Catarina lay a distance from the two snarling, fighting leopards, her eyes on them, but her vision was hazy. She had thought she would be afraid for Eli when this moment came. She’d always known it would come. Always. Eli and Rafe would fight to the death right there in front of her. Before she’d been absolutely certain of the outcome—certain Rafe would kill Eli. Now, she wasn’t afraid for Eli.

She blinked several times in an attempt to clear her vision. It took a moment to realize she was sinking into unconsciousness. She didn’t want to do that. She had to know Eli survived. She felt an overwhelming sadness for Rafe, but even at the end, when he could have easily shouted to Eli that she was in trouble and needed medical attention, he had chosen to fight as a leopard because he’d rather she die than allow her to be with someone else. That wasn’t love. Eli would have allowed Rafe to get her help if that was the only way to keep her alive.

He didn’t know the condition she was in, and she didn’t want him to know. He’d sacrifice himself for her. She had to hold on because she wasn’t losing a man like Eli. She knew he would defeat Rafe and find a way to get her to safety.

“Catarina.” The voice startled her.

She turned her head away from the battling leopards and blinked several times to focus. Jake Bannaconni crouched beside her. His chest was bare, and she didn’t look any further down his body. She kept her eyes on his face.

“God, honey. I’ve called for our helicopter. We’ll get you to a hospital. You have to hang on for me.”

She licked at her lips. Tasted blood. She couldn’t talk and wondered if the leopard had ripped out her throat. Her gaze shifted back to the fighting males. Blood streaked their fur coats. Sides were heaving, desperate for air. Other leopards were there, ringing the two males and she realized her screams and the roars of the leopards had carried on the wind to Jake’s ranch and they’d come.

“I’m going to try to stop this bleeding, Cat,” Jake said. “It may hurt, but I have to get it stopped.”

She nodded, or at least she thought she did. Her body shook with chills. She was cold and her brain wasn’t functioning very well. She couldn’t really think, and Jake’s voice sounded as if it came from a great distance away. She felt his hands on her side, pressing something into the wounds, pressing it so hard her body seemed to rip apart beneath the pressure. She couldn’t scream. She opened her mouth but no sound emerged. He did it a second time. Then a third. Black edged her vision.