Page 45 of Ruthlessly Mated
While the guys work on whatever plan they’re working on, I give the truck a makeover. I’ve painted it Rock City colors, which I think will help it blend in for lots of different reasons. No trucks are permitted to leave, but when they are, I can just get in wearing my probably-a-guy outfit and pose as a delivery driver, which I am.
Damon comes to get me around lunchtime, nudging me away from the truck and taking my hand. They knew where I was, and I am almost certain that he has been lurking around this whole time anyway, making sure that nobody is coming for me. I’ve never felt that someone had my back as completely as I do now that I have my mates. Damon especially. He is my shadow.
He takes me through a whole lot of back alleys, avoiding people. The city is under lockdown, but a lot of people are out hunting for me. Anybody they don’t know is a potential target. It’s really messing with the lives of most young women because small roving bands of amateur bounty hunters are pretty much ready to round anybody up.
Alexander has caused chaos—and not the kind he wanted. He’s no closer to getting to me, or to his maker’s heart.
When I get back to the apartment, my mates are ready. They’re standing with the energy of men who are about to burst out the door and do something heroic or maybe stupid.
“We’ve come up with a plan,” Conroy says.
“Oh?”
“We’ve located an exit toward the mountain side of the city. Looks like a secret way out designed to be taken by those who have clandestine business.”
“You mean you found a smuggler’s tunnel.”
“Yes.”
“No city is truly impenetrable. People ensure that over time,” Tailor chimes in.
“Well, that’s good. Is it big enough for a truck? Because I’ve got the truck all sorted out. And I’ve got this delivery driver outfit that nobody recognizes me in. Did you know the new Wolf Queen is also a delivery driver in Eclipse City?”
“Stop reading stories about her. She’s a bad influence, and I’m sure they’re all lies,” Tailor says.
“She can read the stories. They keep her quiet,” Conroy says. “Bad influences are everywhere. If she wants to be bad, she’ll be bad. Doesn’t matter what she reads.”
“I think she should be consuming improving material,” Tailor says. “We are trying to mold her into…”
“You’re trying to raise her,” Conroy snorts. “She’s a fully grown woman. She’s not going to change now. She’s going to keep being the same brat she was before we met. Personalities don’t shift that much.”
“Maybe not, but I think people can be shaped. We all have to adapt to our circumstances, and they change us, don’t they. We were one thing when we ran the port and we’re something else now that we’re… whatever the hell we are.”
Conroy looks at him.
“You’re right. We don’t change.”
“What?”
“We haven’t shifted. Not even once. We haven’t been ourselves.”
“Aren’t we escaping?” I remind them.
“We’re escaping in animal form. It’s safer. Faster. Wolves are much quicker than people. So we’re going to practice.”
“Why?”
Conroy looks over at me, his brows lowered. “Because we have not ensured that we all can.”
“So this is a test for me. And we’re going to do it in the middle of the city that is specifically looking for a female shifter. That’s crazy.”
“You stole an ancient vampire’s most precious possession, tried to sneak it through a wolf run port; when you failed, you still snuck out, then came back, ran the vampire over, and have been insisting on running around inside this incredibly hostile city where literally everybody wants you dead… but taking your true animal form would be crazy?”
Conroy is starting to sound a little sarcastic too. I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m not shifting. It’s not safe.”
“You will be taking your animal form with the rest of us,” he orders.
A moment later, he is not himself.
