Dark Celebration Page 0,81

Carpathian, Antonietta, and everything jaguar isn't evil. There are some that make it that way, but right now, what's more important is what is stirring up the cat in you." He glanced out the window to the storm clouds. "It's only a couple of hours until we meet the villagers for this pageant and meal at the inn. We have to be ready for any danger coming our way."

She swept a hand through her hair. "I've always been able to control the jaguar, but she's fighting me, trying to escape, and I think..." Her eyes met his. "I think she's dangerous."

"You'd never hurt anyone, Antonietta," he assured.

"You don't understand. She's trying to hurt me. I'm not letting her out and she's angry."

Byron's gaze narrowed and he sat up straighten He sent every sense flaring out into the night, scanning, reading, trying to find a subtle strain of power influencing the part of Antonietta that was jaguar. He could feel a small stir in the air, but with so many Carpathians together, it was impossible to tell if the shift in the air was manipulating the cat in his lifemate.

"I heard a rumor that the Dark Troubadours are having trouble with the leopards they brought with them," he said. "The cats attacked one of the band members and threatened several others. They've caged them and they've never had to do that. Even Darius is having trouble controlling the cats' behavior."

Antonietta frowned. "What would do that? And what of the others? Isn't one of the Carpathian males with a woman who is fully jaguar? What's happening to her?"

"Yes, Juliette. There is also Natalya, Vikirnoff's woman. The tiger is strong in her." Byron pulled Antonietta into his arms to comfort her. "Come with me."

"Where?" He was moving her toward the door and her heart fluttered in fear. "Byron, I don't want to chance it."

"The cat will know where the power is coming from. She can trace it straight back to its source."

"But I'm not certain I'm strong enough to control the jaguar." In all her human years with the cat inside her, always fighting to come out, she had never been afraid of the animal. Until now. She shivered. The snow once more was beginning to drift down, but it was fear more than cold that made her shiver.

"We can control it together. Keep your mind merged with mine at all times, even if the cat resists," he said.

For some reason, memories of the conversion washed over her. It had been particularly difficult and painful, the jaguar fighting the Carpathian blood. Sweat broke out. "Byron, are you sure?"

"If you are afraid we cannot control this thing together, I'll call Jacques. Together, nothing will defeat us. You cannot go to the party under an influence we know nothing about."

She reached for Byron's mind with her own, sliding in with ease. It was an extremely intimate thing to do, and as always, her body reacted to the closeness. She was woman enough to enjoy his erotic thoughts and images of her, the way he viewed her full curves with lust rather than wishing for a thinner, more modern woman. He loved her hair, the thickness and color. He especially enjoyed taking out the elaborate braid just before he made love to her.

It took a moment to adjust to two minds vying for supremacy, but they merged naturally and Antonietta reached for the beast, embracing the jaguar, allowing it freedom. It sprang forward, claws unsheathed, with a chaotic need to bound across the snow-covered meadow for the trees. Byron paced easily beside her, ignoring the warnings rumbling from the female. He was not about to let Antonietta out of his sight.

The female jaguar slowed to a walk, placing each paw delicately in the powdery snow, but moving without hesitation deeper into the woods. They were moving in the general direction of the inn, but were still several miles away. To Byron's knowledge, there were only a couple of homes in the direction they were going. Gregori's home was high in the mountains, surrounded by a grove of trees and large boulders. It was protected from weather and enemies on three sides, and even a hiker walking within yards of it wouldn't be able to spot it. Gregori had woven safeguards around it to further distort the image from any potential enemy.

Jacques and Shea lived in the second house. It too was very secluded. Jacques still needed a space between him and the rest of the population.