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She tried not to be annoyed with her female. Like Ania, she had no real idea of what she was doing. I know that you’re afraid and you’re also in heat, but you have to trust me to guide us in this situation. If you refuse to listen to me, we have no chance at all. Those cats are here to kill us, not become your mate. Even if they mate with you, they will kill you after.
Jewel hadn’t wanted to believe it but now, seeing them tearing across the meadow, eyes burning, not looking like cats in the throes of a frenzied mating call, she had no choice but to understand. Every instinct was warning her that if she didn’t listen to Ania, they were going to die. She tossed up leaves with her paws and then went around the tree doing the same before rubbing over the trunk right where she planned to go up it.
Now, Jewel. We’ll see better. They’re almost on Dymka.
Ania couldn’t imagine that every property owner in the rolling hills couldn’t hear the terrible roaring challenges from the four males. There was satisfaction in that. Bannaconni and Perez would know there was trouble. Sevastyan was never far from his cousin. He would come as well. They just had to hold out.
Jewel went up the tree, using her claws to climb. Ania directed her to climb up the side they needed the unsuspecting male to climb, but in order to get to the higher branches, he would have to circle around to the other side. The higher branches were noticeably weaker and creaked ominously while taking Jewel’s weight.
Ania’s heart pounded, hoping she hadn’t misjudged. Another roar nearly stopped her heart. They were on Dymka, leaping at him ferociously, all three of them, hoping to bring him down fast. She didn’t realize she was nearly taking back the form, forcing Jewel to turn in the direction she wanted so she could watch the terrible fight happening a short distance from the relative safety of the tree.
One cat, a particularly motley one with dark-tipped fur, leapt on Dymka’s back, hoping to break the spine. Another hooked claws into his hindquarters, trying to drag him backward while the third went for his throat. Jewel’s claw gripped the tree trunk hard while Ania debated. Maybe she should have tried to help Mitya instead of taking to the tree like a coward.
As she took that first tentative step, pulling her claws from the trunk, Dymka threw off the dark-tipped leopard, hurling him into the one clawing at his hindquarters so that the two cats came together in a tangle of legs and claws. Dymka rose onto his back legs, standing tall, ripping and slicing with lethal claws at the third cat, opening his belly, going for genitals with blurring speed.
The third cat fell backward and Dymka was on him, going for the kill, a suffocating bite to the throat. His mouth closed over the fallen cat, but the leopard was already twisting, coming back to its feet, so Dymka got a mouthful of fur. The dark-tipped cat rushed him again, while the last cat, the one with a particularly long scar where no hair grew, circled around and came at Dymka’s head.
Ania could see the leopards had fought together before. Their movements were coordinated. Deliberately, she urged Jewel to call out, a mating call, a female in need, calling for mates. Jewel did so immediately, her call genuine and a little desperate.
Nature was nature no matter how their human counterparts tried to stamp it out of them. The males all turned their heads toward that call. Dymka took full advantage, raking over the eyes of the scarred one, gouging with razor-sharp claws so that the animal shrieked in pain and tried to leap away, blood pouring from his eyes. Dymka followed the bloody cat, unwilling to let go of an advantage, while the dark-tipped one leapt to bring him down.
Ania, inside Jewel’s body, cried out, which made Jewel do the same. The female’s voice sang through the night, a symphony of need, calling to her mate. Both Ania and Jewel watched in horror as the dark-tipped leopard landed hard on Dymka’s back, his claws digging deep, his teeth viciously going for the back of the neck. Dymka rolled at the last possible second, twisting his flexible spine so that he appeared almost folded in half. Most of his body weight was sheer muscle, thick ropes and bands all over his body. As the big male rolled under the dark-tipped cat, he used his claws and teeth to rake at the leopard’s belly, opening more lacerations.
The third cat, his coat redder than the others, looked away from the fighting, sniffed the air several times, suddenly whirled around and began running toward Jewel’s tree. Ania couldn’t quiet her heartbeat for a few seconds. Both Ania and Jewel nearly fell from the tree in terror. The cat looked invincible as it ran toward them.
The wind had picked up and blew at them, carrying small droplets of water with it. Fingers of mist began to creep across the valley into the hills, moving slowly, looking like a giant hand waiting to enclose them. Jewel turned her head to look from the oncoming red cat to Dymka. The cat with the bloody eyes was running in circles, indicating, she was certain, that he had lost his eyesight. It was the dark-tipped cat that was fighting with Dymka now, and he was clearly good at battles. The two cats came together in what was clearly a fight to the death. The two combatants slashed at each other, looking for an opening.
Dymka circled, keeping his movements tight, making certain he wasn’t giving the other cat any openings, nor was he going to allow himself to be pushed back toward the bloody, sightless leopard he couldn’t forget for a moment was still dangerous.
He recognized all three cats. The one he’d blinded was a man called Taras, a lieutenant of his father. He was a particularly mean man, very ugly in both his looks and his actions. He liked hurting others, and often had his cat chase, kill and eat young children. Taras’s cat had chased him repeatedly, once leaping from a building out of hiding, slamming into Mitya’s back, driving him to the ground. Mitya still bore the scars on his back from the leopard raking his skin open, almost to the bone. As a child, he’d lived in fear of Taras, as did most of the children in the lair. Lazar had allowed his behavior to go unchecked.
The reddish-colored leopard was a man everyone despised, including Lazar, but the vor kept him around because his reputation with women terrorized the lair and amused him. He was named Albert, and no female, whatever the age, was safe from him. He didn’t care where he was, or where the woman or child was, he would do whatever he wanted with them. Sometimes he simply raped them, but more often than not, he tortured them sexually first. No one dared interfere with him. He liked to hurt others, and small females were his first choice of target.
The dark-tipped leopard was one of Lazar’s most trusted men. Kronya had often “disciplined” Mitya, beating him and then having his leopard rip Dymka to pieces at Lazar’s whim. Kronya was used to leaping on the younger males at Lazar’s direction and beating them. The trouble was, as he enjoyed his role just a little too much and too often, the boy was so damaged after the beating that Lazar would simply indicate to his right-hand man to finish it with a kill, or they left the child there, dying slowly, his insides crushed by the vicious pressure. Often Mitya had been on the receiving end of Kronya’s punishments. The man had taken great pleasure in hurting him, taking it that little bit too far on accident, so that Mitya had been one of those children lying broken and bloody on the floor.
Kronya reached out to him now. Mitya. Your father isn’t here to save you this time.
Mitya didn’t answer. His father wouldn’t have saved him if he was there. Most likely he’d been the one to order the three men to kill him. And he didn’t feel there was anything to say to this cruel coward of a man.
Dymka went inside Kronya’s protected shoulder, raking his teeth down neck, shoulder and side, so that streaks of red dripped from the fur. He leapt back as Kronya attempted retaliation, whirling around and striking out with his front legs. Dymka seemed to hesitate and Kronya turned his injured side away from the large cat.
Dymka attacked, using his weight and the dense muscles to drive him forward. He used his legs to propel him with blurring speed, a battering ram, slamming into Kronya’s side, knocking him off his feet, sending him sliding across the dirt s
o that leaves and dirt geysered into the air to mix with the mist and fog.
Dymka followed the leopard, his teeth closing around the throat with a vicious snap, driving for the suffocating bite that would end the life of one of his father’s most trusted men. As he bit down with great satisfaction, Taras, guided by the sounds of the battle and half-mad with rage and pain, tore at Dymka’s hindquarters.
* * *
• • •
ANIA watched the reddish-colored leopard race toward them, only stopping to sniff Jewel’s alluring aroma. He sprayed over the bushes and trees as he went from place to place, claiming Jewel for his own. He roared at her to come to him. Jewel made herself smaller, trying once to shift out from under Ania.
We’ve got this, baby, Ania cooed. He’s too big to get to you. The branches can’t handle his weight. Dymka will come when we need him.
She couldn’t see the leopards as well through the rapidly thickening mist. It was just as well. She needed to keep her wits about her. This leopard was scaring the hell out of Jewel—and her, if she was truthful. She had to believe Dymka would come if she needed him.
Jewel was becoming desperate, needing a mate. That fire burning so hot had transferred to Ania as well. Every part of her ached and burned as she felt Jewel’s frantic need. The male was close now, coming around to the correct side of the tree where Jewel’s scent was the most potent. He stared up at her with those gleaming, malignant eyes.
He looked evil. Wholly evil, as if he’d been consumed by a demon. There was no trick of the light, not with the fog and night falling fast. Whatever was inside that leopard was wholly corrupted.
Ania shivered and took a better grip on Jewel. She had to be in control at all times, so her leopard wouldn’t accidentally shift when she was needed the most to keep the other leopard’s main focus and attention on her.
The creature roared a command. It was clear he was telling Jewel she had to get out of the tree. Jewel cringed, but she didn’t move. She remained very still, looking down a little defiantly at the male. Ania was proud of her. She knew the female was hurting, was desperate for a mate, yet she didn’t give in to nature. She followed Ania’s lead and remained in place.
The male slammed his retractable claws into the tree trunk. Those claws could be used for cutting, holding, killing, fighting or climbing. A ligament was attached from the thick, hooked claw to the bone at the tip of each toe. Muscles, tendons and ligaments allowed the front claws to be used like switchblades. They were lethal weapons when needed, and right now, the male ripped at the bark, sharpening them with deadly intent.
Keeping his eyes on Jewel, holding her terrified gaze captive with his malicious one, the male began to climb. Ania waited until the cat was closest to the spot where he would have to circle around the tree to the other side in order to climb up farther.
His head appeared between the branches, and she shifted just one of Jewel’s legs, or tried to. It wasn’t nearly as easy as she thought it might be. The upper half of her body shifted, leaving her head, torso and arms exposed. The yellow eyes flared. The nose crinkled into a snarl as he drew back lips to expose his stained teeth.
Ania flung a rock into his face. She snapped it, very hard, using her leopard’s strength. The rock hit him right on his nose and the animal slipped backward. He howled in rage as he dug his claws into the trunk to keep from falling.
Ania wanted to move, to follow his descent with more rocks, but she held steady to her place. He could possibly get to her if she went to the lower branches. They were stronger and would hold his weight. Not their combined weights, but definitely his if he stood on them and reached for her.
He climbed again, his eyes twin pinpoints of hatred in the sea of spots. The wind blew, and she caught his foul scent. The breeze felt good on her hot body, but it brought with it the promise of more mist. She wanted to see clearly. She needed to see clearly. More than anything else, she had to stall, to keep Jewel and herself alive until Dymka could get to them. The rock was in her fist, up by the tree trunk. Her eyes met the horrid leopard’s and then she saw the man staring at her. He was just as evil as his leopard; more so, because he was the one driving the animal.
She didn’t wait for his reaction. She sent the rock pelting into his face, smashing into his open mouth with enough force she hoped to break teeth. Her second throw hit his left eye dead center and the animal slid a second time, barely catching himself, hooking his claws in the tree trunk to keep himself from falling to the ground.
Enraged, the animal roared over and over, calling out his hatred and need for revenge. For retaliation. The sound rolled out over the hills, the wind building to take it out even further. Ania, shivering in cold and fear, shifted so that Jewel faced the maddened male. When he looked up again, he saw only the face of the female.
She let out another call, the need in her voice very real. The wind caught her scent and scattered it through the trees, carrying it far. For a moment the male seemed disoriented, as if he didn’t know exactly what he was doing. He hesitated and then began to climb toward the female again.
Ania wasn’t certain what his human counterpart thought he was going to do. Reach for Jewel and yank her out of the tree? Climb up with her? Was there a plan? She waited, counting the seconds, watching for an opening. Jewel stayed very still, the bait to lure in a dangerous predator.
A gust of wind caught the tree and sent it swaying. Jewel had to dig her claws into the branch and hold on until the wind subsided. Another gust nearly sent the upper canopy of the tree into another one. She hadn’t counted on the weather turning against her. The red leopard was in a much better position. His part of the tree was solid. Stable. Not swaying the way the top of the tree was. It was as if the tree were trying to throw Jewel out of it.
* * *
• • •
STILETTO claws pierced Dymka’s hindquarters and yanked at him, dragging him backward off Kronya. As Taras hauled him off the other leopard, Kronya leapt to his feet and sprang at Dymka in a clearly coordinated move he had used numerous times with the other leopard. Dymka did the unexpected. Rather than face Kronya, he leapt into the air and, using his flexible spine, twisted in midflight to land on Taras’s back with his full weight.
He slammed into Taras so hard he drove the other leopard to the ground. All four legs sprawled out sideways. There was an audible snap and the leopard screamed and screamed. He tried to rise repeatedly but was unable to move. He even tried crawling, using his legs to pull him forward, but it was impossible.
Knowing the cat couldn’t help Kronya, Dymka backed away, circled the fallen cat and, all the while watching the dark-tipped leopard, darted in to deliver the suffocating bite to Taras. Immediately, just as Dymka knew he would, Kronya attacked. Dymka whirled around to catch the underbelly of the cat as Kronya hurdled over the top of him. He eviscerated the cat, hooking the deadly claws into his belly using the leopard’s momentum and his own immense strength to help shred the skin and fur.
Dymka spun around, rolling away from both cats. He glanced toward the tree Ania had chosen to make their stand in. He couldn’t see Jewel through the thick mist. He caught glimpses of Albert as his cat tried to claw his way up the tree to get to Jewel. Dymka was relatively unscathed. The three cats had underestimated him. They were used to going after a leopard together, the victim fearing them and barely able to fight back.
Mitya had learned to fight them. He had studied each cat’s weakness over the years. He had watched how they fought their victims. Even how they chose them. He was in his prime and he knew, when they came, they would underestimate him, just as his father would. The one thing that could defeat him was treed and alone, fending off a killer who enjoyed preying on females.
Dymka turned his attention back to Kronya. The cat too was looking toward the tree Albert had climbed. A crafty look came over its face and immediately a chill went down Mitya’s spine. Kronya r
oared to Albert, clearly conveying to the other leopard to kill Jewel. Dymka leapt on Kronya where he lay panting through the pain, knowing if he moved, he would leave behind his intestines. Dymka landed hard on the leopard’s back, digging his claws into the shoulders while he delivered the suffocating bite, cutting off the sawing roars abruptly.
A strange silence settled over the hillside and meadow, like a dark shroud of death. Kronya didn’t struggle. He knew he was dead already. He didn’t even try to delay the inevitable, not even to buy more time for Albert. He just let Dymka kill him.
* * *
• • •
HE’S coming and he’s so mad, Jewel whispered to Ania.
This is what we’ve been waiting for, Ania assured, doing her best to pour confidence in her voice.
Both of them were burning up. Ania was so uncomfortable she wanted to scream. And hot. It didn’t matter that the mist was cool and the breeze had grown into an actual wind, her body temperature was soaring. Jewel was in even worse condition, panting, sides heaving, her body crouching there in the crotch of the straggly limb she was perched in.
Ania did her best to caution the leopard repeatedly not to move. The branch was no bigger around than a quarter and it bent and bounced up and down with every ragged, panting breath Jewel drew.
The reddish coat on the male had taken on a sinister look. It was wet with the mist now, and looked almost as if blood tinged the undercoat. It was a grisly, bizarre image Ania couldn’t get out of her head. Those eyes staring up through the spots on his face had gone from a sickening yellow to an eviler red. They glowed like a demon’s eyes fixed on Jewel—focused completely. Unblinking, a predator whose entire being was concentrated on killing prey.
Let him come, Ania whispered. It was all she could do not to tremble, but Jewel was so frightened, she had to show courage.