Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 118860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
“Good evening to you, too,” Sarika said. “I didn’t really do all that, but it’s nice Solange thinks I did.”
“These are our friends.” Jasmine waved toward the three women she was seated with. “Adele, Lucy, Tara, meet Sarika. She’s Luiz’s cousin. And she faced down the jaguar males when they came for Sandrine and me. We’ve known these three since we were children. Tara is married to Finn. He’s around here somewhere.” She looked around the room a little helplessly and then turned back with enthusiasm.
“So nice to meet you,” Tara said. “I had no idea Luiz had a cousin.”
“He must be thrilled,” Lucy added.
Sarika laughed. “I don’t know how thrilled he is. He likes obedience. So far, I’ve been an utter disaster for him.”
“Our daughter, Bianca, is running around with Sandrine. They’re the best of friends. Bianca is six, a year younger than Sandrine,” Tara explained.
Sarika looked at her with jaguar vision. Inhaled her scent. Tara hadn’t said so, but she was pregnant with her second child.
I think the other two jaguar females are also pregnant, Tomas. That was extremely concerning. She’d been feeling the joy in the room, but now a single thread of apprehension crept in.
Tomas shared the information with the other Carpathians. None of them reacted, but she felt the measure of protective surveillance go up a level.
Riordan De La Cruz walked his wife over to the table, gave the briefest of smiles to the women without really looking at them and seemingly melted away, leaving the women looking after him.
“Good grief, he’s good-looking,” Lucy said. “Juliette, it’s been too long since we’ve seen you. Where have you been hiding?”
Solange made the introductions. Juliette was her cousin. Right away, Sarika recognized the jaguar in her.
“Having a baby is exhausting,” Juliette announced and flung herself in the chair that Dominic provided. “Solange, I love you, but you should have waited until Hunter was a full year before you decided to follow in my footsteps. And all of you”—she swirled her finger encompassing the women seated at the table—“lied your asses off telling me it would be a walk in the park. Hunter can’t be still for a single minute.”
The women burst out laughing as Juliette slumped in her chair dramatically. Sarika found herself smiling with the others. Juliette was being somewhat honest about the exhaustion she felt, but she clearly wouldn’t change a thing.
“Thank the universe for Sandrine and Bianca. They’re watching over Hunter so I can get some much-needed female time,” Juliette continued. “Riordan was looking forward to seeing Zacarias today. He’s bringing Marguarita.”
There was a long silence, and the women looked at one another with concern. Juliette immediately sat up. “Please remember that Marguarita is alone for long periods of time. Zacarias is an exceptional hunter and he leaves her to chase after the worst of the vampires. Her throat was torn out by a vampire, and she’s never been able to speak, even after the conversion. She needs friends.”
“Of course, she’s always welcome here,” Solange said. “She’s family.”
“It’s just that Zacarias can be…disturbing,” Jasmine said. “More so even than Luiz. Forgive me, Sarika, but your cousin can be all kinds of intimidating.”
She felt Tomas’ amusement. These women were in the room with several ancient hunters, all of whom were apex predators, yet they were relaxed around them.
“One just needs to take a firm hand with Luiz,” Sarika said deliberately, sharing her amusement with her cousin. “By any chance, is Marguarita pregnant?” Sarika asked, suddenly suspicious. Juliette was ensuring these women would accept her sister-in-law when it was doubtful Marguarita had asked to be championed.
Juliette glanced at Solange. “If she is, Zacarias would not want anyone to speak of it. He is the most hunted of our ancients. He is hated by every vampire, and often they conspire to kill him. If they knew of Marguarita, which is doubtful, they would move heaven and earth to take her from him. Knowing she was bringing his child into the world would create a frenzy of hatred and conspiracy to kill her and the child. We shouldn’t speculate.”
That meant, without a doubt, that Juliette knew Marguarita had a baby on the way. It didn’t take long to confirm it. The atmosphere in the house went from easy, joyful fun to high alert and uneasiness, as if a prowling, very hungry tiger had entered. There were no soft edges to Zacarias De La Cruz. None. His sweeping gaze took in everything and everyone, leaving them feeling as if he’d stripped them bare and uncovered every secret they had. His burning gaze settled on Sarika.
He halted in the center of the room, halfway to the women’s table, Marguarita behind him. Ordinarily, that would have annoyed Sarika. She never liked when a woman trailed behind a man as if she weren’t equal to him. As much as Zacarias’ attention was centered on her, she knew his every instinct was to shield his lifemate, not lessen her importance.