Shifter Legends (16 page)

Lauren nodded, unable to speak. Luke’s nod followed.

She really needed to watch how strong she was.

Briana looked over towards the doors to the bar. It was so large she couldn’t even estimate how many bikers were in there, fighting. The racket of moving and shifting let her know that the number was pretty large, after all the bar was probably larger than the gym they had been training in by at least threefold. The stakes were too high for them to be playing, this was more than just a way to get out the mountain lion’s aggression in a healthy manner. This was a true fight.

One that she was more than ready to take on.

Briana could feel the mountain lion inside of her growling, her own lips curling in response. She was ready. She wanted to be over with this as soon as possible. She was a part of the Pride, and that meant defending its members, even if they were in a seriously deadly biker fight in the middle of a bar.

Lauren and Luke had similar expressions on their faces, the adrenaline pulsing throughout their bodies as they adjusted to their challenge. No way they were going to allow another Pride to encroach on their territory, these men would do no good for the town of Hyde, and they could not be allowed to stay. They were completely and utterly prepared.

Until they walked through those doors to see exactly who they were facing.

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

Grant stood before them, along with a small group of other people she didn’t recognize. Another group of men that were not wearing their cut, but a jean cut that she didn’t recognize were surrounding them in the bar.

“Looks like we arrived just in time. You all doing okay in here?” Briana asked Grant, a smile that was anything but nice across her lips.

“Not tonight, sweetie,” He said as he growled. “Seems we got us a little problem.”

“It won’t be easy going, boss,” Another of the group said as they eyed the rival Shifters. Clearly, these assholes had come looking for a fight.

“This ain’t gonna be your turf for much longer, Grant. Your days are numbered here. Crank and blow are going to fill these streets. Been dry too long. You dumb fucks don’t deserve this town,” A particularly ugly one growled out. She could tell he wasn’t a boss, but he was more important than his grunts.

Grant lunged for the guy, his nimble evasions only temporary. Using his body as well as his wits Grant backed him into a corner. The fight was on.

“I won’t be so easy,” She said to a fierce looking woman as she tried to imitate Grant’s moves on Briana. She wasn’t tough looking, but Briana knew that woman was going to be a formidable opponent.

“I dunno about that.” Grant’s smile was devilish as he threw another punch into the guys face. Playful banter across the room while beating someone bloody? She could do that.

“Try me, pretty boy.”

She dodged out of the way and lunged after the girl, charging her, full force and jumping her back. They tumbled onto the floor, one and then the other, fighting for control. She wasn’t going to give it up, she knew that she had to fight this woman, beat her, because there were so many more coming.

She thought quickly, trying to figure out something she could do. His strength was twice that of hers, so when he pulled her off and threw her halfway across the room she knew she had to do something a little more serious.

She could seriously hurt her, but Briana wasn’t sure she was ready for the consequences of that yet. She had never harmed anyone, never really done much more than left bruises. Typical fights in foster homes and on the playgrounds. She could do that, she could beat her up enough to leave bruises and break skin. She sank her teeth into the woman’s neck, right about where she had her own bite scar. The blood curdling screams of the woman were effective, a distraction to the men who were circling one another. She pulled the woman down on the ground for a final time, once she got her feet under her and shifted so that she had the advantage and then let go of her neck. The woman passed out from the pain, the teeth marks over her own bite must have been more than just a normal bite. It must have had supernatural consequences.

A man glared at her, smashing his fist into his open palm.

“That was hardly fair,” He growled.

“I can feel bad about it later. When I win.” She elbowed him and then pinned him to the ground, both shoulders touching. She took him down, and it wasn’t as hard as she thought it was going to be.

She turned to regard the other two. Neither one of them were so engaged with their sparring partner. Luke was dancing around a big man, one who looked like he was more fat than muscle. Still, he had to have been strong, to carry that kind of weight around.

She charged him, using her legs to sweep his feet out from under him. It was a team challenge. Together they could pick off the big guy fairly easily and then move on to the next one, if Lauren still needed their help.

Her opponent was faster than Briana had given him credit for. She couldn’t use her bite on him, it wouldn’t work. It would just enrage him, and a man that was easily three times the size of her own body would not be someone she would have chosen to fight. Especially not in his heightened beastlike state. No one had shifted, it would probably do more harm than good. This was a good, old fashioned bar brawl.

The man in front of her seemed to like it that way. She could almost see him beating his chest over her while he crushed her.

No, she needed a different kind of tactic. Unless, she could channel that rage to distract him.

“Hey, handsome. How much do those steroids cost?” She asked, winking at him. “Where can I get my hands on them?”

This guy was too big to be that way naturally. He grunted and turned. “You stupid little girl, do you want to get hurt?” He asked, sneering at her before he rushed her. She jumped aside easily, someone that big with that much momentum may be fast, but he certainly wasn’t agile. It allowed her to stick her foot out at the last minute and sweep his feet out from under him again. She landed a hard blow to his temple. He wouldn’t be getting up any time soon.  

Luke was too strong for half the men in the bar, several rushing at him to do nothing other than receive a quick punch, and down they went.

Lauren was having a hard time with the burly man who stood up to fight her. He had her in a head lock and was dragging her down. The two of them flanked the rather large man, Luke using his broad strength to distract him, and Briana delivering blow after blow to his body. Working quickly he was down in seconds flat.

The all stood there, heaving, trying to catch their breaths.

Grant wrapped his arm around her and let her lean against him, using his weight to propel herself up. It wasn’t the worst workout she had ever had, but she needed a moment to collect herself.

They had won. They had pushed them back. She was sure it was going to escalate things, but for the first time she understood what she was doing. Fighting against a bunch of thugs who wanted to take over the town and fuck it up. People had enough problems without a motorcycle club of assholes coming in and dealing drugs.

Just as she caught her breath, and was about to suggest that they head back to the lodge, a group of men burst in through the door of the bar.

Demon Hunters, not another club.

“Boss, we need to talk to your for a minute. Outside.” The guy looked spooked.

Grant walked out the door and slammed it. He must have been out there for at least five minutes, the rest of the group just staring at one another.

She looked back at Lauren, who was just as confused as she was, and then to the door. It had opened and Grant was walking through it, his face more serious than she had ever seen before.

Something was definitely wrong.

***

“They are here. We didn’t expect them to attack for at least a few more days, but it looks like we have no choice, they’ve been spotted just outside of town, headed for the lodge. You three will join my section of the pack on the west end. If we hurry we can get there before they charge.” He gripped her arm and squeezed it once before turning and leading them through the complex and to the western exit.

The lodge was butted up against the woods, and she guess that would be the way they were entering. It made the most sense, especially if they were coming in mostly cougar form. They had scouts out near the park to keep a lookout and to inform the pack of when anyone was arriving. This helped when there were hikers, or people who were lost, but it also provided a good defense for those who were coming to the camp on less than friendly terms. One or two shifters could escape being seen, but a whole pack was spotted right away.

 A group of maybe 50 Shifters was among them, waiting, ready to attack. Many of them had already shifted, preferring to fight in mountain lion form over human form. Both had their advantages, but there was no question about it.

Briana was strongest in Mountain Lion form.

She shifted immediately next to Grant who was making the shift as well, Luke and Lauren followed suit.  Mountain Lions were the safest form for new, not yet fully developed shifters. It was also the fastest form, and it would make the journey back up to the lodge that much faster. The others could use their human strength to fight the Shifters, but no guns would fire in this forest. Knives or teeth and claws were the only weapons that would be effective.

They ran across the edge of Hyde, and up the hills until they finally reached the edges of their personal territory, rather than their claimed public territory. Briana could feel the rage as it met with her cougar form. There were dozens of enemy Shifters, more than she could count, but she knew they were there. She could feel it.

Grant navigated the small group, ten or so, of them around the side and safely back to the lodge, where every able bodied Shifter was waiting.

“We hoped we could wait for you, brother. Glad you could make it, I don’t know how much longer before they would have attacked.” Book was there, giving orders almost immediately. He split up the troops, her group with Grant’s.

They may not be completely battle tested, but there was nothing they could do at this moment to improve their chances. She hoped her Alpha status would give her an advantage as she tried to fight them.  Men in their jeans and their cuts stood around, but several had already shifted. Anyone who saw this army from the outside would think it part of a circus act.

Don’t charge until I give the word,
Grant communicated as he pulled his troops around to flank the force from the side. Eliza shouted the command out for all those not shifted, the two of them sharing a bond between battle partners that allowed for such communication. At least that was what Grant had explained to her. Soon she would have that with Luke and Lauren. If they survived this. Only a few could hear his thoughts if they were not shifted: his bonded Pride mates, the Alpha, and his mate.

 Briana hadn’t seen Eliza until she heard her voice, but she knew that woman would be in the crowd somewhere. She was part of Grant’s immediate group and the two would always fight together. Just like Luke and Lauren with her.

 The thought of losing one of them crept up her spine as she looked out at the mass of Shifters. She couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to be without them before they were properly bonded. They truly were a Pride. Briana shook the thought from her head and tried to concentrate. Thoughts like that would only get you killed. Grant wouldn’t let any of them die, she knew, and she trusted him.

When Max’s Shifters charged everything slowed in Briana’s mind. Some people had the ability to watch and analyze this way. She could feel her heart beat, each thump harder in her chest as she raced out with Grant to meet the oncoming rush of the horde.

She was at his flank running with him, the wind rushing through her as she followed her mate into battle. She felt strong. Impossibly strong with Grant next to her side.

Don’t let the battle overwhelm you, Briana. I will be right there at your side. Keep your head on a swivel and don’t let them take you off guard.
His voice was almost like a whisper in her ear, the thought intended for her alone.
Use your pack mates appropriately. They follow you, like Eliza follows me. You need to command them. They are Alphas, but they want the guidance of a greater Alpha. Be their guidance.

He gestured to the two of them with his muzzle. They were running alongside her, charging with her. She had been so caught up in the moment, in the feeling, that she lost all sight of what was actually happening. She was sending herself, and her friends, in to kill. Or be killed.

Lauren, can you hear me?
Briana reached out with her mind and she could tell by the way Lauren jerked her head around that she had heard her.

Not so loud. I can hear you just fine. What do you need?
Lauren didn’t seem frightened. She was ready.

You and I should work off of each other, striking back to back. Luke, you should guard the perimeter, limiting the number, if you can.
She opened up the conversation to the both of them, explaining her thought pattern.