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"I was counting on that"

The deadly promise in his voice made chills rise on her arms This Azhe was different From the moment he’d found Marna in those woods, a coldness had crept over him

"Let’s see how fast they die," he whispered even as he snagged her wrist There was no warning this time Just the wild rush of wind The feel of a thousand skeletal hands on her body, and in the next instant, they were across the water On the shore

And she kneas about to hunt

They’d appeared right in theshifter When he saw therunt and jumped toward theuy’s throat and lifted him into the air "I want the witch," Az ordered

The shifter swiped out with his claws Blood poured from Az’s shoulder

Az just smiled

That smile chilled her This wasn’t the Az she’d coether different

With his left hand, he broke the shifter’s wrist Shattered bones

"You’re dying," Az told him "It’s just a question ofhow painful do you want that death to be?"

A faint glow appeared beneath Az’s hand as it gripped the shifter’s throat San to rise from the panther’s skin as he convulsed

"You can burn," Az told him, "from the inside out"

And he was

"Az" Jade lifted her own hand, then hesitated when the shifter started to speak

"T-to the left Th-third building Witch’s--th-there" The words ended in a choked gurgle as the shifter fell to the ground His body was still s

Jade turned away and glanced to the left She saw the shadowy bodies of twoasforward on the silent paws of panthers She opened her

There was no chance to warn Az No chance, and no need A ball of fire flew fro panthers One cried out, a high, keening sound, and flew to the right The flaround and iht to put out the flames His fur vanished as he lost the body of the beast, and the man’s flesh burned as he transformed

The other panther rose Faced Az