The sound lashed around the arena like a steely whip.

The ’wolves slowed in their struggles then stopped altogether, panting hard, backing off from their private fights and scenting the air for this noisy interloper.

Swagger’s guards patrolling the perimeter raised their weapons, hunting out the intruder through rifle sights.

Then Kate saw Tom standing at the top of the steps that led down through the bleachers, Jasmine, Rico and Stacy standing alongside him.

In front of Tom was a slight, silver-maned Native American man. All eyes, human and beast, were on him now.

‘Please,’ Kate muttered, shutting her eyes and praying to any god that might listen. ‘Please, Jicaque, make this good.’

g

Tom stared in disbelief as the ’wolves in the arena overcame their urge to attack and paused in a sudden, uneasy truce, as if on some deeper instinct.

He felt sick with fear. There were so many of the creatures in here, trampling human corpses beneath their hefty paws as they milled impatiently around the blood-soaked rink. At any moment the violence might ignite again – and all that was stopping the ’wolves taking the fight out of the arena and into the bleachers were a few of Swagger’s generals with guns. Guns that were aimed now at him and Jicaque, guns that would tear them apart in a single burst of fire.

Hal and Marcie Folan rose from their seats. Hal looked at Tom without emotion, but Marcie’s lip kept twitching as she watched him, like she was about to bare her teeth. She kept glancing at Takapa impatiently; this was his territory, Tom supposed, and she was giving him a chance to handle the situation. How long before her patience was spent?

Takapa too had risen, his face contorting into odd expressions as he struggled to find an appropriate way to express his rage. He turned to Swagger. ‘Get down there,’ he said in a low voice, gesturing to the rink. ‘Make sure that scum don’t get out of hand. This won’t take long.’

Swagger hesitated, glaring at Tom hungrily. Then reluctantly, he turned and strutted down the steps as ordered.

Takapa’s pink eyes blazed furiously at Jicaque. ‘You dare to interfere, old man?’ he said hoarsely at last. ‘Now?’

‘I have let your activities go unchecked for too long,’ Jicaque said calmly. ‘That was my mistake.’

‘No. Coming here tonight was your mistake,’ hissed Takapa. He looked past Jicaque to face Stacy. ‘The rumours of your death are exaggerated, I see.’

‘Don’t look at me, I didn’t start them,’ said Stacy.

Takapa smiled, then gestured to the bloody rink, to the beasts that prowled there. ‘But you started all this.’

‘And maybe I’ll help finish it,’ she said fiercely.