No Mercy by Shannon Dermott

were here for our show I was sure of it.
     
    “Did you guys find out anything?” Chris asked.  It was always a little weird to watch the shifters sit and not speak unless spoken to.  I was grateful every day I wasn’t born a shifter.  They seemed to have a system that worked, but reminded me too much of servitude.
     
    Luke took the lead and shared part of the story about what happened after they left which was nothing much.  Conveniently, he left out the details of the demon hunters.  He did mention them though. “You should be on the lookout for them.  But they aren’t dangerous.”
     
    “How do you know that?  Chris asked.
     
    “They look as green as grass laid out for pasture,” Luke said. When that didn’t get a response, he added. “Just let me know if you encounter them again and I’ll handle it.”
     
    Chris nodded. “Sure.  They whole Christians against demons thing is in your realm.  Just remember that shifter business is mine.”
     
    “Agreed,” Luke said. “Hey, I’m going to walk through the woods before we go to make sure they left.”
     
    “Cool, sounds like a plan,” Chris said. “Jo, why don’t you go with him.”
     
    Luke stiffened. Jo was the oddest of the crew.  She wore all black and put the capital G in Goth.  But her black clothes, nail polish and lipstick weren’t the trappings of a girl crying out for help or rebelling against the world.  It was the part she played, scary as all hell. “Luke is good on his own,” I said in his defense.
     
    “I don’t doubt the guy is lethal, I saw him fight first hand.  But he doesn’t have the nose.  And Jo is the best of us at sniffing the enemy out.”
     
    Looking over to my friend, he gave me the look that he was okay with it so I didn’t say anything else.
     
    Luke pushed away from the wall and headed to the door, dodging the gaming equipment we brought to pass the time.  It was just as we’d left it because we hadn’t had time to do anything as harmless as that.
     
    Watching Jo’s eyes framed in heavy black liner, she looked like a bomb ready to blow and silently I wished Luke luck with that one.
     
    The rest of the shifters got to their feet once Chris stood.  Walking over to me, we bumped fists before he headed to the door.  His girl Melanie opened it and everyone filled out.  Tamera held back and shouted she’d catch up with them.  That got a growl I didn’t see but knew came from Mike.  She simply closed the door.
     
    Moving from the wall, I sat in the single chair.  Tamara in her low riding shorts and tank top draped herself over the arm of the chair to look into my eyes.  The hazel was a tangle of greens and golds and soul searching.  “So Flynn,” she said reaching out a hand to touch me.
     
    With swift movements, I stopped it by holding her wrist.  “Tam, don’t.  You’re playing with fire.” What I didn’t add was that I didn’t want to get burned.
     
    Pouting, she puckered those sexy pink lips of hers it was becoming hard to deny her.  Her need was demanding my attention.  Times like this I felt like a slave to the demon within me.  That part of me was at the ready to fill her every desire.  “Come on, we’ve messed around before,” she pressed.
     
    “Yeah, before I knew you were mated to some guy for life.  If you don’t want part of that lifestyle, stand up to your dad and brother.  Don’t use me to piss your boyfriend off.”
     
    Moving closer to me, I could smell the soap she used this morning in a shower.  Their noses were better than mine, but the hint of soap still caught my scent.  No doubt Mike would be scenting her the moment she got back.  If all he did was smell my scent on her wrist, I wouldn’t have to worry about kicking his ass later.  “Come on Flynn, I know you want to.”
     
    “Maybe but,” and I was really about to say it.  The word just popped from my mouth, “Girlfriend.  She wouldn’t be too happy about me being with someone