Teaser:
 
 

     The sound of a snuffling grunt caught her attention as she walked along the wooded game trail. Wisps of fog swirled through the air, preventing her from seeing whatever was ahead of her and somewhere droplets of water trickled. Residue from a recent shower. The low-pressure weather system brought cooler-than-normal temperatures as well as rain that fell in a constant if not heavy drizzle. The conditions served only to heighten her dread, but Lee was determined to discover the animal’s destination.

     Farther along the path, only a hundred yards or so, she discerned the glow from an artificial light source. It seemed to emanate from a small cave, more of a crevice really. The glow helped to outline the creature between her and whoever held the light. The beast’s pelt was darkened by the storm, and she detected the foul, musky odor of gore and rot. The head appeared rounded with a full mane ringing his neck and shoulders. The sight of the monster filled her with fear.

     They were closer to the light source now. Lee saw that Jamison held the lantern. She wore her ranger’s uniform and squatted near the entrance to the hollow. Jamison sifted through a pile of torn, blood-stained clothing, searching for something Lee couldn’t fathom. She tried to cry out, to warn this woman she loved but the sound caught in the back of her throat. Instinct said this was the beast responsible for the recent deaths. Lee believed the creature had targeted Jamison as its next victim.

     She still didn’t understand the connection of the black jaguar to all of this, but she felt certain the cat wasn’t responsible. What she comprehended without any doubt was that this monster in front of her would kill Jami without thought, hesitation, or remorse.

     Finally, she found her voice and screamed out a warning that Jamison didn’t hear. The killer closed in, its mouth gaping in a parody of a maniacal grin. Razor-sharp teeth glinted in the low light. A forked tongue lolled to the side as if from some kind of crazy serpent. The beast rushed forward, muscles straining to close the gap before its prey gained awareness.

     Lee sprinted to get there before the creature attacked. To somehow save Jamison from this hellish nightmare. She felt mired in quicksand, unable to move. Her lungs burned, breath burst from her chest as she strained against her physical limitations.

     Then Lee was different. More than before. Her claws tore into the ground as she propelled herself forward on four legs. Clothing fell away, ripped into shreds from the force of conversion. She leaped for the creature’s throat, intent on crushing it and saving the one who meant so much. The only one she could ever accept as a mate again.

     A tremendous roar of challenge burst from her throat as powerful haunches gathered, preparing for the fatal leap onto the monster’s back.

     Lee awakened with a scream on her lips, sitting up in the darkness and safety of her bedroom. Trembling, she raised her hands to her face, wiping sweat from her brow and pricking the sensitive skin of her forehead. Confused, she looked at her hands in the moonlight, staggered by the appearance of her right hand and arm. Where she should find human flesh was a massive cat’s foreleg and paw. Black, irregular patterns covered milky fur, and the tips of her nails were sharp, thick, and curved into a deadly point.