Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(3)

“Funny. My ex said the same thing. He was disappointed too.”

Leanna cocked her head. “You’re calm for someone who’s about to get the shit kicked out of her. What are you?”

Madisyn got that question a lot. Her breed was extremely rare and didn’t have a great rep among shifters. She’d often heard her kind described as “cute, furry bundles of terror.” Harsh but true. Her kind might not be much bigger than a domestic house cat, but they were vicious. Which was why she truthfully replied, “Something your momma probably warned you not to fuck with.”

“Oh yeah?” Charity snickered. “I doubt you’re a match for three pissed-off sows.”

Madisyn pouted. “Can’t you make it four?”

Cady chuckled. “Such arrogance. You don’t think we can take you?”

Madisyn looked her up and down. “Well, you look in shape. ‘Round’ is a shape, isn’t it?”

Cady growled. “Oh yeah, we’re definitely gonna slice you up real good.”

“You can try,” said Madisyn. “But I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Wriggling her claws, Charity raised her brow. “Oh? Why?”

“Because I could kick your bony ass in my sleep.” Wicked fast, Madisyn struck. She punched the bitch in the throat hard. Shock made the sow’s eyes widen, and she sucked in a choked breath as she cupped her throat. Madisyn slashed her chest with her razor-sharp claws, tearing through cloth and flesh and—just to be a bitch—a nipple. The tangy scent of blood filled the air, and her cat bared her teeth in satisfaction.

Charity’s eyes narrowed with rage and resolve. She took a swipe at Madisyn—she was fast. Madisyn was faster. She jerked back so the sow’s claws only grazed her cheek.

Adrenaline pumping, Madisyn punched her in the tit and then snapped out her leg, ramming her foot into Charity’s knee. The bear staggered backward into a stall and slipped, banging her head on the toilet as her legs gave out.

With a growl, Cady threw her purse at Madisyn and then lunged. Madisyn batted the purse away and slammed her fist into the sow’s jaw. The bitch teetered on ridiculously high heels, while Madisyn fisted her hair and smashed her head down against the counter once, twice, three times. The sow went limp, and Madisyn roughly slung her aside just as Leanna snatched the tampon machine from the wall and hauled it at Madisyn.

She quickly moved aside, cursing as she banged her arm on the hand dryer. Pain sliced through her. Motherfucker.

The machine crashed to the floor and burst open, scattering tampons everywhere, causing the sow to skid on them and land awkwardly on her ass. Grabbing the broken machine, Madisyn rammed it into Leanna’s head again and again and again. The sow blinked rapidly, dazed, blood dripping down her temple. Satisfied, Madisyn dumped the machine on the floor and nodded. “I think we’re done here.”

Just then, Charity came stumbling out of the stall. She spat blood in Madisyn’s face, the bitch. And she was gonna pay for it.

Madisyn shifted, giving her cat freedom. In a blur, the hissing animal leaped out of the puddle of clothes and wrapped herself around the sow’s head, biting her face hard, sinking long razor-sharp fangs through skin and muscle. Loving the bitch’s cries of pain, the feline mercilessly clawed at her, tearing at her eyelids, nose, cheeks, and lips.

The sow grabbed her, but the little feline wriggled out of her hold, climbed onto the back of her head, and bit into the base of her skull. Screeching, the sow made another grab for her. The cat dropped to the ground behind the sow and withdrew as her human half swiftly lunged for the surface.

Just as Charity pivoted to face her, Madisyn stabbed her claws deep into the sow’s gut, making her heave and double over in agony. She didn’t withdraw her claws. No, she curved them a little and thrust them higher. “One wrong move and I’ll fucking disembowel you—no lie.”

Charity grabbed Madisyn’s wrist, but she didn’t retaliate. She couldn’t move without doing major damage to her insides. Eyes fairly glowing with pain, she spat, “Bitch.”

“I know. But my kind aren’t known for their mercy.”

Fear glimmered in the sow’s eyes. “They’re right in what they say—pallas cats are crazy motherfuckers.”

“Only when shitheads have the nerve to pollute our presence.” Madisyn sighed sadly. “You should have let me pass. You didn’t. The pain knifing through you is really your own fault. Now, are we done here?”

Charity nodded vigorously.

“Good.” Madisyn withdrew her hand and sheathed her claws, watching as the sow slowly backed against the wall and slid down. As Madisyn quickly pulled on her top and her skirt, Leanna crawled over to Cady, who was still out cold, but she didn’t meet Madisyn’s eyes or try to stand.

Having retrieved her purse from the counter, Madisyn said, “Now, you’re all going to scoop yourselves off the floor, clean up the mess, and walk on out without causing a fuss. Then no one gets barred from the club, and your pride will remain intact. This unnecessary scene will be our little secret.”

After making a beeline for the door, Madisyn turned the lock, pulled it open, and found herself facing one of the security guards. Son of a bitch.

His eyes slid past her and widened. “What the fuck happened here?”

Madisyn licked her front teeth. “They tripped.”