Page 54 of Change

“No, I get it. You’ll want us to be anonymous, right?” Maria asked, tucking her long-blond hair into the hood. “I haven’t seen anyone I know, so this has worked so far. But if we do this, they’ll try to figure us out. Put this on.” She shoved a similar mask in my direction.

I held up the burgundy garment with two fingers. “Why do you have two ski masks in your purse?”

Maria’s shoulders tensed and she looked away. “Never mind that.” Her words came out in a rush as she snatched the mask out of my hands and pulled it down over my face. “Let’s just get this show on the road.”

“But…” These were shifters? I’d sent her to fight abear? This was not what I’d envisioned.

I could not handle this level of intensity.

However, if Maria even heard the beginnings of my protest, she ignored it. She’d already shoved her purse into my arms. I watched in helpless horror, hugging the items against me, as she strolled across the room with an air of confidence I’d never dream of replicating.

It seemed to take her less than an instant to reach her target, and she wasted no time in making her introductions.

Though, not having enhanced senses of my own, I had absolutely no idea what was being said, it wasn’t difficult to read the body language.

‘Hey there, big guy.’ She’d tapped his shoulder, then ran her fingers down his ridiculously huge bicep. Her nonchalant posture struck fear into my heart.

This wasnotthe plan. Not that I had very much confidence in the plan anymore, but still.

The bear was suspicious at first, already raising his arm to strike her, when his grouchy expression softened a smidgen. Of course, being the rough sort, he’d not have a way with words, and when he spoke it was probably something like, ‘How’s it going, toots?’

Maria covered her mouth with her hand, and her shoulders shook girlishly. And my fears began to fade into annoyance.

What was shedoing?

We’d decided on ‘lone’ lioness, so why was she going with ‘lusty’?

Regardless, the flirting seemed to be going rather well, until, out of nowhere, the two of them shook hands, obviously reaching some manner of accord.

I narrowed my eyes at the sight. What was going onnow? Darn it, I should have just followed her. The room was growing more crowded, and someone pushed into me from the right, causing me to lose my balance. Because of that, I had no idea what happened during that split-second my attention had wavered, but by the time I looked back, their truce had ended, and the two shifters began to exchange blows.

I was silently screaming as I held Maria’s jacket and purse to my chin. Neither one of them had landed a single hit yet, and their fight was largely going unobserved thanks to the charade taking place in the ring. My heart was racing in anticipation. If no one cared, then all of this would be for nothing!

What in the world had I started? Where were all these strange impulses coming from? This wasn’t me!

Still, how could anyone want to watch the brightly costumed men in that sham of a show instead of the talented vision that was Maria? It was offensive.

She was glorious. Perfect form, poise, and grace. Her opponent, too, when not being a one-hit-wonder, wasn’t half bad.

I was lost in the splendor of it all, my insides twisting with both nerves and excitement, before I realized the crowd—and the ring itself—had mostly quieted. Everyone was now focused on the fight between the two shifters, as planned. I began to make out whispers, mostly admiration because—as I suspected—the man was a respected regular who’d never fully participated despite being asked.

They were both going to be so popular, he really should thank us.

But still, they were more eventually matched than I thought. I was confident in Maria’s skills—why else would Titus make her Er Bashou if shewasn’ta deadly warrior—but my pulse still raced with nervous excitement. I squeezed Maria’s stuff close to my chest as I watched the scene from between my fingers.

Hopefully Maria would realize soon that for this to work this shouldn’t be drawn out for much longer.

She knew, because this time when she ducked away from the slower man’s powerful punches, she pushed upward, jamming the heel of her hand up from the bottom of his chin.

The room grew still as he staggered back, covering his face with his arm, and fell against the wall.

I let out a long sigh of relief and uncovered my eyes. She waved at me, wide grin visible through the cut-out mouthpiece, and I couldn’t help but smile in return.

She won! I always had the utmost confidence in her ability.

But the short moment ended, and the room exploded in a torrent of sound and flurry. I lost sight of her as I was pushed to-and-fro as people moved in on her, trying to capture her attention.

The mood changed. Frantic.