«You are 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. Shea and Savannah were close
friends and often visited each other, but even their homes were miles apart. Jacques had built a very elegant house almost into the mountain itself, so even from the air, it was impossible to see.
The cat lifted its head and scented the air several times. She is searching for a particular scent.
What is it? Byron could feel the urgent compulsion in the cat, but he couldn't find the thread driving it.
Antonietta didn't answer him right away, and when she did it was with some reluctance. She is hunting prey.
The female jaguar pushed off with her hind feet and sprang up onto a fallen log, pausing for a moment to look toward the mountain:, toward Gregori's home, and then turned her head in the direction of the other house.
Deep inside the body of the jaguar, Antonietta gasped. Byron! Did you feel that surge? The eagerness?
What is she after?
The baby. She's after Shea's baby. That means Darius's leopards are being pushed to attack Shea. Whoever it is doesn't know about me. The compulsion is directed at the cats.
Byron reached out on the private link he shared with his childhood friend. Jacques. Hear me now. He shared the information, the feelings Antonietta was experiencing as well as their fears. We have to give this information to all Carpathians, but once we do, Shea will hear. Do you need time to break it to her gently?
Byron hated to add to the couple's stress level. Both were terrified of the upcoming birth –and rightly so. Now they had to worry about an enemy who could manipulate animals and was doing so with the specific intent of harming their child.
Spread the word, Byron. We must find this enemy before Shea gives birth. I fear it will be this night. There was a small silence, and then Jacques sighed. She is already fighting it, wanting to keep our son safe inside the womb.
You are certain it is a boy?
Yes. I have a son. He is strong and wants to come out into the world, but Shea has been holding him back. Knowing an enemy has specifically targeted our child makes it more difficult.
She has my protection as well. I stand by your side, ready to fight.
We thank you, my old friend. There was weariness in Jacques's voice. Please thank
Antonietta. It must have been difficult for her to get her cat to reveal this information. Without her effort we would not know an enemy is about to strike. Shea sends her thanks as well.
Byron shared the response with his lifemate as they both exerted pressure on the jaguar to turn back toward home. Immediately, the warning went out to all Carpathians on their common path of communication, and he felt a surge of pride in Antonietta.
The female snarled, resisting the order. Byron moved in closer, and at once Antonietta responded, catching his thought. There were much more pleasant ways to distract the cat than fighting it. Byron quickly shifted forms. The male jaguar shouldered the female, rubbing his chin along her back, and the female sprang away from him, throwing an enticing look over her shoulder. They raced back to the house, heat overcoming the need for prey.
By the time they shifted back to their own forms, their arms were wound tightly around one another, mouths welded together, and his hands were deftly pulling the intricate weave from her hair.
Chapter 11
Juliette De La Cruz paced restlessly back and forth across the kitchen tiles. Her body felt too tight for her own skin. It was impossible to control her mind as it flipped channels, a chaotic whirl from subject to subject. She couldn't seem to stay focused on anything at all– not even the fruit and melon salad she was making for tonight's celebration.