Free King of Prey: (A Bird Shifter Novel) by Mandy M. Roth Page B

displeased with me.”
    Rubbing his jaw, Sachin nodded. “I know. You did not have to take your anger out on Rayna. She was unaware the feather belonged to the Falco. Her heart is big. Her concern for you is even bigger. Did you not sense the fear in her voice when she called your name?”
    Kabril had sensed her fear. It had eaten at him as he flew high in the air above her, killing the enemy and disposing of them downriver. It had pained Kabril greatly, not being able to shout out, let Rayna know he was near. The last thing he wanted to do was have her find out what he truly was during a battle. She wouldn’t understand.
    Sachin patted Kabril’s shoulder. “Go. Fly for a bit and clear your mind. I shall guard Rayna.”

Chapter Sixteen

    Still muttering curses, Rayna headed for her tent. She couldn’t believe how arrogant Kabril was suddenly being. Sure, he tended to say odd things and come off as old-fashioned but he’d taken it too far.  
    Way too far.
    She had half a mind to go back and kick him square in the backside. How dare he speak to her like that? Especially after they’d finally taken the next step. They’d made out. If he didn’t have a way of making her body feel like she’d fallen through the gates of heaven she might actually find him and drown him.
    The idea had merit.
    “Men are jerks,” she mumbled. She was about to continue on her one-woman tantrum when something shuffled to her side. Glancing in that direction, Rayna froze as she spotted a man she didn’t know standing there, a wild look about him. He had very long, very blond hair that was partially tied back with leather straps. That wasn’t the weirdest part. The guy was wearing a loincloth.
    Nothing but a friggin scrap of material over his groin. She had to be hallucinating. No one ran around in a loincloth.  
    Did they?
    She swallowed hard. The way he was glaring at her through eyes of burnt umber said he wasn’t there to ask for directions to the nearest village or chitchat.
    No.  
    He was up to no good. Her mind tried to rationalize why he was there and where he’d come from but she came up empty. They were in such a remote area of the jungle that no one should have happened upon them.
    She thought back to the odd behavior from Kabril and Sachin—when she’d assumed jaguars were stalking them. She realized then that neither man had really said as much.  
    “So you are the human their king is so fond of,” he said, his voice deep. He had the same hard to place accent as Kabril and Sachin. Fear rushed over her.  
    Rayna took a tiny step back, already understanding the man meant to do her harm.  
    A wry grin spread over the stranger’s face. “Running is pointless. Come quietly and I shall make your death as painless as possible.”
    My death?
    She yelped.
    The man moved closer, walking in a wide circle around her. Everything about him screamed predator yet she got the sense he was actually struggling with himself. As if hurting her might go against his nature.  
    Great.  
    Crazy jungle serial killer with a conscience.  
    Rayna lifted her hands as if to say, no threat here. Which there wasn’t but still. She felt the gesture might be needed to prove she wasn’t anything the man should worry about. Other than the fact she wanted to scream until she went hoarse. Maybe Kabril and Sachin would hear her and come running.
    Or maybe they wouldn’t.
    Maybe she was totally on her own.  
    She’d never believed herself to be a fighter. She’d also never had her life in jeopardy such as now. Something deep within Rayna snapped. She bent down quickly, seized hold of one of the retaining wall rocks for the fire and pitched it at him. A scream tore free of her as she did. The man sidestepped the rock with ease, looking amused by her efforts to keep him at bay. The dirt she’d accidentally cast with the rock rained down upon him. His laughter faded instantly as some of the dirt made its way into the wound on his side.
    He lunged