The Problem with Paddy (Shrew & Company) by Holley Trent

turned. One of the boys let out a long, undulating scream and his eyes went huge and round.
    Sarah raised her gun and Dana pushed down her hands. “Wait. You can’t get a clean shot.”
    The man stood and the thing that had given the boy such a fright was a Bowie knife—the kind hunters used to skin their game. He held it flush against the young man’s naked chest and milked a scream from him. When he drew back, there was a blade-shaped brand on his skin.
    The little man laughed.
    “Silver,” Sarah whispered.
    “Think so. I wonder what else is in that bag.”
    Leaves rustled behind them and they both startled, aiming their guns into the woods only to find a large, golden mountain lion with gray eyes, stalking close with its distended belly to the ground. Dana threw an arm over Sarah and hissed, “Get back!” keeping her gun poised on the beast.
    The cat crept closer and another, sleeker with yellow-gray eyes emerged from the dark foliage. The larger cat stayed put, breathing heavily through its open mouth and baring its teeth, while the other came closer—slowly—keeping its eyes trained on the barrel of Dana’s gun.
    Both women crept back.
    The cat advanced, lowering his head in a submissive gesture, but walking with confidence.
    Oh.
    When he was close enough to bite, he swatted a paw at her leg playfully and sat his rump on the ground next to them.
    “I thought you were supposed to stay in the clearing.”
    He gave his silky head a shake. Apparently, the kitty cat learning curve was short for Patrick if he was in control of his beast already.
    Maybe that ’ll keep him from chasing furry tail.
    She scoffed even thinking it. “You’re going to be in deep shit.”
    Both cats nodded.
    Another scream, this time from the other young man.
    One of the were-bears had set a large cooking pot over the fire and stared across the licking flames at the young man, laughing, while the small were-bear teased his skin with his knife.
    “Playing with their food. Savages,” Sarah said. Her voice was tinged with unvarnished disgust.
    Dana gave her dirty cat a nudge with her elbow. “Shouldn’t they have shifted by now?”
    Billy, nearby, shook his head. He could provide no follow-up in his current form, so she didn’t push for one.
    “What’s the plan, boss lady?” Sarah whispered.
    “Shoot to scare, not kill. This is about rescue. We don’t want to be seen. We don’t want to make enemies. Paddy, you and Billy stay back. If you insist on getting into this—”
    The first boy screamed again, and at the end of it his voice changed from man to beast. He squirmed against the trunk, his body writhing with pain as his skin stretched over elongating bones and his face widened and teeth sharpened. He growled loud, his pain evident as his body contorted behind its bindings.
    As if the first boy’s suffering had triggered something in the second, now he started to scream and writhe as well.
    The were-bear clapped and laughed at the display.
    No time to make a plan. Dana turned to the cats and whispered. “If you’re going to get in, don’t let them see you. Let me and Sarah take the brunt of this.”
    Patrick shook his head.
    “This is my job. I’ve had enough people fucking doubting me. Are you doubting me, too?”
    What could he say? He abased himself.
    “Stealth, Sarah,” Dana said.
    “Mm-hmm.” She was already screwing on her silencer.
    Yeah, she’s so getting a raise.

CHAPTER TEN
    Billy leaned against the doorway of the cabin and watched as Dana and Sarah packed up their gear. Patrick was in the shower.
    “Sorry about knocking you over, Miss,” Billy said for the fourth time to Sarah.
    She rubbed her sore shoulder and rolled her eyes, mumbling to herself about how a perfectly smooth operation had gone pear-shaped because of an overzealous furball.
    “Y’all coming back next month? Startin’ to warm up. We might get a pig and roast it.”
    Water stopped pounding against the tub floor.
    “I think I’m