He couldn't let Jedrek see her. Jedrek had sent her the heart pendant. He knew Ian cared for her, and that made her a prime target. By all the saints, she should have known that. She should have minded him and remained hidden.
Ian zipped quickly to the bar and leaped on top, forcing Jedrek to face him and turn his back to Toni. Ian lunged, slashing his sword with full force. Jedrek teetered on the edge of the bar, losing his balance, then vanished.
"Damn!" Ian spun around. How could he fight the cowardly bastard if he kept teleporting? From his position on the bar, Ian could see most of the room. Already the group of hostages had dwindled from ten to six. Another vanished, making it five. Toni was obviously freeing them as
quickly as she could. But her own success would be her downfall, for with no hostages left, there would be no one for her to hide behind. Jedrek reappeared on the stage. "This one will die, MacPhie!" He lunged toward Cora Lee. "No!" Vanda snapped her whip at him. It tangled around his sword arm. "You bitch!" He grabbed the whip and yanked Vanda toward him. She released her whip to keep
from being pulled onto his sword. "I should have killed you in Poland. You would always hide in the caves like a rat." Vanda scrambled back. "It will please me, Nadia, for you to kill the blonde," Jedrek ordered. "Yes, Master." Nadia advanced on Cora Lee. "And I will kill you, Vanda." Jedrek lifted his sword. Ian teleported to the stage and intercepted Jedrek. "Help me!" Cora Lee screamed as Nadia came closer.
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With an angry shriek, Vanda leaped on Nadia's back. The two women tumbled onto the stage, scrambling for the dropped sword. Ian wanted to help, but he was fending off Jedrek's attack.
Behind Jedrek, he spotted Toni sneaking onto the stage. Oh, hell no. He fought furiously, attempting to keep Jedrek fully engaged. Toni ran past them and clipped the silver ropes holding Cora Lee to the pole. Cora Lee scrambled off the stage, crying. Meanwhile, Nadia reclaimed her sword, and she stalked toward a weaponless Vanda.
Toni grabbed the silver rope that had bound Cora Lee and charged, swinging the ropes at the back of Nadia's head. Nadia cried out in pain. The air smelled of burnt hair.
Ian leaped back as Jedrek's sword narrowly missed slashing his stomach. He needed to pay better attention. He lunged at Jedrek, but the bastard vanished once more.
"Bloody hell!" Ian wheeled around, searching for his opponent.
Jedrek appeared next to Toni.
"No!" Ian zoomed toward them, but Jedrek vanished, taking Toni with him. "No!" Fear seized his throat in an icy grip.
Relief swept over him when he saw Jedrek reappear on the bar with Toni. At least the bastard hadn't taken her to some secret place to torture and kill her. Ian jumped from the stage and ran toward them.
His relief was short-lived. Jedrek yanked Toni against his chest and pressed his sword to her neck. Ian froze.
"Comrades, to me!" Jedrek shouted, and the three other Russians teleported to the bar. "You see, MacPhie, we only need one hostage when we have the right one." With a hissing sound, his fangs sprang out.
He nuzzled his mouth against Toni's cheek. His fangs scraped her skin, leaving a pink mark. She squeezed her eyes shut. "I can smell her fear, MacPhie. No wonder you like her so much. She tastes delicious."
Ian swallowed hard as bile rose in his throat. He had to save Toni, but God help him, he didn't know how. The second he attacked, Jedrek would slice her throat.
"You know what I want, MacPhie. Bring me the drug."
Should he play along to buy some time? Despair roiled in Ian's gut, threatening to smother his ability to think. He couldn't bear to lose her. He couldn't bear to fail her. He dropped his sword, and it clattered on the cement floor.
Jedrek smiled. "You have five minutes."
A loud crash sounded overhead. Everyone looked up as splintered pieces of wood rained down. And through the cracked opening of the wooden shutters, a giant black panther leaped into the air. It roared, and the sound echoed in the stunned silence of the nightclub.
With Jedrek distracted, Ian retrieved his sword and moved toward him. Unfortunately, Jedrek realized the panther was headed straight for him. He pivoted, dragging Toni with him so she'd take the full force of the animal's attack. He extended his sword, obviously hoping to skewer the panther as it landed.
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With Jedrek's back turned to him, Ian zoomed forward and stabbed the Malcontent's right shoulder. Jedrek cried out and dropped his sword. His hold on Toni loosened enough that she was able to duck just as the panther slammed into them. Its massive paws caught Jedrek on the shoulders and knocked him and Toni off the bar. Ian jumped to the right as the panther flew past him, hit the ground, and rolled onto its feet. Toni had landed on top of Jedrek. She dove to the left just as the panther pounced. Jedrek shrieked as razor-sharp claws ripped through his shirt and scored his chest with bloody stripes.
Toni screamed and scooted away on her rump. The panther looked at her, then turned toward the bar, its amber eyes narrowing on the three Malcontents. They teleported away. Jedrek, too. The cat, realizing its prey had escaped, roared in anger.
Dougal and Phineas approached slowly, their swords pointed at the beast. "Shall we kill it?" Dougal asked. "Nay!" Ian shouted. "Leave him be." The panther swung toward him, snarling, then focused its familiar amber eyes on Toni. As its head
turned, Ian noted the gleam of two gold studs in its pointed ears. Of course. He should have known. But he would have never guessed a panther. The giant cat stalked toward Toni. "No." She scrambled back and tried to get to her feet, but her legs were shaking. Ian flung himself in front of her. "Carlos, no." The panther growled low in its throat.
"Carlos?" Toni whispered. Ian heard a dull thud and glanced back. Toni was sprawled on the floor in a dead faint. "Och, lass." He squatted beside her and brushed her hair from her face.
"That's Carlos?" Phineas lowered his sword and whistled under his breath. "Hello, kitty." The panther padded toward Toni on its huge paws. Ian was relieved to see its claws were in, but
those teeth were awfully sharp. One nip and Toni would be a were-panther for life. Was that what Carlos wanted? The cat lowered its head to sniff her. "By all the saints, doona bite her," Ian whispered. The panther whipped its thick tail around so hard and fast, it knocked Ian onto his knees. Then it
trotted toward Vanda's office. Toni had left the door slightly ajar, and the cat squeezed through.
"I thought he smelled like a shape shifter," Dougal said. "But I assumed he would be a black wolf." "Me, too." Ian supposed Carlos was headed back to the harem room to change and dress. When
Sabrina screamed, he knew the panther had arrived. "God, I hate shape shifters." Vanda had found her whip and was looping it around her waist. "You know of them?" Ian asked.
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Vanda shrugged. "Long story. Just get that cat out of here, okay?" "He saved Toni's life," Phineas reminded her. "She wouldn't have needed saving if she'd followed orders," Vanda snapped. "You should fire her
ass, Ian."
"No!" Cora Lee strode toward Vanda. "Toni cut me free. She freed all the hostages. And she kept that terrible Nadia from killing you, Vanda. Land sakes, I've never seen a mortal be so brave." "Okay, okay, she's brave." Vanda tightened her whip. "But she still can't follow orders." Yes, she'd disobeyed a direct order. Ian tamped down on the anger simmering inside him. She'd
disobeyed him and come bloody close to dying. And he'd been helpless to save her. If it hadn't been for Carlos...his anger spiked. Dammit. That was the real cause of his anger. Carlos had saved her. He had not.
He heard her moan softly. He patted her cheek, and her eyelids flickered. "Toni, wake up." She blinked at him with a dazed look. "What happened?" "Ye fainted." She struggled to sit up. "That's crazy. I never faint." She looked around. "The Malcontents?" "They teleported away," Ian explained. "I doubt we'll see them again tonight. Jedrek's in bad
shape." Toni looked around again. "Carlos? He's a--?" "Were-panther." Ian helped her to her feet. "It's rather unusual." "Well, duh." She glanced up at the shattered wooden screen. "I didn't think such creatures