Marna tried to lunge for her, but Tanner yanked her back.
“Kill my brother,” Tanner said to the shifter, “and I’ll make you beg for death. By the time hell gets you, there’ll be nothing left, I promise you that.”
One thing she’d learned about Tanner, he always kept his promises.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Tanner kept his hand wrapped around Marna’s wrist. She was straining against him as she fought to break free.
Like that was gonna happen.
His brother’s eyes were on him. Blood soaked Cody’s shirt, and the captain that he’d actually been close to respecting was standing there . . . laughing.
The beast inside roared. His claws had already ripped free, his fangs were out, and Tanner was barely—barely—holding back the change.
There was too much fury within him. If the beast broke free now, there’d be no controlling the panther.
Betrayal. Cody’s blood. Death.
“The angel or your brother, it’s your choice.” Jillian crossed her arms over her chest. Looked smug and satisfied. “But you aren’t keeping both tonight.”
Yeah, he was.
“Let me go,” Marna whispered. “I’ll be okay, but he—he doesn’t have much time left.”
Because Cody was already swaying. His face had gone white, and the glamour had fallen away from him, revealing his demon black eyes. His brother always held his glamour. Always. Cody hated what he was, so he tried to pretend he was nothing more than a human.
He wasn’t.
Neither am I.
Why wasn’t Jillian just trying to take him out? She’d gone for his brother, but she hadn’t come at him directly. Why?
His gaze tracked back to her. For an instant, he saw the flicker of emotion on her face. Sonofabitch. She wasn’t scared of a death angel or another demon, but even though she had panthers as her bitches, she was afraid of—
Me.
Good. His eyes narrowed in anticipation. She should be afraid. He was about to show her just how deadly he could be.
The captain had set him up. Gotten him to draw Marna out into the open. What better place for an attack than the swamp? Had the captain even lied about seeing a demon in that patrol-car video? Just another part of her plan?
She’d regret trying to play a deadly game with him. This would be her last mistake.
Tanner turned his head toward Marna. Locked his eyes on her. She didn’t need to see this. “Run.”
Marna started to shake her head. Tanner dropped his hold on her. “Run!” More a roar than anything else, and that was the only word he could manage. He fell to the ground as his bones snapped and broke. Reshaped. His claws grew even longer, even sharper.
His beast was so dangerous. Far more dangerous than he’d revealed to Marna. Because when Tanner’s panther truly took over, when the rage was too strong . . .
The beast loved the blood and the kills. He hungered for the screams. Tanner had always fought against his instincts, but the truth was, deep inside, where the animal lurked, he was just like his father.
And, despite what he’d told Marna, his beast was just like his brother Brandt’s—their panthers had always been linked.
Just like the sadistic bastard who’d hurt Marna. Just like his father. Just like his brother.
Just. Like. Them.
Don’t watch. The man couldn’t tell Marna that now. The man was gone. The panther was taking the lead with a fierce rush of fury. Don’t see what I become. Don’t fear me.
Because she would. By the time he was finished, she’d have to.
“No!” Jillian’s scream. Then she had her gun up, and she fired at him. Once. Twice. “Stop him before he shifts!”
Too late.
Tanner turned his head and saw with the intense sharpness of the panther. The fool shifter who’d thought to take his brother, the one who’d been a part of Brandt’s pack for so long . . .
Russell dropped his hold on Cody, leapt away, and raced for the woods. Coward. Tanner would get him, but—
But the others were braver. One shifter came at Tanner with a roar.
Tanner’s panther ripped his enemy’s chest right open. His razor-sharp teeth sank into the guy. Blood filled his mouth. The panther snarled and wanted more.
“Tanner!” He didn’t turn at the yell. He finished his kill. Tossed back his head and screamed his victory.
But there was more prey waiting. More to kill. Kill.
His hind legs pushed against the earth, and he leapt into the air, heading for the prey he wanted the most. Prey that was still trying to shoot at him, only her gun was out of bullets.