Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            “Incoming!” Jenks shrilled.

            I yelped as something heavy smashed into me and I slid, crashing into the counter.

            But I was a wolf now, and I snarled, twisting to close my teeth on whatever they could find. I bit down, and a thin, furred leg slipped through my mouth. I caught a rasping nail, and then it was gone. Twisting, I flipped myself upright and shook my black panties off my foot.

            “You and me, Parker!” I shouted, hearing it come out as a bark. The larger Were stood well back, a paw lifted to show where I’d scored. Haunches bunching, I launched myself at her, ears pinned, mouth open. We hit, jaws snapping. She went for my feet and I knelt, finding an ear and ripping a bloody tear. Wiggling, I skittered from her, the taste of her blood in my mouth.

            I got two pants in, and then her weight slammed me to the floor. I twisted clear, then darted around a table and jumped onto the next, my nails scrabbling for purchase.

            “She’s on your six!” Jenks shrilled. “Now!”

            I spun, jaws wide. Parker slammed into me, and we slid off the table. But I was ready for it, and I twisted to land on her. My teeth found her foot, and she yelped and pulled free.

            “Get her, Rache!” Jenks shouted. “Pull her troll turd of an ear off!”

            Parker huffed, her body contorting to pin me. The NMZ amulet dangled almost within my reach. I lunged for it, teeth scraping. Barking like a mad thing, Parker went for my throat, cutting off my air. My eyes bulged, and I kicked at her. Get off! I thought, my hind paws gouging her soft underside.

            With a yelp she was gone.

            I flipped upright, panting. Parker stood eight feet away, tail drooping as she realized it wasn’t going to be as easy as she thought.

            “That’s right!” I barked. “You’re looking at the only person who ever took down Aunty Lenore. You’re nothing compared to an Alcatraz queen! Come here.” I stepped forward. “Here!”

            And even though it was all barks and yaps, I think Parker got the message.

            Parker lifted her bleeding paw. Her eye was oozing again, the new scab open and dripping into her sight. Her lip lifted from her wicked canines . . . and then she lunged.

            I went with it, rolled and tumbled by fur and sinew as I fought to stay clear of her teeth, my tail tucked and my ears pinned. You are one crazy-ass cur, I thought as I wiggled free . . . then jumped her.

            My teeth grazed her sore foot, and she dropped. It was exactly what I wanted, and with a twist and flip, I found the amulet and pulled it right over her head.

            Parker felt it leave, howling as I backed up and tossed it into the air for Jenks to catch. The pixy was ready, and in a flash of dust and rasping wings, he had it and was gone.

            Stabils! I thought triumphantly as my hold on the ley line became sure again.

            Parker yipped, her lips pulled back from her teeth as she fell over, barking as she suddenly couldn’t move.

            “Stabils, stabils, stabils!” I barked, and the three closest alphas were down, too. With a sudden rush, the rest scattered.

            “Get ’em, Rache!” Jenks shouted. “Pin those sorry-ass excuses for Were pups!”

            I stood, shaking as I pulled in line energy so fast that my fur stood on end. They were all scrambling for the door in an elbow-jabbing, shoving stampede, slowed by their frozen kin. Tail waving, I watched them run. But my satisfaction paled as I turned to the girls.

            White-faced and scared, they clung to Mark.

            “You let them watch?” I barked, but he didn’t understand a word I was saying.

            “They’re gone,” Mark said, and the shimmering energy protecting him dropped. “Jenks, they are gone, right?”

            “Yep.” Hovering with his hands on his hips, Jenks dusted a happy gold. “Hey, they dragged Parker into that van. You want me to tail them?”

            I suddenly realized that the shop was empty except for us and a faint scent of wolfsbane. I shook my head, exhausted as I sat on my haunches, my crushed paw raised to my chest. “Why did you let them watch?” I barked again as the van’s tires spun, squeaking to make my ears pin as it bounced into the street. Two more cars were right behind. Obviously it had been an arranged hit, but seeing as I wasn’t the one bleeding on the floor of the van, I was going to call it a win.