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back upstairs with some reinforcements.
    Dante couldn’t fight that many panthers on his own. They’d kill him.
    Her heart hammering, she ran out of the bathroom to find herself inside a roomful of dealers. She scanned the booths hoping to find one of Dante’s brothers.
    Instead her gaze landed on a medieval weapons booth that was lined with every kind of weapon imaginable.
    Pandora headed for it. She skimmed through the weapons. They had poleaxes and swords, which would be too awkward for her. She had no idea how to skillfully wield one, and the daggers would force her to get too close to the panthers.
    But the double-sided handaxe …
    She seized it without hesitation, then closed her eyes, conjured up an image of Dante, and prayed his spell actually worked. Her head swam as she was whirled back into the room in the middle of the fight.
    Pandora tightened her grip on the axe, then realized she wasn’t sure which panther was Dante.
    Not until one attacked her. Assuming her mate wouldn’t do such a thing, she swung the axe with every ounce of strength she possessed.
    It made contact with the beast’s shoulder.
    The panther howled as he limped away.
    â€œPandora!” Dante snapped in her mind. “What are you doing?”
    â€œI’m saving my mate,” she said between clenched teeth as she went after another panther. “You’re not Dante, are you?”
    â€œI’m behind you.”
    â€œGood.” She swung at the panther in front of her who dodged her first blow but was caught by her second one.
    Before she could swing again, she found herself back in the handicapped bathroom stall, this time with two women who were trying to unlace a female Klingon costume.
    They both gaped at her as they stared at her bloodied axe.
    Too worried over her mate, Pandora paid them no attention.
    â€œI’m getting tired of this!” she growled, then wished herself back to Dante.
    Dante cursed in her head as she reappeared in his room. “I’m going to take that damned ring from you.”
    A panther leaped at her.
    Pandora started to swing, but caught herself as the panther flashed to Dante’s naked, human form. He wrapped his arms around her and flashed her into her hotel room.
    â€œDante?” she breathed, her voice shaking as she realized he was covered in blood from the fighting. He looked terrible. There were bite wounds and scratches all over him.
    Dante wanted to speak, but in truth it was taking way too much of his powers to assume human form while injured. His human body ached and throbbed.
    He had to protect Pandora.
    Closing his eyes, he summoned Romeo.
    But no sooner had he sent out the call, than his human legs buckled.
    â€œDante?” Pandora asked as she pulled him into her arms.
    He had no choice except to return to his panther’s body.
    To his surprise, she didn’t release him or flee in fear of his animal form. She held him tight and stroked his fur.
    He licked her chin, but couldn’t muster any more strength. He was in way too much pain.
    Pandora’s heart stilled at the way Dante was acting. He had to be hurt badly to not even move.
    A flash of light startled her. She reached for her axe, then hesitated as she saw Romeo in human form by the bed.
    His gaze narrowed on her as he saw his brother’s limp form and the bloody axe. “What did you do to him?”
    â€œNothing. The other panthers came for me and I tried to help Dante fight them off.”
    Something hit the door, then flashed into the room. Romeo whirled as a panther rushed them.
    Dante leaped out of her arms so fast that she shrieked. He went straight for the panther’s throat as Romeo changed form.
    Pandora grabbed the axe from the floor and scrambled to a corner.
    One by one, four more panthers appeared in the room. There was no way to tell them apart as they fought with Romeo and Dante. Roars and growls echoed in her ears and the scent of blood