“That kid deserves a medal! He’s got the drone dive-bombing the cat. The panther looks like it’s hissing and spitting at the thing, and it’s not watching Paradise. I hope she takes the opportunity to run while the cat is distracted. It might gain enough time for us to get there.”
Where was she? Blake tried to peer through the shadows cast by the big trees on both sides of the truck. Was this even the right drive? He still hadn’t spotted anything that might hold big cats.
Chapter 41
Bless Mason.He had to have been the one to send the drone down to distract Abyss.
Paradise took off as fast as she could while the jaguar was occupied with leaping at the drone. She spotted a big branch. It might be a better weapon than the screwdriver if the jaguar came after her. And she would lay money that he would. She tucked the screwdriver away and grabbed the branch. It was about the width and length of a baseball bat.
Her lungs burned but adrenaline fueled her limbs. She set her jaw with determination and ran for all she was worth. If she survived this, she’d take up jogging so she was ready next time. Something nudged her to look behind her, and when she did, her heart faltered in her chest. The panther was behind her and closing in fast.
Never turn your back on a jaguar.
She whirled with the stick in front of her and jabbed at the panther with it. “Get back! I’ll break your beautiful back with this if I have to, but I don’t want to hurt you.”
The panther stared at her with uncanny blue eyes, but sheavoided eye contact, which the big cat would take as a challenge. The jaguar bit at the leaves she shook in his face. His teeth made her shudder. Jaguars were dwarfed only by lions and tigers, but a jaguar’s bite was worse. It could crack a croc’s head like an egg.
The thought of those teeth in her neck nearly paralyzed her, but her attack seemed to be having an effect. The jaguar seemed unsure how to deal with all the shaking and noise. The terror that had gripped her eased, and she realized Abyss was a beautiful and powerful animal. Creed and Bear had trained the panther to hunt, and while the cat’s natural instinct was to track down his food, he wouldn’t have considered humans as prey without the men’s influence. That didn’t make the danger to her any less dire, but she felt sorry for the panther instead of terrified.
She shook the stick again. “Get out of here, Abyss. Find a squirrel or something. I’m not your dinner.”
The panther bared his teeth and snapped at the leaves again. Huge muscles coiled in his back legs, and she knew the cat had gotten over his fear. She nearly froze in place to wait for the clamp of those mighty jaws on her neck.
“I won’t go down without a fight, Abyss.” She jabbed at the panther’s chest with the hard edge of the branch. “Go on, git!”
A dark shape dove toward them again, and Abyss turned and snarled at the drone. A surge of hope lifted Paradise’s chin and she raised her fist in exultation. “Yes! Thank you, Mason!” The boy hadn’t abandoned her. She wasn’t alone to face this.
She jabbed outward with the branch again and backed away so she didn’t attract the cat’s attention. Her breath was loud in her ears. Once she couldn’t see the jaguar any longer, she began to run. Her vision narrowed to the dirt road in front of her. If she could make it out of the woods, the cat might give up the chase.
Dust plumes billowed from behind a truck heading her way,and she recognized Blake’s determined face behind the wheel. The truck skidded to a stop, and with the engine still running, Blake spilled from one side of the pickup and her brother from the other. Tears blurred her vision, and she started toward them.
Drew’s gun was in his hand. He motioned to her right. “Get out of the way!” He was aiming over her shoulder and to the left.
Paradise turned to see the jaguar charging at full speed, and she leaped into the ditch. Her belly hit the vegetation, and leaves and grass were in her mouth and hair. She scrambled to her hands and knees to regain her feet, but she expected to feel teeth in the back of her neck.
The black shadow of the jaguar was still coming. The big cat changed directions, but Drew’s gun barked, and the animal leaped in the air as a bullet nicked his foot. The big cat growled and bit at the injury, then lay down and licked the wound.
Blake ran to her and pulled her out of the ditch. He turned her away from the big cat. “Get in the truck. I’ll tranq it.” He brought up a pistol and fired a dart at the cat. It lodged in the jaguar’s back flank, but Abyss didn’t seem to notice with the blood still oozing from his foot.
Now that she was safe, the strength vanished from Paradise’s legs, and she wobbled as she headed for the pickup. She opened the passenger door and nearly collapsed onto the seat. She couldn’t stop shaking, and even her teeth chattered.Shock.
Both men watched the jaguar put his head on his paws. It would be a few minutes before it was safe to approach the animal, and that was fine with her.
She reached for the bottle of water on Blake’s side of the console and downed what was left in one gulp. She was still thirsty, but the shaking ebbed. Tears felt dangerously close.Thank you, God.It was a bona fide miracle that the men she loved had foundher in time. Five minutes later and parts of her would have been in the panther’s belly, and the rest would have been up a tree waiting for Abyss’s next meal.
Paradise rested and tried to gather her thoughts on their next steps, but the only thing she wanted right this minute was Blake’s arms around her. Only then would she be sure she had survived this ordeal.
He jogged back to the truck and opened the door to lean in. “The cat’s asleep. We’ll load him in a few minutes. Are you hurt?”
She sank into the love in his blue eyes and cupped his face in her hands. “Just hold me a minute until I stop shaking. I thought I’d never see you again.”
He leaned into the truck and gathered her close. “Take all the time you need. I wasn’t sure I’d even find you.”
She closed her eyes and inhaled his masculine scent.Home.This was where she belonged. Even the sound of sirens heading their way wasn’t as much comfort as Blake’s arms.
Blake and Drew sat with Paradise in the ER exam room while the doctor cleaned and bandaged her poor feet from the brutal climb out of the jaguar enclosure. Her cheeks held more color, and her amber eyes glowed with contentment. After all these months of trauma and fear, it was over. She had answers and he rejoiced with her.
“Did you text your mom?” she asked when the doctor left.
