Read Thieves In Paradise for Free Online

eyes darted from side to side when he became aware of the second animal. The female carnivore growled now, a sultry sound that Charity guessed contained a warning for the male.
    Was there enough to go around, or would the two creatures battle over rights to the prey they'd apparently each been stalking?
    "Stay low.” A'Kosu warned and Charity flattened herself to the ground just as the female leapt.
    Above her the bounty hunter ducked, though he didn't fire the stunner. Charity squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to the Goddess for a swift and relatively painless end.
    Her last breath left her lungs when A'Kosu landed on top of her. Disoriented by the force of the impact, her only coherent thought was at least she wouldn't have to worry anymore about whatever punishment Gar Gremin might have in store for her.
    * * * *
    Kol threw himself over his captive as the smaller carnivore charged. He braced for the searing pain of huge claws tearing into his flesh and hoped his end would be quick and marginally dignified. Being eaten alive was no way to pass from this life into the next.
    The ground shook with the impact of the smaller creature as she landed before the male. She'd leapt over Kol and the woman, right into her rival's path.
    Kol remained completely still, willing himself not to breathe. Beneath him, the prisoner trembled, even though each place where his bare skin touched hers seemed to burn. Beside them, the two predators clashed. The beasts fought, biting and rolling in the dirt, snarling and lashing at each other with massive, bloody claws.
    With the predators occupied, Kol chanced a movement. He rose and with one hand, lifted the woman and pulled her inside the shuttle. Unstable as its perch on the edge of the ravine was, it afforded some protection. Neither of the beasts was small enough to fit through the hatch.
    Once inside he pushed her to the floor, then clipped the useless stunner to his belt and drew his dagger. “They can't get to us in here."
    "Which is why we should have been in here in the first place."
    He ignored her remark and moved to peer out of the small side portal of the shuttle. In the clearing, the carnivores were now locked in a deadly embrace. It appeared the male had already bested the female. With her beneath him, and his massive forepaws wrapped around her, he bent his huge head to take hold of her throat in his jaws. When his teeth closed, she gave a strangled sound that arrowed to Kol's gut. He'd witnessed death in the wild before and it was always brutal, but this seemed especially barbaric. He'd never known a species where males and females fought to the death while valuable prey escaped.
    Kol looked away, not wanting to witness the carnage that would follow. He faced the prisoner whose round eyes were huge. “What's happening?"
    "The male won. He'll be coming after us next, no doubt, so move away from the hatch. Hopefully he won't dislodge the shuttle."
    "So we're just going to sit in here and hope he doesn't kill us one way or another?"
    "He can't get in. His shoulders are too broad to fit through the opening."
    At that she bolted to her feet. “I doubt that will stop him from trying. We need to discourage him."
    "What do you suggest?” Outside the hatch, the battle seemed to be escalating. A series of sharp grunts sounded, and Kol had to wonder if the victor had chosen to devour the loser.
    "There are two stunners. If we both fire at the same time, maybe a double charge will have an effect on him."
    Kol stared at her. She was clever and determined. He had to give her that. “I'm not going to arm you."
    "Look, when that big one gets done with the little one, he's going to come looking for us, and he's going to be mad when he can't get to us. Not to mention all our food and water is out there, which leaves us without much chance of survival if he hangs around for any length of time."
    "I have a plan."
    "Oh, do you?” She put her hands on her hips and raised a brow.
    "The battle will