Dare (32 page)

We both knew it was true. He didn’t want to have anything to do with preserving the bonding ritual. He stepped to the side as Eli hurtled his body at me. I reared on my legs to cut across his face.

“That’s for Abi,” I hissed.

He grabbed at his face, oozing with blood. His nose was split.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Zac assessing his options. I wanted him to run. Run far from here where they couldn’t find him. He picked up the end of burning timber, holding it in front of him. His eyes darted to mine before poking the air in front of him with the burning wood. He had made a choice to stay and help me fight.

Eva and Tegan exchanged a wicked smile, and then slowly shifted. My God, they were transforming in front of him. There was a hint of relief that they were still able to make the transformation, but it wasn’t good for Zac. He grabbed another stick and charged at them with the fire.

I spun in time to avoid Noah’s fangs. He charged at me, mouth open, ready to tear into me.

Case growled at him. “Don’t kill her, you moron.” Case knocked him out of the way. “I don’t want her dead. She’s my queen.”

Noah stood, his eyes filled with more hatred for me than I thought possible. I didn’t want to be grateful for Case’s protection, but Noah was prepared to take me out.

“Hey, little kitty,” Case purred.

I backed away a few feet. I needed enough space to pounce harder and faster.

“Let them go, Case. No one else has to get hurt. I’m giving you a chance here.”

He laughed. “You’re so outnumbered, sweetheart. You think you and your boyfriend can run out of here and off into the sunset?” He scratched at the dirt floor of the forest. “Just look at you two.” He laughed. “You’re a panther and he’s a human. You know this can’t happen.” He snarled. “I’ve been patient. Awfully patient, don’t you think? You belong only to me. You’re not his. It’s time you accept your defeat.”

I was ready for him to launch himself at me. My ears twitched. I focused on his eyes.

“I’m not accepting anything from you.”

“You know, technically he shouldn’t even be here.” He nodded at Zac. “That message Noah gave him should have removed him from this scenario. But you’re stubborn. You had to save him, didn’t you? The guy should be dead.”

Before I could run in front of him, he pounced, but not toward me, toward Zac. He hurtled his body at Zac’s chest, knocking him to the ground with a heavy thud. He pinned him under his paw, and Tegan and Eva immediately ceased their pursuit. They deferred to Case.

I couldn’t believe it. They should be fighting with me against the Tribe. Instead, it was as if all Case had to do was look at them and they magically responded to his wishes. It made the rage in me burn deeper. Who in the hell did he think he was?

Zac stared into Case’s eyes. I wanted to tell him to stay still. The more he moved, the more likely it was Case would hurt him. He was completely unpredictable right now.

“He means something to you, doesn’t he, Dare?” Case taunted.

I wouldn’t fool him if I lied. “He does. Just let him go. He has nothing to do with this. He’s not part of our shifter problems.”

“But he is. You’ve made him our problem. You should have let him die.”

And we were back to the same issue. The one I’d tried so hard to prove to Case. With Zac’s heart beneath his claws, it wasn’t time to defy Case.

“He’s not that important. Let him go. He’s just a human.”

“I don’t think that’s all there is to it.” Case ran his tongue over the tips of his fangs. His whiskers twitched. “Say it,” Case ordered. “Say, yes and I’ll let him live.” His paw moved over Zac’s throat, the claws indenting his skin.

“You wouldn’t kill him. I’d never forgive you. You won’t take that chance.” He had to be bluffing.

“I will kill him. Watch.” He extended a claw and ran it behind Zac’s ear. Blood flowed down the back of his neck. “See, little kitty? This is all up to you.”

I growled. “Stop, Case! Stop!”

“Only if you say yes. It’s your choice, Dare.”

Choices. We all had them. I had made one when I let myself fall for Zac. When I went to the boring museum dinner, when I let him kiss me, when I took care of him, when I slept all night in his bed. Choices had been made.

I looked into his eyes. He was struggling to breathe, but I saw the fight alive in him. He was breathing slowly. He was centering himself.

“It won’t work if I agree like this. It’s forced.”

Case chuckled, his eyes landing on Sloan. “I think she would disagree with you. Sloan has become quite the devoted bride-to-be. We will honor it no matter how you say it.”

Case moved the claw to Zac’s ear and scratched a second cut. “Come on, you’re really going to let me kill this guy?”

“No, I’m not.” I walked toward them. The circle of panthers and jaguars sat around us.

“Good.” Case smiled. “It would be a shitty way to start our honeymoon. I want my bride happy. Really I do. Just say it, Dare. Say it.”

I swallowed hard. Zac looked at me. I had been fighting against this choice, and no matter what, I couldn’t outrun it. Case had won. He had used my heart against me.

I sat at Zac’s feet. Case waited for my answer, his claw twisting in Zac’s neck.

“Case, I-I—” I choked on the words. They were stuck in my throat, but I couldn’t let him die. I couldn’t let him slip away, bleed to death in front of me. Not like this surrounded by dark shifters, by evil and hatred.

“Go on, say it.”

“I-I will—”

As soon as I pledged myself to him, it would be over. Zac would be free, but I wouldn’t. The words would bind me to Case—unlock the magic between us. Open my mind to his influence, make me want to serve him, follow him, sleep with him. Raise his daughter. I felt the bile rising under my ribs.

Case growled. “Say it.”

The roars surrounded us, echoing off the trees, filling the air. I whipped around. The Nox were positioned to attack. Vix stepped forward, flanked by Maya and Bey. The new initiates slowly circled, appearing from behind the cloak of the heavy foliage. Their shadows were long in the firelight.

Case released Zac, ready to attack. He took his opportunity to escape the clutch and backed up slowly. I watched as his silhouette faded into the trees.

“What the hell?” Case glowered. “Where did these little kitties come from?”

Bey took another step, allowing the firelight to glimmer off the sheen of her fur.

“You bitch.” He spit, twisting his head back toward me. “You went into my territory?”

I enjoyed his reaction a little too much. “No, Case. It’s Bey’s territory. I think your entire lineup is really screwed up now. No wife number one or number four.” I grinned.

“Hey there,” Bey taunted.

Case’s temper flared in his eyes. I had pushed all the right buttons.

Vix glared. She had wanted to draw blood for a long time. I nodded at her. There was no holding back tonight.

The Nox charged first, meeting the Tribe head on amidst the scattered fire. We fought, teeth gnashing, claws slicing. Determined. Fierce. Relentless.

The Tribe had always underestimated us. When you were fighting for something, there was a strength and a power from within that couldn’t be trained. It couldn’t be taught. It couldn’t be defeated.

The Nox fought together, in unison, plowing through the defenses the Tribe attempted.

The skills Zac had taught us helped us stay steady and focused while the Tribe plowed ahead with reckless emotion. Maya had never seemed so certain before. She latched on to Eli, using her legs as powerful weapons.

Vix ripped Noah’s ear and was headed for the second, when he turned to run into the forest.

I didn’t know whom we took out first. All I know is I stood over Case. A chunk of his arm ripped and exposed. I peered into his eyes, daring him to challenge me. He looked away, clutching at the bloody fur near his shoulder. I had been merciful. He should know that I didn’t have to be.

I stepped over him.

In the end, we stood on one side of the fire, and Tegan, Eva, and Sloan were on the other.

I looked at the panthers on my right and left. “Don’t attack them,” I ordered.

“Why not?” Sloan asked. She growled. “Afraid you’ll lose your little newbies?”

“Because it’s the magic making you fight us. I won’t fight you. You’re Nox. You’re one of us. You all are.”

“No, we’re part of the Tribe. Each of us has been chosen to bond. That is our choice, your majesty.” She spit the words into the fire. “Or do you think you still think you can tell us what to do? Maybe you’ve noticed you aren’t the only leader.”

“We fought tonight for you.” I stared at each of them. The Tribe was scattered around our feet, licking their wounds, writhing in pain. They were lucky they were still alive. “We fought for each one of you.”

“Then you’ve got a problem,” she snarled. “You have a weakness.”

“It’s not weak to care about your friends. There’s nothing weak about us,” I challenged her.

I heard the branches break behind me. “Tegan?” Abi tipped into our circle from the woods. I wasn’t sure how she had found us. She hadn’t shifted. She looked small and delicate amid our circle of shifters, like a lost child.

She walked toward Tegan, weaving past large black cats, oblivious to the fight we had just survived.

Eli gritted his teeth. “No, Abi! Don’t!” He pulled himself forward, but both his paws were sliced. Maya had beaten him. Abi glanced at him over her shoulder, but kept walking.

She stood in front of Tegan, studying her face. We watched, afraid if we moved the other Nox would strike against Abi.

“Tegan, where have you been?” she whispered, reaching her hand toward Tegan’s head.

Maya stepped forward, but I nudged her to stay still.

All it would take was one slash to rip into Abi’s chest. To kill her on the spot. She was defenseless in front of the three of them. I held my breath, praying there was a part of them still there. A part that wouldn’t hurt Abi.

They knew her. They had gone to The Grove with her. Tegan loved her. Magic couldn’t undo all of that.

“I’ve been looking for you. I couldn’t find you. Were you here?” Abi’s voice sounded small but calm.

Tegan backed up slowly, her eyes diverted to the ground.

“I’ve been looking,” Abi repeated. “You were never where I thought you’d be.”

“That’s enough! Stay away from her, Tegan,” Eli snarled. “Don’t talk to her.”

Maya marched over to him and hit him with the back of her paw. His head hit the ground.

Tegan turned around, and then darted into the woods.

Abi faced us, looking confused. “I remember her. I couldn’t find her.”

“It’s all right.” Maya tried to reassure her. “You found her. See?”

Eli’s tone had been frantic, panicked almost. I wondered if it was because Abi had a piece of her memory back. Maybe talking to Tegan would bring even more to the surface. I wanted to know what had triggered it.

“It’s not too late,” I spoke to Eva and Sloan. “You’re still Nox. You can come home with us. We’ve been helping Abi. We can help you too.”

It was a small look between them. One so small they probably didn’t think I saw it. For a second I thought we had gotten through to them. Our friendship, Abi, the battle—something made them want to be Nox again.

Sloan and Eva circled together. Before I could stop them, they ran after Tegan and fled into the darkness.

I kicked rocks over Case as I strutted past him. “It’s over, Case.”

I heard the rumble from his throat. I didn’t need him to tell me he had lost. His army was separated and injured. Trev deserted. The girls had run off.

“You still have to face the council,” he groaned.

“If the council has something to say they know where to find me.”

I waited on the edge of the clearing for the rest of my she-panthers to gather. We wouldn’t asses our wounds until we were safe in the lair, but it looked like everyone was fine. I had a strong band of fighters.

The Nox followed me back to the lair. Even though we had won, we all felt defeat sinking in. Each step felt heavy. We wanted to return home with the others. Until we had them, we would never truly be whole.