Roars of challenge filled the air. The sounds were terrible. Fur flew. Droplets of blood sprayed high in the air and surrounded the two combatants. They reared up on their hind legs like two primal beasts, raking with hooked claws and biting with terrible teeth. They dropped apart and charged again, leaping into the air, changing direction in midair, using flexible spines to try to get a killing position on the other over and over.
They were both experienced fighters and strong males. Roped muscles moved fluidly beneath the loose skin that protected them from the teeth and claws of their adversaries. They hit each other so hard, driving first Rafe and then Eli from their feet, the sound horrible each time their bodies came together, like two freight trains crashing. The ground shook at times.
Catarina lay a distance from the two snarling, fighting leopards, her eyes on them, but her vision was hazy. She had thought she would be afraid for Eli when this moment came. She’d always known it would come. Always. Eli and Rafe would fight to the death right there in front of her. Before she’d been absolutely certain of the outcome – certain Rafe would kill Eli. Now, she wasn’t afraid for Eli.
She blinked several times in an attempt to clear her vision. It took a moment to realize she was sinking into unconsciousness. She didn’t want to do that. She had to know Eli survived. She felt an overwhelming sadness for Rafe, but even at the end, when he could have easily shouted to Eli that she was in trouble and needed medical attention, he had chosen to fight as a leopard because he’d rather she die than allow her to be with someone else. That wasn’t love. Eli would have allowed Rafe to get her help if that was the only way to keep her alive.
He didn’t know the condition she was in, and she didn’t want him to know. He’d sacrifice himself for her. She had to hold on because she wasn’t losing a man like Eli. She knew he would defeat Rafe and find a way to get her to safety.
“Catarina.” The voice startled her.
She turned her head away from the battling leopards and blinked several times to focus. Jake Bannaconni crouched beside her. His chest was bare, and she didn’t look any further down his body. She kept her eyes on his face.
“God, honey. I’ve called for our helicopter. We’ll get you to a hospital. You have to hang on for me.”
She licked at her lips. Tasted blood. She couldn’t talk and wondered if the leopard had ripped out her throat. Her gaze shifted back to the fighting males. Blood streaked their fur coats. Sides were heaving, desperate for air. Other leopards were there, ringing the two males and she realized her screams and the roars of the leopards had carried on the wind to Jake’s ranch and they’d come.
“I’m going to try to stop this bleeding, Cat,” Jake said. “It may hurt, but I have to get it stopped.”
She nodded, or at least she thought she did. Her body shook with chills. She was cold and her brain wasn’t functioning very well. She couldn’t really think, and Jake’s voice sounded as if it came from a great distance away. She felt his hands on her side, pressing something into the wounds, pressing it so hard her body seemed to rip apart beneath the pressure. She couldn’t scream. She opened her mouth but no sound emerged. He did it a second time. Then a third. Black edged her vision.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Jake whispered, his voice crooning.
She hadn’t known he could sound so sweet, not unless he was talking to Emma or his children. He didn’t use that voice on anyone else, at least she didn’t think so. He kept his distance from most people. She thought he tolerated her for Emma, but his voice indicated affection.
“I’m going to turn you. It’s going to hurt.”
There was distaste in his tone, as if the thought of hurting her more was absolutely abhorrent to him. His hands were gentle as he turned her away from the ring of leopards watching the terrible battle. The movement made her sick. She knew she was going to vomit.
Jake was suddenly there, holding her head to one side, pulling her hair out of the way. The moment she emptied her stomach, he shifted her away from the mess and once again pressed something deep into the wound on her side. She wanted to pass out. She even reached for that oblivion, but it didn’t happen. She felt the terrible pressure again, as if he’d poured gasoline on the fire that burned into her side.
“He raked you on both sides,” Jake explained. “He got you with his claws. Three deep rakes on each side. I know it hurts like hell and you’re losing too much blood, but he didn’t hit anything vital.”
His voice steadied her. She was really listening to the sounds of the battle between two large males in their prime fighting to the death. Eli. Rafe. Only one would walk away alive, she knew that. No one would interfere in the battle between the two leopards. That was the shifter way. That was their justice. But Rafe was rogue, and these shifters would kill him even if he won the battle with Eli. She wished they’d just get it over with. She didn’t understand the strange code of shifters, nor did she care to, not when it put Eli’s life on the line.