Total pages in book: 172
Estimated words: 155984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
A leopard roared a challenge in the distance and, above him, the spraying shifter nearly fell from the branch. He clawed at the limb and then hastily turned toward the sound to try to get a view. When he couldn’t see anything, he began to climb down fast.
Shturm remained very still, his body secreted in the thick bushes. He recognized the powerful voice of Matvei’s leopard issuing a triumphant challenge as it attacked again and again, probably already having ripped his adversary to shreds. Most leopards went back again and again to show dominance when the adrenaline was flowing.
The shifter leaping from the tree landed only a few feet from Shturm, but was so focused on the sounds of the intruder and his sawing roars that he didn’t even smell the large cat until it was too late. He’d taken several steps and then whirled around just as Shturm burst out of the brush and hit him in the side so hard and fast, several ribs cracked with an audible sound.
The leopard screamed. Far off, there was an answering echo of a scream, as if another leopard had also been hit hard. That would be Kirill and his opponent, but their fight didn’t matter. Shturm blocked off all other sounds and focused completely on his rival. This leopard had come to his territory and acted as if he would claim it.
The big cat backed up, allowing the intruder to roll over and stagger to its feet. The moment the golden leopard was up, Shturm rushed him again, hitting him from the other side, breaking ribs and sending him flying. The cat screamed in fear and defiance. Shturm felt no pity. Leopards knew better than to come into a male’s territory and issue a challenge unless they were prepared to fight. Shturm was ready to fight for his female anytime.
He caught the rear leg of the cat as it tried to roll over to get to its feet. Laboring to breathe with broken ribs, it was much slower and he bit down hard, snapping the bone and dragging the leopard backward several feet as it shrieked in pain.
Shturm circled the leopard. So far, the other cat hadn’t managed to bite or claw him. He let him see that the blood dripping from his jaws was all his enemy’s. He kept his gaze on his despised challenger, showing him the venomous hatred. He had no mercy in him. He didn’t want the leopard to expect any leniency from him.
He roared his challenge, all but telling the other animal to get up. He slammed his paw into the ground, shooting dirt into the face of his adversary. He paced back and forth, roaring and slapping contemptuously with his paw to kick dirt over and over toward the fallen leopard. He feinted several rushes, but the leopard refused to try to rise. He circled him twice more before catching his front leg and biting down, breaking through the bone and dragging him back another four feet.
The leopard opened his mouth, but no sound emerged. He appeared almost catatonic. Sevastyan rarely intervened with Shturm in a leopard fight. As far as he was concerned, it was his animal’s right to meet any challenger, but this one wasn’t exactly a real match. Where Franco had found him was anyone’s guess, but the leopard wasn’t experienced at all.
Deliver the kill bite.
It is too soon. He was not respectful.
I doubt he knows the laws of any lair. He doesn’t know how to fight. It’s beneath you to fight him, Shturm. Far beneath you. A kitten could take this one down. Get it over with. We still have to burn the carcasses and remove all evidence that they were ever here.
Shturm didn’t like the fact that Sevastyan was right. The leopard lay on the ground panting, eyes half closed and glazed over, blood pouring from his leg wounds, not even attempting to fight back. It was rather silly to continue to “fight” when the other animal refused to engage. It was just that he’d worked himself up to a killing fury and he needed the adrenaline to go somewhere. He wouldn’t be alone with it; Sevastyan would feel it as well.
I know, but this isn’t right. I thought it would help letting you loose, going hunting, but it hasn’t helped either of us. I think our women are too close to the emergence and we’re going to have to suffer.
Both knew that wasn’t safe either. They could be dangerous under those circumstances. Not just Shturm, but Sevastyan as well. Shturm gave up worrying about it. That was Sevastyan’s department. He rushed his enemy and delivered the killing bite.
5
SEVASTYAN stood outside the open door to the master bedroom. He could easily see Flambé’s shadow as she paced back and forth across the room. She’d switched on the dim nightlight beside the bed. It threw just enough of a light to give him a good view of her as she went in and out of his vision. He’d paused outside the door because he heard her voice and assumed she was talking on her cell phone to someone. He realized after listening for a few moments that she was talking to herself.