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)
“Many of the jaguar males became aggressive and felt it was their right to take any female they wanted. Brodrick’s example gave them permission to become worse than animals.”
“Is it still going on?”
“Brodrick is dead, but there are still a few jaguar males who haven’t realized they are going to be hunted if they attack one of our females.”
She couldn’t detect a change in his voice or demeanor, but she shivered. A cold chill went down her spine. She had the feeling he would bring jungle justice to any jaguar he found attacking a woman. That should have made her feel safe with him, but he gave off a vibe that was just plain scary. She also didn’t like the way he put that—still a few jaguar males who haven’t realized they are going to be hunted if they attack one of our females. As if those males didn’t know right from wrong and would only avoid attacking a female if someone was watching and willing to hunt them down to administer justice.
It wasn’t as if a female shifter could go to the police. Shifters lived under shifter law, not human law. The women couldn’t go outside their species for aid. That left them at the mercy of their rulers. If the ruler was corrupt, his people would follow his example. She tried to hide the delicate shudder his revelation had produced.
“On a happier note, you came at just the right time,” Luiz continued.
“I did?” She pounced on that. She needed a safe, happy subject to regain her equilibrium.
“There’s a large celebration being planned right now, and several of the women have arrived to help with preparations.”
“A celebration?” She echoed his announcement, mainly to give her mind time to process the switch from dangerous jaguar males to celebrations. “Shifters?” She would really welcome meeting others. She had so much catching up to do. She had counted on her cousin to give her the history of the shifters and jaguars in the Peru rainforest, but Luiz didn’t seem as if he was going to be that accommodating. In fact, he seemed as if he would give her lectures and leave her to her own devices. Or force her to leave.
“One of the women, Solange Sangria Dragonseeker, is pregnant. She’s shifter royalty, and her lifemate, Dominic, is…” He broke off abruptly, for the first time giving her the impression he was hesitant as to how to explain Dominic Dragonseeker.
Sarika wasn’t positive why she thought he was exasperated with trying to impart information to her because his demeanor hadn’t changed at all, nor had his tone. Still, she was good at reading people, and he was a bit at a loss.
“Did Alois talk to you about Carpathians?”
Was there a note of resignation in his voice? Or judgment of her uncle? Alois had been his uncle as well. She detested admitting she knew nothing of Carpathians because she was certain Luiz would disapprove.
She tilted her chin at him. “I’m aware of the Carpathian Mountains, but no, we never spoke specifically of their inhabitants.”
Luiz held up his hand and examined the surrounding forest in a long, slow perusal. Sarika hadn’t detected a change in the drone of insects or the fluttering of wings as birds settled in for the night. Several monkeys screamed but then fell abruptly silent, sending chills down her spine.
She’d always had an awareness when she was in a jungle. She was a shifter, regardless of living most of her life as a human. Her jaguar was always on alert in a rainforest, yet she didn’t feel the warning until Luiz alerted. Suddenly, she was very certain there were eyes on them. All along, she had thought the threat emanated from Luiz, but now she felt that same warning blaring through her body, her cells going on alert. Luiz hadn’t been the threat. There was something else out there watching them.
“We’ve stayed here too long. I’m going to take you to my home. I don’t stay there, but you’ll be safe and able to rest. Tomorrow evening I will take you to meet Dominic and Solange.”
She looked carefully around. “Something is out there.” She was absolutely certain she’d felt the danger all along and attributed it to Luiz.
“A male jaguar. He’s been creeping closer for the last fifteen minutes. He was stalking you as I came up on you. I warned him off, but he didn’t leave.”
That had been the sawing roar she’d heard. Luiz telling the jaguar to back off. It hadn’t.
“Is he animal or shifter? Is it possible for you to tell the difference?” She didn’t think she could, but it was clear Luiz was at home in the rainforest. He’d lived his entire life there. He certainly could have developed a way to tell. Scent didn’t give it away, and she didn’t know any other way that might discern the difference unless she…Her hand crept up to cover the amulet she always wore against her skin.