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Kam laughed, an action that had Kieli and Haddad Nkosi eyeing her with pure amazement. Even Julien Dwele’s agonized expression betrayed signs of obvious surprise by her reaction.
“Oh, Haddad!” Kam said through her laughter. “You can shift into an enormous lion and choose to put your faith in a gun instead?!”
“They have their uses,” Haddad didn’t appear insulted, “when time is of the essence.”
He fired. The ring of the blast mixed with Kieli’s scream. The bullet tore into Kam’s upper thigh and she crumpled to the ground. Kieli scrambled over to press her hands to the wound, then elevate Kam’s head, placing it in her lap as she cried.
“Can’t have you running off or using any more of those newfound powers against us,” Haddad spoke as he stood over the women. “Plenty of time for you to display those talents later.”
“Monster!” Kieli spat.
“Calm yourself, girl,” Haddad sighed, “the wound isn’t life-threatening- I didn’t knick the artery, but we still can’t have too much of that valuable blood spilled. We’ll have it looked at eventually.”
Kieli aimed a murderous look at the man. Whatever fear she had was long gone. “All this for some stupid formula?” she raged.
“A very real formula, love. My men are bringing me closer to it as we speak. The other team should already have our resident scientist in hand.”
“Saiida,” Kieli breathed. “You’re an idiot. How do you expect to get away with this?”
Haddad chuckled. “My beauty, I’m afraid sharing my master plan will take a bit too much time and I’ve already wasted enough.”
“You can’t expect to get out of here with an injured partner and Kam?”
Kieli’s observation had Haddad laughing with renewed vigor. “You really are too exquisite. Did I give the impression that he was coming along?”
Julien Dwele wheezed a sound that could have been due to pain or the realization that he was of no further use.
“The way our relatives see it, we’ve both betrayed our families,” Haddad went on, “sadly, The Safari takes such things more seriously. If he doesn’t die here and they catch him, they’ll let him rot in a cell the way everyone accused of such behavior dies if they’re part of that tribe. For a shifter...to be caged...a quick death is a far more preferable fate.”
Casually now, Haddad tucked away his weapon and went to heft Kam into his arms.
“You’re a dead man,” Kam vowed thinly.
“I would be,” Haddad acknowledged, “but luckily I now have the means to build an army more powerful than any that’s ever come before it. My brothers wouldn’t dare come after me.”
“Kieli?” Kam called to the other woman.
Kieli was still planted on the ground where she shook violently. “K-Kam,” she said in a defeated tone.
“Get ready to run,” Kam told her.
Haddad’s cool eyes flew hotly to Kam’s face. His realization surfaced too late. Kam was already free falling from his hold which had been loosened by the feral shove from the lioness who had come up behind him.
“Run!” Kam bellowed to Kieli.
“Not without you!” Kieli cried.
Haddad Nkosi was now at the mercy of the felines he had planned to capture. The cats circled the now cowering male as though they were deciding which part to take their first bites from. Meanwhile, Kieli was attempting to hobble toward the house with Kam in tow. Kam leaned in heavily on the other woman. She had lost a lot of blood and was losing more still. Her vision was growing dimmer.
“Stay with me, Kam,” Kieli urged as they shuffled along. Kam’s strength was waning, causing her to put more of her weight on Kieli’s willowy frame.
“I-I c-can’t,” Kam said and collapsed on the ground a few yards from the house.
It was then that the night air pulsed with an even grizzlier chorus. The sound of a thunderous roar stirred. At first, Kieli couldn’t tell if it rose from one cat or many. In the distance, she saw that Cafrey and Saiida had ceased circling Haddad Nkosi. They were staring off into the distance as though trying to ascertain the direction of the voluminous roar.
––––––––
Chisulo, Mustafa, Bach, and Ali observed the scene from a faraway hill: Kieli on the ground and pleading while Kam looked unconscious. Cafrey and Saiida in attack mode. The males had glimpsed them in action on the bluff just beyond the house. The females had fought valiantly alongside Kam before she ran back toward the house. Now, they realized what she had been in pursuit of. Finding their women in such a state, was just another in a long line of blistering realities of Haddad Nkosi’s treachery. The four males advanced, their wicked medley of quiet roars lilting up toward the night sky.
With Caffrey and Saiida preoccupied, Haddad saw his chance for escape. Quietly, he retreated on all fours as he shifted to face off with his brothers in their chosen form.
––––––––
“Kam? What-”
“I don’t know, I-” Kam blinked, appearing just as stunned by her current circumstance. She’d braced against Kieli once more and then moved to sit. The pain in her thigh was gone. Carefully, she brushed her hand across the torn flesh and discovered there was none. The wound had closed, gone as though it never existed.
“How?” Kieli breathed.
“I don’t know,” Kam said again, her voice carrying the same breathless wonder as Kieli’s. Setting her amazement aside, she gave Kieli’s hand a squeeze. “Get to the house now,” she ordered her.
Kieli was about to nod when she froze. Her eyes had shifted. “Kam.”
Kam looked in the direction Kieli stared. It didn’t seem logical that Haddad Nkosi would want to create an army when it seemed he already had one. She, Cafrey and Saiida had already injured- or in Kam’s case, killed- a number of his men. Kam studied the wave of reinforcements emerging from both sides of the house and realized they hadn’t made a dent. The roaring chorus caught her ears then and she saw four immense lions on approach from the rise of a distant hill.
Kam wanted to call out to them to go back but knew any sound would start the battle. Besides, the newly shifted lion several yards to her right was making sounds of his own.
With his great head thrown back and the wind tossing his tawny mane, Haddad launched his roar of challenge. With the army on his flank, he advanced as well.
Cafrey and Saiida had already begun a retreat toward Kam and Kieli, their instincts keen to protect them. The playing field was one-sided, but the players had no inclinations to forfeit.
The scream of tires braking wove into the battle roars. Nkosi security teams jumped from vehicles with weapons aimed. Another roar from Haddad and the battle commenced. The wave of lions, panthers and Cheetahs powered ahead, all fixated on the four big cats in the distance.
Cafrey turned and unleashed a roar that Kam; now fully healed and standing, seemed to decipher. Quickly, she turned to Kieli and shoved her toward the house.
“Inside! Now!”
The order brooked no argument. It took less than a minute for Kieli to disappear inside, Cafrey, Saiida and Kam raced into the bloody fighting. Members of security who had not shifted only fired on the cats that tried to attack them. Still, their employers afforded them a wide berth so as to avoid friendly fire.
Kam continued to prove herself a force. Amid the swatting claws and gnashing teeth, she barrelled in with her own claws curved and ready to inflict terror. She cut her path through the enraged fighters, her sights set on the one who had put so many of her woes in motion. She fought with single-minded ferocity using her human form and gender to throw off her attackers.
She had selected a gold, empire-waist Maxi dress for the casual evening stroll with her friends. The garment was an unexpected sight among growling felines and uniformed security. Though she was now a blood-splattered mess, Kam used her opponent’s momentary surprise against them while cutting a path to Haddad Nkosi.
Despite Kam’s importance to him, she was far from his thoughts now. Haddad’s focus was on defeating his brothers. That focus went two ways and, for some-especially the man’s own brothers- defeat meant death.
The folds of Kam’s flowing dress followed her like a flame wisping through the big bodies engaged in brutal dance. Death was too good for Haddad Nkosi. While Kam had no doubt the man would find his share of suffering on the other side, death was an end to the man-made suffering he so richly deserved.
For Kam, there was more. Chisulo was so sure he’d feel nothing if he killed his brother. Kam was sure he was wrong. Still mindful of her dangerous surroundings, she closed in on Haddad, approaching on his flank. Focused on the man now, she realized he was retreating from the fight instead of advancing upon it.
Her jaw dropped when she saw him resume human form and turn to flee. Abandoning his men? Or going to regroup? Now, her jaw tightened. No way. This would end tonight. She had no wish to rob Haddad Nkosi of his life, but she damn well intended to take his freedom. Launching into a predatory run with fists clenched and teeth bared, she set off in fiery pursuit. In the distance, she heard her name. Turning to investigate, she saw nothing through the dark night except the small fires dotting the landscape. She resumed her chase, cursing softly as she’d lost sight of Haddad.
“Kam!”
Chisulo. Now, there was no mistaking her name on the deep, edgy voice. Again, she turned and saw when he came into view. Tied around his waist, was a ripped jacket discarded by a member of the security team.
“Kam!” Heightened desperation claimed Chisulo’s voice, but it was too late.
Haddad had taken advantage of the distraction and was at Kam’s back before Chisulo could close the distance to her. Haddad’s arms enveloped Kam’s neck in a manner that had but one purpose.
“I’ll break her like a twig, brother!”
“And miss out on your payday?” Chisulo challenged.
“I miss out on my payday, you miss out on ever fucking this slut again! I could live with that! Hold still!” he demanded when Kam fidgeted. “I wouldn’t advise on you springing into any of those impressive moves- it could get you killed. It’ll only take a second,” for emphasis, he slightly increased the pressure on her neck. Something lurid crept into his eyes when he looked Chisulo’s way again.
“I understand why you don’t want to lose her, brother. Something this spectacular rubbing against your dick every night...” he nudged Kam suggestively. “I wouldn’t want to lose it either.”
“You’ve got nowhere to go, H.”
“I disagree, C. Have you seen the army you’re losing to?”
“We’re doing alright,” Chisulo smiled cooly. “Your men aren’t as adept or...as cool with raging against females as one might think, considering the kind of sleaze they work for. Sadly, it’s costing them. Cafrey and Saiida Okonkwo are the reason over a quarter of your guys are out there wounded. The rest of us are just killing them outright. Looks like you may need a new army, after all. Too bad you’ll have to find another way to get it. Let go of her.”
“She comes with me. I’ll drop you a line when we’re done. I promise to leave you enough to play with.”
With a snarl, Chisulo advanced.
“I’ll do it! I mean it!” Haddad raged in return.
“Back off, Chisel, I can handle him.”
Haddad smiled at Kam’s boast and nuzzled his face into her mussed hair. “Is that a promise, beauty?”
“Bet your ass,” her razor-sharp claws gouged Haddad’s bare thigh and she proceeded to disengage from the headlock.
“Bitch-!” Haddad’s insult was clipped by what sounded like a gag.
Kam slipped free of the hold which had suddenly loosened. She fell to her knees and rolled in time to see what had Haddad preoccupied.
“Save the betrayal for your family, Nkosi,” Julien Dwele whispered in his ex-partner’s ear as he twisted a sharp rock into the man’s side.
With Haddad’s choked cry instantly ramping up to screaming, Chisulo took advantage and quickly yanked Kam back against him. “I’ve got you, love,” he pressed a hard kiss to her head. “I’ve got you, I’ve got you...you little idiot,” he kissed her again. “The jackass could’ve killed you...it’s okay, it’s okay...” he chanted as if to himself,
“Y-your brother,” she sputtered, her throat raw thanks to Haddad’s steely grip. “Chisulo,” she called insistently, watching as the injured Julien Dwele worked to incapacitate Haddad. “He’s your brother.”
“Fuck him.”
Kam couldn’t see the surprise on her face, but thanks to the beaming moonlight, she saw it on Haddad’s before he slumped to the ground.
Dwele began to laugh, his bloody lips parted in a grotesque grin. “Finally used up all your family’s patience!” he said.
“He’s not the only one.”
The sound of a gun being cocked echoed faintly.
“Deka Obu,” Chisulo announced, watching the woman hold a gun to her brother’s head.
Explosions and the sound of heightened gunfire in the distance went unnoticed by the small group. Deka Obu wasn’t alone but stood with four burly types who looked capable of eviscerating whatever came their way.
Again, Julien forced out pained laughter. “Finally come for your revenge, eh sis?”
“Oh, Deke...have you forgotten everything I’ve said- all you should know about tribal consequences? The time has come for you to face them.”
The bloodied rock fell from Dwele’s weakened grasp. “Th-that’s a death sentence.”
“Ah...so you do remember. Actually, it’s a life sentence, brother. You maintain your glorious health and you’ll have many years to consider your treachery. Don’t worry, you won’t be alone. Your accomplice will join you as soon as he’s recovered.” Deka’s eyes met Chisulo’s. “Thank you, Mr. Nkosi.”
Chisulo inclined his head. “It’s my soon-to-be sister-in-law we have to thank. Saiida,” he confirmed when Kam frowned back at him.
Kam continued to frown but felt too stupefied to comment. She turned back to Deka Obu who had put away her gun as two of her men secured her brother. The others carefully hefted the injured Haddad Nkosi between them.
Deka walked over to Kam and Chisulo. “Thank you again. Thank you all for going along with Saiida’s plan. You have my word, your brother will receive the best treatment for his wounds.”
“It’s more than he deserves,” Chisulo put in sourly. “We’re glad you and your people weren’t too far away.”
“The gods and their timing and I never travel without backup. Some were moles in our brothers’ camp. They told us about the plans here tonight,” Deka sighed. “I’ve been communicating with Saiida on other matters as well. The time came for us to chat face to face-”
Another explosion livened the air. Deka, Kam, and Chisulo turned, finding the battle on its last legs. The reinforcements provided by Deka’s men had the intended effect. The group swarmed the property like locusts and brought the fighting to swift closure.
“Tribal consequences,” Kam turned back to Deka. “What did you mean?”
“The Safari,” Deka said. “My family’s search for the serum was never about building an army. It was about saving lives-not finding ways to take more. My brother betrayed that and will spend what’s left of his life caged- a death sentence to a shifter, but he knew the consequences. This has been a mission to us for well over a century.”
“A century?” Kam’s query was hushed.
Deka smiled. “This serum is new. Our mission wasn’t, but there will be time for this talk later, yes? There’s some cleaning up I must see to first.”
Chisulo extended a hand, shaking with Deka.
“Thank you,” Kam said.
Deka shook her head. “I should be thanking you.”
Kam looked ready to question that, but Deka merely squeezed her arm.
“Soon,” she said. “The answers are coming. Chisulo.” She said in farewell and moved on.
“What just happened?” Kam asked bewildered.
“If I’m not mistaken,” Chisulo said, “we just won the battle. Hopefully, the war is our next triumph.”
“Why does this feel like the war?”
Laughing softly, Chisulo turned Kam to him, cupping her face in his hands. “There is no triumph until we know what has its grips on you,” his dark eyes traveled the length of her blood and gore-smeared dress. “This haunts you because it’s terrible and you have no explanation for it. Winning the war means breaking down the wall to get to that explanation. Agreed?”
He nodded encouragingly and, after a few moments, Kam nodded as well.