Hidden by Mason Sabre Page A

shoulders. Together, the Human and the tiger rolled. Snarls and growls and screams mingled together in a loud blur of noise, and then, just as fast, it was silent and the Human was dead, his throat torn away. 
    The young man, Benson, lifted a bat and swung it at the tiger , catching it in the side and knocking it down with an almighty whack. The tiger rolled and he went for the second blow, but the tiger spun and regained itself, slashing out and sending the bat bouncing across the earth and away from them. The man ripped off his shirt, his shift beginning. He unsheathed thick, dark claws and howled as his teeth began to emerge from his shifting jaws. The tiger raced towards him and the man almost welcomed him with open arms as the two met in the middle with a smash and then tumbled to the ground. The tiger was unyielding as they fought, howls and growls echoing all around as the two slashed at each other. The magnificent tiger wrapped his paws around the man and held him tightly. The man screamed and bucked to free himself, and as he got loose, he twisted wrongly and the tiger came down on him with jaws wide open. The sound of lightning cracking through the air ricocheted through the trees, sending night animals scampering for cover. The man clutched at himself, his screams giving way to gurgling as silvery lines spread under his skin, a network of poisoned veins. He clutched at his abdomen. Cathy stood with one of the guns in her outstretched hand. She stood almost frozen, the only movement in her body was as she panted, watching the young man writhe and scream on the ground until he died.
    “You fucking shit,” came a cry, as the girl suddenly brought herself mentally around and lunged for Cathy. Cathy raised the gun again, eyes unblinking as she went to squeeze the trigger a second time, but the tiger came to her side, his teeth bared, snarling. Blood dripped from his fur—it marred his beautiful face. The girl didn’t stop and the tiger leapt for her, slamming his paws down against her chest and, in turn, against the ground. She screamed under the tiger’s hold as he pressed his paw down against her throat. The girl pounded at the side of the tiger’s neck trying to push him off. She tried to lift her feet between them, but the tiger moved.
    “Perhaps it would be a good time for you both to go home.” It was Malcolm’s voice that made them turn. He stood behind the suited Human, a clawed hand around the man’s neck. He leaned into him, pressing himself against the Human’s back and peering out at the girl over the man’s shoulder. The Human showed no fear as he stared. He was staring right at Cathy, his eyes almost dripping with hatred for her. “You will not get this baby. Not today, or tomorrow. I suggest you take your little pet here and leave while you can.”
    “I won’t be the last,” the Human spat. “You know that. You can't keep a mix-breed child quiet. People will come.”
    “And people will be sent away.” He released the Human and pushed him forward. The Human had nowhere to go; between Cathy with the gun and the tiger , one move and he was fucked and he knew it. Still, he leaned down and picked up the bat that Benson had held, casting a moment’s glance down at him. “He was fucking useless anyway.” He pointed the bat at the girl. “And you.”
    She bucked under the tiger’s hold and he let her go because her target was no longer Cathy, it was the suited Human . She jumped up, eyes filled with rage—they had shifted. Her mouth was almost changed too, her snout poking out from the face of a girl. The suited Human aimed the bat for her, but the tiger lashed out and took her down in one movement. She rolled onto her back, slashing for him, but the tiger bit down on her throat, properly this time, and he ripped. Her eyes went wide, and her screams became nothing but a strangled gurgle from deep inside her as she clutched at her neck, and then her life was gone.
    The Human lifted the bat