Prey by Kassanna
Chapter Eight
The jeep bounced along on the gravel road. Gunter spun the wheel and took a turn onto a smooth motorway. The tree tops curved in the growing wind. It whistled through the crevices of the vinyl top. Dark clouds filled the horizon, and brief flashes of lightening were followed by loud booms of thunder. The wind pushed the old vehicle across the two lane highway, and Gunter quickly righted the SUV. Fat drops of rain splattered the windshield, battering the body of the vehicle. At top speed, the wipers did very little to keep the glass clear. Nae hung onto the roll bar above her head as the jeep fishtailed on the slick asphalt.
“Where the hell did this storm come from?” Nae voiced out loud.
“That happens sometimes. Thunderstorms appear out of nowhere. It will blow over just as fast.” Ari answered her from the back seat.
Nae opened her mouth just as a four by four truck slammed into the jeep. The SUV broke the steel guard and rolled over the side of the hill. The vehicle that hit them followed them over the edge bumper first, racing with them as they tumbled into the valley below. Branches snapped as the trucks barreled down the landscape. The top was ripped from the jeep, and rain fell on Nae with each rotation of the heavy metal frame. The truck stopped suddenly, and a deafening screech of metal tore through the air. The jeep inched forward before stopping again.
Upright, her belt confined her to the seat. Large drops of water fell hard, plastering her hair to her head and her clothes to her body. She sucked in deep breaths of wet air and tugged at her bindings. Gently, she turned her head to see Gunter. His seat belt flapped in the wind, he was out and stripping his clothes from his body.
“No matter what, stay with Nae!” He yelled as he turned into what appeared to be a hybrid dog. He yipped and ran off.
The rain fell in sheets so hard it blurred her vision. She rubbed her eyes to clear her sight. Nae cried out as she fought to get loose.
La appeared at her side. “It okay, you’re not alone. I’m here.” She held up her hand and talons popped out from the pads of her fingers. La slid her digits through the woven material.
Nae leaned forward and grabbed her head as a sharp pain pierced her brain above her left eye.
“Gunter and Ari have gone after the guy in the service truck. Can you move your legs?” La screamed to be heard over the thunder.
Nae nodded.
“Good. I grabbed this.” La placed a thick tire iron in Nae’s lap.
Nae lifted her head to look at La, squinting to see between the drops of rain. “What’s this for?”
“It’s not as good as a gun, but it’s the best weapon you’re gonna get at the moment. Just in case. Do you need help getting out?
“No.” Nae swallowed the bile bubbling up her throat and turned in her seat.
La stepped back to give her room. From her peripheral vision, Nae saw a flash of gold. She turned her head and felt an ache slither down her neck. The lion caught La on the shoulders, shoving her down beneath its body. La let out an ear piercing shriek, scrambling beneath the weight of the beast to get free. Battling back the pain and nausea, Nae jumped from the vehicle. Blinded by the water pouring down her face, she raised the heavy iron bar and swung.
She hit the back of the animal, and her hands slid down the smooth steel rod to brush its fur. The lion reared up to take a swipe at her. She leapt back and slipped on the wet moss under her feet, falling on her butt. The tire iron slipped from her grasp, and she patted the ground around her for anything she could use to defend herself. Slowly, the big lion stalked toward. Nae peered beyond the animal to see La’s motionless form. The heavy downpour slowed to a constant drizzle.
Nae’s hand landed on a rock. The perfect size for her palm, she judged its weight as she hefted it up. Holding the lions amber gaze, she spoke. “Come and get me, mother fucker.” She watched as the muscles on the beast seemed to tense. He opened his mouth to expose three inch incisors.
The lion leapt in her direction. His paws splayed to show dense curved claws erupting from dense dark pads.
Another lion jumped over her, knocking back the other beast. This one opened his mouth and snarled. Nae studied the animal. This beast was huge, standing a shoulder above her attacker. The wide muscular chest tapered into strong corded limbs. Thick claws penetrated the soft ground. Muscles flexed and bunched as it paced one way, and then the other. Wheat colored bushy mane surrounded its head, which then trailed down to the middle of its back. The long tail whipped back and forth with a tuft of hair on its end, brushing the animal’s sides.
The other lion backtracked and dropped it heads between it paws.
Nae stared at the lion’s profile in front of her and whispered. “El?”
The new lion growled. Nae watched as the first beast launched itself at El.
El went up on his hind legs, battling with his front paws. His claws tore into the smaller beast’s chest. The lion flipped back and crouched down, keeping its gaze on El as he prowled in a circle. Yips rent the air, and Nae scanned the area for the source. Gunter still in his hyena form sat on the hood of the jeep. Rumbles and snarls answered Gunter’s call. Nae looked over and clambered to the side. The tiger she’d seen the day before sat next to her, and a large spotted cat was beside La’s prone figure.
The attacking lion leapt, and El dropped down on all fours, rolled on his back, and sunk his paws, claws extended, into the belly of the beast. The animal dropped on the other side of El, and then rose up, attacking as El flipped over. The smaller lion latched onto the back of El’s neck and thrashed its head.
Nae swallowed several times to tame the bile rising in her throat. Blood poured from El’s wounds. She breathed through her nose and exhaled quickly as she realized this was her new reality. Her heart lurched as she watched her mate battle with claw and fang for her. She closed her eyes against the image and thought about the night before about the claiming. Acceptance filled her. She opened her eyes, her decision made. Nae screamed. “Kick that son of a bitch’s ass Eldridge Kuhne!
El rose up on his hind legs and fell back, dropping all his weight on the animal beneath him. It pushed out from under El. El twisted over and spun around, tearing into the beast’s throat. Blood sprayed out in an arc, mixing with the drizzling rain. El whipped his head and a crunch could be heard as he crushed the other lion’s windpipe. The other beasts stopped moving.
El released the limp body of her attacker. He placed a paw on the neck of the animal, raised his face to the sky, and roared.
The jeep bounced along on the gravel road. Gunter spun the wheel and took a turn onto a smooth motorway. The tree tops curved in the growing wind. It whistled through the crevices of the vinyl top. Dark clouds filled the horizon, and brief flashes of lightening were followed by loud booms of thunder. The wind pushed the old vehicle across the two lane highway, and Gunter quickly righted the SUV. Fat drops of rain splattered the windshield, battering the body of the vehicle. At top speed, the wipers did very little to keep the glass clear. Nae hung onto the roll bar above her head as the jeep fishtailed on the slick asphalt.
“Where the hell did this storm come from?” Nae voiced out loud.
“That happens sometimes. Thunderstorms appear out of nowhere. It will blow over just as fast.” Ari answered her from the back seat.
Nae opened her mouth just as a four by four truck slammed into the jeep. The SUV broke the steel guard and rolled over the side of the hill. The vehicle that hit them followed them over the edge bumper first, racing with them as they tumbled into the valley below. Branches snapped as the trucks barreled down the landscape. The top was ripped from the jeep, and rain fell on Nae with each rotation of the heavy metal frame. The truck stopped suddenly, and a deafening screech of metal tore through the air. The jeep inched forward before stopping again.
Upright, her belt confined her to the seat. Large drops of water fell hard, plastering her hair to her head and her clothes to her body. She sucked in deep breaths of wet air and tugged at her bindings. Gently, she turned her head to see Gunter. His seat belt flapped in the wind, he was out and stripping his clothes from his body.
“No matter what, stay with Nae!” He yelled as he turned into what appeared to be a hybrid dog. He yipped and ran off.
The rain fell in sheets so hard it blurred her vision. She rubbed her eyes to clear her sight. Nae cried out as she fought to get loose.
La appeared at her side. “It okay, you’re not alone. I’m here.” She held up her hand and talons popped out from the pads of her fingers. La slid her digits through the woven material.
Nae leaned forward and grabbed her head as a sharp pain pierced her brain above her left eye.
“Gunter and Ari have gone after the guy in the service truck. Can you move your legs?” La screamed to be heard over the thunder.
Nae nodded.
“Good. I grabbed this.” La placed a thick tire iron in Nae’s lap.
Nae lifted her head to look at La, squinting to see between the drops of rain. “What’s this for?”
“It’s not as good as a gun, but it’s the best weapon you’re gonna get at the moment. Just in case. Do you need help getting out?
“No.” Nae swallowed the bile bubbling up her throat and turned in her seat.
La stepped back to give her room. From her peripheral vision, Nae saw a flash of gold. She turned her head and felt an ache slither down her neck. The lion caught La on the shoulders, shoving her down beneath its body. La let out an ear piercing shriek, scrambling beneath the weight of the beast to get free. Battling back the pain and nausea, Nae jumped from the vehicle. Blinded by the water pouring down her face, she raised the heavy iron bar and swung.
She hit the back of the animal, and her hands slid down the smooth steel rod to brush its fur. The lion reared up to take a swipe at her. She leapt back and slipped on the wet moss under her feet, falling on her butt. The tire iron slipped from her grasp, and she patted the ground around her for anything she could use to defend herself. Slowly, the big lion stalked toward. Nae peered beyond the animal to see La’s motionless form. The heavy downpour slowed to a constant drizzle.
Nae’s hand landed on a rock. The perfect size for her palm, she judged its weight as she hefted it up. Holding the lions amber gaze, she spoke. “Come and get me, mother fucker.” She watched as the muscles on the beast seemed to tense. He opened his mouth to expose three inch incisors.
The lion leapt in her direction. His paws splayed to show dense curved claws erupting from dense dark pads.
Another lion jumped over her, knocking back the other beast. This one opened his mouth and snarled. Nae studied the animal. This beast was huge, standing a shoulder above her attacker. The wide muscular chest tapered into strong corded limbs. Thick claws penetrated the soft ground. Muscles flexed and bunched as it paced one way, and then the other. Wheat colored bushy mane surrounded its head, which then trailed down to the middle of its back. The long tail whipped back and forth with a tuft of hair on its end, brushing the animal’s sides.
The other lion backtracked and dropped it heads between it paws.
Nae stared at the lion’s profile in front of her and whispered. “El?”
The new lion growled. Nae watched as the first beast launched itself at El.
El went up on his hind legs, battling with his front paws. His claws tore into the smaller beast’s chest. The lion flipped back and crouched down, keeping its gaze on El as he prowled in a circle. Yips rent the air, and Nae scanned the area for the source. Gunter still in his hyena form sat on the hood of the jeep. Rumbles and snarls answered Gunter’s call. Nae looked over and clambered to the side. The tiger she’d seen the day before sat next to her, and a large spotted cat was beside La’s prone figure.
The attacking lion leapt, and El dropped down on all fours, rolled on his back, and sunk his paws, claws extended, into the belly of the beast. The animal dropped on the other side of El, and then rose up, attacking as El flipped over. The smaller lion latched onto the back of El’s neck and thrashed its head.
Nae swallowed several times to tame the bile rising in her throat. Blood poured from El’s wounds. She breathed through her nose and exhaled quickly as she realized this was her new reality. Her heart lurched as she watched her mate battle with claw and fang for her. She closed her eyes against the image and thought about the night before about the claiming. Acceptance filled her. She opened her eyes, her decision made. Nae screamed. “Kick that son of a bitch’s ass Eldridge Kuhne!
El rose up on his hind legs and fell back, dropping all his weight on the animal beneath him. It pushed out from under El. El twisted over and spun around, tearing into the beast’s throat. Blood sprayed out in an arc, mixing with the drizzling rain. El whipped his head and a crunch could be heard as he crushed the other lion’s windpipe. The other beasts stopped moving.
El released the limp body of her attacker. He placed a paw on the neck of the animal, raised his face to the sky, and roared.