Page 76 of The Mating Frenzy
“There’s fish in the water and those fish should be dead. Whatever magick this is, it’s meant to harm intruders to theisland.”
But if she and Kieran were meant to find and take the crystal, then those birds should not attack them. When she told him this, hegrowled.
“They are protecting the crystal from anyone who might take it, good orevil.”
“Then I’ll just have to shift into my wolf form.” She rubbed her bare arms and shivered. “My fur will protectme.”
“I’m not letting you risk it, Ella-mine.” His gaze in the dimming light gleamed, cat-like. “I’m older and stronger in my magick. You’re too important to our world tolose.”
“And you’re not? We gotogether.”
“You’re not. I refuse to allowit.”
“Stop being a chauvinistic pussy.” She threw the anchor out. “Let’sroll.”
The sinking sun suddenly cast a rose-gold glow on the water. Up in the tallest branches of a mangrove tree came a lavender light. It glinted in the dying sunlight. It could have been a reflection of something caught in the tree, a shard of steel, but Ella knew it wasnot.
It was the crystal theysought.
Kieran gave her a knowing look. “Wolves do not climb trees. Jaguars do. I will fetch it foryou.”
Nothing, no birds that dripped acid or other dark creatures, was stopping her from getting the stone. Nor would she allow Kieran to gounprotected.
After he shut off the motor, Kieran shifted. The big jaguar jumped out of the boat and began paddling toward the island. Then he ducked beneath thewater.
She shifted as well. Ella made a point of splashing around, trying to draw the focus away from Kieran. A flock of the raptors dove towardher.
Ella dove, the water making her fur heavy. As he’d indicated, the acid could not penetrate the water. Whatever kind of corrosive the bird’s saliva contained, it did not harm the saltywater.
She swam to the east side of the island, and surfaced, padding through the shallow water and pushing through the mangroves. The trees parted to admither.
At the tallest tree, she saw a spotted jaguar, its sharp claws piercing the trunk, climbing toward the crystal. The birds saw him, and began attacking and dripping acid onhim.
Kieran howled, but keptclimbing.
A shadow fell over her. Ella glanced up and saw a bald eagle circling the island, high above the lower flying birds. It dove down and chased them, attacking from above, snapping its beak at them. Darcy. Ella shook her muzzle and backed away to thewater.
Hurry, please. We need to get out of here before the Dark Lord’s followers findus.
The threat removed, Kieran climbed down from the tree, a purple glow coming from his mouth as he clasped the stone between his mightyjaws.
Surely this was the powerful crystal, for his bleeding wounds from the droplets of acid splashing on his fur had already begun toheal.
She accompanied him as they swam out to the boat. Ella shifted back into her Skin form, climbed on board and clothed herself bymagick.
As the jaguar climbed into the boat, she gave a rueful glance at the lime green shorts and bright orange t-shirt on her body. She still had some adjusting to do in the clothingdepartment.
The eagle landed and transformed into Darcy. Her friend wore the usual black leathers shepreferred.
“Thanks, Darcy.” Ella wiped sweat off her brow. “Closecall.”
Darcy grinned. “When you’ve lived long as I have, you learn to adjust your form to fit thepredator.”
“That was some impressiveform.”
Darcybeamed.
The jaguar padded over to her, nudging her. Ella reached out with one hand and the crystal dropped intoit.
