Sword of Inquest (La Patron's Sword Book 1) by Sydney Addae

and bone like a cleaver, dropping the hybrid to his knees.
    The fourth hybrid leapt over the downed breed and caught the tail end of her jacket, yanking her forward. Hot breath from the beast scorched her skin. He wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. The buttons of Jerry’s uniformed pressed into her skin. She scanned the hybrid for metals. There were none in his arm, just his left calf.
    Asia exhaled, leaned her head on his chest so the camera wouldn’t see more than she intended, and pushed his arms away. The hybrid’s body vibrated with intent as he struggled to maintain the bear hold, but his muscles were no match for the metal in her arm and legs. As soon as she had leverage, she pulled her legs up and pressed against him.
    Sweat poured down his forehead, yet he continued to hold on to her. When the gap widened between them, she dropped to the ground, hopped back and punched him in the eye twice in rapid succession. The second time she ripped out his chip, threw the device on the floor and stepped on the chip with the bottom of her boot. The hybrid fell forward. Asia caught him with one hand allowing his body to shield her healing arm from view.
    “ Jerry, I don’t know how you did all that, but I wonder if you can stop this,” Greggor said standing in the hall. Asia heard the whirring of the laser and leapt out of the way as it burned a hole through the breed.
    She moved with lightning speed zig-zagging across the area. Greggor took aim and fired repeated shots knocking out more security cams, glass partitions and chunks of the wall.
    “Stop.”
    Asia hid against the wall at the command and closed her eyes. That was not the same voice that called to her through the night. Damn. The computer was in control of Hawke again. Now she had to fight or die. And dying was not an option.
    “ You are destroying the building you imbecile.”
    “ No, it’s Jerry, he’s out of control,” Greggor said taking deep breaths.
    She heard Hawke’s footsteps and flashed to the other side. Greggor blocked her way, but he hadn’t seen her yet. She punched him, knocking him to the ground.
    “Mistress?” There was no answer. She’d come face to face with Hawke. He was slightly taller than La Patron and just as wide.
    “What are you doing Jerry? Why is Greggor attempting to destroy you with weapons when he can push the red button on your chip?”
    Asia couldn’t believe the man expected to have a conversation while her adrenaline spiked through the ceiling and her wolf did flips in her belly.
    “ I don’t uh, know.” The red button wouldn’t work with the chameleon, but she didn’t want to go into her chameleon biology right now.
    Hawke’s gaze narrowed, and he crossed massive arms. “Why are you lying?  I don’t understand why. Logically you cannot win, and yet you have defeated superior beings. Greggor is not included in that statement of course. Your behavior puzzles me.” Hawke gazed down at her as if she were a lab experiment.
    “ Mistress? I need you to pull his wolf .” Asia watched him watch her. Seconds ticked with neither of them speaking.
    “ Something… your scent is different. The distinction is slight but there. Did you eat onions with your meal?” Hawke placed a finger next to his chin, and continued to stare.
    “No.” She cleared her throat. “Curried lamb, that’s what I ate, no onions.”
    “True, I smell no onions.”
    “ Sorry, we were… uh, busy. Silas is here. Ready ?”
    Asia looked at Hawke, and the next moment she jumped to the left as his fist slammed into the wall where she’d been standing sending debris in all directions. Quick as a flash he was on her trail, tracking her, throwing punches.
    “Mate my ass,” she growled and returned a punch to his mid-section. Hawke staggered but didn’t fall. Oh shit . She had punched him with her metal arm and he didn’t hit the ground. He leapt forward. She ducked and rolled out the way as he crashed into the wall.
    “ Now, Mistress