Sebastian Aristide (Bayou Heat)(25)

All around him, dawn threatened to break, and Hiss quickened his pace. He’d created the camouflaged shelter he was headed for. Had scoped out the spot himself. It was perfect. Near enough to Medical so the blood could be delivered while it was still warm, but far enough to be hidden from sight.

His eyes vigilant, his nostrils widened for the scent of any Pantera who might be headed his way, headed into battle with the magic-laced humans, Hiss spotted the heavily wooded area up ahead. It was untouched, and he blew out a breath of relief.

Kneeling down, he placed the male inside the small shelter made up of leaves and bracken, wishing he’d brought something to cover him with. Chayton’s breathing was worrisome. It seemed overly shallow and his skin looked ashen.

Hiss glanced up at the sky. The human male should’ve been there by now. What the hell was keeping him? Hiss would be discovered if he remained longer than a quarter hour. But the wave of concern that moved through him was overtaken by the sudden and strong scent of a Pantera he knew well. She was smart and cunning, and she was upon him in an instant.

“Hiss?”

Heart thundering in his chest, Hiss rose. He kept his body in front of the shelter. He didn’t want to have to hurt her, his closest friend within the Hunter community, but the human male was on his way. And that bastard would show no mercy to anyone who stood in his way.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, coming toward him. “You’re needed—” She stopped a few feet away, caught sight of the shelter and blanched. Her gaze slid to his, then back to the shelter.

Thinking fast, Hiss blurted out, “Shakpi awakened. I followed her here. I’m guarding her—”

“No,” Mal said tightly.

Hiss could practically feel her mind working.

“Oh, Hiss,” she whispered, dropping into a crouch.

“Don’t do that, Mal. You have no idea…”

His words were ripped from him a rush as Amalie simultaneously shifted to her puma, and knocked him backwards. She was on top of his chest in an instant. Hiss had never seen her so feral. With a curse, he shifted too, and bit into her puma’s neck with his fangs. Mal cried out, but drew back and battered his face with her paws, drawing blood. Rolling on the ground, fur flying everywhere, the two cats clawed and bit at each other, vying for dominance. Finally, Hiss got his legs underneath him enough to push her off. Twin snarls rent the air as both of them scrambled to their feet, then shifted back to their human forms.

Breathing heavily, Hiss growled at her. “I don’t want to hurt you, Mal! Goddammit!”

A few feet away, Mal glared at him and spat on the ground. “You already have.”

“Get out of here now,” Hiss returned.

But she didn’t move. “I trusted you with my life.”

“We all trusted you.”

Hiss whirled around at the male voice. Moving through the trees toward them were two Hunters: Lian and Rosalie. They looked ready to kill.

Panic swirled through Hiss. Could he run? Make it to the border? Fuck, no. Lian was one of the fastest males he knew.

“Don’t even think about it,” came another male voice behind him.

Again, Hiss whirled. This time it was Mercier who blocked his way.

The massive Hunter shook his head, his sable eyes flashing pure hatred. “You deserve death for this, Hiss.”

“And you won’t get that blood,” Lian called.

Hiss turned back, utterly fucked now. Lian was standing beside the shelter that housed Shakpi.

“The cub is born,” Lian said. “Healthy and beautiful. Your plan has gone to hell. And the one you’re waiting for? He’s dead.” The male sniffed. “The asshole’s name was Marco something. A real piece of shit. Like the bottom of your shoe.”

Rosalie shook her head. “Nice company you’ve been keeping, Hiss.”

Exhaustion barreled down on Hiss. Some of it from all the shifting, but most of it from the burden he’d been carrying for too damn long.

“The battle?” he ground out.

“Over,” Rosalie said told him. “Two casualties.”

Hiss’s head came up, nausea snaking through him at the thought of a dead Pantera. “Who?

“Human. The disciples.” She stared at him. “But you can bet your ass someone will find out about it—that human blood was spilled inside the Wildlands. They’re going to be coming for us now. Maybe not today, but soon.”

“None of ours were hurt?” Hiss said without thinking.

Mercier laughed bitterly. “There’s no ours anymore, Traitor.”

But Rosalie nodded. “A Pantera Hunter was hurt. An apprentice.”

“Which one?”

“Why should it matter?” Lian uttered blackly. “You don’t give a shit about us. You betrayed us.”

“I was betrayed too, Lian!” Hiss spat. “So go fuck yourself!”

“What?” Rosalie asked. “What are you talking about?”

He knew it was pointless, knew they wouldn’t care or believe him. But he told them anyway. “The leaders of our kind, Rosalie. They allowed my family to be killed all those years ago, for the good of the clan.” He growled. “Where is my justice? I’m not the only traitor here.”

All three Hunters were silent for a moment, then Mercier spoke. “Mal, you and Rosalie take Hiss into custody. Lian and I will follow with Shakpi.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right,” Hiss said, wanting to run as Rosalie came toward him, but knowing he wouldn’t make it out alive. And goddammit, he had to stay alive. “Ask them! Any of you. Ask the elders. Shit, ask Raphael.”

But they weren’t listening now. They had a job to do. Hiss knew how their minds worked, because once upon a time he was a loyal Hunter, too.





CHAPTER 8





Kat was going crazy. Dawn had broken a good thirty minutes ago and there was no sign of Aristide. She and Xavier were both feeling the stress of not knowing what was going on. Inside the house one moment, pacing the gardens the next. No one had come by to tell them anything. No one seemed to be around. Kat was ready to beg Xavier to go and find out some news and come back. But she knew he wouldn’t go. There was a sort of silent code between the males here, especially best friends like Xavier and Aristide. They looked out for each other, and Kat couldn’t help but be moved by it.

“Coffee?”

Shivering in the gray morning light, she glanced over her shoulder to see Xavier walking down the porch steps, two cups in his hand. “No, thanks.”

“Come on now,” he said, holding one steaming mug out to her. “It gives you something to do. Something to sip and hold while you’re slowly going mad.”

He grinned at her on that last bit, and she laughed softly and took the cup. “Thank you, Xavier. For the coffee, and for the company.”

“Anytime,” he said. He came to stand beside her at the gate. “He’ll succeed, Katherine. I know him like no one else. His word is everything to him.”

Her heart squeezed inside her chest. Yes, she believed that. “How long have you two been best friends?”

“Seems like forever,” Xavier said with a sniff. “Since we were cubs. I did think we might be headed for a breakup a short time ago when I fell in love with his sister.”

Kat turned to look at him. “Really? I’d think he’d find that comforting. His best friend, who he trusts, and his sister.”

“Well, it turns out he did end up feeling that way.” His dark brows lifted over his extraordinary eyes. “But I was worried. That male is family to me, and I did not want to lose him. Nothing’s more important than family.” He smiled a very wicked smile. “You’ll see.”

Heat surged into her cheeks and she nearly choked out, “What?”

Xavier laughed, but the sound died away nearly as quickly as it came. He glanced past her, craned his neck and narrowed his eyes. “Katherine, come.”

“What?” Kat followed him out the gate and onto the dirt road. For a second, she couldn’t see anything. Dawn had broken, but there were some low hanging clouds about. But after a moment, she caught sight of something in the distance. Her heart lurched, then started slamming against her ribs. No…it can’t be. Without another thought, she started toward it. Walking slowly at first. She thought she heard Xavier call to her, but she didn’t look back. She swore she saw the cat she wished to see. But what of the boy?

She slowed, stared, not believing what she was seeing. Because truly, how could it be possible? Then she gave a muffled cry and took off. Running toward the puma, and its small, blond, five-year-old rider.

“Noah!” she cried, and barely gave Aristide’s puma time to stop before snatching the boy up in her arms and squeezing him tight. “Oh, my baby. Oh, my boy. I missed you so much.”

She pulled back and inspected him, every inch she could see, and when she found him perfect, unharmed, she squeezed him again.

Aristide was shifting, returning to his tall, strong, capable, honorable, wonderful self. And when he caught Kat’s eye, he winked at her and gave her a grin.

“Someone’s happy,” he said.

“You have no idea,” Kat cried, touching her boy’s hair and his face. Was he real? Was she truly this lucky?

“Mommy can we stay here?” Noah asked near her ear. “For a little while at least? I don’t like it out there. I’m scared. But here…” He giggled. “I’ve got my own puma protector.” He lifted his head. “Right, Ari?”