Mated By The Panther

Rex grew hard as he watched them rut against each other, Sonya’s face screwing up in ecstasy with each thrust, the man pinching her flesh between large hands. He had half a mind to go crashing in, slashing the man’s throat mid thrust and then taking Sonya in front of his dying eyes.

‘Patience,’ he told himself. ‘There will be plenty of time for the cat to play with his prey.’

He waited for them to go in to the bedroom and slip under the covers, he watched and waited till the deep dark moment of the night where everything stilled and every living thing slept except the sinister and murderous.

He climbed out of the tree then and gave in to the urge of the Shift. The transformation was painful, it always was, but with time it became a bearable and for some a boon, a sick, masochist urge to rip oneself in two for the thrill of the kill that came after.

‘Some people use drugs to forget who they are,’ he thought as fur sprouted all over his body and his mouth expanded to accommodate his teeth, ‘some just give in to their animal selves.’

The night became pierced with light. He always had to take a moment to adjust himself in his new skin. A growl rumbled low in his chest cavity and he padded forward to the back porch, nosing the door open.

‘Fuckers didn’t even lock the door,’ he thought disgruntled.

The smell of sex, sweat and Sonya was reeking off the furniture; he padded quickly in to the bedroom where Sonya lay entwined in the sheets, a creamy shoulder and arm exposed, a leg uncovered against the warmth of the night.

Rex bared his teeth to take a bite out of her leg, his claws scratching the wooden floor as he lunged forward.

He crashed against the wall, his skull hitting the floor on his way down. A huge panther stood on the bed between him and Sonya who was cowering against the far wall, the sheets pulled up to her chin.

Chapter Ten

Bloody Hell

Rex had the advantage, Diesel knew that. The space was too small for him to avoid any harm to Sonya, one swipe too close in such close quarters would be enough to do damage. Diesel roared and Rex roared back. Diesel jumped at him, trying to drive Rex out of the room, in to the hall and away from Sonya but Rex feinted to the right going straight for Sonya on the bed. Sonya screamed and bolted off the bed. She ran through the hall and Diesel heard the front door slam.

‘Clever girl,’ he thought and lunged at Rex who was glowering at him.

It was a bloody mess. Their claws caught in the mattress and feathers congested the air, Diesel bit in to Rex’s forepaw, sinking his teeth in, realizing just in time that he’d left his own neck exposed to Rex’s teeth.

Rex pushed his mighty shoulders in to Diesel and Diesel went flying in to the hall. Rex crashed in to the front door splintering the wood. Rex roared in to the night and Diesel ran after him his heart pounding with adrenaline and fear for Sonya.

But Sonya was nowhere to be seen. His pickup truck was parked alone in the drive, Sonya’s Buick was gone. Diesel sniffed into the pickups open passenger door and saw that the dash was gaping open.

‘She took the gun,’ he thought elated. He sniffed for the rank smell of Rex and caught his scent upwind. Rex must have chased after her and Diesel ran in the same direction. Rex was stronger than he had anticipated but Diesel was faster. Low hanging branches were easy points to propel himself off of while Rex darted from trunk to trunk losing precious momentum.

Diesel could see his silhouette under the branches and he jumped on Rex just as they made it in to a clearing. The rolled on top of each other, finding balance and slashing their claws at each other’s throats; Diesel raked a hunk of fur off of Rex’s haunches and Rex sliced off part of Diesel’s right ear.

“Hey!” the tiger and the panther came to a sudden halt. Sonya stood at the edge of the clearing brandishing the gun he had given her earlier. She was wearing a red leather jacket and navy blue shorts that must have been lodged somewhere in the back of her car. The tops of her breasts peaked out from the jacket like two halves of a perfect pearly moon.

“Hey, moron!” she called again, “Yeah you, you stupid hunk of rapid meat! You want me?” she said opening her arms in an invitation. “Come and get me you bastard!”