Dark Moon by Elizabeth Kelly

beer.  “In this case, it’s not the Lycan thing anyway.  It’s the red hair.”
    Kaden gave James a thoughtful look and James grinned at him.  “We Reds are witches, remember?”
    Kaden grimaced.  “Nothing but an old ancient’s tale.  I cannot believe there are humans who still think that way.”
    “There are still more humans who believe it than those who don’t.”  Nicholas took another drink.
    There was loud laughter from the group of men at the table, and Nicholas stiffened when the voice floated over to them.  “Aye, he’s a big one but the Reds all scream the same when they burn.”
    Nicholas drained his glass and set it down on the bar.  He slid off the stool and as he walked towards the table, weaving just the tiniest bit, James sighed loudly.  “Here we go.”
    “Good evening, gentlemen.”  Nicky smiled at the group of men. 
    They stared at him in sullen silence and his grin widened.  “Do you have something you wish to say to my brother?”
    “If I were you, I would not confess to having a Red for a brother.”  The man who had bumped into James said peevishly.
    “Aye, but you’re not me, are you?”  Nicky replied.  “Frankly, I would rather have a Red for a brother than an overgrown goat like you.”
    The man stood up, pushing his chair over angrily.  “You dare to insult me?”
    Nicky laughed.  “Insult you?  That was hardly an insult.  Now, if I was going to insult you, I would have said something about your smell.  Tell me - do you actually bathe in horse shit, or do you just sleep in it?”
    The man roared with anger and charged at him.  Nicky grinned fiercely and swung sharply to his left.  He stuck his foot out and the man tripped and went sprawling on to the floor.  Nicholas leaned down and smacked him lightly on the ass.  “Ready to apologize to my brother, you stupid goat?”
    The man’s face turned bright red as he staggered to his feet.  He turned and lunged at Nicky, who sidestepped neatly and laughed when the man fell into his table of friends. 
    Nicky turned to Kaden and James.  “I thought goats were nimble.”
    “Nicky!  Watch – “
    James’ warning came too late.  The glass pitcher of beer came crashing down over his head and drove Nicky to his knees.  Blood and beer ran thickly down his face as he shook his head to clear it.  He was yanked roughly to his feet and two men pinned his arms to his side as the man he had tripped stood in front of him.
    “Not so much of a smartmouth now, are you?”  He grinned as he drew his fist back.
    Before he could punch Nicky, his arm was grabbed and he was swung around to face James.
    James squeezed his arm and the man screamed as the bones in his forearm cracked.  He dropped to his knees, and James gave him a look of disgust before he turned to the men who were holding Nicky.
    “Let him go.”  He advised quietly.
    Movement flickered to his left and he turned just as two more men jumped him.  They knocked him to the ground, and the three of them began to fight and roll on the floor of the bar as one of the men holding Nicky brayed loud laughter.
    Nicholas turned and smiled at the man on his left before head butting him in the face.  There was a sickening crack as the man’s nose broke and he howled with pain and dropped to the floor, his hands covering his gushing nose.
    The second man threw his arms around Nicky’s neck and began to squeeze.  Nicky drove his elbow into the man’s stomach, and the man made a thick, coughing wheeze but didn’t relax his grip.
    Another man appeared in front of them and cocked his arm back.  Before he could land the blow, Kaden was standing beside him.  He grabbed the man by his shoulders and threw him to the ground before kneeling on his chest and punching him repeatedly in the face.  The man made a loud grunting noise and his eyes rolled up in his head as he sagged against the floor.
    Kaden stood and looked around in disbelief.  The bar had erupted into