"Oh, I'm listening, Lizzie-girl."

"But you'll do it anyway."

"It's a good chance to get Marquez and his threats out of your life. Sean can help you with his laptop, me with my fists." He slanted her a look that made her remember his warmth in the night and the way she'd felt safe in his arms. "I'm pretty damn good at what I do."

He was, though she knew he didn't mean sex. "You're not even supposed to leave Shiftertown," she said, still in the low murmur. "Let alone go to some barn in the middle of nowhere."

"Even more of a challenge."

She let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm grateful for what Sean's doing, but erasing my info won't hide me from Zach. Julio's already contacted him."

"Elizabeth." Ronan faced her, resting his hands on the wall on either side of her. "You never have to worry about the Marquez brothers, or this Zach, or anything they might do to you, again. Whatever they do, it won't touch you. We've got your back."

No one but Ronan had ever said that to her and meant it. Ronan's eyes held nothing but sincerity, his vast strength like a barrier between her and the world.

"Why would you all do this for me? A week and a half ago, you barely knew me."

Ronan leaned closer. She'd never be able to duck away from him before he could close his arms around her, and she didn't particularly want to.

"I mate-claimed you," Ronan said. "That makes you one of us. You might walk away later, and we'll let you, but we won't let anything happen to you. You've become an honorary member of my clan, of Ellison's pack, of Sean and Liam's pride . . . until you become a full member of my clan." He came closer still and nuzzled her. "I'm hoping that happens soon."

"No pressure," she said, but she smiled.

"Nope." He nuzzled her again and kissed her softly. "No pressure at all."

"I'm coming with you tonight," she said.

"Well, yeah, I hope so. Wouldn't be the same without my mate-to-be cheering me on."

"Who says I'll cheer, Bear with Large Ego?"

"You will. And when I win, you'll be all over me."

"In your dreams."

"Oh, yeah," Ronan said. "And sweetie, trust me, I have some great dreams."

Chapter Fourteen

The makeshift arena for the Shifter fights was at the end of a dirt road a long way north and east of the 290. Elizabeth hung onto Ronan as he guided his bike down an FM road, then a county road, and finally an unmarked road where the pavement ended after only a few feet.

At the end of this dirt trail was an abandoned farm tucked among bushy trees, ponds and stock tanks shimmering in the moonlight. The barn was an incredibly long metal building, rusting now, built to store hay for a ton of cattle.

The hay was long gone, along with the livestock that had eaten it. Now the barn smelled rusty, musty, and muddy. But tonight, with fires blazing in barrels up and down its center, it was alive with animation and excitement.

Elizabeth tasted the anticipation as she walked in close behind Ronan. Behind her came Spike, wearing a muscle shirt that showed off his completely inked arms. He had beautiful tattoos, drawn by a true artist, colors bright and flowing. Ellison came behind him, in his usual cowboy boots, black button-down shirt, and Stetson.

Sean walked behind Ellison, minus his sword. But though he claimed he'd come "incognito," everyone recognized Sean. Elizabeth saw the Shifters back away as he walked by, the Shifters uneasy. Andrea had told Elizabeth that while Shifters respected Guardians, Guardians were reminders of death, which didn't sit well with them. Sean took it in stride, but Elizabeth had noticed the quietness in him, and how he drank in Andrea's love for him like a man who'd gone thirsty too long.

Andrea had stayed home because of her advanced pregnancy, but plenty of women mixed in with the crowd of males. Several of the females were tall Shifter women, but most were human. Shifter groupies were there, both men and women. Some wore fake wildcat or wolf ears, others had painted whiskers on their faces or made up their eyes to look feline. The female groupies wore scanty clothing; the males who wanted sex wore low-slung jeans and tight T-shirts or no shirts at all. The men who'd come simply to hang out with Shifters dressed more conservatively and eyed the female groupies--and some, the male groupies--with calculating stares.

The male humans took full notice of Elizabeth as she walked behind Ronan in her red top and jeans, gazes drifting to her tatt. Elizabeth had been sized up before, but never had she felt so much like a walking piece of meat. The Shifters were eyeing her too, she saw, but then they'd look at Ronan, look again at her, inhale, and slide their gazes away.

Not all of these Shifters were from Ronan's Shiftertown, she understood. The fight clubs drew Shifters from Shiftertowns in Austin, Hill Country, San Antonio, and from as far away as Houston to the east, Waco to the north, and San Angelo to the west. Humans did not like Shifters from different Shiftertowns mingling, but fight clubs had become a melting pot, according to Spike. And, the tattooed Shifter added, what humans didn't know wouldn't hurt Shifters.

The barn had been divided into thirds, plenty of room for three fights to take place simultaneously. A fight had already commenced in the far end, Shifters and humans alike shouting encouragement.

By the time Ronan and Elizabeth reached the last ring, the two Shifters, a wolf and a wildcat, were all over each other. The wildcat had a lot of lion in it, mane and all, but the wolf was just big. The wolf's Collar snapped and sparked, though the wildcat's remained strangely silent.