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His tiger growling continuously and his fear for his mate making it hard to think straight, Boone tried to stay calm. He was being a fucking idiot. The best thing to do - the only thing to do - was to agree with Camilla and get her the fuck away from Hedra before she sliced her throat open in front of him.
“You’re right,” Boone said. “I’m supposed to be with you, Camilla. So, why don’t you let Hedra go, and you and I will walk out of here right now. We’ll start fresh. We’ll go somewhere new where no one knows us, and we can be together.”
Her nostrils flared, and she gave him a look of contempt. “I love you, Boone, but don’t think for a fucking minute that I’m stupid because of it. I know you don’t mean that.”
She took a deep breath, letting it out on a soft purr. “You shouldn’t have come home. Why didn’t you stay at work? It would have been quick and fast for Hedra if you hadn’t come home. Now? Now, it’s gonna be messy.”
“If you kill her, I’ll kill you,” Boone said. “You won’t walk out of this fucking room, Camilla.”
She swallowed hard. “You don’t mean that.”
“The fuck I don’t,” Boone said.
Camilla’s bottom lip trembled, and Boone could smell the fear radiating from her. “I’m doing this for us, Boone. We can’t be together with her around.”
“Yes, we can,” Boone said steadily. “Let her go, and I’ll be with you. Simple.”
“You lie,” Camilla said.
Boone shook his head. “No, I’m not. I’ll be your mate, Camilla. I swear. But if you kill Hedra, your life ends too. Right here in this goddamn room.”
“Stand up,” Camilla said to Hedra before yanking on her hair.
Hedra stood, wincing when Camilla pulled her claws from her throat, and blood bubbled out from the holes in her throat. Boone stepped forward, and Camilla pressed her claws against Hedra’s throat again. “Don’t, Boone. I’ll slit her throat and walk out of this house while you’re trying to save your precious mate’s life.”
Boone growled but didn’t move as Camilla studied him before jerking her chin toward the fireplace. “Go stand over there, Boone.”
“What are you doing, Camilla?” Boone asked.
Camilla circled, keeping Hedra between them as he moved toward the fireplace. “We’re leaving.”
“No, you’re fucking not,” he growled.
She shook her head when he started forward, tracing one claw across the delicate skin of Hedra’s throat. “Stop, Boone.”
“It’s okay, Boone,” Hedra said as Camilla propelled her backwards toward the living room door.
“Camilla, don’t fucking do this,” Boone said.
Camilla stopped in the doorway, staring solemnly at him. “You’re making me do this, Boone. I’ll take your mate somewhere quiet, and I’ll make her death quick and as painless as possible, I promise. Once you’re done grieving, we’ll find each other again, I know it. We’ll finally be mates, Boone. You’ll see that you and I were meant for each other.”
“Camilla,” Boone said as his tiger growled and made another desperate push for control. “If you love me, you won’t do this.”
“I’m doing this because I love you,” she said. “Why can’t you see that?”
His fear a living clawing thing inside of him, Boone stared at Hedra. “Little lamb.”
She smiled at him, but he could smell the sour tang of her fear and sorrow. “I love you, Boone.”
“I love you too,” he said.
“Stop it,” Camilla said, raising her hand high above her head with her claws gleaming in the light. “Stop acting like she’s your mate, or I’ll end her life right here. I swear to -”
Camilla stiffened, and Boone smelled his nan’s scent only seconds before she leaped onto Camilla’s back and sunk her fangs into her throat.
“Hedra, move!” Boone roared.
Hedra tore away from Camilla, and Boone grabbed her, shoving her behind him as the leopard shifter screamed. Blood sprayed as Nan, growling ferociously, tore a chunk of flesh from the side of Camilla’s throat. Nan dropped nimbly to her feet as Camilla clamped her hand across her neck and staggered into the living room. She stared wide-eyed at Boone, a soft, ragged growl rising from her throat before she dropped to her knees.
