But she screamed and her eyes widened in panic as one of the panthers—Calliope—growled menacingly at her and bared her teeth, unhappy with the disrespect Veronica showed to her Alpha.
The cold smile on Avery's face deepened as she stepped closer to them, Calliope and the other panther—Ellen—keeping pace. "You humans have something you call 'karma,' do you not? The destiny that you earn for yourselves through your actions and behavior?"
"We humans? What do you mean by that? We're all human!" Veronica exclaimed. It hadn't yet occurred to either Veronica or Jessie that Avery's panthers were more than just "pets," although a dawning comprehension had started to creep across their faces.
Avery ignored them. "In the Florida panther shifter world, in contrast, we have what are known as the stikini. Stikini are evil witches, who transform themselves into owl-beings.
"By day, the stikini resemble the Seminole Indian people, with whom we are very closely tied... but by night, the stikini vomit up their own souls—along with all their internal organs—and become undead owl-monsters who feed on human hearts."
The looks on Veronica and Jessie's faces were horrified.
"In my world, the actions and the behavior of a shifter don't result in 'karma,' but instead determine whether or not the Great Panther sees fit to visit the torment of the stikini upon the one who is thus cursed."
"We're not fucking shifters!" Veronica screamed, her face red and blotchy from both anger and fear as she gripped Jessie tightly.
"No. You are not. In truth, I don't know if humans can even see the stikini... though I suspect not. However, I wouldn't get too comfortable, if I were you." The relief that had started to spread across their faces stopped in its tracks.
"Panther shifters have powerful magick. And I'm the Alpha of the Florida panther shifter pride—a half panther/half witch hybrid. I am more powerful than anything you've ever seen in your lives.
The rage that then suddenly hit Avery's face was bone-chilling.
"YOU TRIED TO DESTROY MY MATE!" Avery's voice roared until it seemed the very treetops swayed with her anger. Veronica screamed and Jessie shook in fear until Avery grew calm again, laying her hands on her panthers' heads.
Her voice was quiet, although even more menacing than it was before, as she whispered, "The Great Panther stalks you in response to my call, for daring to harm the twin flame of an Alpha.
"I will have my revenge, humans... for no one on this earth will ever be permitted to raise so much as a finger to my mate while I still live."
When the terrified women finally looked up, Avery and her panthers were gone.
¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥
Two days later, on Halloween night, Tara snuggled comfortably in Avery's arms as the two females waited for the evening news to start.
Avery found little use for television shows in general, but she did keep her eye on the news, to keep abreast of what was going on with current events.
"It's always a good thing to keep up with what's going on in the world, lovely," she had told Tara. "While we typically have little concern for what goes on outside of Big Cypress Swamp, knowledge is power... and that allows us to defend ourselves as necessary." Tara had agreed.
The television anchor started the evening broadcast, looking gravely into the camera.
"Our top story this evening deals with the disappearance of twenty-eight-year-old Tara Nicolson, who has not been seen since early October." Tara gasped and sat bolt upright, startled almost out of her wits. "Avery!" she hissed, before she noticed Avery was sitting next to her serenely, a small tilt to her lips.
"Nicolson's abandoned SUV was found on the side of the road right outside of Naples. Her apartment had also been abandoned after the lease had abruptly been broken without explanation, according to Nicolson's landlord. Police have also located a storage unit where the contents of her home have been stored.
"Twenty-nine-year-old Jessica Holbrook and thirty-year-old Veronica Barnes have been named as persons of interest in Nicolson's disappearance. Several pieces of rare vintage milk glass, identified as belonging to Nicolson, have been found in Holbrook's townhouse, where Barnes now also lives, after police obtained a probable cause search warrant to search the premises.
"Holbrook, who was Nicolson's ex-girlfriend, had allegedly participated in a vicious vendetta against Nicolson with Barnes, Holbrook's new girlfriend. One woman, who asked not to be identified, said that Barnes had 'had it in for Tara from day one' and seemed determined to 'destroy' Nicolson."
Tara's jaw dropped open in sheer disbelief as the news anchor continued. "Reporter Jillian Prent is at Holbrook's townhouse, where the two women are waiting until they are brought in for questioning. Jillian?"
As the reporter took over the live broadcast, Tara's head whipped around and she stared, speechless, at Avery.
Avery caressed the claiming mark on Tara's shoulder, making her twin flame shudder. "Karma, my sweet Tara," she whispered in her mate's ear as she nuzzled her mark. "Their destinies are now entwined with the spirits of Retribution and Justice.
"The Great Panther is not pleased with these humans, who tried to harm you so viciously without cause, and has avenged you at my request.
"You have nothing more to fear from them, or from any other human, lovely. Not now... and not ever. We are free to live and love in peace, the both of us. Together." Tara buried her face in Avery's shoulder and shuddered as she felt a great weight lift from her shoulders.
Avery smiled and kissed the top of Tara's head, her arms wrapped tightly around her twin flame, as she turned her attention back to the television.
"The two women are expected to be arrested and charged in connection with Nicolson's disappearance later on this evening.
"In other news..."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tiffany E. Taylor writes sensual lesbian romance fiction within the passionate butch/femme dynamic in a variety of genres: action/adventure, contemporary, and paranormal. She is with LGBTQ+ romance house Painted Hearts Publishing.
Tiffany lives with her spouse and their daughter in an idyllic queer-friendly little town on Florida's west-central coast. You can find out more about Tiffany at www.tiffanyetaylor.com or you can connect with her on:
Facebook at www.facebook.com/tiffanyetaylorqueerauthor
Twitter at www.twitter.com/LGBTQAuthor
Instagram at www.instagram.com/tiffanyetaylor_lgbtqauthor/
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Kotza House - a butch/femme paranormal shifter tale
ParanormalTara Nicolson is lost and alone. Her ex and her ex's new girlfriend have turned all of her friends against her, her extremely religious parents disowned her years ago, and she's been stuck in a series of dead-end jobs her entire adult life. Then Tar...
