Panther Curse Read online

  “So if weres and magic are real, how many other mythical creatures exist? Are you saying I might run into vampires and ghosts?”

  “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

  Kolvak throwing Shakespeare at me was one of the more surreal moments in a day full of them. I instinctively clutched the Codex tighter, my sole bargaining chip for Ashley’s life.

  “So you’re really going to through with this, kid? You’re going to hand the book over to save a girl you’ve never even kissed?”

  “I cannot let her die.”

  My comment earned me a long stare from the cabbie. Shit, I had said the words out loud. The guy probably wondered what this hoodie-wearing dude was planning on doing near Griffith Park. I had wisely not mentioned my intention to visit the zoo which closed at five. Without commenting on my strange behavior, the cabbie’s attention shifted back to the road. In his line of work, he had probably heard and seen it all.

  I cracked my knuckles, shaking with nervous tension.

  I was afraid for Ashley. Fearful of the consequences of my actions. Mostly, I was scared of what I’d become. My life had turned into one endless nightmare since I first laid eyes on the accursed text propped up in my lap.

  Ten minutes later, the cab pulled up at the Morrison, a gastropub near the park.

  The cabbie told me how much I owed him, and my response was to jump out of the car and take off. I was running at full bore, the cabbie’s angry shouts echoing after me.

  Sorry, bud. It’s an emergency.

  And then something unusual happened. The cabbie popped out of the yellow car and started chasing after me. And the dude was in damn good shape. He was gaining on me fast,

  Shit, my luck to hail the one cab driver who appeared to run marathons in his spare time.

  As moonlight played over my skin, my pulse spiked, and I started to change. My nose elongated, became a snout, sharp incisors pushed out my human teeth.

  I spun toward the cabbie, my features now fully transformed into a panther monster, and let out a bone-chilling roar that stopped Marathon Man dead in his tracks. A heartbeat later, he was running again, this time in the opposite direction. No cab fare was worth getting into it with a hoodie-wearing panther man.

  As he vanished screaming into the night, my beast laughed while I felt bad for the dude. As my body transformed, the hoodie tore off my back, and the Adidas sweatpants ripped. A minute later, I was in full panther man mode as I shot into the park on my way to the zoo. Foliage and branches whipped my fur-covered body as I cut through the dense vegetation at breakneck speed. Every second counted. Ashley’s life hung in the balance.

  My ears pricked up as I made out the first sounds of animals. Squawking, grunting, and squealing noises of the zoo filled the night as I zeroed in on the fence that enclosed the zoo. The fence was tall enough to stop the animals from escaping if they should somehow get out of their habitats. That said, the stockade wasn't designed to keep a full-blown werepanther out, and I jumped over the obstacle, landing inside the zoo grounds with superhuman grace.

  I was here. Now I just had to find Ashley.

  I scanned a map of the place mounted on a nearby tree. It had been at least a year since my last visit. Back in college, I had come here often to draw the animals for an art class I was taking. The wild cats had always been my favorite—talk about irony.

  Between the carved wooden map on the tree and my memory, I had a good sense of where I was. I had entered the zoo near an area known as the LAIR which featured habitats populated by reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. The animals reacted to my presence, their sharp instincts responding to my inhuman nature. Panthers didn’t hang out in this part of the park.

  “You’re making a nice impression, Erik.”

  I found Kolvak’s running commentary less than amusing. This was not the time for cheap jokes. The warlock picked up on my foul mood and grew quiet. What did he want from me, anyway? The bastard still hadn’t told me what he hoped to gain for preserving my humanity. Whose side was he on? He had no love lost for the League, but he was no friend to the Followers of Bastet either. I didn’t get the sense that he was helping me because it was the right thing to do, either. I bet he was only looking out for himself.

  I half expected him to protest and launch an attempt to defend his character, but he remained silent. Maybe he didn’t correct me because he knew I was right.

  I pushed all those thoughts aside, blocked out the panicked sounds of the other animals, and sprinted toward the Rainforest of the Americas area where they kept the wild cats. That's where I would find Ashley.

  The heady scent of the werepanthers tainted the air. They were here, no doubt about. Waiting and watching as I drew closer.

  More animal roars cut through the night. I caught glimpses of elephants and gorillas. The head of a giraffe poked above a fence, its polka-dotted neck shining in the moonlight. Sensing my approach, the giraffe retreated into the shadows, disturbed by my presence.

  I was a predator roaming loose in the park.

  I don’t know how long I ran through the night, my muscular legs pumping like pistons, my eyes combing the darkness — looking, searching. Moving with a singleness of purpose through the sparsely illuminated park, driven by my concern for Ashley.

  My ears cut through the cacophony of animal sounds, and I made out a whimpering sound over the din.

  I’d never heard Ashley cry before, but I sensed it was her, the sound unmistakably human and female.

  Hatred burned up my throat, directed against the were-queen who’d put Ashley in this terrible predicament. I wanted to hurt Santara bad.

  All in its due time. First, I needed to make sure Ashley was safe.

  I tore up a stone path, paying no attention to the other animal habitats. The wild cats' enclosure came into view with its high, electrified fence.

  My eyes narrowed, night turning into day.

  And then I saw her.

  Ashley sat on a jagged, elevated slab of stone while the three panthers circled her position. I couldn’t even imagine how terrified she must be.

  Relief washed over me, buoying my spirits. She was scared but not hurt.

  I’m coming for you, Ashley, I thought, knowing I was the furthest thing from a knight in shining armor at this point. More like a monster from her darkest nightmares. Spotting a humanoid panther man in the dark might push her right over the edge. I had to proceed with caution.

  Easier said than done.

  Three jungle cats guarded the large rock on which Ashley had sought refuge. Seeing the vacant expression etched into her beautiful face broke my heart. That thousand-yard stare didn’t belong to the bubbly, fun-loving Ashley I’d fallen for. Sadness warred with my anger, and I clutched the Codex against my furry chest.

  As I advanced toward the jaguar habitat, I realized something else. These panthers weren’t shifters but real jungle cats. I couldn’t explain how I knew, but I just did. Maybe their scent was different.

  Even though most weres gave up much of their humanity when they transformed, something remained in their eyes, an echo of a soul. These cats were just animals. And that meant Santara was telepathically controlling the behavior of these creatures. If her mental control should falter, if the telepathic link was severed… I didn’t want to think about the terrible consequences that would have for Ashley.

  “Look, Erik, I know I can be irritating,” Kolvak said, “but don’t lose your cool. I know Ashley means a lot to you, but she’ll be okay. You can do this, kid.”

  Weirdly, Kolvak’s words calmed me down.

  I took a few steps back and then ran toward the jungle cat habitat with all my might.

  I launched myself into the air and shot over the fence. Landing with preternatural grace, I let out a breath. Guard up, I went into my haunches, eyes alert, fixed on the three large cats guarding Ashley.

  She squinted into the shadows. I prayed for her sake that she co
uldn’t make me out in the dark. She had witnessed enough horrors for one night.

  My glowing eyes cast the habitat, looking for Santara.

  I knew she was here.

  And then I spotted her splayed out on a large tree branch, and for a moment I forgot to exhale. Her head was that of a panther, hands and feet were paws, black fur running down her arms. Her nude body on the other hand was human, a pair of perfectly shaped breasts resting on the large branch as if she was serving them up on a platter.

  Freaky.

  Sensing my approach, Santara jumped from the tree and landed about twenty feet away from me. She rose on her hind legs and stretched, displaying herself to me. The were-queen was half human, half panther, and yet wholly arousing. Her allure caught me off guard. Perhaps that had been her point all along as she confidently strode toward me, comfortable with her sexual power.

  I searched the habitat for her soldiers and realized she was alone.

  I understood now why she’d picked the zoo for this rendezvous. The League had decimated her forces during the last attack. Instead of waiting for reinforcements to arrive, Santara had decided to use these animals as her henchman during this critical exchange.

  “Stop where you are,” I said as I flashed a hard look at her. She halted in her tracks. Despite the high stakes of the situation, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. The moonlight through the trees sketched shadows on her body, which revealed more than they hid.

  “You brought the book?”

  “I’m willing to hold up my part of the bargain as long as you do the same.”

  For good measure, I held up the Codex above my head. The rays of the moon danced over the leather-bound pages, and for one crazed moment, it almost felt like the tome gave off a divine light.

  “You take a step closer, and I’ll destroy the pages that contain the ritual. I’ll eat them if I have to. Do you understand?”

  Santara grew still, her response speaking volumes.

  “Control those beasts and let Ashley leave the habitat.”

  For a beat, nothing happened. Then Santara pulled her magnetic gaze from me and fixed her eyes on the three panthers guarding Ashley.

  Slowly, the animals started to back away from the rock.

  Ashley didn’t budge, her arms wrapped around her torso, hugging herself.

  Move, I silently urged her. Get the hell out of here.

  But it was no use. Ashley remained frozen in place, still in shock.

  I couldn’t blame her. Anyone would have reacted in the same if they found themselves in her harrowing situation. She did not understand that the panthers wouldn’t harm her unless Santara loosened her telepathic control over them.

  She needed help to pull this off. A familiar voice. The face of a friend.

  I focused all my energy, and my panther features began to change while my body remained in its mutant state. I don’t know how I did it without crying out in agony. I feared my screams might startle the creatures and break Santara’s hold over them.

  I stifled the scream building in my throat and tried to focus on Ashley, reminding myself why I couldn’t give in to the pain.

  At last, the waves of agony subsided and inhaled deeply. I locked my gaze on Ashley and addressed her with my human voice.

  “Ashley, it’s me, Erik,” I said.

  My voice snapped Ashley out of her trance. She perked up, eyes searching the habitat, but I was still in the shadows.

  “Listen carefully, Ashley. You can get off that rock. Those panthers won’t harm you, I swear.”

  I didn’t even sound convincing to myself, but I pressed on. There was nothing else I could do.

  “Do it, Ashley. Just follow my voice, head towards me.”

  “What's happening, Erik?” she asked in a shaky voice.

  “Don’t worry about that now. Just come to me. You will be safe; I swear to God.”

  As I spoke, my eyes remained riveted on Santara.

  The three panthers further backed away from the rocks. Encouraged by this, Ashley decided to be brave and slide down the boulder.

  My blood roared in my ears, and my ribcage felt like it would explode. Just a little farther and Ashley would be safe.

  Keep going, Ashley, you can do this. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep walking. Walk out of this nightmare.

  Ashley took her first step. And her second.

  The panthers remained as silent sentinels who watched the human make her way through their habitat.

  I allowed myself a hint of a smile, and I held the Codex toward the were-queen

  As she advanced towards me, a second humanoid werepanther joined her. Judging by her curves, this one had to be female too. Apparently, there had been another survivor of the downtown battle. This soldier of hers had lurked in the shadows, acting as a back-up in case I pulled a fast one on them.

  The were-queen nodded her head at her underling, and the panther woman homed in on me.

  She stopped a few feet away, her gaze expectant.

  “Time to give me what I want,” Santara said.

  I hesitated for a beat. I felt like an extra in a spy flick who was about to hand over the secret blueprints of some super weapon to the enemy—an apt analogy considering the immense power contained within the pages of the Codex. I only translated a handful of pages, and those were bad enough. What other secrets did this cursed tome contain?”

  I took another look at Ashley, and that gave me the push I needed. She was walking as if trapped in a fever dream, the terror turning her lovely features into a quivering mask.

  I had no choice. I’d known that the moment Santara had answered Ashley’s phone.

  Seeing my friend so terrified erased the last traces of doubt, and I handed the Codex to Santara’s soldier. The panther woman took the book and started to walk back to her queen.

  To my surprise, Santara regarded me coldly, her eyes chips of ice. What was wrong? I’d given her the damn book.

  “I told you to come alone.”

  “And I did.”

  “You’re a terrible, liar, Erik Cross.”

  As if to prove her point, a loud gunshot rang out and kicked up dirt right next to the were-queen’s feet. A second later, the world descended into utter madness.

  17

  As soon as Erik had hung up the phone—her phone—Natalia knew everything had changed. There would be no deal with the archeology professor.

  While Erik tied her to a chair despite her protests, he tried to explain himself.

  “I’m sorry to do this, but Santara is leaving me no other choice. She has Ashley, and she’ll kill my friend unless I give her what she wants.”

  Erik showed her the cell cam video of the woman being held at the zoo. The woman’s terror came through in the grainy images. Sleek panthers circled the hapless hostage.

  Natalia knew Erik was showing her the video to convince both her and himself that he had no other choice. This woman meant something to the archeology professor, and he refused to let her die. Natalia understood the emotional place Erik was coming from, but he needed to weigh one life against the many innocent lives that would be lost if the Followers of Bastet gained the Codex and carried out the ritual.

  “Please try to look at the bigger picture,” Natalia said, trying to appeal to his sense of reason. “If you hand the Codex to Santara, it will affect thousands of lives.”

  “Giving them the book won’t be the end of the world. The ritual can only be carried out during a full moon. That gives us three weeks to stop these bastards even if they have the book.”

  Natalia shook her head.

  “You’re deceiving yourself if you think that’s an option. Once Santara has the Codex, how will we find her? These shifters can blend in among the population. As soon as they get their hands on the book, they’ll go underground and lie low until the next full moon.”

  “We’ll figure something out.”

  “You putting all of us at risk.”

  “What d
o you want me to do? Watch while these panthers rip Ashley apart? I’m sorry. That’s not an option.”

  And with these words, Erik tightened her restraints and left the apartment with the Codex.

  That was about thirty minutes ago. Thirty minutes during which Natalia had tried to break free.

  Today wasn’t the first time someone had tied her up, and she was making some progress.

  She’d held her breath while Erik had applied the ropes, so she had some wiggling room. Her extensive yoga and martial arts training also gave her great flexibility, which was coming in handy right now. She might not be able to pull off a Houdini, but with time, she could shake the chair enough to knock it over. There was no doubt in her mind she could free herself, but it would take time—time she didn’t have.

  Natalia clenched her jaw in frustration and redoubled her efforts, rocking back and forth in the chair. She generated enough momentum to knock the chair over.

  It fell back against the stone floor with a loud crack. Pain spiked through her shoulders and spine, but she was too excited to pay it any mind. The fall had produced the desired results. The wooden chair had broken in multiple places, giving her more to work with.

  And that’s when she heard incoming footsteps. She twisted her neck, craned it upward at the new arrival. A couple in their thirties loomed over her, both the man and the woman’s eyes flickering with shocked surprise at finding a tied-up stranger in their pad. These had to be the people who lived here. From the looks of it, they were returning from a fun night of clubbing.

  Luckily for her, the couple’s first instinct wasn’t to ring the cops; instead, the man freed her from the ropes. A needling pain filled her wrists and ankles as blood rushed back into areas where the restraints had cut off her circulation. For a beat, she massaged her limbs, adjusting to the change.

  The woman brought her a glass of water, having noticed how parched her lips were. Natalia knew the questions would come soon. What was she doing in their apartment? Who had tied her up? Why was the window broken? What was going on?

  Natalia felt grateful for the couple’s assistance, but she couldn’t allow herself to waste more time. She needed to act fast.