The three of them exchanged a glance; an unspoken something passed between them. They somehow mutually agreed on an order, and the vampire came at me first, gliding over. A vamp’s speed is their greatest asset. But shifters were fast also.

He flew straight at me, fangs bared, hands aloft. Definitely untrained. I took two steps and after a combo one-two hook, smacked him straight in the nose. Cartilage fractured under my fist, but I didn’t stop there, turning with a spinning heel kick and cracking him in the jaw. As he hit the ground, I was over the top of him and had his left arm twisted behind. The distinct crack of bone breaking echoed through the silent alley.

He let out a whimpering scream. What a bitch.

I dropped my knee into his temple and just like that he was out cold.

Bouncing back to my feet I eyed the other two waiting their turn. “That was fun,” I said, not even remotely out of breath. “Next…” I smiled, and the fox male almost took a step back. I must be wearing a hell of an expression right now.

I assumed he would come at me next and I wasn’t wrong. He strolled closer. The fox was all long lean lines, but I could see lithe muscles in his lengthy limbs. His eyes were dark, almost a gray and his hair orange, like a carrot, which I’d guess was also the color of his animal’s fur. Generally, that’s how it worked.

He was less bouncy and eager than the vamp, and hopefully equally skill-less. But something told me it wasn’t going to be quite as easy. Standing motionless, all of a sudden he leapt for me, trying for the take-me-by-surprise plot. Sigh. Amateur.

I sidestepped the first swing and he tried to counter with a backwards kick to my gut. I saw it coming from a mile away. Using the narrow walls I gained height by running up the stone, launching myself off the side and landing a massive Superman punch on his jaw. He smashed back into the wall behind, and I followed, landing in a crouch over his body.

The fox tried to wiggle back to his feet, but he must have been seeing stars because his movements were jerky and he ended up falling down again. I sensed footsteps and knew the female was going to come at me while I was occupied with the male. With this in mind I swung my left elbow into his face, I heard bone crack, and since I’m not a healer I could only guess that I’d broken his jaw. He didn’t move again.