us here, Reaux.”
“Aren’t you concerned?”
“About what?”
“How my curse could affect this human female? One who’s obviously been through intense trauma.”
Raphael snorted. “Cousin, I’ve never been worried. That was your mother’s, and my aunt’s, irrational issue. One she seemed to relish torturing you about. You’ve always been smart about what you think you can handle. I don’t need to be involved.” He released a weary breath. “Besides, I have a few other pressing matters to deal with.”
“Like the safety of our species,” Jean-Baptiste put in.
“Shit…not just safety anymore. The survival.”
Reaux tensed, almost into fighting mode. “What’s happened?” First and foremost, he was Pantera. Ready to battle, protect. Ready to use his teeth and claws on anything that threatened his kind. “Has there been another suicide bombing?”
“No,” Raphael admitted. “But we know the reason behind it. Trying to destroy information on a biological virus Christopher developed that could wipe out the Pantera. He didn’t want us to know it existed at all.”
The cat inside Reaux pawed and snarled to get out. “How the hell could he create such a thing?”
“He had our kind to play with and experiment on for a long time, Reaux,” JB said, the metal in his lip and eyebrow flashing as a quick burst of lightning flickered in the sky. “I fear he knows our DNA better than we do.”
This bastard needed to be put down. “Was the research destroyed?”
“Looks like it,” Raphael said. “But we’ll have confirmation soon. I’m hoping something can be salvaged. If we can get our hands on the formula, we can create an antidote. Or that’s the hope.”
“Karen can tell you more about it,” Jean-Baptiste said.
The woman’s name made Reaux’s skin tighten. “What?”
“I know you don’t want backstory, but she was there. Just a few days ago. It was her son, Ward, who gave us the information. After he abducted Karen first.” He shook his head. “Still don’t know what to make of that. Hero or villain. But at least he got our people to safety.”
“Holy shit,” Reaux uttered. “That poor woman.”
Raphael lifted a brow. “So. Do you really want me to say you can’t help her?”
“Hell yes.”
“And would you follow that order if I gave it?”
“Fuck no.” The grin he shot the male was dark and half-assed.
Both Raph and Jean-Baptiste laughed. It was a difficult line to tread, leading a group of males and females who were at their core predatory animals who wished to do what they wanted—were driven by instinct to do what they wanted. But Raphael handled it well. Was fair and thoughtful in his rule.
“What’s really the problem here?” Jean-Baptiste asked. “Are you attracted to her? Not that I would blame you. She’s hot.”
Raphael shot him the side-eye. “Don’t let your female hear you talking like that.”
JB snorted. “Please. It’s one of our games. My mate and I. Genevieve says who she thinks is hot. I say who I think is hot. Then when we’re both so jealous we’re about to lose our minds, we both shift into our cats and get nast—”
Reaux cleared his throat. “Yeah, we get the picture, brother.”
Jean-Baptiste chuckled darkly.
“Are you attracted to her, Reaux?” Raphael asked.
Reaux evaded the question. Mainly because he wasn’t sure how he felt about the woman. How he should feel about her. “She claims to not be affected by me.”
His fellow Healer, tattoo-lover, and serious over-sharer nearly choked on the last bit of apple. “How’s that possible?”
Reaux pointed at the male. “Exactly.”
“She’s not mated, is she?” Raphael asked.
“I didn’t think so. But…she could be seeing someone.” The words sounded like gravel in his throat. “Do either of you know a Pantera called Adrian?”
Jean-Baptiste nodded. “I checked him out when he and the others came in.”
“He’s a rat? Hybrid?”
“Full Pantera,” JB told him. “Captured early, and held in one of the labs. Incredibly gifted with IT. I hear he was a fearless protector to the females on the inside. Or tried to be.”
Hero type. Sounded like just the kind of male Karen would choose. A good male. Why, then, did Reaux want to rip out his throat?
“What does it matter who she’s seeing?” Raphael asked him, his eyes humming with amusement. “You know, if you’re not interested.”
Reaux sent him a feral glare. “Screw you, cousin.”
The leader of the Pantera laughed. And just as JB joined in, the door to Reaux’s office buzzed.
“She’s here.” Reaux was up, out of his seat in seconds.
“Yeah, he’s not into her,” Jean-Baptiste uttered, shoving back his chair.
“Not at all.” Raphael stood. “I suppose we can