Page 42 of Mysteries, Menace, and Mates

“And ifIwin?”

Theron smiled broadly. “Ifyouwin, I’ll listen to whatever it is you came here to say.”

Victor can fuck right off.She heard the loathing in Roadkill’s voice.

Then Victor shifted, and a hippo faced her, solid as a rock, a wall of gray flesh.

Well, my strength will be worth zip. The only thing I’ve got going for me is speed.A regular gorilla would have no chance in such a fight. She’d have to rely on her training.

Use your brains.That was Hashtag.

I remember reading once about animals that could beat a hippo.One of the answers had been both amusing and scary as fuck—a gorilla with the Infinity Gauntlet. Then a line came to her, and she had to smile.Any hippothetical one-on-one battle will be won by the hippo, unless—

Listen to me, Roadkill interjected.Stay out of his reach. Keep higher than he is. And go for his eyes. His vision is poor, but you need to make it nonexistent.He groaned.Theron isn’t looking for a matchup—he wants to see a slaughter.

What he said, Hashtag added.But if what I’m seeing from you is accurate, the guy has been in a lot of fights, so maybe he’s not that good. Maybe they’re relying on his size to intimidateyou.

Then it’s working, Eve affirmed.I’ve never seen a man his size before.

Told you one day we wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. She likes the big ones.

She rolled her eyes.Hashtag, remind me when I get back to kick your ass.

Gladly. Get out of there in one piece and I’ll be happy to let you do it. Or if you’d rather, give the word, and we’ll abort the mission and come running.

Of course they would. Eve knew they loved her. She felt the warmth of that love flowing through her every time they glanced her way.

Nah, I got this.

One last thing, Roadkill added.Keep him off balance.He’s huge, yes, but he’s not a true hippo. His human brain is in control, so just confuse the fuck out of him and stay away from his jaws.

“Duncan!”

It was time.

Chapter Twelve

EVE SHIFTED,and before Victor could move, she lunged toward him, propelling herself through the air to smash into his side with her shoulder. But as she moved back to repeat the assault, Victor recovered enough to slam into her, driving her toward the nearest wall, his head crushing her against it.

Fuck, this guy is strong. If he kept this up, he’d shatter her bones, which was clearly his intention.

His eyes, remember?

His head was so massive, she could scarcely reach them. She jammed a finger in, and he roared and backed off. It took Eve a few moments to catch her breath, but Victor wasn’t going to give up. He rushed her again, this time knocking her into the air. She landed hard, and Victor was on her, using his bulk to hold her down.

Get up!

Now, woman!

“Not giving up,” she growled. “Not with this much at stake.”

It had to be the result of the adrenaline surging through her system, because no way could she move him on her own. She was able to push him far enough to get him off her.

I can’t afford to get caught like that again. If Victor got her in his jaws, it would be game over.

You’re good at this, Victor. But I’m better.

She pushed off the ground and launched herself up, her body protesting every move. It wouldn’t stop her, however. She landed on Victor’s head and dug her nails into his eyes, which caused him to bellow and shake his head, trying to dislodge her. Except now Eve had her balance.

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