her cloak blended perfectly with a hundred others striding along the streets.
The Dires kept focused on Udo. The underlord was so short he vanished amid the throng. Hiding among the street walkers, Aria fell in behind the rearmost shifter. He hugged the buildings, his gaze fixated on Xolto’s tall form.
When her target slunk across the mouth of an alleyway, Aria made her move, grabbing his heavy shirt and spinning him into the alley. He was much larger and heavier than her, but she wasn’t Dire. Or human.
She was something much more.
Some of the locals must have noticed, but no one cared. The residents of this city knew better than to interfere in others’ business.
In a microsecond, Aria flattened him against the cold stone of the nearest building, her weapon across his throat. But it wasn’t the razor-sharp blade that kept him immobile; it was her other hand, the one which had a firm hold on something intensely personal.
The Dire inhaled and glared down at her. “Let me go.”
“Nope. Don’t think so. Not until I know what you want with my boss.” She squeezed tighter.
His eyes gleamed gold with his beast. “That’s between my alpha and Udo.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure it’s my business.”
He snarled at her, his canines growing long and sharp as his facial bones altered. His nostrils flared, but he couldn’t get a sniff of her past the scented cloak.
“Yes,” purred Aria. “Let’s bring out the beasts, shall we?” She shook back her hood and snarled back.
“No way you want that, you little bitch” he growled. But his eyes chased across her face, and she saw the first hint of doubt. As a Dire, he was accustomed to strong-arming many. Seldom alone, mind you, Dires ran in packs. But she wasn’t intimidated.
Her fingers tightened with crushing force, and he grunted in pain, squirming against her grip. “There are some things,” she reminded him, “that cannot be healed.”
She pushed the transformation along her hands. The one cupping him grew wicked long talons that pricked him hard enough to make him wince; a bead of sweat traveled down his cheek. His eyes rolled to the similarly attired fingers holding her weapon, and then back to her.
Wary, now.
Aria dropped her blade and grabbed his throat, letting the razor-sharp talons sink tip-deep into his skin as she lifted him up the wall. His eyes widened as the red-gold scales chased along her arms and over her cheeks.
“Effing hell.” His voice was strangled by her fingers. “You’re... you’re a...”
She grinned at him. “Still want to play ‘Show me yours, and I’ll show you mine?’”
He hung limp in submission. No regular Dire could challenge her, not if they wanted to live. And this guy was no alpha...
Wait a minute.
