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Then she raised her knife and plunged it toward Jade’s chest

Jade tried to juh The knife drove into her chest A white-hot slice of pain cut through her and stole Jade’s breath The blade sank to the hilt, and then Heather yanked the knife out

"You’ll knohat it feels like, Brandt!" Heather yelled and laughed and thrust the knife at Jade again "You’ll knohat it feels like to lose what you love!"

The witch was strong But this time, Jade was ready for her A roar filled the air behind her Heather’s golden eyes burned so bright Too bright When that blade caht Heather’s hand and held the weapon away

The witch shuddered, and her eyes just burned brighter "I’ the words "I have to make him weak"

Jade’s blood soaked her shirt She kicked out at the witch and caught the other wo pop, and the sound filled her with vicious pleasure

Heather fell back Jade fell, too, even as her hand rose to her chest and tried to stop the blood Crazy bitch

A blur of black fur flew past her A panther Brandt He’d shifted Gotten out of the flames

He went for Heather’s throat The witch never even had ti her, nearly severing her head from her shoulders

"Jade?" Az’s voice Az’s hands on her as he turned her to face hiht then, but her body shook as if she had a fever

"Stay away from her," Az ordered fiercely "Stay away" And she saw that he was staring over her shoulder Wait, as behind her? Not Brandt He was busy a few feet away, killing Heather

The panther’s snarl raised the hair on her neck

"You’re not taking her," Az said, still staring behind her "So stand the fk back"

She tried to push up into his arms She’d been stabbed, but she wasn’t out She’d survive this but--

But Brandt, in full panther for at Az’s back She saw hi fast with his mouth open, his teeth bloody from his recent kill He rushed forward--

"No!" She screamed and shoved Az to the side

Brandt’s claws struck out He was too close Too close

His paws sank into her chest The pain lanced her, tore through flesh, muscle, and bone