Into the Pride (Nuuba Pride Shifters #1) by Michelle Monkou (8 page)

Their heads collided with a horrific thud. David didn’t pause to survey injuries. Sticking his claws in the dirt, he lowered his shoulders for another round of head butt. The smaller lion stumbled. David dug in and raised on to his hind legs, using his forelegs to impale Vass. His claws sliced through his muscles, hitting bone, as he dragged him to the ground.

Vass lashed out, writhing in his blood. His growls howled his pain. He swiped at David leaving four deep grooves across his underbelly. Like a jab sequence, David delivered a series of blows that sliced at Vass’s face, neck, and underbelly. When the lion fell away with a thud and lay still, only then did he stop.

David backed up. He’d shifted back to his human. “No. Don’t.” He put up a bloody hand to stop Starr. He bent to check the vitals of his enemy.

Vass opened his eyes. His mouth opened in a snarl and he grabbed hold of David by the neck. But he’d lost most of his strength, to his detriment. David pried apart Vass’s mouth from his neck. Summoning all his strength, he closed his hands around Vass’s neck, cracking every bone.

He squeezed until death truly claimed Vass’s body.

London scrambled away, running from where she’d come.

The building shifted, its groans and creaks louder than usual. Rocks fell, overhead beams collapsed. London’s cry was swallowed by the thunderous implosion.

David had no fear for their safety. His dynasty had been saved and the prophecy had been a warning of what was to come. London felt like a sure bet that she’d return with the next one to challenge his leadership. It wasn’t over, but the next time he’d be ready.

He saw that Starr was next to her brother, trying to administer to his wound.

David scooped up the weak man. “Let’s get out of here.”

Starr was grateful, but he didn’t want grateful. He wanted her love. His heart ached that the only reason she’d come to him was to find and save her brother. He knew as a priestess she would never deny her king, but there was no way he would demand it.

As soon as they were above ground, David got on the phone to call for the ambulance.

“No. I know who to call. Madame Voorhees will see to his needs much better than a human hospital.” She handed him the gold cylinder that he’d almost left behind in order to carry her brother.

Xavier said something to him. He looked at Starr to translate. “He says thank you. Once he’s better, I know that he will want to meet with you.”

David nodded.

Her brother said something more to her. And she responded before an ambulance pulled up. The men dressed as paramedics wore a badge featuring the circular symbol of five interlocking links. They carried Xavier on a stretcher and slid him into the ambulance and drove away.

David knew he looked like he’d been through a gladiator sport. “You can go with your brother. We can catch up later.”

“I will, eventually. Madame Voorhees can do more for him now than I can.”

“Wonder what magic the wonderful Madame could do for me?” Fatigue dulled his voice. Now that the adrenalin didn’t pour through his body, his muscles felt weak.

“Maybe you’ll meet her one day.” She smiled. “In the meantime, you look like hell.”

David nodded. “I feel like it. Well, it was certainly an adventure.” He held out his hand, certain that would end any further intimate contact with her. A goodbye that had his stomach in knots.

“Are you serious? Do you think that saving your life twice would get rid of me?”

“Twice? If I recall, you were going to kill yourself.”

“Why would I do that? You need me to run this place. That was a diversion.”

David grinned. “And you think I didn’t know that?”

“Doesn’t matter. You were looking mighty fine, tearing up the world.”

“You should see what I can really do.”

“Why don’t you show me?”

David growled, and his cock answered, ready and willing, for duty.

They made it to his house in record time, diving into bed like young lovers.

David held Starr as she straddled him, riding hard and wild. His cock fitted neatly in her pussy. “You and I made love before the veil.”

She nodded.

“You little rebel.” David rolled her over and pumped like his life, his new life, depended on it. He knew without a doubt that she was the only mate for him. And now that they had come together, as prophesied, he knew it was forever.

The End

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Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com