Free Freak Show by Trina M Lee

this kind of thing. I guess hundreds of years only intensified those things rather than erased them.
    I leaned forward on the couch, never taking my eyes off Jenner. “What is it that really bothers you? That you weren’t Harley’s favorite? Or that I killed him? Claire and Maxwell failed to take me down. So will you. Think carefully about what you want to do here.”
    It was a ballsy thing to say, and I was more than a little concerned it would blow up in my face; however, he had me backed into a corner here. If I didn’t come out swinging, Jenner would have the advantage, and he would know it.
    Jenner sat stiff in his chair. He dropped Sloane’s hand and clenched his into a fist. His power filled the room, a growing heat that quickly became scorching hot.
    “I like her,” Roscoe said with a nod in Arys’s direction. “This bloodline could use a woman like her. Sorry, Sloane.”
    She huffed and stuck her nose in the air, refusing to acknowledge his comment. As far as I knew, she was the only existing female in Harley’s bloodline until I turned.
    “This isn’t your city.” Jenner’s voice rose in a near shout. “Harley’s dead, and now it’s mine. Arys, take your wolf and leave. This is not your home anymore.”
    “No, it’s not. But I won’t be ordered around. I wouldn’t take that shit from Harley, and I sure as hell won’t take it from you.” Arys exuded an outward calm; though I knew inside, he was roiling. “You think playing on stage with humans is the way to run this place? You can’t just walk away from a blood ring. You’re not ready for this city, Jenner.”
    Jenner exploded from his chair. Shoving Sloane aside, he hurled a slap of power at Arys who caught it, neutralizing the attack. The close proximity to the shot caused my body to tingle.
    Arys rose, meeting Jenner in the center of the sitting area. They stared into each other, and something unspoken passed between them.
    “Three of our vampires, including our sire, are dead because of her,” shouted Jenner. “You are obligated to make it right. So either you came here to do that, or you came to challenge my authority.”
    Shaz was tense beside me. We exchanged a look, and I gave a slight shake of my head. It wasn’t time to jump in yet, though the room was overflowing with tense vampire energy. Sloane backed away slowly to linger near the door with Roscoe. Jez did the same, keeping her distance from all vampires present.
    Arys was tapping so much power it made me lightheaded. He considered Jenner’s demands with a grave expression. “I loved him too, you know. But it happened, and it’s over. How the hell do you expect me to make something like that right?”
    “A life for a life. Put one of your shifters in the ring to fight to the death.”
    Jenner’s words rang in my ears, but I had to replay it a few times in my head to be sure I’d heard his insane declaration correctly. The silence was deafening. A tirade lurked on the tip of my tongue as every dirty word I wanted to say came to mind.
    “You’ve lost your fucking mind.” The atmosphere pulsed with Arys’s vehement declaration.
    “You’ve clearly forgotten how we do things in Sin City. Either play to win or admit defeat and walk away.”
    “I always win. You should know that by now.” A growl laced Arys’s words, an echo of my wolf that lurked in him. It was a remnant of my wolf that was, at times, a little too real for Arys to control.
    Arys smacked Jenner with a jolt of energy that sparked with gold and blue. It was just enough to knock Jenner back a few feet. That was all it took to incite a violent reaction. The next shot landed along with a punch. Arys staggered back from the blow, his jaw bruised. His eyes were solid blue wolf when he lunged at Jenner. 
    The two of them grappled with both power and fists. They knocked over the chair Jenner had been sitting on before crashing into a small side table. A flurry of curses and uttered threats filled the