Page 13 of Shadow Hunter

“Really?” he said, shaking his head at her, before he tucked his knife up his sleeve.

She paused.What the hell was that about?

“You’re better than that,” he said, gesturing to where her nails had dug into his arm. Through the darkness, she could see that a small trickle of blood had pooled there.

His eyes darkened. “Now, show me what you’ve got, Shortcake.”

Shortcake?!

She bristled. Without warning, he made another grab at her, and she stumbled back, nearly going down hard. Thankfully, she was short enough that she managed to duck out of his reach. Just before delivering a punishing blow to his shin.

He swore.

A grin curved her lips. “Call me Shortcake again and see what happens.”

He grinned, smirking up at her from where he’d doubled over in pain. “Shortcake.”

She swore, unleashing her fury in a series of manic blows. He towered over her and was probably twice her weight with all the muscle he was packing.

But she didn’t care.

No one called her Shortcake and lived to tell about it.

Regaining her footing, she threw a spinning roundhouse kick. But he blocked it with ease as if he often fought third-degree black belts without blinking an eye. Who the hell was this guy?

He was fierce, no denying it.

And goddamn it, it was…infuriating really.

“Narrow your stance. Find your center,” he ordered.

“Piss off.” Who did he think he was giving herinstructions?

He tsked at her. “Don’t make me teach you the hard way, Tiffany.”

She let out a furious roar, her rage making her throw nonstop kicks and punches, but he blocked every move like she was no more than an irritating fly rather than a capable, lethal woman. Goddamn it, he wasn’t even breaking a sweat, and somehow, he’d managed to nearly back her into another corner. She was running out of options. Fast.

Wait.

Her gun.

Her gun was lying on the floor.

She rushed toward the weapon.

Seconds later, he loomed over her.

“You’re a vicious little creature, aren’t you?” He smirked.

Tiffany scowled, snatching the gun from the floor, but she barely had time to recover before he was on her. She threw asidekick, but he caught it, then swept her other foot out from under her. She toppled to the floor, landing with an audible oof as the wind rushed from her lungs.

Before he could make his next move, she spun around and kicked his ankles once more. Pain shot through the edge of her big toe, despite her high-heeled boots.

Goddamnit, even his legs were pure muscle.

Without thinking, she lunged into his legs, wrapping her body around his knees. He started to fall, but he caught himself and landed prepared to kick out, except that...oh, snap...she was attached to his leg!

“Hold tight,” he warned, grinning at her.