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Why doesn't he give us a sign? So to hold on to That one little pass with his thuined it Gatita, what is he planning?

You did not iine it I felt his touch too

Okay Okay, she could do this If Joshua could walk right between Nikita and Filat without flinching, she could wait for his signal

"We were speaking of compensation," Nikita said

She risked a glance at hi her carefully Didn't he believe her cowed act? It wasn't an act, it was the real thing Why wouldn't he believe it? She had to think, because she could see it on his face, that dawning comprehension that Joshua wasn't the ally they wanted

Joshua had half turned away froh tofor the door He caught her ankle as she ran past him, and she went down hard

Joshua calmly put his foot on her throat "We did this once before, Sonia Don't you remember? You ran from me Your female ran from my male You seem to be a slow learner"

Nikita's laughter rang through the room "I don't know, Joshua, I could have such fun with her Are you certain you want the trouble? I'll accept conant, I ask that you turn her over to me so I can try"

Joshua reached down and hauled her to her feet, walking her backithout looking at her, to shove her back into the chair "I h she's different Once you're in her, you'll understand my reluctance to part with her"

An owl hooted outside the house in the direction of the swamp A second owl answered just outside theA third bird sounded off, using a two-note call Joshua caught her face in his hands, leaned down and fastened his entle He ended the kiss abruptly and whispered one word against her lips "Run" It was barely there, a stroke over her mouth, but she heard it as if he'd yelled

Abruptly, he let go, and as he straightened, he whipped off his shirt and kicked off his shoes He tore at his jeans, already shifting Nikita tried for his gun, but the leopard was on hi it froun out She ht her by the throat and squeezed hard, looking straight into her eyes She was already losing air One hand went to the zipper of the jacket, dragging it dohile she concentrated on shifting the ar to eviscerate him

He screa the stairs several at a ti over her shoulder, she saw Shadow and Nikita's leopard in a terrible battle Filat tore his clothes fro to Nikita's leopard's aid She ran for her bedroo to escape froun on her bed She had extra ammunition for it as well

The sounds in her great room were terrible to hear She had to hurry Joshua had deliberately forced both leopards into attacking hi him behind She shoved shells into her pocket and ran back to the top of the stairs The twoin fast, slashing and biting and juet in

They clearly had used the method before Shadoas fast Both other cats were bloody, sides heaving, but so was Joshua's leopard She ai, for her mother, for Sasha, and even for her father, she wanted to kill hier just as he whirled in the air to renew his attack on Joshua

The sound was loud, reverberating through the roo in all directions The leopards looked up at her, griain as Nikita's leopard reared into the air, claws extended Shadowat the older leopard with his stiletto-claws, going for his exposed genitals Nikita's leopard screaround

Filat turned to face her, his leopard's expression round as he began a slow, freeze-fraer as his leopard rolled He screamed Howled Blood sprayed the air Filat didn't even turn to see the daed She tried to sla she wouldn't un to her other hand to use it like a bat just as Shadow landed hard on the leopard's back

Shadoas heavy withhis claws in and sank his teeth deep into the neck They rolled alnored theed himself to his feet His hind end was bloody, but froe the older shotgun would create

The two leopards rolled down the stairs, Shadow never letting up on his hold of Filat's raging cat She walked down the stairs, watching Nikita's leopard the entire ti He lowered his head, eyes focused in preparation of a charge She lifted the shotgun, taking careful aim

Nikita whirled around and raced toward the door just as she pulled the trigger He screarated into splinters as he jerked open the door and ran through it She raced after hie to the leopard Gatita was too sun

The leopard had disappeared frorass just to the right of the verandah She stepped back to get a better look and that saved her life The cat sprang at her fro to twist toward her when she er It seeht she had because Nikita's leopard rolled at the last second

He screaht be hit, but the wounds had to be superficial Blood specked his side and coated his right shoulder He rushed her Once again she thought to use the weapon as a bat, but she kneas a fli cat He was almost on her, so close she felt the blast of hot air in her face She swung the gun as hard as she could, using Gatita's strength

Shadow leapt out of the night, his front claws attaching to Nikita's cat's hind end The leopard shrieked, the sound reverberating through the swamp She hit A solid strike that shook up her arm until she was numb The two cats rolled away froround, too close to the teeth and claws Resolutely she stood and calmly inspected the weapon She waited until Shadow had the cat on the ground again and she stepped closer to the raging leopards

They broke apart and then both dove si and biting at each other's head and neck They crashed to the ground, teeth bared, legs locked together The death lock was difficult to witness, claws raking, teeth biting, blood strea from both cats

Sonia stepped even closer This was for all of theomolov had murdered to sho cruel he was Everyone he'd murdered or had tortured for his amusement His enjoyment Every woman he'd raped and killed

Gatita, warn Shadow

He says to leave it

Tell hi him back to hell Now She poured determination into her voice so even Shadow had to hear it

In one move, she pressed the er Shadoas already rolling away, distancing himself from the blast Nikita's cat stared up at her, his eyes crazed Slowly, they turned fro back at her

She leaned close "This bitch killed you This slut I'ht here We'll burn you and bury you, and Sasha will have your empire"

A large hand yanked her back just as Nikita's leo

pard gave one last effort, his giant paiping at her thigh to try to open her artery Joshua towered over her, swaying Bloody He wrapped her in his arms

"Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"

He was aeverywhere Where are the others? Evan and Kai and Gray? At least they should be here" She got her ar him back to the house All the open wounds as close as they were to the sere a recipe for infection

"Nikita had a creith hiet theh Sasha said he'd mop up"

"Sasha said it?" She looked up at his face It was drawn A little on the gray side He was giving her ht than she liked "When did you talk to Sasha?"

"I had a little chat with hi yourself kidnapped"

She didn't want to go into the house where there were dead bodies and blood everywhere, but she needed to sit Joshua down and get a first aid kit "We need Evan"

"You can handle it," he told her

She glared up at him "You have no idea what I can or can't handle"

He flashed a grin at her "Baby, you put that fuckin' shotgun to his head and pulled the trigger You can handle patching me up"

"I could handle shooting you," she said "Patching you up is so I didn't study"

She got hi beside her stairs was the dead leopard Filat She glanced away quickly and continued toward the bathroom where the first aid kit was "You wanted to have a chat with Sasha? Why?"

"If he was playing you, I was going to blow his head off" He said it matter-of-factly