The Mark of the Leopard

Bite

"Kazi, what was that?" Nala's voice snaps me out  of my thoughts. "What was what?" I raise a brow. She rolls her eyes. "Nevermind." She begins walking back to the car. "Wait." I call.

She looks back. "What now?" I walk up to her, place my hands on her shoulders and kiss her forehead. "I love you, Nala, you know that right?" I whisper. She nods. "I love you too, bro." I smile. "Good."

We start walking, when suddenly a pain hits my neck, coursing through my body. My legs turn to jelly and I fall to the woods floor. Breathing becomes harder and my vision darker. I can faintly hear Nala screaming my name. My sight goes black just as I feel hands on my face.

"I'll bring you back to me, Kazi."

Biray...

~~~~Birayn's P.O.V.~~~~

Seeing Kazi storm into the woods with Nala. I think. At least I know he won't let our kids get away with saying anything close to cussing. "Hey, Patty?" I look back at him and he's staring into space. "Patty?" I call again. Nothing. Hmm. Snapping my fingers in his face I shout. "Patty!"

He blinks and looks at me. "Hm?" He raises an eye brow. "Are you tired or thinking?" I inquire. "A little of both. Why? You need somthing?" He asks.

"Nah, I just thought calling your name and snaping my fingers in your face was fun." I repiy dryly. He gives me a blank face. I give him a real answer. "I just wanted to talk or somthing to pass the time."

"Talk about what?" He shifts in his seat knowing very well what I want to talk about. "I didn't want to talk about it with other people around, but we're alone now. Who was the girl in the picture?" I ask bluntly. "You never are one to beat around the bush." He says. "No and neither are you. So answer the question Patty." I state. He looks off. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I know who she is."

I glare at him. "Her name?" His eyes connect with mine. "Jenna Norwood." I blink, confused. "My mate." He clarifies. My eyebrows hit the sky. "You mean, the, she? I... I don't even know what to say." I give him a sympathetic look, which he glares in return.

I shake my head. "Sorry. So... Do you know where she is? How to find her?" I probe. "Only that she is the Princess of the Saeva Woods." He responds. "Saeva Woods?" I mumble. "Wait a sec." I hold a finger up and start searching for an atlas.

"There it is." I pick it up and go to the Texas page. I find where Saeva Woods is, my eyes go huge and I peer up at Patty. "What?" He inquires. I'm about to answer him when my chest tightens in an aweful pain.

"Mate! Get to our mate now!" Mehleynda says in a panic.

"Kazi!" I hear Nala scream. "Kazi!" I jump out of the jeep and run into the woods. Following his sent to a small clearing and see him limp on the ground, his chest heaving. Nala next to him shaking him. "Kazi you idiot!" She yells. Reaching them I kneel down and instantly I know what's wrong. Only one thing can make someone that pale.

"A vampire bite." Mehleynda whimpers.

I franticly search his body for the bite. "Oh, G-D." Finding it on his neck, exactly where my mark would go, I touch it and it burns me. I growl ripping my hand away. I look at Kazi's slowly closing eyes and hold his face in my hands.

"I'll bring you back to me, Kazi." I promise.

~??? P.O.V.~

Closing my book I stand up and inhale the scent of the woods. I love reading with the aura of the woods engulfing me. Wait a sec... I take another breath. "You smell that?" I ask my 'friend' Luther. "What?" Is his gruff reply. "Sickness." I state and start moving swiftly through the woods.

Following the stench to a small clearing I spot two people, male and female, by the smell of them, a mixture of were-creature, and something... Something, familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Their scents are very similar meaning their related. But, one scent stands out more then the other. Chocolate and strawberries... I find the sorce of the aroma.

It's the girl, no not a girl, a woman.

I get an instant boner. There, leaning against a tree, is the most gorgeous creature my eyes have ever beheld. I crouch down, pulling Luther with me, as I continue to watch them. The guy pulls out a phone and after about two minutes he hangs up.

His back to me I see him scratch his neck and the stink gets worse. Well he's the sick one. "Go home." I tell Luther, still not taking my eyes away from the girl. "But..." He says and I cut him off.

"Don't 'but' me." I snap in a whisper. "Do I need to tell my father about that time you left me alone, to bang a vamp?" I threaten glaring at him for a second then look back at the girl, she's walking in the opposite direction of me. He sighs a "Fine." Getting up he disappears, leaving a cloud of ash behind.

I watch her turn to the man with her. He walks up to her grabing her shoulders he kisses her temple, she nods and they start to leave the clearing.

Right about now, judging by the stench. And the male falls to the ground. The woman screams. "Kazi!" She starts shaking him. "Kazi!"

About thirty seconds later two more people, different genders, run in. The new female goes straight to the fallen guy.

"What are you doing in my woods?" Someone says from my back. I know that voice. "Ahh, Princess. What a pleasent surprise." I say standing to face her, only to find her up in a tree. "Pleasent my butt. What do you want?" She glowers. "Oh come now Princess, don't be so harsh." I feign hut.

She jumps down pointing a stick at me. "Answer me." Staring at her with a dull expression I jab my thumb to my back. "That guy got bit by a vampire and is dying..." I turn back to the scene. "Fast." I finish. She gasps and the new guy's head snaps and looks right at us.

A grin slowly spreading across his face.

~~~~End of Chapter~~~~