Page 10 of Shifter’s Promise (Devourer of Magic)

Chapter

Eight

W hat the hell am I doing?

Shame burned my skin as Leona’s desperate cry echoed in my ears. Her calls had long died the further I ran, but I could still hear her voice pounding in my head.

I couldn’t believe I’d shifted in front of those assholes. I let them get to me. I should have gotten my own drink. I should have held my ground and forced my way out of Aya’s grip. I should have seen the mischievous look in Taka’s eyes, ready to dump my own drink on me—but I hadn’t.

My mind was too muddled with Leona so close, and I wasn’t used to shifters, well…

hurting each other. I grew up in a family where every clan member respected one another.

Every voice was heard, every problem addressed.

Then in captivity, it was us against them .

As beastkin we were united against the elves and humans that enslaved us .

The jaguar triplets wouldn’t be keen on this marriage any more than I was, but did they have to take it so far? Did they have to torment me all day long? They didn’t even know me. Not anymore.

If my leopard could cry, hot tears would streak our fur. But in this state, I gave over the reins to my partner in life, letting her tear through the streets with a freedom we hadn’t experienced in too long.

It wasn’t until the night grew dark and the scents unfamiliar that I roused from within our shared mind, only to find I didn’t recognize where we’d wound up.

Shit .

Gently taking over, I let my leopard slid further into my mind, taking hold of our body as we slowed to a stop.

Paws sore and muscles tense, I gazed around the empty cobblestone streets. With trees in the distance, we had to have run far, almost to the edge of town. I spun around, finding the palace shadowed by the moon.

My tail twitched as I looked at the night sky, stars twinkling overhead, moon hovering at just the right pinnacle. How many times had I longed to see this sky when all I knew was darkness?

More than I could ever possibly count. Sighing, I padded toward a nearby alley, intent on snatching clothes hung out to dry before shifting back to my beastkin form.

From there, I’d walk home on my own two feet instead of four paws.

But before I could merge with the dark, the clatter of footsteps interrupted.

I spun around in time for three men to emerge from the opposite side of the street.

With my heart still pounding in my ears, I hadn’t heard their approach until it was too late. I’m surrounded. Gaze darting between cloaked males, I risked a look behind me—a mistake.

There might not be a fourth assailant at my back, but I certainly gave the three in front a good opening.

Growl in my throat, I leapt back just in time to miss the hand reaching for my tail. Who the hell are these guys and what do they want?

My lips pulled back into a vicious display of fangs. I narrowed my eyes, claws scraping the cobble—their only warning.

“Be a good kitty and come here,” the one closest cooed. I caught a short beard through the shadows and a malicious smirk. Yeah I don’t think so, buddy.

I took a step back when my teeth didn’t do the trick. A regular person would know to back off. Any beastkin would stop unless they were intent on causing pain. Inhaling, I caught the floral stench of elves and the musk of human males.

My heart nearly stopped in my chest. Entire body quaking, I realized who I was faced with at the edge of town in the middle of the night with not another soul in sight.

Slavers .

Panic gripped my heart as my leopard whined in our shared mind.

No, no, NO .

This couldn’t be happening. Not again. My claws hit the cobble with a click, their full length exposed. I took a step back, then another, further into the shadows of the alley.

“That’s right, good kitty,” one of the other cloaked figures said, a laugh rumbling through him seconds later.

Rage scorched a path through my being. I’m not a fucking kitty!

I wouldn’t be trapped. I wouldn’t be taken. Not again.

I’d rather die .

My leopard snarled her agreement as I slid back onto my haunches before leaping at the human closest. Screams tore through the quiet of night as my teeth sunk into his shoulder.

I thrashed my head from side to side, ripping a chunk of flesh free before pain flared hot. Something had collided with my flank.

“Shut the fuck up, Jared!” one of the others hissed.

Even with pain slicing through my ribs, I dug my teeth deeper. Copper bathed my tongue. I snarled and clawed as more stabs of pain cut through my ribs. The screams didn’t stop. Instead, they garbled with pain.

It was only when a strike to the head had me seeing stars that I finally fell off my prey and darted back. My own blood hit my nose, a wild scent that had my snarl pitching higher.

Pain was nothing. I could handle pain. Pain was all I knew for ten years. But from the heat coursing down my fur, I couldn’t take much more. I might be able to ignore the pain almost entirely, but that didn’t stop blackness from encroaching on my vision.

Fuck. I’m losing too much blood .

I had to get out of here. Though the screams had some lights flickering in nearby buildings, no one rushed onto the street to save me.

I backed into the dark alleyway as the elf advanced. While human cared for human, the elf prowled forward with feline grace, a smirk on his pale face.

“You don’t scare me, kitty cat. You’ll make a nice pet for my master.” The glint of a knife was my only warning before his hand flicked it inches from my shoulder.

Yowling in surprise, I darted backward, only to realize my mistake. A dead end. Backed against a sandstone wall two or three times my normal height, there was nothing I could do but stare in terror as the elf approached, a throwing dagger in one hand, and a collar in the other.

The thick metal band had my eyes flying wide and my entire body trembling.

I’d had a collar around my neck for so, so long.

I’d been zapped with its electric magic time and time again, sent into shocks on the floor, pissing myself or worse.

Never again . That’s what I’d told myself the day Cinna freed me.

And here I was staring my old hell in the face.

“Be good and I won’t have to hurt you anymore,” he soothed despite the malicious lilt to his voice. “I just need to put this nice little collar on your neck and you’ll be docile for me, won’t you?”

Never! I screamed internally at the same time I roared and leapt. My paws slammed into his shoulders. His dagger sliced through my belly. I landed on top of his waist instead of the shoulder height I’d aimed for, my heavy body pinning him to the cobblestone.

Cold metal brushed my pelt. Before I could push back, a familiar click made me freeze.

“Much better.” The elf grunted as he pushed to sit up. “Now, get off of me.”

Magic lit my senses. My leopard flew into the far reaches of my mind, her fur, claws and tail wrenched away with her. Cool night air brushed my naked, trembling flesh.

This can’t be happening.

Fear stole reason. I scrambled off the man, fingers closing around the dagger in my gut. I hardly made a sound as I wrenched it free.

“You’ll be much easier to transport without those fangs,” the elf said. His gaze darted for the dagger, but not before I thrust it at his middle.

An iron grip stopped me before the blade could pierce. Dammit!

“Nice try, kitty cat,” he mused.

A roar nearly drowned out his last word. My eyes flew wide. I yanked my arm out of the elf’s rigid hand. The roar gave me the surprise I needed. With terror still overriding my senses, I backed into the alley wall, knife gripped in both hands.

The elf spun toward the mouth of the alley, drawing my attention to the three jaguars tearing through two humans. Their muffled cries drowned in blood.

“You,” a familiar snarl had my ears perking and the fear inching back just a fraction.

Over the elf’s shoulder I made out the silhouette of Leona, broad shoulders and thick thighs encased in armor. With a savage baring of her teeth, Leona looked ready to kill.

Mate . It wasn’t my leopard’s mind crying for her this time, not that it mattered.

Leona’s massive broadsword glinted in the moonlight. Raised over her head, Leona looked every part the warrior goddess. Amber eyes filled with revenge, muscles tense with unleashed fury. The mate I wasn’t sure I deserved rushed forward with a battle cry while the elf leapt back in surprise.

He barely had time to raise his long dagger against Leona’s blade, only managing to parry her first attack before she cleaved him in two.

My eyes widened as I slowly slid to the alley floor. The elf garbled and gasped for only a moment before falling limp, his torso severed from his legs. Blood pooled around him, that floral aroma permeating the air.

Holy shit.

“Twinlin?” Leona gasped the moment our gazes clashed.

Her orange eyes widened, trailing over me to inspect for injury. She didn’t have to look far. I had multiple stab wounds I was only now starting to feel, but they were nothing compared to the weight around my neck. That weight that had my eyes burning with unshed tears and panic seizing my throat .

I held the collar with one hand and reached for her with the other.

I didn’t know what to do anymore. I was hurt, naked, and angry.

Terrified. Even with the enemy gone, my fear wouldn’t be assuaged.

It didn’t matter how close my mate drew.

It didn’t matter that she knelt before me with the softest look in her eyes.

It didn’t matter when she cupped my cheeks or cooed to me softly because I could only see her lips move.

I heard nothing but the screech of the past in my ears.

The slam of iron doors and squeal of hinges.

“Precious girl,” Leona sighed. She kissed my forehead just as another figure appeared behind her. I didn’t so much as glance up, unable to take my eyes off Leona’s. I was trapped somewhere between her eyes and my own personal hell. I couldn’t speak, could hardly breathe over the cold burn of metal.

I promised myself I’d never let this happen again. I swore I’d never be collared and claimed again.

Whoever hovered nearby handed Leona something and seconds later the tears burning my face stopped. The weight disappeared, the clang of metal reverberating through the suddenly silent alleyway.

“It’s off, Twinlin,” Leona said. Again she cupped my cheeks. “It’s gone. You’re safe now.”

Bursting into sobs, I allowed her to guide me against her shoulder where she let me cry freely.

Stroking my hair and patting my back, I barely registered someone laying something around my shoulders.

Whatever piece of clothing it was, I pulled it tight around me, huddling into Leona’s arms like she might be able to help me bear this burden .

“Is that?” the male voice made me freeze, but Leona’s gentle ministrations didn't stop. Instead, she cooed softly, letting me know everything was okay.

Someone gasped. Hushed words passed between them. I only managed to catch a few before falling into darkness: neck, scar, slave .

So they knew .