Ania. Baby. Stay hidden. For me. I’ll let him skin my leopard alive if that’s what it takes to get you back. No self-respecting shifter would ever allow their leopard to take the brunt of torture or death. He meant it, though. He would give up his life in a heartbeat. He would take any torture Lazar wanted to hand out to him, and he would sacrifice his leopard for her. Dymka had already indicated willingness. The two of them would allow Lazar to do anything to them to keep Ania and Jewel safe. Mitya could barely breathe knowing Ania was out there somewhere unprotected. Dymka could barely restrain himself knowing Jewel was just as unprotected.
“She’s extremely intelligent, Mitya,” Sevastyan reiterated. “She didn’t defy you, she was caught off guard and she kept it together. She recognized the panel and she opened it. How, I don’t know, but she did it. She’s armed, and she’s got a mask. Her grandparents and parents trained her for any situation, and she knows we’ll come for her. She knows she just has to hold out long enough for us to get to her.”
Mitya couldn’t do anything about it yet. Lazar’s front team, his sacrificial pawns, were already moving toward them, coming in through the door that was down and the two holes in the side of the house. As a rule, Lazar sent that first team in to mop up. There were always five, and there were five now—crashing into the great room, guns blazing. These men weren’t aware of the fact that Lazar sent them in first because he considered them the most expendable.
Mitya shot the one bursting into the room and rushing toward the hallway. The man went down, gas mask and all, but twisted and rolled on the floor for a moment before rising. “They’re wearing vests,” he informed the others.
Calm had settled over him. Combat calm. He wasn’t the kind of man to yell and scream or get so agitated during a firefight that he lost it. Mitya was very centered, and the more chaos reigned around him, the cooler he was under fire. That stood him in good stead when directing his men. They were just as steady, following his lead. He took aim a second time, this time going for the head instead of the heart. As his enemy rose, trying to spray bullets into the shadows, Mitya squeezed the trigger once and watched him go down, this time to stay.
Sevastyan took aim at the second man nearest them. This man used his leopard to propel him to the center of the great room, his automatic spitting fire from one end to the other. None of those invading took aim at individual targets; that wasn’t their purpose. First, they mowed down everyone, wounded or not, and then followed up with a single bullet to the head to make certain.
Sevastyan’s target hadn’t hit a single person. There were no dead or dying in the great room. The room appeared empty. Sevastyan took his time, aiming at his opponent’s head and squeezing the trigger. The bullet went right through the gas mask and into his target’s eye. He went down, crumpling onto the floor, the automatic quiet. Timur shot a third intruder, while Drake and Joshua killed the other two.
Immediately, Mitya was on the move, rushing down the hall toward the kitchen, Sevastyan in front of him, Kiriil and Josue behind him. The kitchen was empty, but Dymka rose fast, catching her scent. She was at the end of her heat, but due to the continual interruptions, the cycle was lingering, drawn out a few more days. Jewel’s potent pheromones remained, calling to her mate. That meant every male leopard would be able to scent her as well.* * *• • •
ANIA didn’t like that Evangeline looked so pale. She was showing, the twin babies finally making their presence known. It wasn’t that Evangeline was big; she wasn’t. The illness had rendered her nearly unable to keep down food. Sometimes even water made her terribly sick. She’d lost weight rather than gained. Still, she never complained, not when Ania was around her. She looked tired, and Ania could see the worry on Ashe’s face.
“I made refreshments for us,” Evangeline insisted. “I really don’t want to miss visiting with Ania.” She objected to Ashe’s insistence that she lie down.
“If they’re in the kitchen, I’ll get them for us and bring the tray back to your bedroom. Ashe can help you get ready for bed,” Ania volunteered. “Where do I find the yummy stuff?” Because if Evangeline made it, whatever was waiting had to be excellent.
“I left the tray for us right on the counter. It’s covered, although I have to admit, if the boys see anything out, they’re like vultures.” For the first time since Ania had gotten there, Evangeline smiled. “There’s a pitcher of strawberry lemonade in the refrigerator. The glasses are set out by the tray.”