Carpathian 17 - Dark Celebration

dealing with my cat all my life and I'm in control of her . When her cat went into heat, it was especially difficult to maintain control and that could be the unexpected problem. She should have thought of that.
    Be careful, Juliette.
    She smiled to herself as she gathered up the melon peels. Of course he just had to have the last word, to give her some sort of a command. He'd spent too much time alone with his brothers in South America, or maybe the De La Cruz brothers were all just plain bossy with their women—well, okay—with everyone around them. They liked their women submissive, yet neither she nor Colby, Rafael's lifemate, were in the least bit unassuming.

    From her perspective at least, that made for a fiery and very interesting sexual relationship.
    Catching up the bowl of rinds, she carried them outside into the thick grove of trees surrounding the house. The moment she stepped into the night air, the cat inside her stirred, unsheathed claws and looked up toward the mountains—toward Jacques's residence. She reprimanded the cat with a warning snarl and pushed it ruthlessly down. The cat tried again, rubbing against her insides, spreading a fire that only Riordan could put out.
    So that's the way it is. We've been too long without our mate.
    Her hair whipped across her face with a strong gust of wind. She pulled down the thick, dark strands and tossed the rinds for the deer. Everything in her froze, the smile fading abruptly as 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