she stared down in shocked horror at the track marks in the snow. Her mouth went dry as she took a cautious look around. Her heart began to slam hard and for one awful moment, her legs went rubbery.
Riordan? How far away are you?
What is it? He felt her fear more than heard it, and already he was striding through his brother's house, calling to the other men, ready to take to the air.
Jaguar tracks. Male. How can that be? I was throwing melon scraps out for the deer and the tracks are all around the house. He was staring in the window while I was making the salad. She stayed still, almost afraid to move, her gaze quartering the area, paying particular attention to the trees.
The Dark Troubadours brought their leopards, Juliette. His voice was soothing. Perhaps you are mistaken and one of the leopards was investigating our house.
She brought her teeth together in a sharp snap. Don't patronize me! I know the difference. I've tracked jaguar all my life and I don't make mistakes. I know a jaguar track and I know when a male has been in the vicinity. I can scent him as well. I'm telling you one of them is here, in the mountains, and there's only one reason he'd be here.
Get in the house. I'm on my way, coming to you now.
No, the tracks lead away from the house. I'm going to follow him. Antonietta has the ability to shift into a jaguar as well. I don't know if any of the other women can as well, but if they can, they could be in as much danger as I am. It stands to reason that several of them carry the blood whether they can shapeshift or not. It would explain their strong psychic abilities.
Juliette. He put warning into his voice, displeasure.
She ignored him as if she hadn't heard him. I can't believe one of them came here with so many Carpathian males around. They must be getting desperate. What if they followed us? What if I brought this danger on these people?
Don't panic. I'll be there soon. Go into the house. He repeated it, this time making it a command. Not all jaguar males belong to the group kidnapping females.
You and I both know if he's here lurking around the house, he's after a woman who can shapeshift. I'm not allowing what happened to my baby sister to happen to anyone else. I'm tracking him.
Already, she was calling up her cat for the change. Before her conversion to Carpathian, the change from human form to jaguar had been slow and painful, but it was much easier now. Before, she could call on her jaguar heritage only for short periods of time and shift, but it was always difficult, and even more so to hold that form for very long. Now she could do it effortlessly for hours on end.
If someone is influencing the cats in an attempt to get them to attack Shea and her unborn child, it may be too dangerous for you to use that form. You said you were having trouble. He used any excuse he could think of to stall her.
I've been restless and edgy, and yes, my jaguar has been clawing at me to let her loose, but no jaguar male could influence us that way.
He could if he was psychic.
I would know. I spent my life fighting them in the jungle, Riordan. In any case, I'm perfectly capable of controlling my cat. I've been doing it all my life-even when she's edgy and needs a mate.
You better never let her loose when she needs a mate-unless you re coming to me. Now wait for me.
She reached for her wild side, allowing her jaguar to completely take over her body. Spotted fur slid over her skin. Muscles and tendons contracted and stretched, stiletto-sharp claws sprang from her curving hands and her face elongated to accommodate the jaguar muzzle and teeth. She dropped to all fours, already running smoothly. Roped muscles and a flexible spine allowed the stocky jaguar to leap from boulder to log and even take to the tree branches when necessary.
I forbid this, Riordan bit out, his hiss of anger sliding into her mind with a black swirl.
Then it's a good thing no one can boss me around. Juliette had fought most of her life against the jaguar males. They kidnapped women with the ability to shapeshift and stole any child resulting in the union. Juliette