Cordeau’s leopard had to be brutal. He’d driven the man mad. Some leopards, like their masters, were bad-tempered and edged a little toward insanity. Clearly, Rafe’s leopard had needed a strong hold on it, but he had allowed the personality to take him over. He’d become a reflection of his leopard—a killer.

Eli knew every inch of his property. He followed the leopard closely until he realized the animal was deliberately drawing him away from the ranch house and Catarina. At once he spun around and raced back. Better to face two leopards than allow Cordeau to steal Cat away. He knew Cordeau’s lieutenant would circle back to help his boss, but it didn’t matter. He needed to make certain Cordeau didn’t have the chance to take Catarina.

As he approached the ranch house, he heard the murmur of voices coming from inside. Cordeau sounded gentle and cajoling, as if he was trying to persuade Catarina to choose him over Eli. He didn’t dare go confront Cordeau, not when he could use Catarina as a shield. He had to let them come back out. Cordeau would want Cat to see Eli’s death. He would want her to blame herself. It gave Eli time to set a scene that would separate Catarina from Rafe, just enough to allow Eli to attack and still ensure Catarina’s safety.

He knew he’d been damned lucky he’d killed the first two shifters fast, before either had made a sound. The third leopard had been so intent on killing him, he hadn’t warned Cordeau with so much as a roar. Eli shifted and quickly put the body of the first man he’d killed into his chair on the porch, using a cord to lash him upright. A cursory glance might fool Cordeau for a moment. Using the chains, he hung the second shifter in the position he’d occupied recently.

The wind shifted just slightly and he had time to only partially shift and go vertical, leaping straight up to the roof as the leopard charged him from behind. He finished shifting as he landed and just that fast, launched himself in a silent attack on his pursuer.

He landed on the leopard’s hind end, slamming him to the ground, raking with claws and driving his teeth into the leopard’s neck. The leopard, using his flexible spine, turned with a show of strength, and raked at his face, rolling to try to get the heavier panther from his back. He smashed Eli hard into the ground, hard enough that Eli lost his hold on the neck and was forced to defend his own belly.