Ashe shook her head, her eyes bright. “That magic truly does exist. That the man I fell in love with is a puma shifter.” She bit her bottom lip. “And that the baby I’m carrying is half human, half Pantera.”
“What?” Julia said on a gasp, her gaze slipping down to the woman’s flat belly.
“I’m only six weeks along.” Ashe grabbed Julia’s hand again, her eyes imploring. “I’m scared. I have no idea what to expect. No clue as to how long I’ll be pregnant, what the gestational period of a puma/human hybrid will be.” She swallowed. “I want this baby to be okay. And having a human doctor…” She shook her head. “I can’t believe Parish just took you without telling you anything.”
Parish. Just hearing his name made her skin tighten. This was madness. A puma/human hybrid. Christ. This woman didn’t need an OB, she needed a shrink. And I need to get the hell out of here before I’m sucked in further.
“I know. I know where your head’s at.” Ashe leaned toward her. “And I don’t blame you. I’m just asking for some time.”
“Time for what?”
Ashe licked her lips. “To prove it to you. To show you. Them.”
Pale gold fur, a set of feline hips and a long, thick tail moved slowly through Julia’s mind. She gritted her teeth against the vision. She couldn’t believe Ashe, she refused to. But if she wanted to get out of here, maybe she needed to play their game for a little while.
Julia held the woman’s gaze and sighed. “If all this is true, and I’m not saying it is, wouldn’t it be better to have a doctor who’s a...” Shit, she could barely get the word out because it was so ludicrous. “Shifter?”
“There are plenty of those here. But they’ve only dealt with puma births. Plus, they haven’t delivered a child in over fifty years.”
Puma. Births. And yet, her damn doctor’s curiosity had her asking, “Why not?”
“The female Pantera either couldn’t get pregnant or were unable to carry the babies to full-term. It’s a horrific situation. They even tried to impregnate humans, willing test subjects, but nothing happened.”
“Until you,” Julia said softly, eyeing her sharply.
Ashe nodded.
This poor woman needed help. Serious, professional help. Julia was going to do her best to find a way out of here. Maybe she could convince Ashe to go with her.
“Listen, Ashe,” she said in a gentle voice. “I know some really incredible doctors back in the city—”
Squeezing her hand tightly, Ashe implored her, “Please don’t say no. Don’t say anything. Not yet.” Ashe released her hand after one final squeeze and quickly got to her feet. “I’ll leave you alone. Let you try and sort this out. It took me a while…Hell, I think I’m still reeling from the truth. But know this: you’ll have whatever you need and want here. A home, salary, protection, freedom.” She smiled down at Julia with the most stable, yet concerned expression. “If you decide to leave, though, no one’s going to hold you here against your will—not even Parish.”
Was it true? She could go if she wanted? Julia lifted a brow. “I don’t know about that. Parish seems pretty intent on me staying.” And god, I think I like that part of this dream.
Ashe shrugged. “He’s a Hunter. He’s wild, untamed, used to taking what he wants. And he doesn’t have the best manners. But he’s also honorable.”
Honorable. She hadn’t met an honorable man in a long time.
Ashe was almost at the door when she glanced back. “Like you, I don’t have much back home. Nothing I want to run to, anyway. My family is Raphael and…well,” she touched her belly again. “Little No-Name here.” She smiled. “It would be great to have a friend as well as a doctor.”
Julia stared at the woman, watched her leave the room, and as soon as the door closed she pivoted to sit on the edge of the bed. Her head felt light, but okay. She had to find a way out, a way home. To the hotel and the jobless, family-less life. She couldn’t stay here. Right? With the crazy lady and shape-shifting Pantera? With the gorgeous, golden-eyed male who looked at her with unmasked desire and hope?
It was reality vs. fantasy. And as a doctor, a scientist, she was nothing if she couldn’t choose fact over fiction.
A shaft of light spilled into the room then, snaking across her legs and coating the metal door beyond. Completely taken by its brilliant, pale glow, Julia pushed to her feet and followed its origin. The long picture window was closed, but when she arrived at the glass and looked out over the unfamiliar setting, she gasped in amazement.
Parish opened the door and entered with the silent predatory grace he was known for as leader of the Hunters. His gaze went first to the bed, then shifted to the window where she stood looking out over the courtyard. He wondered how long she’d been standing there; poised at the glass, her arms spread, her hands curled around the edges of the sill. His gaze moved deliberately, covetously down her body. The sun was bathing her in its warm light, allowing him to see through her white T-shirt to the curves beneath. Deadly, brain-altering curves. His mouth filled with saliva and his cat scratched to get out, run at her and pounce.
He had to convince her to stay, but more importantly he had to convince her that he was the best male to protect her. Just the idea of Raphael assigning another male to guard her, another puma sniffing around her, looking at her with a desire only he should feel, made him insane with jealousy.
He wasn’t willing to admit his claim on her out loud, but he would make damn sure the Wildlands’ males felt it, sensed it, scented it, every time they got close to her.
He growled softly, and she instantly turned around. He waited for fear to ignite in her eyes, but all that appeared in her expression was relief. His heart softened, pressed against his chest as if it wanted to get to her. She didn’t fear him. Unlike so many other females, she didn’t fear him.
“I can’t believe this place,” she said, turning back to the window. “It’s incredible. I thought I might be dreaming, but now I’m convinced of it.”
He came to stand beside her. “You shouldn’t be out of bed.” His words were meant to be gentle, caring, but they came out slightly gruff as his mind conjured images of taking her back to bed himself. Maybe curling beside her and purring against her neck.
“What is it called again? This place?”
“The Wildlands.”
“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
Leaning against the window, Parish stared at her. No, neither had he. Far too beautiful for the likes of a scarred Hunter with a bad attitude. And yet, he couldn’t look away from her, couldn’t stand the thought of her leaving the bayou. How was this possible? Taken with a human? He hated humans. They had no conscience, no honor. They destroyed the good and the innocent.
They’d destroyed her.
His gut tightened with pain as it did every time he thought of Keira. How could he even think of caring for a human? Giving his protection to one?
“It’s so green.” Julia glanced over at him, the smile curving her mouth echoed in her eyes. “But shades of green I’ve never seen before. I mean, I’ve been to the bayou. Several times, in fact, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s paradise.”
He had always thought humans were attracted to electronics, tall buildings, glass and metal. Not the wild, untamed landscape he’d been born to, protected and loved fiercely. But the fact that Julia saw it as he did pleased him.
“Do people know about it?” she asked. “Do they come here?”