Werepanther 5 Chapter 1

Been having some computer issues. Sorry for the late posting!

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“This is insane.” The blonde frog-woman, Leia, whistled as she looked out over the crowd of patrons at Cincy’s Jewel. “How long have we even been open now? A few weeks?”

“A month,” I corrected her as I took a long, smooth sip of Johnny Walker. “One month and four days, to be exact.”

“Thereeeee’s the man of the hour!” the sultry succubus, Ada, cackled as she strutted over to our table. “Business is booming, Carter, and from what I’ve been hearing from our guests, they’re having a fucking blast.”

“You’re a lot braver than I am,” Naomi scoffed and brushed a bit of her red-highlighted hair away from her ear. “Going out there and talking to a bunch of random people you’ve never met before? That sounds like something the Shadow Man would have cooked up to torment me.”

“Don’t even mention that scaly fucker’s name.” I shook my head and chuckled. “The less we talk about him, the sooner we can put last month’s little incident behind us and move forward.”

“Has it really been a month already?” Janine, our resident bookworm, sighed longingly. “Where’s all the time gone?”

“Time flies when you’re having fun, love.” Ada winked at the redhead.

“And when you don’t have to worry about OLG attacks day in and day out,” I said with a smug half-smile. “Life has been so much simpler since Naomi enchanted both our homes.”

“It wasn’t all me.” Naomi placed her hand on her chest and raised her eyebrows. “Janine and Ada are the ones who came up with the Tiger’s Eye amulet enchantment, and that has done wonders in keeping us all out of sight from Khonsu.”

“Khonsu’s not the only god we have to worry about anymore, though,” I sighed. “We literally just killed one of Kek’s right-hand men.”

“He hasn’t retaliated yet.” Ada shrugged. “Perhaps he didn’t like Kekuatu as much as the legends said.”

“It’s the God of Chaos,” Janine said as her chocolate brown eyes stared down Ada. “If anything, he’s just biding his time and waiting for something crazy to happen. Then he’ll strike when we are at our most valuable… or when the levels of chaos around us are at a maximum.”

“I’d say this is pretty chaotic,” Naomi noted as she pointed to all the people crowded around the main stage of the lounge.

Our usual pianist had been sick for the last two weeks, so we figured we’d expand our horizons and go with a jazz band instead. So far, it had been a smashing success, not only because it added a sort of “ritzy” atmosphere to the whole place, but also because it seemed to get our guests hyped up more than the piano player ever had. Tipsy and drunk people were standing about on the main floor as they swayed in time with the smooth, rapid jazz music coming from the stage. A few of them were even brave enough to try and scat along to the tune, though all that did was create even more entertainment for the rest of the patrons.

Meanwhile, every single table and booth was currently taken up, and Tony informed me about an hour ago that the line to get in stretched on for at least two blocks. Even with the extended wait time, people really wanted into this establishment.

And why wouldn’t they? In just one short month, Cincy’s Jewel had gone from a small little “in the know” lounge to one of Cincinnati’s most hopping places for “classy” nightlife. We experienced lines out the door every single weekend, and even during the week we seemed to come close to capacity during the nights.

I couldn’t take all the credit, though.

Ada had plenty of experience as a businesswoman under her belt, plus she knew how to run a successful nightclub already. Valerie sipped her drink through her dark lips as her green eyes glistened with pride and her shoulder-length brown hair sat against her collarbone. She’d been a godsend in terms of marketing, since she knew how to hit every single demographic, including ones I didn’t even know existed. Val’s marketing prowess was a big reason Cincy’s Jewel had such high attendance, and I was extremely grateful for her contributions.

Then there was Becca, the platinum blonde accounting major who was ditzy as all get out, yet was on par with fucking Rain Man when it came to math and crunching numbers. Val may have been the one who got people here, but Becca was the one who made sure their monetary contributions were going to the right areas. In addition to being our accountant, she also acted as our de facto Human Resources manager, mainly because we didn’t want to deal with the hassle of hiring another one. She was also the person who ensured everybody got their paychecks and the one who signed off for the lounge’s big purchases, and Becca was never afraid to tell one of us if we were living beyond the means of our profits.

On top of all my wonderful women were Tony and Paul, who ran such tight security that even the Secret Service would be jealous. Tony had shown me each and every way he knew how to spot a fake ID, and thanks to his skills, we hadn’t had a single incident. Not to mention, Cincy’s Jewel was starting to get a reputation as one of the “safer” places to go, since Tony’s bouncers were great at stopping any tensions within the lounge’s walls before they could blow up into full-fledged fights.

Of course, there was also Naomi’s hex, which kept out anybody who wished to do Cincy’s Jewel any harm. That went a long way in keeping the building safe from cultists and paranormal creatures who wanted to kill me, whether because I was a “Bastard of Baast” or simply because they felt threatened by the presence of a werepanther in their city.

Then again, we couldn’t really put that in our marketing.

Hell, Valerie and Becca didn’t even know any of us were paranormal creatures yet. They still just thought I was a very, very lucky college student who’d inherited a whole business from his sugar momma. I figured I’d have to let them in on the secret eventually, but it was something they would both need to be eased into.

Almost right on cue, two hands clapped against my shoulders from behind.

“Soooooo, Carter…” Becca said in her best “stern” tone. “Have you thought any more about upgrading the sound system? We definitely have enough in the budget, especially after this massive influx of business we’ve gotten lately.”

“You’re welcome,” Valerie teased.

“I dunno,” I admitted as I looked over my shoulder and met my accountant’s eyes. “Right now, Cincy’s Jewel only has soft jazz and piano music. I think our sound systems are good enough for those. We’re not going for a nightclub atmosphere or anything like that.”

“I know,” Becca said. “But it’s the little things that can go a long way. Who knows? If this place keeps at its current pace, you might become a staple of the local community. And if that happens? Well, then people will start asking you if they can rent this place out for work outings, wedding receptions, college parties, and all sorts of other things that would make total sense for a place like this. They’re probably going to want a little more than piano and jazz music, so they’ll need some better sound systems!”

“Aren’t you kinda putting the cart before the horse, Becca?” Leia asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Sure I am.” The platinum blonde shrugged. “You have to strike while the iron is hot, though, Leia. Or in this case, you have to purchase while you’re in the black!”

“This is why you’re a biology major, girl,” Valerie giggled as she playfully slapped Leia’s shoulder. “Becca’s always thinking ten steps ahead of all of us.”

“What do you think, Ada?” Leia asked the succubus. “You’re the one here with actual experience running a business. Do you think it’s better to have a bunch of money saved up for a rainy day fund, or should we spend it while we have it?”

“You’re asking the wrong person, love,” Ada said as she took a long sip of her Sex on the Beach and then sensually licked the remnants off her lips. “I just kind of throw money at the wall and hope it sticks to something.”

“Now see,” Becca began. “That’s usually exactly what I’d say not to do, buuuuuttt it’s seemed to work out for Ada so far.”

“Oh, don’t emulate my practices,” the succubus laughed and shook her head furiously. “I’ve been very fortunate over the years. You all just figure out what you want for Cincy’s Jewel.”

“I’ll have to come back to you on that one, Becca,” I promised the accountant as I turned back to the music and finished off my smooth, smokey whiskey. “I don’t know about you, but I think this music sounds fan-freaking-tastic, even from all the way back here.”

“But it could sound better,” Becca argued before she sighed and deflated. “But you’re the boss. If you think this is good enough, then I’ll trust you on that one.”

“You know what might make it sound better?” I asked as I waggled my eyebrows at the women around me. “If we went over and got closer to the performers on the main floor. Anyone want to join me?”

“You know I love hanging out with you, Carter,” Naomi mused. “So don’t take this the wrong way, but… I would rather slice out my own eyeballs with a rusty safety razor.”

“So Naomi doesn’t like jazz,” I snorted. “Duly noted.”

“I’ve gotta get back to the office,” Becca said. “Those offer letters aren’t going to approve themselves.”

“It’s crazy to think we’re going to nearly double our staff,” I admitted. “Are you sure we can actually afford to do that?”

“You doubt the Queen of Capital?” Valerie giggled as she placed her arm around Becca’s shoulder. “When it comes to money and numbers, Becca’s word is law next to maybe only God himself.”

“Or herself,” Janine joked. “I definitely know of some female gods out there.”

“You know what I mean,” Valerie said with a frown. “Just trust Becca on this one, Carter. I certainly do.”

“I just want to make sure we’re not wasting Ada’s money.” I shrugged.

“It’s not her money, though.” Becca grinned. “We’re able to hire all these new people based on the profits of Cincy’s Jewel alone!”

“Even better.” I nodded. “Just promise me you won’t work too hard, okay? I know you’re our accountant-slash-human resources person, but you gotta cut loose and have a little bit of fun every now and then.”

“I know how to have fun, Carter.” The platinum blonde winked, and then she pointed between Leia and Valerie. “These two could tell you many, many stories about all the fun we’ve had over the years.”

“They usually start with me saying ‘this is a bad idea, Becca,’” Leia snickered. “And they end with Valerie stepping up and saving the day somehow.”

“That’s the truth.” Val smirked. “I don’t know where you two ladies would be if I wasn’t around.”

“Probably dead in a dumpster somewhere,” Becca said with a sly grin. “Or as the subject of one of those ‘cold case’ TV mysteries. But luckily for all of you, there’s not much trouble you can get into sitting behind a desk.”

“If she only knew…” Ada cooed into my ear softly.

I instantly thought back to the time when I’d made love to Janine and Ada by bending them over my desk and screwing them from behind, at their own request, and my loins began to throb with excitement.

However, Becca was already on her way toward the backstage area of the lounge, and she gave us all a double peace symbol and playfully stuck out her tongue before she turned away and headed to the doors.

“So, uh, that’s two of you out,” I said as I cleared my throat and brought my mind back to the here and now. “Anyone else want to go get closer to the stage?”

“I will!” Leia raised her hand.

“I’ve got class in the morning,” Janine sighed as she glanced at her phone. “It’s already midnight, so I’ll probably have to get headed out soon. I’ll take a raincheck on that dance, though.”

“I never said anything about a dance.” I winked. “But I’ll keep that in my back pocket for next time.”

“I’ll go with you, too, Carter,” Valerie offered. “Though I don’t really care much for dancing. I want to get closer so I can inspect the performers’ techniques a bit more.”

“It’s jazz,” Leia scoffed. “They’re making everything up on the spot, aren’t they?”

“That’s what makes it so riveting!” Valerie said with a smile, and her jade eyes lit up like twinkling stars. “You have to truly be a master at your craft to understand not only how to make something that sounds like authentic jazz, but you have to make it up on the spot, as well? It’s a work of art, Leia.”

“Alright, alright.” The Poliwarm woman held up her hands in defeat. “You can come along, then. Just promise me you won’t geek out about it the whole time.”

“No promises.” The mocha-skinned beauty’s eyes narrowed as a sly smirk crept up the side of her face.

“What about you, Ada?” I asked the succubus. “Do you wanna come along and listen to some smooth jazz?”

“I’ll get plenty of it, love,” Ada promised. “As I’m sure there will be plenty more performances in the nights to come.”

“You’re calling it a night, too?” I raised an eyebrow at the succubus.

“I wish. I got a text from my head of housekeeping, Gerard… They’re having a bit of a crisis back at my club. Apparently, one of my patrons got a little too drunk and, well… Let’s just say there needs to be some upper management present.”

“Shit.” I whistled. “Do you need me to go back with you?”

“That’s sweet, love.” Ada smiled. “I can handle it on my own, though. It’s nothing that requires your… special talents.”

“If you’re sure.” I shrugged. “Just remember you can always call or text me if you need help. Like, seriously, be careful.”

“Go enjoy yourself,” the succubus purred. “I can handle a few drunken patrons.”

“I’ll see you guys in the morning, then,” I said to Janine and Ada as I stood from the table and set a few dollars down on the table. “And this is for you, Naomi. Get yourself some of the top-quality stuff.”

“Why would I do that?” the witch asked and flashed me a wink. “The cheap liquor is the stuff that gets you wasted fast.”

I bid farewell to my three friends before Leia, Valerie, and I made our way to the main floor of the lounge. The music grew louder as we approached the stage, but it wasn’t anything like standing close to a DJ at a club or the main stage at a music festival. Rather, it was almost like I could feel the vibrations of each little bit of music down in my very soul.

The saxophone player trumpeted in time with the keyboardist, who tried to keep up with the bass player and the trombonists. Each musician put their own unique little spin on the music they were playing, but somehow it all came together in one upbeat, unified harmony.

“May I?” I asked Leia as I gave her a little bow and held out my hand.

“Are you asking me to dance, Mister Hatfield?” Leia said as she placed her hand against her chest.

“If you’ll take my hand,” I answered with a playful click of my tongue.

“Ugh.” Valerie rolled her eyes. “I’m gonna get up closer to the stage, before you two lovebirds make me lose my lunch.”

Val slunk away into the crowd of people as Leia grabbed my hand and stared me deep in the eyes. Her bright blue ones seemed to cut through my very soul as she looked back at me, and my heart started to flutter as she flipped a bit of her blonde hair out of her eyes.

“I’m not gonna lie,” Leia said with a nervous chuckle. “I’ve never really danced to this sort of music before. It’s usually more pop and rap…”

“Well, lucky for you I once dated a member of UC’s jazz dance club.” I smirked.

“We have a jazz dance club?” the blonde woman asked.

“Did.” I shrugged. “I’m pretty sure there were only like, five members, so they eventually shut it down. I still got dragged to a bunch of their dances, though.”

“Alright then, Lance Bass,” Leia giggled. “Show me how it’s done.”

“There’s actually not much to it,” I said as I pulled her in close and placed my hands on her narrow hips. “Like Val was just saying a bit ago about the music itself… You just kinda have to go with the flow and improvise a lot. Mainly, you just kinda move your whole body around and shake your hips and arms, and make sure you try to keep in time with your partner.”

“That sounds hard,” she admitted as she bit her lower lip, but then a mischievous smile tugged at her mouth. “But still fun. Let’s give it a shot.”

The band started up with their next tune, and we tried to dance along with them. I began to softly guide Leia’s hips back and forth in time with the music, all while I moved my own the opposite way in rhythmic fashion, and as the performers’ made more calculated, chaotic sounds, Leia and I became a bit more energetic.

I twirled the Poliwarm woman to the end of her hand, and she let out a happy cackle as she waggled her body along with the music. Then I pulled Leia back into me, placed one arm on her butt, and turned us in a full one-eighty as we sashayed and tapped our feet in unison.

Or at least as much unison as we could accomplish.

Once we came out of the spin, I twirled her again and let go, and we both moved toward each other independently after she stopped spinning. I lifted her arm up above her head and twirled Leia, who then promptly began to move in a circle around my body. When we were finally eye-to-eye again, we swung our hips and arms in time, and both of us wore a big, carefree smile as we moved in unison.

Leia and I kept on for a full song before the music came to an abrupt halt, and we turned to the stage to clap for the performers.

“Wow,” Leia panted as she placed her hands on her hips. “That was fun. I didn’t think I had it in me to move like that.”

“See?” I chuckled. “You were a natural. Plus, it’s mostly impromptu anyways, so even if we did it completely wrong, who the fuck’s gonna know?”

“Plus, everybody around us is having a fun night out at a lounge where booze flows freely,” Leia joked. “Most of these people are probably too trashed to even notice our wonderful, Dancing with the Stars-quality moves, anyways.”

“I’m not sure if that’s an insult or a compliment,” I said as I sucked in a few deep breaths. “I’ll take it, anyways.”

Suddenly, Leia’s face fell into a concerned frown. The light seemed to disappear from her eyes as her brow furrowed downward, and then she slowly walked over and placed her hands around my neck.

“We’re being watched, Carter,” she whispered to me.

“What are you talking about?” I asked as the hair on my arms stood on end.

At first, I thought Leia might have just been getting worked up from the adrenaline rush she had, but then my superhuman hearing picked up the intense beating of her heart.

“There’s a man at that table over there,” the blonde continued. “He’s been watching us dance this entire time. At first, I thought it was a strange coincidence or he was just looking at the band, but now I can see it in his eyes… He’s staring right at us.”

“Nobody who wishes to do Cincy’s Jewel any harm is allowed to enter,” I reminded Leia. “He’s probably just some random creepy dude who’s had a bit too much to drink and wishes he could dance as amazingly as we do.”

“I dunno,” she continued. “He’s giving me the heeby-jeebies.”

“Do you want me to go talk to him?” I asked. “Or I could have Tony come in here and keep an eye on the guy.”

“Maybe I’m just being paranoid,” Leia sighed.

“It’s okay,” I promised. “If that dude’s making you uncomfortable, I’ll do something about it. Because if he’s making you feel weird, then I can only imagine what he’s making the other women feel like… The ones who don’t have a werepanther boyfriend to protect them.”

“Do I have your attention, werepanther?” a man’s voice suddenly asked in a whisper. “I certainly have caught the eye of the other daughter of Kek.”

It was hard to put into words, but the voice sounded “slimy.” The S-sounds were drawn out and harsh, while words like “your” and “daughter” sounded deep and throaty.

More importantly, the voice referred to me by name, and it spoke softly enough that only I could hear it.

“What’s wrong?” Leia asked, since she must have seen the concern on my face.

“Where is this guy?” I asked as I turned around and looked for the sign of the smug man.

“He’s right--” Leia began, but then the color drained from her face as her eyes went wide. “He was right at that table there, but it looks like he moved.”

“We’d better find him,” I growled. “I don’t know who he is, but I want to know how he got through the hex.”

“He had long, oily brown hair,” Leia explained. “And he was wearing this weird dark red jacket that looked like it was scaly. I’m pretty sure it was snakeskin or alligator skin or something like that.”

“He should stick out like a sore thumb, then,” I said as I began to scan the crowd.

I headed over toward the empty table, whose seats were suddenly taken by a group of friends in semi-formal attire.

“Seats are taken, bro,” one of the guys chuckled, but I completely ignored him.

Leia was right beside me as we started to walk around the lounge in search of this strange man, until finally I caught a glimpse of red leather out of the corner of my eye.

Headed right for the exit.

I reached down, whipped out my cell phone, and dialed up Tony.

“Yeah, boss?” my Chief of Security asked through the other edge.

“There’s a guy in a red snakeskin jacket who’s heading for the exit,” I told him. “Make sure your bouncers don’t let him leave, okay?”

“We’ll intercept him on the outside,” Tony said in a stern voice. “That way we won’t cause a scene in the lounge.”

“Just make sure he doesn’t get away,” I repeated before I hung up the phone.

Leia and I watched as the interior bouncers let the man through, and then we hustled over and slipped through the exit ourselves. Then the two of us found ourselves in the back of the lounge, out by one of the main streets of this part of town.

Several people were whispering and gasping in terror as we stepped out into the night, and it didn’t take long to see why.

Four of our bouncers were laying flat on their backs, unconscious.

“Fuck,” Leia whispered, and then she looked up at one of the terrified men. “What just happened out here?”

“The bouncers tried to stop that dude.” The man pointed up the road to the north. “He tossed them around like they were goddamn toddlers.”

Super strength? That wasn’t good.

“He went that way?” I asked, and the man nodded.

Leia and I started down the road, but then I stopped immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Leia asked. “He’s going to get away if we waste too much time.”

“What if he wants us to follow him?” I asked. “He seemed pretty keen on getting our attention.”

“What’s our alternative?” the blonde sighed. “We let him get away, and then he comes back to taunt us tomorrow?”

“Maybe,” I admitted. “I don’t want to walk into another fucking ambush.”

“Neither do I. Especially not with just the two of us.”

This was the moment of truth. I could go back inside, round up the rest of my friends, and then try to go after this guy as a team, but this would almost certainly give him enough time to get away. This man must have had enhanced speed, as well, because he was moving way faster than a regular human.

Or we could take the risk and go after him right now, with only Leia and I. We’d been able to fight off cultists and muckdwellers with just two people before, so it wasn’t like we wouldn’t stand a chance.

That’s when I thought of a middle ground.

“We move across the rooftops so we can at least sneak up on the bastard,” I said as I pointed to a nearby building. “Plus, I’m pretty much invisible in the shadows when I want to be, and my footsteps make no noise. Even if he does want us to follow him, we’re gonna do it on our terms.”

“That still sounds risky,” Leia said. “But it’s better than anything I’ve got, so I guess it’s what we’re doing.”

Leia and I ran into a nearby alleyway, where the blonde promptly took off and tossed away her shoes. Then the Poliwarm woman sprang up into the air and stuck her hands and feet onto the brick wall in front of her. She went down on all fours as she began to “spider-man” up the side of the building, and I started to look for anything I could grab onto.

There was a single fire-escape about halfway up the side of the three-story building, so I figured that would be the best option for me to catapult myself up to the roof. I crouched down, dug my feet into the asphalt below me, and then forced myself upward as hard as I could. The wind swished against my face as I flew through the air, and I tossed out my hands just as I came up to the steel floor of the fire escape. I wrapped my fingers around the edge of the floor and then heaved with all my might. The metal seemed to dent beneath the force of my push as my body launched up once more, and then I found myself atop the building.

“Okay,” I said as I looked over and saw Leia staring back at me. “Let’s move.”

Leia and I headed due north as fast as our legs would take us. Thankfully, we both had enhanced agility, so we just sprang from rooftop to rooftop like two ninjas in the night. Soon, I saw the figure of the man in the red leather jacket, and I noticed he kept looking back over his shoulder.

He was surely looking for us.

We kept moving, though we made sure to stop and duck out of sight any time the mysterious man looked in our direction. Eventually, we overtook the bastard, and we ended up a full building ahead of him.

“Now what?” Leia whispered.

“You ever seen Batman Begins?” I asked. “I want you to snatch that fucker up with your tongue and pull him up here so we can interrogate him.”

“Please tell me you’re gonna make yourself sound like you smoke ten packs a day,” Leia giggled.

“Keaton was the better Batman, anyway,” I joked.

The two of us inched closer and closer to the edge, until we were peeking over the side of the building. The mystery man had led us to a part of town that was mostly abandoned, with several crumbling and boarded up buildings, but this was fine with me since it meant I didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing me go full werepanther.

Leia’s long, frog-like tongue slowly slid out of her mouth as we watched the man get closer, until he was finally only two steps from being right beneath us.

Then she struck.

The Poliwarm woman pulled back her head and threw it forward, and her long, pink tongue shot down toward the street below and struck its target right on his foot. Then I watched as Leia’s tongue twisted itself around the fucker’s leg and went taunt as she yanked him off his feet.

“What the fuck!” the man yelped as his face slammed into the ground, and then he flailed as he was lifted up the side of the building.

Within seconds, he was up on the rooftop with us, and I pounced onto his body and let out a snarl.

“Who the fuck are you?” I demanded. “And how did you get through our hex?”

“Your club was hexed?” the man asked with an amused chuckle. “I guess I’m luckier than I thought.”

Leia had described this man as “weird-looking,” but that didn’t even begin to do him justice. His brown hair was at least three feet long, and it looked like it hadn’t been washed in days. His nose was bird-like and crooked, though it was somehow also thick and bulbous at the same time. When he smiled through his thin, pale lips, I noticed he was missing a few teeth, but his incisors were both perfectly white and sharpened to points. Of course, the rest of the teeth in his mouth were black and rotten, and his swampy breath hit me like a ton of bricks. The man’s beady green eyes stared back at me with glee, and he wore a flamboyant red jacket that felt like it was snakeskin, with small “scales” all over. His pants were black skinny jeans, and they looked so tight I thought they were going to rip just by him bending over.

“You’d better start talking,” I warned as I cracked my knuckles. “You already seem to know who I am, so you know what I’m capable of.”

“Where are my manners?” The man smirked. “My name is Newt, Carter Hatfield. I am a servant of Kek, and my God simply wanted me to stop by and check on his new enemy.”

“That’s not a good enough answer,” I snarled. “What was your endgame, anyways? Lure me out here into a trap and then try to strangle me with those puny little arms of yours?”

“That’s not what I was trying to do.” Newt shrugged. “I honestly just wanted to say ‘hello.’ Honest.”

“You’re an enemy of Baast,” Leia noted as she narrowed her eyes. “How did you get through the hex?”

“That’s for me to know, and for you to find out.” Newt winked at Leia and then licked his lips. “You sure you’re happy with this guy, doll? You and I could have a whole lot more fun together, since we’re both children of Kek and all that.”

“Shut the fuck up before I tear your tongue out and shove it down your throat,” I growled. “How did you get past the hex?”

“Looks like you’re going to have to make me talk.” Newt smirked. “Come on, do your worst.”

What the fuck? Was this guy some sort of sadomasochist who got off on being punished?

Well, he was going to change his tune very quickly, once I actually started to give him what he asked for.

I pulled back my hand, balled it into a fist, and then slammed it straight into the man’s face. There was a dull thud as his head whipped to the side, but then he just let out a long, “ohhhhh.” I punched him again, and the fucker started to laugh.

“I don’t see what’s so funny,” I spat as I hauled back once more.

This time, when I threw my fist forward, his hand shot up and intercepted it.

He stopped my blow like it was nothing.

“Now, now.” Newt clicked his tongue. “I think that’s enough, Carter.”

Suddenly, the slimy man pushed his feet up into my chest and launched me back across the rooftop.

“Carter!” Leia screamed, and then her tongue shot out and wrapped around my wrist.

She caught me just as I went over the edge of the building, and she pulled me to safety with a quick jerk of her head. However, Newt had used the distraction to his advantage, and he was halfway to the Poliwarm woman.

I quickly looked over and saw a broken-off brick, so I picked it up in my hands, hauled it back, and launched it like a fastball at the long-haired bastard. It shattered into a spray of red dust against his face, but he simply let out a short grunt and then kept running.

“Leia, move!” I commanded the frog-woman, and she instantly sprang away from her position.

Thank fuck that she did, because Newt slammed his foot into the ground right in the spot where she’d stood. Brick and debris flew up into the air as the rooftop cratered under his blow, and he looked up at me with pure glee on his face.

“Still want to beat it out of me?” Newt raised an eyebrow.

“More than ever,” I growled as I began to surround myself with black magic.

I felt my arms and legs elongate along with my canines as every muscle in my body started to transform. My hair thickened up into a dense forest of fur, and my face stretched out into a snout. Claws sprouted from between my fingers as they transformed into thick paws, and then I let out a low growl as I stared Newt down in full werepanther form.

“I was never a fan of ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.’” Newt shrugged. “I don’t think it’s worth my time, anyways.”

Little did this guy know I was already able to see his true self, courtesy of Baast’s little upgrade. I commanded my eyes to see past Newt’s cloaking magic, and soon a bright emerald shade fell down over my vision.

Then the slimy man’s “real” form appeared before me.

He stood eight feet tall on four thick, stumpy legs covered with scales. His stomach was a sickly tan color, and his skin looked like old leather. On his back was a spiky shell that spread out about two feet beyond his body on each side, and a small, triangular tail hung down between his legs. The bastard’s head was short and rounded, with no differentiation between his neck and his chin, and he had a protruded snout that came down into a leathery, beak-like face with deadly sharp points at the end of his upper and lower jaw. His eyes were black and sunken-in, and his entire body was covered with deformed warts.

A fucking snapping turtle.

“This is what Kek sends to fight me?” I snorted. “An oversized Ninja Turtle?”

“So you can see me, eh?” Newt whistled, and then I removed my enchantment so I could see his human form. “Pretty impressive. Too bad I’m not gonna actually give you the full show until later… Or maybe not. I guess it all depends if you survive the night.”

“I think we can handle a turtle,” Leia scoffed as she came to my side. “That shell’s not gonna do shit against Carter’s claws.”

“I’m not talking about myself,” Newt said. “I’m talking about these guys!”

Newt threw out his hands, and they began to glow with a strange teal glow. The light reminded me of the Northern Lights in how they flashed different colors and twinkled intensely, but then a few strands of the magic extended out onto the roof around us.

“I don’t like this.” Leia gulped as she watched the magic begin to form into reptilian shapes. “I don’t like this at all.”

The magic then ceased, and in the place of the several beams stood giant, komodo dragon-like creatures with orange, scaly skin and dark splotches all over. They were each the size of a Saint Bernard dog, though they stood upon their hind legs as they opened their mouths and let out an inhuman hiss that made my skin crawl. As they hissed, I saw their tongues, which seemed to be barbed like fucking fishing lures, and I was sure they were equally as sharp. Their eyes were white and glazed over, but it was no mystery who they were looking at.

The creatures stomped their feet into the ground, and then they charged right at us.