Page 135 of Psycho Beasts

“Sadie,” I said coolly and forced my body to act relaxed.

Somewhere far away, my nerves screamed in pain.

“I’m Dean. Alligator shifter.” That explained the leathery green patches on his skin.

He smiled and held out his hand, and I noted impassively that he had dimples.

Shake his hand. Turn his hand over to assert your dominance.

I shook his hand and turned it aggressively. “Saber-toothed tiger shifter.”

His smile widened, and he opened his mouth to say something else, white teeth flashing against his gold skin.

Z shouted, “No talking to the initiates. Dean, get out of the ring!”

Everyone in the gym turned to us.

A low growl and hiss sounded, and it wasn’t difficult to figure out who was upset.

Dean bowed deeply, like I was a princess and not the woman he’d just been beating the shit out of for the last ten minutes.

The hiss sounded louder, and the growl became an outright roar.

Even numb, I smothered the urge to laugh at the scene he was causing.

He winked as he stumbled out of the ring.

Molly pulled me to the corner and said, “Only twenty-four more fights. Use your defensive maneuvers earlier instead of immediately jumping at them on the attack.”

She dabbed at the numerous cuts pouring blood down my face.

I licked my lips, savoring the sweet copper tang.

It tasted like power to me.

“I mean it. Stop attacking and focus on defense.” Molly poured water down my neck.

“I can’t,” I said calmly. Her mothering rubbed me the wrong way, and I had the irrational urge to smack her.

She pressed the towel against the cut on my forehead that was gushing blood into my eyes. “Why the moon goddess not?”

I smiled. “Because I want to hurt them.”

Her hand stilled.

The bell sounded, signaling the beginning of the next fight. I bounced back and forth on my toes.

Box his ears and break his nose.

I did just that.

When my much larger male opponent howled in pain and charged at me, fists ready, the numb voice in my head became slightly animated.

Dodge right. Kick his kneecap.

The big man roared, and I jumped out of the way of his swinging fist.

Ten minutes later, when the gong sounded, we were both contorted on the mat in impossible positions.

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