It coated the air, leaving a taint. What had gone on here would never get erased. The rainforest would remember. The trees, plants, and anything living would hold the memory.
Behind Duron, the air moved in a way that brought about his shift. It was fast. His bear didn’t care about clothes or the pack on his back. Everything landed on the hard earth as his bear spun around using his cat agility, ready to pounce on whatever was coming.
The eyes of a panther flashed in the trees, before one landed in front of his bear. It’s sharp, white teeth flashed as its lips peeled back in a snarl.
Roiu?
His bear didn’t wait for introductions. His huge paw shifted into claws and, using his elephant strength, ripped at the furry side and tossed the panther stuck on his claws hard enough, he hit the nearest tree. The force uprooted it, and it crashed into several others. An angry and pained cry filled the night air, silencing the night creatures.
Sounds of scary hissing and rumbly, low throated growls came from a pissed off alligator as he charged to Duron’s side.Did he touch you?
No.
Duron lumbered over to where the panther lay on the ground. Its back end twisted in a way that suggested its spine had broken on impact. He reached down and lifted it up, careful of the large, lethal claws protruding from paws.
He met the animal’s gaze before he shifted, satisfied the thing wasn’t a threat to him or his mate. “What were you doing stalking us?”
The cat hissed, his nose curling in with what appeared disdain. Duron took hold of his back end and twisted it’s lower body. The resulting cry sent birds in trees above them to take flight. “Shift, now,” he roared, showing he had a cat that was equally powerful as the panther.
It took seconds before he held a naked man, one who matched the description of Roiu. “Why are you hounding my daughter?” he growled, baring his teeth, giving Duron a stare a lesser shifter might have found threatening.
Duron gave him credit for it when his body was in no state to go another round with him. It also showed that Selina had spoken with Roiu and that she was aware they were in the rainforest. Only not tracking her like she thought. He’d need to think about that later. “There are questions she needs to answer. She has removed information from Kylo’s house with her magic. Why would she do that?”
The look of confusion appeared genuine as Roiu stared at him with wide, pain-filled eyes. “She would never use her magic like that.Never!She only ever wants to help folks.”
His conviction came across as genuine.
Do you sense he’s telling the truth?Duron didn’t glance at the alligator pressing solidly against his leg, reminding him of the ache of the vampire bite. He’d need to get all his animals to focus on it at some point to assess the damage. Vampires sometimes had poisonous bites that could be a bitch to heal fully on some of his animals. His body was unique in that each animal healed separately, something he’d learned when his elephant’s trunk got ripped open by a rhino. He’d nearly bleed to death when he’d shifted into his bear, thinking that would help heal him quicker. It hadn’t, and he’d learned a valuable lesson.
The vampire had bitten his human form, but one of his animals might have gotten close enough to get a nasty nip.
When Beaumont nudged his leg again, he shifted away only for Beaumont to follow.Did you hear me?
Fuck, sorry, what did you say?
He got a wave of concern before Beaumont answered.He comes across as being genuine in his concern for Selina and his lack of knowledge in what she’s been doing. However, if he’s been using magic, he could have cast a spell to make him appear authentic.
Beaumont’s large head moved, distracting Duron when it made the ache turn to a throb, and he looked down for a second. That was all it took. Claws slashed at the side of his face and pain exploded through his cheekbone.
Breath whistled through his teeth more in annoyance at getting caught out. Duron returned his attention to the panther he was now holding. One he didn’t let go as he ignored the coppery scented blood sliding down his face, dripping onto his chest. It would take a hell of a lot more than claws to his face for that to happen.
He gripped the hissing panther by its throat and squeezed hard enough to make its eyes bulge.
Do I kill him?In normal circumstances, the cat would already be dead, only this wasn’t about a kill order.
There were a lot of emotions coming from Beaumont, the most prominent was fury at the cat daring to hurt him. Duron wondered if he was going to have to be the logical one.
The question came after what felt like a minute of Beaumont battling with his desire to have the cat crunching between his jaws.Is he going to talk to us and give us anything worthwhile?
Not if he believes his daughter is innocent like he proclaims her to be.
Drop him.
Bone crunching followed the sound of the cat thumping on the ground as Beaumont’s enormous jaw crushed Roiu’s head. It burst like a watermelon, blood and brains seeping out the sides of his lethal teeth.
The scent of death brought with it the hunters of the night. They skulked and slinked around the trees, watching, and waiting for their opportunity to feast on the dead carcass.
Duron eyed the pile of wood that Beaumont had been sniffing at before their visitor had distracted them. He wiped absently at his cheek with the back of his hand, giving his mate time to finish his chomping.
