For you. Her heart lurched as she began to fully understand.
The two panther shifters in the alley . . .
“I knew you wanted those animals dead. You tried to do it. I saw you.”
A shiver slid over her at his words. She’d felt eyes on her, but she’d thought it had been Tanner watching over her. It had been Jonathan?
“I shot ’em full with one of my special mixes. A quick injection . . .”
Back in the interrogation room, he’d mentioned drugs. The cocky bastard, he’d been telling her what he’d done to them.
“They never even had the time to scream.”
No, they’d just had time to die.
Jonathan’s gaze dropped to Tanner’s still body. “He’s the one who led me to you. He was so focused on you, almost addicted. I wondered about the woman who was driving him crazy. Then I saw you. Your wings. And I knew.”
“You knew nothing,” she whispered. Tanner’s body was completely still against her. Still—but tight and tensed for battle. He was ready to attack, she knew it. And when he made his move, those claws of his had better go deep. She stood up, determined to distract Jonathan. She needed to give Tanner the perfect moment to strike. “You don’t know anything about me. I am nothing like you.”
Jonathan’s brows rose. “You wanted to kill. You wanted to punish.” His eyes were bright with a feverish light. “I punished for you. I killed for you, and I’ll do it again.” He rushed for her.
Marna was ready. She pushed out with her fire. He batted it away with one hand, but that was what she wanted him to do. In that instant, while his focus was on the flames, she kicked him, then drove her fist into his jaw. He stumbled back.
And Tanner attacked. He jumped up from the ground and struck with his claws out. His claws sank into Jonathan’s chest.
Jonathan screamed in fury and pain as he wrenched away from the attack. The hybrid stumbled back.
“I’m punishing now,” Tanner snarled. “I’m—”
Jonathan sent a wave of fire blasting right at Tanner. Tanner’s arms burned, and Marna leapt in front of him. “Stop!”
The flames froze. Not by Jonathan’s will, but by hers. Fury pumped inside of her. So strong that her whole body seemed to ache. “You aren’t killing him.” Not when Tanner was the one thing on this earth that she cared about.
The flames disappeared into a wisp of smoke.
“You choose him?” Shock had slackened Jonathan’s features.
What? Was the guy really that delusional? Did he think—
“I’m just like you!” His hands fell limply at his sides. “I’ve killed . . . for you.” Now he sounded lost. “He’s done nothing for you, while I’ve done everything.”
Wrong. Tanner had done the one thing that mattered most. He’d given her a reason to live.
Jonathan shook his head. “We can put the world back to order. Punish the wicked. Send the monsters to hell.”
Didn’t he see? “You are one of those monsters.” One of the worst she’d ever seen. And he didn’t understand just how evil he truly was. “That cop you attacked, what was his crime?”
He’d left an innocent to die—why? The cop had never done anything to her.
But Jonathan shouted, “He saw you! I know he did! You were with Tanner, so he must have seen! And he would have told the others that you were still alive! That—”
“You almost killed him for that?” she broke in, stunned. Tanner was behind her, swearing, and . . . she could smell his burned flesh.
Jonathan’s lips curved. “I’ve killed for less.”
Monster. “That’s not the way of our kind.”
Jonathan glared back at her. “I thought you’d understand. I thought you’d appreciate all I’ve done.” He shook his head and looked sad, but determined. “I see the truth now.”
The truth? What? That she was standing between him and Tanner, determined to keep her lover safe?
“You don’t see a f**kin’ thing,” Tanner growled, “but in a few minutes, I’ll be makin’ you see plenty.”
Marna glanced back quickly. Tanner was on his feet. Burned. Bloody, but not out. Not by a long shot. The floor creaked as he stalked closer.
She focused back on Jonathan.
He smiled. “You still think this can end well for you?” His furious gaze was on Tanner.
“I know it will.” Tanner pushed to her side and weaved a bit. He needed to shift, but if he did, he’d be vulnerable. Could she keep Jonathan busy long enough for Tanner to make that shift?
I’ll have to.
“Your brother is bleeding out in the back of a patrol car.” Jonathan spoke casually as he wiped his bloody hands on his shirt. “You’re both dying today, shifter. The only question is . . . which one of you gets to hell first?”
“You do,” Tanner promised him. “Then when we . . . get there . . . Cody and I will take turns kicking your . . . ass.”
Jonathan laughed. “Want to taste that fire again?” A ball of flames rose above his hand. “I’ll burn all your skin right off your body.”
No, he wouldn’t. She just had to get him away from Tanner long enough for her shifter to heal. To heal . . . and then kick ass. He did that so well.
“You’re not killing us,” she told him. “We’re killing you.” Not a lie. Promises weren’t lies.
But he laughed and sent his blasts of fire all around the room. The fire licked its way up the walls.
Marna pushed out with her own energy, whirling around as she tried to fight the blaze. Why was he so strong?
While she was still so weak?
Every time she put out the fire, he started it again. Bones were snapping near her, popping, and Tanner was shifting. Yes. She just had to keep battling the flames and keep Jonathan fighting her long enough for Tanner to—
Something sharp pressed into her side. Pain stabbed through her—no, she’d been stabbed.
The flames rose higher. She turned, and found Jonathan inches from her. “You disappointed me,” he said and sounded so sad. “So I have to punish you now.”
No. She shook her head. The flames were so hot.
Bones were still popping. A panther was growling and . . .
“Your lover wasn’t the first shifter I met,” Jonathan told her. “So many beasts over the years. So f**king many. Those animals begged for their justice, and I gave them just what they deserved.”