Feral Escape (Catnip and Cauldrons 3)

“Oh! Kitty speaks!” One joked.

“And she knows the lingo. Good kitty.” Two patted her head, and she flinched away from his touch.

“I can get you money.” She couldn't really, but she needed to stall. For what, she didn't know yet.

“Honey, we know all about you. Unless you plan to start spreading your legs, you can't afford your next meal, let alone pay us more than we're getting,” One sneered.

Molly ignored the disgusting insinuation and continued her attempt to reason with the two jackasses. “That's not true. The new leader is a friend of mine. She'll pay to get me back.” Molly didn't know if that was true. Onyx might not have a penny either, but if she could just let her know what was going on...

One and Two looked at each other. “What new leader?” One asked.

“Onyx Knight.”

“The shifter from Catcall Falls? Shit, there's a bounty on her head too.” One pinned her with a maniacal stare. “Can you get her here?”

Uh-oh. Nice going, idiot.

“Her boyfriend is a wizard. He will kick your asses.”

They both seemed so shocked, she decided to rub it in a little. “What? No one's been keeping you in the loop? You're just the brawn not the brains?”

One grabbed her hair, pulling her to her knees. “We don't give a shit about domestic cat politics. We're panthers. We run our own show. Work for ourselves. Do our own thing. Now, I think you need something to keep that little motor mouth of yours occupied.” His other hand moved to his belt buckle.

Oh. Hell. No. Anger gripped her. Anything they put in her mouth, they were not getting back.

Ivan burned with rage, listening to the two thugs threatening his Molly. The scent of her fear drifted to him, sharp and smoky. He held onto his control and remained crouched behind a battered old cabinet. But in a few minutes, the one who dared to touch and scare her would be eating his own hands.

He didn't recognize either of the Enforcers, but he had been off the job for so long that it didn't surprise him. They were crude, but they looked like they could handle themselves. Ivan noted each one carrying a gun and a knife on them. No doubt, they probably hid spares somewhere. He'd need to catch one off guard, take him out, and then get the other one. Drawing them away from Molly first would be preferable, so she wouldn't get accidentally hurt in the commotion.

Pride twisted his gut. Molly's bravery amazed him. Any other female might be terrified and begging them not to hurt her by now. But not Molly.

He wished she wouldn't keep trying to antagonize them though. They both appeared unstable.

Straightening up almost had him groaning in pain as his knee protested the movement. The car accident had done a number on him. Even though he'd heal quicker than a full human, it hurt like a bitch right now. He gritted his teeth, shoving the pain down so he could focus on his goal. Once he had Molly away and safe from these goons, he could indulge in all the ice packs he needed.

Ignoring the tenderness in his neck, he searched the ground for something to throw to distract the dynamic duo. If that one fucker unzipped in front of his Molly, he was going to cut his dick off and feed it to him along with his hands. The guy twisted around until his back faced Ivan's general location. The other stood to the side smirking at the scene.

As Ivan took a step back, his boot caught on something. Fighting dizziness, he bent over and picked up a long metal screw-shaped object with threads at one end and a wide flat head at the other. Despite its small size, it had a good weight and should make some noise when he chucked it. He launched it toward the opposite side where it collided with the metal wall making a satisfying bang and clattering noise.

“What the fuck was that?” The guy holding Molly shouted. “Did you lock the door, Gambit? It's probably Z trying to get in.”

Well, that sucks. Ivan hadn't realized a third one would be joining the party. Better dispose of these two soon.

“I'll go check, don't start without me.” Gambit jogged off toward the front door. Ivan kept tight against the filing cabinet, only stepping out when Gambit cleared the area.

The jerk who held Molly had his back to him so he couldn't tell if he'd whipped his cock out or not. The look on Molly's face tore him apart though. So fierce. Her mouth set in a grim line, eyes narrowed defiantly.

“Open up, kitty, kitty.”

Ivan unsheathed the bowie knife he's strapped to his waist before leaving Cole's. His gun might have been easier, but he worried about ricochet striking Molly. Besides, this way would be much more satisfying. Savage glee shimmered through him as he planned his attack.

Molly's eyes flicked in his direction and widened slightly. He shook his head.

“Oh yeah, you like that don't ya? Bet you never seen one that big? And here I'd been told you were a slutty one.” Her captor joked. Ivan fought his urge to rush the bastard and gut him.

“Come at me big boy,” she said coyly. Then running the tip of her tongue over her parted lips, she raised her sultry gaze to the son of a bitch. Ivan knew she did it to distract the fucker, but the image of her on her knees in front of another man forced his rage to boil over.

“Ow! You fucking cunt! You bit me!” the little bastard screamed.

Hecate's dogs, Molly had balls. He couldn't believe her courage. He rushed the guy from behind, while she dropped and rolled away. The fucker tried to reach for her, and Ivan used the distraction to strike. He yanked the guy back by his hair and slit his throat cleanly, then shoved him to the floor. A hiss of air and the gurgle of blood were the only sounds the dead man made before silence filled the room. Ivan held back the roar of triumph that threatened to spill from his throat for fear of scaring Molly and alerting the other threat.

Apparently Gambit heard the commotion from the front door because the thundering of his boots could be heard along the cement floor.

“Ivan, behind you!”

“Got it, kit,” he grunted. A quick crouch and swing move managed to gore Gambit square in the gut with his knife. The panther shifter automatically clutched at his stomach and went to his knees. Ivan nailed him with a swift kick to the jaw, and he toppled over. Close enough to death, Ivan felt the threat had been neutralized and moved on. Freeing Molly and getting the hell out of here before this “Z” showed up took priority. Ivan bent down and slashed the ties off Molly's wrists. He rubbed her shoulders gently and helped her sit up.

“We need to get out of here.”

Not a single protest or complaint as he helped her to her feet. Relief washed over her face. “I can't believe you're here. I thought you were dead.” A single tear tracked down her cheek and left him stunned. She wasn't crying over her ordeal or what she'd been through. Not even what those bastards tried to do to her. Her tears were for him.

Unable to process the emotions swirling through him at this revelation, he choked out a laugh. “It takes a lot more than a little car accident to kill a lynx shifter, kitten.”

She hugged him so tight and fierce he almost toppled over. His arms banded around her, and he buried his nose in her hair, reassuring himself with her scent. “It's okay, kitten.”

He tugged her toward the door at the back of the building where he'd left Onyx's car. “Let's go.”

Ivan shoved the heavy, steel door open an inch and peered outside before pushing it all the way open and stepping out. When he determined it was safe, he pulled Molly to his side. The sound of a car approaching made him halt, his eyes darted back and forth between the car and the door to go back inside the building. Building would be safer. As a black sedan came into view, he realized Onyx and Cole had arrived. An inappropriate sense of satisfaction welled up inside of him. He appreciated their help, but he'd eliminated the threat on his own.

Onyx slammed the passenger side door and rushed over to Molly. Ivan stepped aside so the two girls could embrace. As they separated, Onyx raked her gaze over Ivan and wrinkled her nose. He glanced down at the splashes of red across his shirt and shrugged. “Asshole had it

coming,” he said without a trace of apology.

Cole shouldered in and gave Molly a quick hug, then slapped Ivan on the shoulder. “Onyx told me you showed up looking like death. Nothing holds you down, though.”

“Damn straight.”

Before they had a chance to get the hell out of there, a large pickup truck came roaring around the corner of the building. Ivan spun to face it, pushing Molly and Onyx toward the cars where they'd have a barrier to hide behind. Stubborn as usual, Onyx sidestepped his grasp and aimed her magic hands at the truck. Bursts of white light erupted sending the truck skittering sideways but not before the vehicle clipped her, throwing her to the ground.

“Onyx!” Molly screamed.

Cole's face went white as he dove for his girlfriend, pulling her behind the safety of one of the vehicles.

The truck rolled past them and came to a halt with smoke pouring out from under the hood. Whatever magic Onyx had thrown at it packed a wallop. Unfortunately, the driver seemed unfazed. The door flung open, and Ivan only got a glimpse of booted feet before he hustled Molly out of the way.

They crouched down behind Onyx's small sedan. It wouldn't provide much cover for long.

“Stay down!” He hissed at Molly. His hand automatically went for his knife. He searched for better cover but came up with nothing. Cole's car sat maybe fifteen feet away. Too far to make it without getting tagged.

“Molly! Come out now, and I won't kill your friends,” a deep, smug voice shouted.

“Zane,” Molly spat.

Not surprised at all, Ivan nodded. He put a finger to his lips to remind her to be silent. Reaching down into his boot, he pulled out the extra knife he kept stashed there and handed it to Molly. She accepted it and immediately made a slashing motion with it, testing its weight. No hesitation or squeamishness at all. Impressed, Ivan whispered to her to stay put and began circling around the side of the car opposite from where Zane's truck had stopped.

Ivan stopped, listening to his surroundings. Cole tended to Onyx behind his car. He could hear the wizard's soft chanting and Onyx's ragged breathing. He'd need to keep Zane away from them as well as Molly. There weren't a lot of places to hide out here, so he needed to act fast.

A slight rustling sound caught his attention. The faint scent of gunpowder drifted by his nose. Not good. He slid his hand behind his back, pulling out the revolver he kept holstered there and brought the weapon down by his side.

“You're armed too, that's good. Let's shoot together and see who wins,” Zane taunted. Ivan tracked the other shifter's movements and didn't like the direction he was headed in.

Ivan sensed Molly's pounding heart. He scented her fear over the stench of Zane's arrogance. A little sound of pain came from Molly, and Ivan knew Zane had put his hands on her. His blood boiled, and he wanted to roar with rage. The clatter of metal against the ground told him she'd lost the knife he'd given her.

His inner cat wanted to kill. Now. Ivan clamped down on that urge. Zane would pay for touching his Molly, same as the two assholes inside had. No doubt about it. He'd rip this jerk's throat out and drop the body at Molly's feet like a fucking present.

Two sets of feet moved under the opposite side of the car. Ivan dared to look up through the window and spotted Zane's gun shoved into Molly's side. Ivan tamped down a growl and dropped out of sight. He thought about the possibility of shifting and charging Zane. But, at the moment, it seemed like a good way to get shot. Zane had to be a domestic. In their shifter forms, he'd be no match for Ivan.

Training with weapons had been part of his daily routine as an enforcer. He knew he was a good shot. But with Molly so tight to Zane, he feared for her safety.

“I got what I came for, so we're going. Stay put and I'll let you live, Lynx. Even though I should kill you for touching what is mine.”

“I'm not yours, asshole,” he heard Molly grit out.

“Doesn't sound like she's interested, lover boy,” Cole shouted from farther away.

“Mind your own business, wizard,” Zane answered.

Since Cole joined the conversation, Ivan hoped to hell that meant Onyx was okay. He wouldn't be opposed to a little magical backup right about now. Molly absolutely could not get in the truck with Zane.

Thirteen

The gun digging into her ribcage apparently wasn't enough. Zane grabbed her by the neck, digging his fingers deep into her throat, cutting off her air supply. She struggled, but his hand only squeezed harder. Either by accident or on purpose, Zane would end up killing her.

Red hot rage seared her chest, or maybe it was the lack of oxygen. Things started to get a little fuzzy. Faking passing out, she let her body go limp. It must have caught him off guard because he gasped and let go.

“Molly?” Aw, his worried tone implied the asshole actually cared. How sweet.

Molly rolled, then skittered away from him. The distraction had been enough for Ivan to stand up and get off a shot, piercing Zane's upper arm. He dropped into a crouch with a curse, then aimed his weapon in Ivan's direction.

As she watched Zane take aim, fear paralyzed Molly. The scene before her seemed to play out in slow motion. Her throat closed, preventing her from shouting a warning for Ivan. The knot in her stomach tightened painfully until she thought she might barf all over the place. An explosion of sound cut the air as Zane fired his weapon.

Rage swirled inside of her like a tornado, and she just snapped. She ran at Zane, grabbing his shoulders and thrusting her knee into his gut with all of her might. He made a satisfying yelp of pain and doubled over, giving her fist the chance to make contact with his jaw. The gun clattered to the ground, and she kicked it away too afraid to reach over him and grab it. As Zane struggled to right himself, she kicked him again, slamming his head into a rock. She couldn't be sure if she'd killed him or just knocked him out, nor did she care. Without a second glance, she ran toward Ivan and Cole, screaming when she saw Ivan sprawled out on the ground, blood pooling around his head.

She hit the ground hard beside him, not even registering the dull stabs from the rocks under her knees. Staring down into Ivan's eyes glazed with pain undid her. Shifters were stronger and faster than humans, but they weren't indestructible.

Afraid to touch him anywhere that might make his injury worse, she grasped his hand. Warmth spread over her hand, and she realized blood seeped down his arm. No, no, no. Why didn't he have some sort of Kevlar vest? She couldn't locate the wound through his blood and the haze of her tears. Painful sobs tore from her throat as she tried to remember what little medical training she'd had.

“Please hang on,” she begged in a quivery voice.

Ivan struggled through a sea of murky shadows. Somewhere inside his mind, he knew he wasn't dead. Close...but not dead yet. His inner lynx padded over snow-covered mountains, but Ivan knew he needed to come back for something. Or someone.

Ivan?

A small hushed whisper. In his mind? Had he really heard it?

Molly. He pushed hard against the encroaching darkness. He had to keep fighting and protect Molly. His muscles tensed, his nostrils flaring to catch her scent. Chills raced through his body as weariness crept over him.

Soft hands stroked his face, as a sweet musical voice murmured in his ear. He couldn't make out the words, but he knew the scent. Molly. She was okay.

“Oh my God! Ivan!” Feet scraped over the gravel coming toward him, and someone knelt down beside him. Onyx. Ivan melted a little. The idea of Onyx worrying about him made him feel all mushy inside. Or maybe that was the blood loss. But she was also okay, and that made him happy.

Pain blew over his chest like a scorching wildfire.

“Hang on, buddy.” The voice belonged to Cole.

Ivan tried to clench his fist. Hang on to what?

Shakes rattled his body. Nerve endings shot little sparks of fire through his nervous system. One thought rose above all the others. He didn't want to die alone.

A giant, suffocating pulse of air settled ov

er his chest, and he struggled to breathe through it. Chanting filled his mind. Damn, Cole and his spells. Ivan tried to follow along but got lost in the rhythm of the words.

Ivan groaned, or at least he thought he did. Pain had him by the balls so hard it was hard to tell the difference between reality and his imagination. Shifters were strong. They could take a lot. They healed quicker than full humans, but they weren't immune to bullets.

Tears burned and pricked Molly’s eyes as she held onto Ivan's hand. He couldn't die. She thought she'd lost him once already. It would be too cruel to actually lose him now.

“Cole, please,” She begged.

The wizard's pale, gaunt face set into grim lines as he looked down at Ivan. His normally icy-blue eyes had taken on a faded, steel-blue color. She could only imagine how much energy it had taken for him to heal Onyx. Her friend knelt on the opposite side of Ivan holding his other hand. Dirty and bloody, and with a ragged shirt, Onyx had survived.

“Use something to put pressure over the wound,” Cole instructed Onyx. She immediately ripped the bottom of what was left of her shirt, folding it into a square and handing it to Molly. With shaking hands, Molly found the bullet hole and pressed down.

Cole knelt behind Ivan's head. “Do you love him, Molly?” Cole asked.

She didn't hesitate to answer. “Yes.”

“Good. Take my hand.”

Reluctantly, she took one hand away from Ivan and pressed it into Cole's outstretched hand. “Onyx, let go and back away. You've been through enough. Lend me your crystal though.”

Onyx opened her mouth, then closed it and did as Cole requested. She unwound the dainty black crystal from her neck and handed it over. Cole set it on Ivan's chest. He stared up at Molly.

“Picture your love for him as a warm, comforting, white light. I want you to push that light toward my hand,” he squeezed her hand for emphasis. “If you start to feel weak or faint, take deep breaths to center yourself, but don't let go of my hand, okay?”