Treasure of Lima by Alex Archer

Author:Alex Archer [Archer, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: #genre, Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Supernatural, Women Sleuths, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Paranormal & Urban
Amazon: B00E1UY3Q2
Publisher: Gold Eagle
Published: 2014-01-07T18:00:00+00:00

20

The jaguar was a beautiful specimen, about one hundred and fifty kilograms of rippling golden-brown muscle covered with a pattern of black rosettes that undulated as it ran. It had yellow eyes and a dark tail that lashed back and forth in anger.

She hated to kill such a glorious creature but she didn’t see how she was going to be able to chase it off. It saw her as the interloper in its meal; perhaps even the meal itself now, and it was going to fight to protect the same.

The cat bounded toward her on large padded feet that allowed it to move almost soundlessly, and Annja knew that if she caught a swipe of one of those massive paws across just about anywhere, she was in a host of trouble.

So don’t let it connect, her inner voice told her.

Right. Easier said than done.

Then the cat was upon her and she didn’t have any time for thought, just action.

The jaguar rushed in, closing to within three feet of Annja before skidding to a stop and rearing up on its hind legs, lashing out with its right paw while roaring at her from close range.

Something in the back of Annja’s mind cataloged the cry—the jaguar was the only cat in the western hemisphere that actually roared like a tiger or lion—but the rest of her was entirely focused on the battle unfurling mere inches away.

As one of the cat’s big paws came lashing in, Annja struck out with her sword in turn, cutting a narrow slash across the outside of the cat’s paw.

Sorry, kitty, but it’s not going to be as easy as all that.

As if it heard her, the jaguar snarled, a harsh, rippling cry, and then lashed out again, once, twice, driving Annja backward, forcing her to keep her sword swinging frantically as she sought to keep those paws off her. The cat was trying to corner her against another tree, where it could kill her and then eat her at its leisure.

Annja twisted and turned, striking out with her sword every opportunity that she had, and before long both of them were bleeding from half a dozen minor wounds but neither side giving any inclination of giving up.

Then it happened.

The cat lashed out with its paw again, but this time the blow connected with the flat of Annja’s weapon, ripping it free of her hands and sending it twisting and turning away somewhere into the thick foliage behind her.

If the cat had been capable of smiling, there was no doubt in Annja’s mind that it would have in that moment.

Its yellow eyes gleamed wickedly as it let loose a final roar and charged.

Annja turned and ran directly at the tree behind her, praying she’d be fast enough. The cat closed half the distance in a single bound.

Annja used the first of the ceiba roots that she came to as a springboard, pushing off with her left foot and bouncing to the next on her right, then jumping off with that one to bring her into contact with the trunk of the tree itself.

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