Night of the Lions (Lions of Manhattan 1)

Rossi did some snarling for a while. Too bad Cat didn’t speak lionese. Whatever Rossi was doing, it gained her rapt attention from the other lions. After Rossi finished her hissy fit, every lion in the clearing turned its head in Cat’s direction.

Oh, crap.

Cat shuddered.

It was so fucking freaky. It looked like something out of a Stephen King novel or some equally disturbed scene. Hundreds of big, scary lions stared at her. Their eyes gleamed under the starry sky. Every hair on her body stood up.

What were they going to do to her?

Eat her?

Did lion shifters eat humans for snacks?

The thought stirred some nauseating waves within her.

The lions consulted among themselves. At least, that was what they appeared to do.

Oh, God. Cat bit her lower lip. What were they doing now? Passing judgement? After five minutes of them growling amongst themselves, another one entered the circle. The sea of beasts parted as he made his way to the bonfire. He was followed by two equally huge lions.

Cat squinted. The newcomer’s eyes looked familiar. The facial expression.

Gabriel!

Could it really be him?

It sounded impossible. If it really was him, how come he wasn’t trying to rescue her?

That bastard.

Cat thrashed against her bonds. The guard near her threw her a warning look. She hissed back as fiercely as she could manage.

Back in the circle, the Gabriel-lion snarled at Rossi. Then, to Cat’s astonishment, he jumped into the fire.

Her heart froze in her chest. “Gabriel!” she screamed. Nobody reprimanded her this time. Everybody was transfixed at the fire-jumping lion.

Cat thrashed again. What the hell was he doing? Was he out of his mind?

He would be burnt to a crisp. Nothing could withst

and that kind of heat. He’d be dead.

Gabriel…

Just as her hope turned into sorrow, the Gabriel-lion leisurely walked out of the bonfire like some godlike creature. His tail swished. He roared menacingly to the red-maned lion and Rossi. Every lion jumped to their feet.

That was when the pandemonium started.

Suddenly, somebody fired a weapon. No, several people. Bullets started raining down. The men who’d kidnapped her scattered for cover. Cat automatically flattened herself against the tree roots, hoping she wouldn’t catch any stray bullets. The fire fight continued.

Her kidnappers weren’t the only ones who went for cover. The lions did too, and several seemed to be fighting among themselves. One of her kidnappers fired back. Lines of cold lead sang back in his direction. Some whined above Cat’s head.

Just what kind of madness have I stumbled into? she lamented. Cat heard a man shout in anguish. She didn’t dare to move a bit.

“Catherine…”

She wanted to jump from her skin. She quickly turned her head.

A male lion stared at her, then swung his paw, his claws slicing through the ropes like a knife through butter. Suddenly, he morphed into someone she knew.