Lion's Kill — Thom Nichols

Once again, lions are on the precipice of evolution. Already living, Ulibarri could care less about what will happen to his species in the near future. He is fifteen years old and his thoughts are on his own survival. To extend his life, he must keep his human virginal. Only a virgin can lure a unicorn and only a unicorn's magic can add another year to his lifespan. Tanna is very trustworthy and more like one of the family. Still, at the wedding of her sister everything falls apart. The death of Ulibarri's brother, an overly generous bid for Tanna's hand, an attack on the town and a unicorn made completely of ice are capped off by a venomous bite that strips the lion of his extra life and ushers him towards death's door. Hunting the unicorn is the only thing that can save Ulibarri. Unfortunately for him, he isn't the only one hunting. Captured and tortured, he can either join with his enemies to save himself or do the right thing and resist. Tanna's suitor turns out to be less than what she expected. His evil magical spells disrupt Ulibarri's defiance of his captors and draws the unicorns to her. Magic and evolution are mixed to disastrous proportions. Ulibarri is forced to join forces with the ice unicorn he's been hunting and together they stand against their worst nightmare.