Free Flamingo Fugitive (Supernatural Bounty Hunters 5) by E A Price

furious.  Flamingos didn’t tend to be the angry, rampaging sort.  They tended to flap around squawking when they were upset, or in a crisis or when the store ran out of lemon cheesecake Happy Heart donuts.  Francine felt warmed by her friend’s response, and even her depressed flamingo lifted her head long enough to cluck at the show of solidarity.  The bird had been quiet ever since they left the police station.  She was practically catatonic when Felicia turned up at her door and declared they were going to a gym.
    “Besides,” said Felicia, calming slightly.  “We get to dress up in tight, tight shorts and shake our booties for all these muscular men.  Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”
    Yes, Felicia was a flamingo to the core.  She couldn’t wait to show off to everyone in the gym.  Before she got married, Felicia wanted to be a dancer, and when drunk, always admitted that she regretted giving up her career.  The closest she got to performing these days was when she hosted dinner parties for her husband’s partners at his advertising firm.  No wonder she was looking forward to this.
    Francine loved performing, too – of course, she did, it was one of the reasons she chose her career.  But, she didn’t really feel like this was her target audience.  She’d rather receive ridicule for her acting talent than her body.  At least she felt like she could improve her acting.  She felt sure her heifer genes would always mean she was a curvy birdy.
    “Besides,” pouted Felicia, in a dazzlingly pretty way that would make gods weep.  “You wouldn’t leave me here on my own, would you?”
    Francine raised a cynical eyebrow.  Yes, judging, by the way, she was flipping her hair around and striking model-like poses, Felicia definitely seemed like the shy type.  “Fine,” said Francine at last, as her flamingo groaned.
    Felicia jumped up and down, clapping her hands.  Every male nearby was watching her.  “This is going to be so much fun.  Can you smell that?  Doesn’t that just smell healthy?”
    She rolled her eyes.  Thank god she had a bad sense of smell.  What little she could smell was like Satan’s armpit.
    *
    Stone smiled and flirted as he gave a bobcat shifter some pointers of improving muscle tone.  He noticed Biff, one of his fellow trainers jerking his head at him.  Stone ignored him, but when Biff started to flap his arms, he couldn’t any longer.  No, by that point everyone in the gym had noticed his subtle movements.
    He walked over to Biff, a bull shifter and almost as large as Stone.  Although, it had to be said, Stone was the brains in their friendship – which was only a little worrying.
    “Practicing aerobics?” asked Stone with a smirk.  His rhino stirred, suddenly interested in what was happening.
    “Gabby has two new clients in her office,” said Biff, with almost child-like excitement.
    Stone shrugged, but his rhino seemed to be pacing up and down impatiently.  For a moment, he worried that Caitlyn was nearby, but he dismissed that thought.  He’d smell her if she were.  No the scent lingering in the air was much more appealing.  Softer, less tangy.  It reminded him of the peanut butter fudge cake his grandma used to make.  It was outstanding .
    “Susie said they were flamingos and both about thirty,” said Biff with glee.
    He rubbed his chin.  “Really?  Don’t see many in here.”  They didn’t tend to be regulars at the gym as flamingos didn’t put on much muscle, but they were notorious for being blonde and willowy.  Just his type .  His rhino grumbled, and Stone hushed him.
    “If we get in there now, we could persuade Gabby to give them to us.”
    Stone winced slightly.  Gabby, the commandant-like manager, was a bit choosy about the clients she allowed Stone to have.  She let him have older women – because she mistakenly believed he wouldn’t flirt with them – and men – again, because she mistakenly believed he wouldn’t flirt with