Free Dead After Dark by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love, J. R. Ward, Susan Squires

to have a battery.”
    “It uses body chemicals to keep it charged.”
    Vane looked ill at the thought of it. “Can it be pulled out?”
    “It’s too small to be seen. There’s no entry wound and no way to find it once it’s inside a body.”
    Fang nodded. “That’s what Carson said, too.”
    Bride grimaced in distaste. “Who would invent such a thing?”
    “A Panther in the year 3062,” Angelia said with a sigh. “He’s now selling them to the highest bidders.”
    “Why?” Vane asked. “We don’t need money like that.”
    Fury pinned him with an angry glare. “You’re thinking like one of us, Vane. The Panther’s Arcadian. Think human for a minute. Greed is their god.”
    Angelia was beginning to understand the differences herself.
    Vane looked at Fury. “You should take her to the Lion at Sanctuary. Let her meet his mate who can no longer communicate with him. Or better yet, let her meet his children who will never know how much their father loves them. Never hear the sound of his voice as he tells them how proud he is. Or warns them of danger. Good job, really. I couldn’t be prouder of your brutality.”
    Angelia refused to be intimidated by him. She knew better. “Animals don’t do that.”
    Fury choked on his food before he pinned her with a vicious glare. “Yeah. I
never
said anything like that to you, did I?” He stood up and wiped his mouth. “You know what? I’m sick of looking at you. I remember a girl who used to be capable of caring about others. One who gave people the benefit of the doubt before she attacked them. But obviously she died. I want you out of here before you finish destroying what few good memories I have of that girl.” He jerked the collar off her neck, then left the room.
    Stunned, Angelia sat there, unable to believe what had just happened.
    She was free . . .
    “Uncle Furry?” Trace looked up at his mother. “Why is Furry mad, Mommy?”
    “His feelings were hurt, baby. He’ll be all right.”
    Vane met Angelia’s baffled gaze. “You’re free to leave. And I should warn you, the lions are out for blood. The guy you nailed . . . his brother is Paris Sabastienne, and you killed their youngest brother. While as a rule animals aren’t big on vengeance, they are big on protecting their family. You’ve attacked them without provocation and they intend to slaughter all of you when they find you to keep you from doing this to any more members of their pride. You are their prey. Good luck.”
    Angelia swallowed in panic. “But I didn’t shoot him.”
    Fang shrugged nonchalantly. “They’re animals. They don’t care who pulled the trigger. They’re hunting by scent, and yours was all over Jake. Have a good life, cupcake, at least for the next few hours.”
    Angelia drew a shaky breath at his morbid forecast. As much as she hated it, she knew he was right. She wouldn’t get far and there really was nothing she could do. She’d been a part of this. Willingly.
    There was no way to change the past. Any more than she could keep the lions from killing her. They wouldn’t listen to reason and honestly, if that had been done to someone she loved, she wouldn’t be forgiving, either.
    This was what she deserved for her part in Dare’s brilliant plan. She would fight, but she wouldn’t run. It wasn’t in her. If this was her fate, then she would meet it with dignity.
    Yet she didn’t want to die without at least saying she was sorry to one person.
    Excusing herself, she flashed from the table, up to Fury’s room.
    What she found there stunned her most of all.
    Fury stood in front of the dresser holding the small medallion she’d given him when he’d reached puberty at twenty-seven.
    “What’s this for?” he’d asked her when she’d handed it over to him.
    “You’re a man now, Fury. You should have something to mark the occasion.”
    It hadn’t been expensive or even particularly nice. Just a small circle with an X on it. Yet he’d kept it all these