All his life, Albert Lawrence had been the hunter. Now for the first time he understood how it felt to be the prey. He paused, every muscle tense and his senses straining for any sign of the predator stalking him.

He hadn't seen or heard anything, yet he knew he was being followed. His hand trembled on his rifle. Sweat trickled down his back and his heart pounded.

Oddly, his next thought was about the beauty of these woodlands. In all the years he'd been hunting, he'd never taken the time to appreciate this untamed country. His sole concern had been the challenge. The kill.

Something struck him hard in the back and knocked him face-first to the ground. He grunted from the impact, too stunned to struggle. A powerful, hairy hand clamped around the back of his neck and his attacker pulled the rifle from his grasp.

"Pathetic, greedy human," growled a voice so deep and wild that it sounded as if a great cat had mastered the power of speech. "For too long I have watched your kind hunt beasts, taking more than you could ever eat and stealing their skins. You kill for the mere pleasure of it."

His attacker rolled Albert roughly onto his back. The human stared in horror and fascination at the creature straddling him. Rangy and thickly muscled, it had a manlike shape, but was covered in leopard skin. Thick fangs gleamed against his dark, snarling lips.

"Does life mean anything to you?" growled the beast, his hand tightening around Albert's throat.

"Yes," he choked.

"Your own life maybe." The creature leaned closer, his face inches from Albert's. "What would you give me to spare your pathetic life?"

"Anything," Albert whispered.

The creature's greenish-yellow eyes narrowed, then a faint yet horrible smile curved his lips. "Anything, you say. In that case, I will allow you to live, but only so you can repay your debt to my kind. First you will never hunt again."

"I give you my word. No more hunting. Ever."

"And second..." The creature sank his fangs deep into Albert's shoulder.

The human screamed, his fists clawing at the cat creature's shoulders and his body thrashing in a futile attempt to push his attacker away.

The beast sat up, licking blood from his lips.

"You said you'd spare my life," Albert panted, pain flaring from his shoulder through his entire body. "What have you done to me? What poison is in your bite?"

"Your life has been spared, human, and once healed, my bite won't harm you. But the second part of our pact has been initiated. From your bloodline a woman will be born who bears the mark of my people. When the time is right, one of my bloodline will come to claim her."

"Wait, you can't ask me to sacrifice one of my children."

"Your people have hunted my kind to near extinction. Our females are few. We have no choice but to interbreed with other species to ensure our survival. This woman of your bloodline will be a mother of my race."

Albert thought he might be sick, both from the pain of the creature's bite and from disgust over the bargain he'd struck. If he was any kind of man he'd tell this monster to kill him here and now, but he hadn't the courage.

His head spun and his vision blurred. The last thing he saw before sinking into blackness was the snarling face of the cat creature.

Chapter One

Colorado, 2009

Joshi growled, muscles rippling as Clementine's clawed hands raked his back. Behind him, Clarissa purred and sank her fangs into his ass. His head snapped over his shoulder and he gave a sharp roar.

Clarissa backed away slightly, but glanced at him with a sultry look in her large green eyes.

Seeing that he'd been distracted by her sister, Clementine pawed his face and made a sound somewhere between a growl and a purr. He turned back to her and pawed her face in response, then thrust into her hot, wet body, making her writhe with desire.

This pair had kept him busy for most of the evening. Clarissa and Clementine were ultra-rare twin female Prowleryns -- beings gifted with the characteristics of both humans and great cats.

The entire species now dwindled. Males like Joshi vied for the attention of females whom they greatly outnumbered. He'd spent most of his life traveling all over the world in search of females of his kind, hoping to spread his seed and increase the Prowleryn chances of survival.

If he didn't succeed, he'd be forced into an act that sickened him. He would have no choice but to mate with a human female.

Beneath him, Clementine gasped and growled, her lips drawn back in pleasure, exposing her sharp little fangs. The American Prowleryns were smaller than the ones from his tribe, but what these females lacked in size they made up for in enthusiasm.

His cock ached and heart pounded with lust. Clementine came hard, her flesh pulsing around him. Joshi closed his eyes and lunged into her with several more hard thrusts. He exploded, filling her with his essence.

He scarcely had time to recover before Clarissa rubbed her face against his back, her hand kneading his ass. One of her claws slid between the indentation and tickled his sphincter.

Joshi roared again and rolled off of Clementine to grab her sister. His fingers bit into Clarissa's upper arms and his mouth covered hers in a rough kiss. She met him with equal ferocity. Her tongue thrust against his and she bit his upper lip hard enough to draw blood. The taste of it aroused him, making him hard again. Unlike human males, Prowleryns had amazing recuperative qualities, not to mention incredible staying power.

Only Prowleryn females could truly satisfy them, which was part of the reason Joshi disliked the idea of fucking a human woman. It would be such a bore, such a waste. Worst of all, his children would carry weak, human blood. That would not happen if he got one or both of these sisters pregnant.

Pressing Clarissa against a nearby bolder, he bent his knees and filled her cunt with a long, hard thrust. She cried out sharply, whether from pleasure or pain he wasn't sure. He felt no emotional attachment to these women, and they had made it clear they felt none to him. They'd agreed to fuck him for the sole purpose of procreation.

It had taken some heavy bargaining with their tribal leader to allow him to take these women. He'd brought gifts for both the leader and the women. Finally they had agreed that if he impregnated Clementine, the offspring would remain with this Colorado tribe. If his seed grew within Clarissa, she would return with him to his tribal territory and their child would be raised there.

Perhaps taking a human would be easier, as she would be his no matter what. Still, he would rather leave behind the child of a Prowleryn than be burdened with a human female for the rest of his life.

"Something wrong?" Clarissa purred, lightly running her claws over his shoulders. "You look distracted. Don't I please you, you gorgeous golden beast?" As if to draw his attention, she tightened her muscles around him, squeezing his stiff cock.

In reply he growled and raked his fangs along her shoulder, then grasped her wrists and pinned them on either side of her head as he pounded into her.

She moaned and arched against him. Her drenched pussy throbbed around him and his body stiffened as he came long and hard.

No sooner had he finished than he withdrew from her, leaving her panting against the rock.

Clementine, who had been watching them, stood a short distance away. Lust burned in her eyes as she stroked her breasts, her fingertips teasing her long, pink nipples.

"You're vigorous, even for one of our kind," Clementine said, her gaze sweeping him. "Let's see which one of us wears you out first."

"You mean why don't we see which one of you gives out first," he said, his voice husky as he reached for her again.

She opened her mouth for his kiss, but they were interrupted by the roars of several Prowleryn males.

Four cat men, covered in dark gold fur, appeared at the top of a rock pile. All were young and strong, the scent of their rage and arousal wafted on the air.

Joshi had no doubt what this was about. In spite of his arrangement with their leader, he was still infringing on their rights by claiming these females.

They climbed down the rocks and surrounded him.

"You have no business here," said the largest male, though even he wasn't as tall as Joshi.

"These are our females," said another. "Go back where you came from."

"My job is done here," Joshi said with a smug grin. This had the desired effect and the four males roared with fury.

He probably shouldn't be so arrogant, considering it was a four-to-one situation, but Joshi had never backed away from a challenge in his life.

They attacked simultaneously, like lions hunting their prey. One-on-one these smaller cats wouldn't have a chance against him. A group effort was more challenging, but this wasn't the first time Joshi had been faced with such an attack.

Their muscular bodies locked, they bit each other deeply. Claws sank into furred flesh and battle roars filled the air. They kicked up clouds of dust from the dry ground, making it difficult to see. Joshi felt claws sink into his thighs and one of the males sank his fangs deeply into his shoulder. Joshi's claws tore at the shoulders of the cat man in his arms, then he turned and bit through the leg of another. The third lunged at him and Joshi used his powerful legs to hurl him into the boulder.

Joshi leapt to his feet, ignoring the pain of his wounds, and faced the only opponent left standing. A flicker of fear darted across this male's eyes, but pride overcame his terror and he attacked. Joshi swiped his claws across the other cat's face, knocking him to his knees.

Gazing at Joshi with unfocused eyes, he said, "Do it. Finish us."

Panting, his teeth bared, Joshi glanced around at the injured males and back to Clarissa and Clementine who stood a safe distance away.

"I came here for the survival of our kind," Joshi stated. "I have no desire to kill other Prowleryns. Leave me in peace and I'll consider this matter closed. Otherwise, I will finish this."

Properly chastised, his attackers nodded in consent and dragged themselves off, probably back to the village to tend their injuries. That wasn't a bad idea. There was a river nearby. Some of Joshi's wounds were quite deep and needed care.

The sisters approached, their eyes gleaming with lust.

"Come with us," Clarissa said, taking his arm.

"We'll clean your wounds for you," Clementine said.

Typical Prowleryn women. Seeing a male tear apart his enemies in battle aroused them as much as fucking.

That was good. At least they would bear children with the hot, raging blood of his kind. Not the impure blood of humans.

Joshi growled and led the way to the river, the sisters purring softly behind him.