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Storm’s jaguar raged and battled the unyielding wall of wind and stones pushing him back.
He could not give up.
Haloke’s voice lifted to an insane level, demanding, “I call upon you, Holy People. You owe me. I gave you two sacrifices. You promised me two deaths in return. Now is the time to give me Storm’s life. His for my son’s. We agreed. You may have the woman as a gift.”
Two deaths.
His mate would die if he didn’t reach her.
That drove his battered and bleeding jaguar to rally harder. His beast lunged forward to break through the vicious wall again.
With a Herculean effort, he made it through.
His animal landed in a limp roll with legs and tail slapping the hard ground.
After being slashed and ripped, his jaguar struggled to move.
Losing Evalle would be the end of Storm and his jaguar. His animal came up on all four paws and turned to the witch.
Storm had little control of his animal in this wounded state and called up the change once more. He’d have to use his majik again to shut down Haloke before she hurt Evalle.
His jaguar held firm, not giving in.
What? Storm forced everything into changing.
Not happening.
Half-mad from surviving that bludgeoning, his jaguar turned toward Evalle.
So caught up in her homicidal pleas, Haloke failed to realize Storm’s jaguar had escaped her wind attack until his cat roared.
Haloke jerked around in shock and started chanting again.
His jaguar yanked his head back to her.
Storm begged his animal to stand down and shift.
His animal roared louder, showing his fangs to the witch.
All at once, she calmed and laughed. “You can’t kill me. You need me. If your beast attacks me, you’ll never save Evalle.” Her eyes cut to the silhouette Storm had seen as first light seeped into the eastern horizon.
Evalle hadn’t moved during all the roaring and Haloke’s screaming. She had to be under a spell.
Seeing through his animal’s eyes, Storm finally realized why she faced away from him and toward the west. She stood on the edge of a cliff.
Haloke laughed. “I control her. You can’t kill me.”
His animal started for Haloke.
Storm roared at his jaguar to let him shift.
Haloke panicked. Insanity bloomed in her face. Her eyes were wild with crazy.
She started chanting furiously in Evalle’s direction.
His gaze shot to their mate.
Evalle stretched her arms wide.
Storm screamed at his jaguar to stop the witch.
His massive cat dove at her, knocking the witch to the ground. He ripped her head off with a swipe of his sharp claws.
Without another thought for the seer, his jaguar lunged around and raced for Evalle. His powerful legs stretched out at preternatural speed.
Sunlight threatened to break the horizon any second.
He wouldn’t get there in time for Storm to cloak her.
An eagle circled above her and swooped, flying past where she stood.
Evalle leaped off the ridge.
