Free Fighting for her Mate: Shape Shifter Paranormal Romance (Sassy Mates Book 5) by Milly Taiden

exploded, sounding like gun fire, and people covering their ears panicked. The race to the door was on. Much better. Her loyalists gathered the crowd outside into groups to see if any of them had human blood in their systems. It was easy to smell the difference. If they were clean, they were allowed to leave.
    Aria jumped onto the dance floor and watched the vamps trample each other to the doors. So far, no one of any importance had tried to leave. Only normal everyday folk. A door behind her closed.
    From the shadows, a tall, dark bombshell of a man arrogantly sashayed toward her. He clapped his hands, coming to a stop in front of her. “Bravo, my darling fiancée.” Filip was as dashing and smooth as he always was. Under his tailored suit was a body any woman would appreciate, vamp or not.
    Of course, the rest of him was damn fine, too. That face probably got him everything he ever wanted. “Here’s a joke for you, my love. What happened when two vampires met? It was love at first bite.”
    “Dammit, Filip. You’re doing all this? And I was starting to like you, despite your old, lame jokes. Even contemplated the mating thing, even though it would be a business deal only. Fortunately, that thought wasn’t around long enough to make me throw up.” Aria winced.
    “Oh, Ari,” Filip picked at his perfectly manicured nails, “you were always prone to being overdramatic, weren’t you?” He softly chuckled. “That’s one of the things I loved—laughing at you.” His tongue slid between his lips, one side to the other. “And counting the days until I got to fuck you.”
    “Me? Not a chance, Filip. I’ve come to take down your operation. Before I kill you, though, tell me why a wolf brings you little girls. Can’t get your own victims, Fil?”
    She noted his temper kicked in. “Rahound is a tool. You’re such a child, Aria. Wait until you get older. You’ll see the draw and taste of what live human blood offers. We’re not meant to survive without it. We’re not meant to suppress how nature created us.”
    From the shadows behind her, Julian, Penelope, and Zane approached. Filip’s countenance faltered just a bit. Zane slipped his glasses off and stowed them in a pocket in his overcoat, then sighed. “Filip, you were always the stupid one, weren’t you? You should have stayed in your Turkish castle and bullied the little humans in your commons. You’re playing with the big kids now and aren’t following the rules.”
    The same door Filip walked out a few minutes ago opened and many more vampires filed in behind him. “As you see, Zane, I have my own followers, and we don’t like you. It’s time for the big kids to go as all old things do: into the ground.”
    Filip look at his large group behind him. “You should have brought along more friends, Aria. Odds don’t look good for you.”
    Aria smiled. “You seem to be missing Anton and Chantal. Do tell, Filip. What happened to them?”
    His eyes flashed red, then he threw his head back and laughed. “I should have known it was you when you didn’t raise any investigation about their disappearance.”
    Aria stepped closer to her ex-fiancé. “You’ve always been too arrogant, Filip. That’s caused your downfall. Now, I’m cutting you down to size—to put your ashes into a toilet to send you where you belong. With the shit.”
    Filip’s eyes flared again and his lips pressed together. “I have things to do, little girls to drink. If this show of yours is finished, I’m letting my people take care of the four of you.”
    She turned and yelled, “Lights, please.” The house lamps overhead popped on to reveal scores of vamps and werewolves standing along the back wall, watching intently. A very good-looking wolf stood at the front of the pack. Aria licked her lips.
    Filip breathed in loudly. “Really, Aria? You want to fuck a wolf?”
    She turned to Filip. “Over you? Absolutely.”
    Filip’s response was instant. He hissed with fully bared