Zander’s voice sounded a little hollow, though. He was staring at Lachlan, his face fixed.
“Enough,” Kendrick said with a low growl. “You can’t win here, Lachlan. Take your children home. I’ll meet you another day.”
“That you will. Without your backup. I heard you had Dylan Morrissey in your pocket. Or maybe your pants.” Lachlan’s words ended in a sneering growl, but the Shifters who backed him were too nervous to laugh.
“Go,” Kendrick said evenly, “before I let the polar bear rip off your head.”
Lachlan had no fear of Zander or of Kendrick, or even Dylan, Kendrick noted. Lachlan reserved that fear for Tiger, who hadn’t moved his gaze from him.
Lachlan growled low in his Lupine throat, and his Shifters changed stances from ready to fight to watchful. They surrounded Lachlan protectively, which was a bit sickening.
“I’ll be seeing you,” Lachlan said softly. “Maybe sooner than you think. Better look for your girl. I think she’s in trouble.”
Kendrick’s gut clenched, and it was all he could do to keep from swinging around and searching for Addison. Lachlan, knowing this, laughed softly and walked away into the empty land, his Shifters fading with him.
As soon as they were gone, Kendrick moved from standstill to run, the others coming behind him.
He saw, as soon as he hit the arena, that when Lachlan had said girl, he hadn’t meant Addison. He’d meant Jaycee, who was being dragged away by several Shifters, unnoticed by the rest of the locals, who were intent upon the fight by their champion, Spike.
* * *
Addie turned her head in time to see Jaycee in a sharp altercation with two Shifters who’d kept to the edge of the crowd. Jaycee leaned to them and snarled at them, the two males backing up a step.
That didn’t stop a third Shifter coming up behind her and grabbing her.
Jaycee whirled, her Feline speed snaking her away from the Shifter who’d snagged her, but the other two stepped in, one slapped a hood over her head, and all three dragged her away.
Instead of fighting, Jaycee went limp. Addie couldn’t tell why—either the bag contained an anesthetic, or maybe she was lying low for reasons of her own.
Addie scooted out of the arena and hurried after the Shifters and Jaycee. Kendrick and his crew were nowhere in sight. Great, just when she needed them.
Addie quickened her pace until she caught up to the Shifters. She pasted on a big, loopy grin, and stumbled against the Shifter who brought up the rear.
“Hey,” she slurred, pretending to be a groupie long past drunk. “Where y’all going? Another party? Can I come?”
The Shifter, gray-eyed, snarled. “Out of the way, sweetheart.”
“Aw, come on, tell me.” Addie slid away from him and banged hard into Jaycee, loosening the others’ hold on her. “Hey, what’s wrong with her? Whatever she’s on, can I have some?”
The lead Shifter swung around. “Shit, get rid of her.”
One of the Shifters shoved the limp Jaycee onto his partner and swung a quick fist at Addie, a blow meant to knock her out.
Addie ducked swiftly but still was caught with a clip on her cheek. She staggered back and fell, then scrambled out of the way as a lion bounded past her and landed on two of the Shifters.
Addie rolled aside, narrowly missing getting kicked by fighting men. A hand reached down to help her up—Dimitri, looking grim.
Tiger and Seamus landed on the Shifter still standing. Kendrick pushed through the melee and lifted Jaycee. He held her as gently as he would a cub, carefully easing the bag from her head. He cradled Jaycee with unflagging strength but his gaze went straight to Addie.