Alonzo was so fast he looked a blur as he leapt, coming down on his prey, going for the kill, going for the throat, claws raking the exposed belly while his teeth bit deep to hold and suffocate his prey.

The two other leopards turned back to aid their fallen companion. Before they could reach Alonzo, Elijah was there. His male launched himself into the air, using his flexible spine to twist, hitting first one and then the other, knocking them away from Alonzo.

He landed between the two males and their fallen friend. They split off to come at him from two sides. He remained utterly still, his male used to battle. He’d been fighting since he was six years old, life-or-death struggles, and he had come up against multiple attackers many times. The sound of explosions tore apart the day, the noise hurting his ears. He was expecting it and held his leopard steady. The other two whirled toward the sound. Elijah was immediately on the closest cat, raking him viciously from the side of his neck, shoulder to his hind end.

As his opponent tried to turn to face him, Elijah knocked him off his feet and opened his belly, spilling the contents onto the ground. He whirled to face the second rushing leopard, rearing up on his hind legs, teeth and claws meeting the big male. The two leopards grappled standing on their legs, clawing for a hold, both going for the other’s throat while more explosions rocked the ground.

Elijah knew immediately his leopard was far more experienced. The other male didn’t know to protect his underbelly or exposed genitals. The leopard had grown lazy living with Cordeau and hunting human women in the swamp for sport. Elijah was brutal in a fight. Vicious. Using every means possible to kill his opponent quickly so there was far less damage inflicted on him.

The best—and worst—was that he felt nothing at all when he won. Human or leopard. There was no triumph and there was no remorse. It just was. He’d been at it too long and knew the need for violence, the need for combat, was never going to go away. He accepted that as well. That had been the reason he’d thrown in with Drake in the first place. He’d tried to get out of that life, found it impossible and switched directions one more time.

His leopard reared back and lunged again, this time using his teeth, tearing through the softer exposed parts on his opponent. The leopard screamed and tried to turn, desperate to get away. Elijah was relentless, following, taking him down with a hard drive to the shoulder, sending the heavy male to his side. Then he was on him, teeth going deep into the throat. Holding. Waiting. He turned his body just enough that he could see Alonzo and the big cat he was fighting.