Page 150 of His Ruthless Match

“You’ve got spirit, shifter,” the leader said in amusement. “But you’re outnumbered. Be smart and stand down.”

Jareth didn’t reply. His hand moved in a blur, pulling a knife from his side and throwing it with deadly precision. The blade struck the first man square between his glowing eyes, the force of the impact sending him staggering back. He collapsed to the floor with a dull thud, his weapon clattering uselessly beside him.

The other two men hesitated, their eyes widening as they exchanged glances.

Before the man on the left could react, Merrik lunged out of the shadows. His skeletal fingers latched onto my arm, yanking me back with surprising strength. The stench of decay hit me, making my stomach churn as his nails dug into my skin.

“Let go of me!” I yelled, twisting in his grip. My breath came in sharp gasps as I stomped down on his foot, the heel of my boot connecting with enough force to make him grunt in pain, but he didn’t loosen his hold.

“Feisty,” Merrik hissed, his grin widening to reveal sharp, yellowed teeth. His grip tightened, his fingers bruising as he dragged me closer to the doorway.

I struggled frantically against Merrik’s iron hold. “Jareth!”

Jareth’s head snapped toward me, his expression darkening. His eyes burned with raw fury. “You shouldn’t have touched her.”

The man on the left took advantage of Jareth’s split attention, raising his blade and swinging. Jareth dodged just in time, and the blade only grazed his shoulder, tearing through his already bloody shirt. But the attack didn’t stop him.

Jareth moved like a predator unleashed, his cougar instincts razor-sharp even in human form. He threw another knife, and the blade embedded in the fae’s chest. The man stumbled, his weapon slipping from his hands as he collapsed to the floor, lifeless.

Merrik dragged me to the doorway, his grip unrelenting. My kickboxing training surged to the forefront of my mind, and I shifted my weight, driving my elbow into his ribs. He grunted at the impact but didn’t let go.

I twisted in his grasp, throwing a punch at his jaw. It connected with a satisfying crack, but Merrik only laughed, his grin turning feral. “Is that all you’ve got?”

“Let. Me. Fucking. Go!” I screamed, kicking his knee. He staggered, but his hand shot out, grabbing my other wrist and yanking me forward again.

Jareth was on us in seconds. His knives were gone, but his fists were more than enough. He slammed into Merrik with enough force to send them both crashing into the wall. The impact rattled the shelves, sending jars tumbling to the floor. Glass shattered, the strange glowing liquids inside pooling around their feet.

“Stay down,” Jareth snarled, his fist connecting with Merrik’s face. The sickening crunch of bone echoed through the room, but Merrik didn’t go down without a fight. His nails raked across Jareth’s chest, reopening the gashes left by the earlier fight. Blood dripped down his torso, but Jareth kept going.

“You don’t know when to quit, do you?” Jareth growled venomously.

Merrik’s sharp grin turned into a look of desperation. His eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape.

“We can make a deal,” Merrik stammered, his sing-song tone now shaky and thin. “I’ll tell you anything you want. Just?—”

Jareth let out a guttural growl, his body tensing like a coiled spring. My breath caught as his form began to shift.

Fur rippled across his skin, his muscles elongating and snapping into place. His hands curled into massive paws, claws glinting under the dim light. His face sharpened, his teeth elongating into deadly fangs.

Merrik stumbled back, his face pale with terror. “Stay back,” he screeched, his voice cracking.

The cougar snarled, a deep, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down my spine. Jareth lunged, his massive body moving with terrifying speed and grace.

Merrik swiped at him with his skeletal hands, but it was futile. Jareth’s claws raked across his chest, tearing throughflesh like paper. Merrik’s scream was cut off abruptly as Jareth pinned him to the wall, his claws pressing into his shoulders with a savage force.

“Help me,” Merrik gasped, his eyes darting to me in desperation. “Please!”

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. The primal energy radiating from Jareth rooted me to the spot.

Jareth’s cougar form loomed over Merrik, his lips pulling back in a snarl that revealed gleaming fangs. Without hesitation, he lunged, his jaws snapping around Merrik’s throat.

The sickening crunch of bone and the gurgling sound of Merrik’s last breath filled the room. His body went limp, slumping in Jareth’s grip.

With one final growl, Jareth tossed Merrik’s lifeless body to the floor. Blood pooled beneath it, dark and thick, a brutal reminder of the cost of betrayal in The Below.

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JARETH