Dark Peril Page 0,133

she read a dangerous scenario.

"Hurry, Solange. We are losing too much of the night."

She nodded and dashed away. It took a good five minutes, but she returned with a small case covered in dirt. "I think I'll do best in the trees just above his house. Try to keep him centered in the windows or better yet, keep him outside. I should be able to cover you if he's got company. Are you picking up more than one person?"

"Not in the house. He is alone at the moment, but there is someone in the smaller building behind the main house, and a third man seems to be in the barn."

"I should be able to cover all three locations. My jaguar is uneasy, Dominic. There is something very disturbing to her in this place. Be careful." He knew it would embarrass her, but he leaned down, framed her face with his hands and kissed her thoroughly. "Remember what I said about scaring me."

She rubbed her cheek against his like the cat she was. "No worries. Take me up to that tree branch. It will be faster than if I climb."

He glanced up. The branch was a good fifty feet aboveground. Most people would be terrified of the height, let alone at night with little moon. The rain had begun to fall again, just a drizzle, but it would be enough to make the branch slippery. Without a word he wrapped his arm around her waist and took her up to her perch.

It was more difficult leaving her than he'd thought it would be. He did trust her judgment and if her cat was uneasy, something was off at the ranch. He was expecting to find a man who had been possessed, but he knew Solange expected something else as well, and for the first time he had no real clue to what they faced--or why. There was something in Solange's blood that made it special, and he was beginning to think they were the ones being hunted now--and for her blood. But who was after her? The vampires? Brodrick? Someone else?

He let his breath out in a long, slow hiss of frustration.

Does it really matter? Her voice was soft in his head, almost tender, brushing along nerve endings that felt almost raw. It is my way of life and I chose it long ago, just as you chose your life. They are not expecting two of us. They believe they are facing a female jaguar only, and they will make a mistake--if they haven't already.

He thought of those silver eyes. Possessing another's body, taking over without consent and forcing the body to do one's bidding was such a foul, vile crime. Even with all he'd seen in his long centuries, he couldn't imagine why anyone would be willing to cross that line of humanity other than Xavier, the head mage who had started the war with the Carpathian people so many centuries earlier.

Solange's response was reassuring. She was matter-of-fact about facing death and her calm acceptance of their way of life allowed his mind to settle to the task at hand. She was not a woman who would panic, or worse, throw herself into unnecessary danger to prove some point. She was experienced and read situations correctly, had endless patience and knew when to retreat without her ego being involved. She was a good partner to have. When there was need, she would be at his back--or his side--without hesitation. There was something appealing about having a partner he could count on.

She knew his protective instincts would come into play and she accepted that as she did everything else about their life together. Somehow, his Solange had become his world and she'd enhanced everything in it, including going into battle.

Whoever was in the barn is now in the house with Santiago Vazquez. I got a good look at him, and didn't recognize him. I know most of the humans working at the laboratory as well as most of the jaguar-men. This man isn't from around here.

He gained the porch without alerting anyone to his presence. Someone moved around inside and he could hear a voice coming from the back of the house. The man he assumed was Vazquez answered in a louder, much angrier voice.

"She's alive. I was just there and she's still alive."

Dominic stood on the porch, listening. They had to be talking about Marguarita.

"You promised he would kill her if I did what you said. I've done everything. The