She threw her shoes at the cat, both hitting him squarely in the face, first one and then the other. He roared his displeasure and swiped at her with a claw. It barely connected, spreading pain across her bare thigh, as the long nails ripped open her skin.
That was the last catalyst for her leopard to emerge. She felt her muscles contort. A familiar itch slid over her skin in a long wave that sickened her. She could feel her bones move and she heard them crack and pop. For a moment she thought to scream, terrified now that it was happening. It wasn’t a fast takeover by any means. It felt as if the entire process was happening in slow motion. She felt everything.
She resisted, although she didn’t want to, and Godiva immediately backed off. No, no, come out. I need you to take us over, she assured and forced air through her burning lungs.
The extra breath allowed her to still her mind and keep panic at bay. She wanted this. She was born for it. She was a shifter and a shifter embraced the change. She’d seen her mother and father shift. She’d watched Timur only minutes earlier. She could do it.
This time, as Godiva rose, Ashe reached for her. She needed her leopard. She had been told she would still be there, a breathing, living, thinking Ashe. She wouldn’t survive a leopard attack, but the chances of the leopard killing Godiva were very slim. His instincts would take over and no matter what his human directed him to do, the cat’s natural drive would prevail. At least, that was her hope.
She found herself on her hands and knees, only her hands were curved and had thick fur. Her arms had white, very thick fur with black rosettes widely spaced apart. She was smaller than the males in the room, but no less alluring to them. She flipped her tail and rubbed her head along the wall and furniture spreading her scent everywhere. She warned the male pursuing her off with a snarl and a swipe of her paw.
He instinctively backed off, just as Ashe hoped. Godiva sensed more males in the house and wanted them to pursue her as well, but Ashe held her to the room where Temnyy was once again in a full-out battle to kill the other leopard. He’d released the animal to go to her aid, but the leopard had leapt on his back and dragged him down by his hindquarters. He’d sunk his teeth at the back of Temnyy’s neck, far too close to the spine.
Godiva, once she saw the trouble her mate was in, rushed the large male holding him. She slammed right into his side, knocking him over and off Timur’s leopard. Temnyy was on the cat immediately, delivering a killing bite. The newcomer saw his chance while the female was focused on Temnyy and the other leopard. He was on Godiva, flipping her to the ground, his teeth closing on her shoulder in a holding bite, his larger body blanketing hers.
Godiva struggled, keeping her tail curled down tightly against her body. They rolled, and then he had her again, the teeth causing such pain she could barely function. They’d landed close to the gun. Ashe stretched one front leg toward the weapon, risking the newcomer’s attack on her female. One stiletto nail managed to catch in the trigger. She pulled the gun toward her, shifted and turned, all in one movement. The barrel was in the cat’s mouth and she pulled the trigger, firing off several rounds rapidly.
The male collapsed over top of her, blood spraying everywhere. She shoved the heavy animal away with a mixture of revulsion and adrenaline. A hand slid over hers and Timur was there, gently removing the weapon.
“You were brilliant, Ashe,” he soothed. “Absolutely brilliant. Come on, baby, let’s get into the bathroom and clean you up.”
She didn’t look at the leopard she’d all but destroyed, or the other one Timur had killed. She didn’t look down at her hands or naked chest. She felt blood running down her skin. She just let him lead her into a smaller bathroom where there was a tiled shower. He turned on the water and indicated for her to step in. Ashe had never loved water so much as she did in that moment. She closed her eyes and turned her face up to the spray.
“I’ll be right back, baby. I’m going to get your clothes.”
She would have walked around naked, uncaring who saw her as long as she didn’t have to wear anything bloody, but she wasn’t going to say that to him. She wasn’t going to say anything until she’d removed the blood.
Thank you, Godiva, she whispered. You saved us both. You were so brave.
He saw me. The one who is called Temnyy. There was smugness in Godiva’s voice. He knows the others want me .