Cat People (A Jaguar People Prelude Bonus Short-Story)
Page 4
Justice slid into the booth across from them, glancing at her, then Katherine. “How do you two like living here at the Alliance?”
Jo gawked at him. “Are you kidding? It’s great,” she said with a smile. “I couldn’t have imagined something so great.”
She glanced at Katherine and saw her cousin give her a ghost of a smile. She smiled at her. Her cousin might still have a difficult time showing her emotions, but that smile was a real beginning, and much better than nothing.
Turning back to Justice, Jo nodded, grinning widely. “We would love to,” she said.
He nodded, and waived Conrad over. “Have them bring a car around,” he said. “They will need some things from town.”
While they waited, Jo tried to concentrate on the cokes Conrad set in front of them. “Will we get to train?” she asked Justice. Her eyes grew wide. She hadn’t meant to push for more. “I mean, I’m sorry. I saw them training….”
He smiled at her, and she relaxed.
“I think it would be great if you want to train,” he said. “You are as much a part of the Jaguar People as anyone else at the Alliance. If you want to train, I think that would be wise.”
Jo grinned at him, turning to smile at Katherine. Her cousin glanced over at her, and Jo could swear her dark, exotic eyes were alight with emotion. Reaching over, she squeezed her hand. She glanced at Justice. “Do you think we’ll ever get him?”
Justice nodded. “I sure hope so,” he said, his face grim. “He has been a menace to the humans for some time now.”
Jo nodded. “I heard that Jes once thought you were doing those killings.”
Nodding, Justice frowned. “I had a run-in with a gang when I was fourteen—I changed—early—wiped out the whole gang. So, when the killing started, she thought I’d kept right on killing.”
Staring at his face, Jo had an idea of how much pain it cost him to reveal that. She didn’t know what caused him to share such a painful part of his past, but when he glanced at Katherine, she realized it had something to do with her, since her cousin’s dark eyes were wide with pain.
Surprised, Jo glanced back at Justice. Somehow, he’d known something about her cousin that she’d had no idea existed. She had a lot to learn about Katherine.
Wide-eyed, she turned back to Justice and nodded. She’d gotten the message.
“We might not have gotten Daniel, now,” Justice said, glancing from her to her cousin, “but the two of you will always be safe at the Alliance.”
Jo turned to stare across the room, out the window, as the full impact of his words swept over her. Daniel was still out there—somewhere. She sucked in a deep, determined breath. But they would train. And, who knew, maybe one day she’d still have something to do with bringing him down. She closed her eyes, felt the strength filling her veins at that thought.
She sure hoped so.
She couldn’t imagine anything she’d rather do.
This has been a Cat People preview of the new series
Watch for book one, Cry of the Jaguar, coming out next Halloween
Morgan’s Wand Excerpt
Land of the Fae
Morgan never imagined she’d be drawn to a wand. She’d couldn’t remember giving it much thought. So, when it arrived at the front door of the manor in a long, beautiful, ornate box, she stared at it, thinking how beautiful the box looked—and the wand too—nestled in the impression where it sat.
The box intrigued her in itself, made, as it was, of intricate molded metal, in deep reds and gunmetal gray, the interior a deep, rich black velvet. Other than that, she never gave it another thought. Yet over the next several hours, something surprising happened.
First, she kept getting pulled back to the room where she’d set it over the fireplace mantel. Several times, she found herself standing in front of it, having had no conscious thought of going there. When she did, she’d become aware she stood there, staring at the impressions in the metal of the box. Then, she’d find herself taking it down and opening the box, staring at the wand. She felt something from it. She sensed this connection caused her to keep being tugged toward it.
Each time the connection grew stronger—and stronger still.
Looking at it, now, cool against her fingers, she realized she might not know where this wand had come from—or why—but she’d held it before—had owned this wand before…. If a wand could be owned, that is.
Frowning, she stared at it. She certainly hoped this wand hadn’t come into her life to start trouble. Not when she’d made up her mind, now more than ever, to have a normal, magick free life—at least for a while. She’d hate to think that it showing on her doorstep meant something was amiss—again.
At the least, she needed a short break from magick.
There were four of them, who did magick. She and her sister, Claire, Tara, who’d always known she was a witch—and Sophia. Then, there was Alex and the twins. They’d grown up together in the small town of Red Bluff, before being separated one fateful day, playing around with magick.
They’d gotten their aunt back—for heaven’s sake—after losing her to their first enemy, Dante. Now—Sophia, who was half faery, half witch, and a lifelong sister-witch, and who had also moved into Ravenwood Manor, was still with the Prince of Fire and his group—because of that stinking no-account Fae Prince, who couldn’t take no for an answer when he’d up and decided to make her one of the members of his little harem.
They needed a break—a big one for heaven’s sake—from magick….
Now this.
The more she stared at it—the more she had the growing sensation this didn’t bode well for them. That, this meant something more was in store—already.
Morgan set the wand in its velvet nest. Shaking her head, she closed the lid with a snap.
Oh, no, she thought. She wouldn’t be drawn into yet another battle—no matter what the wand thought it had in store for her.
She placed the box back on top the mantel, squaring her shoulders. And with some determination, she left the room.
She found Alex in their bedroom, putting his clean clothes away. Sitting on the bed, she frowned, staring out the window. She sensed her troubled thoughts had gotten his attention because he hesitated, halfway to the dresser with another pile. Setting the pile on top the dresser instead, he turned to look at her instead. “That wand still bothering you?” he said.
Glancing at him, she nodded, swallowing, then glancing away. “I have a feeling it means we’re in for something more,” she said, irritated. “And we haven’t even finished with the last bit of trouble we’ve uncovered.”
He nodded, sitting on the bed and pulling her into his arms. Alex bent and gave her a tender kiss, running his thumb along her jaw. “Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together,” he said, looking into her eyes.
She tried for a smile, pulling away. “But that’s just it,” she said. “We’re not together—not anymore. And who knows if we’ll ever get Sophia back.” She got up from the bed, turning to look at him in her agitation. “That prince may never give up his obsession with her.”
He got up from the bed, too, pulling her into his arms. Looking at her, he pulled her flush with his body. “We’ll figure it out,” he promised, leaning to give her a tender kiss.
She gazed into his dark eyes. “What did I ever do to deserve you?” she asked.
He grinned at that, then sobered. “What did I ever do to deserve you?” he repeated back to her.
She leaned on her tiptoes, kissing him. She felt the blessing of his love wrap itself around her. She felt the answering call within her body. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him back with everything she had.
She knew he was right. So long as they stuck together—they could get through anything. But she sure wished someone out there would give them a break.
An hour later, they left the bedroom, hand-in-hand. Down in the kitchen, they found Claire busy preparing dinner. She glanced at them, as they came throug
h the door.
“I heard someone has given you a wand,” Claire said to her.
Morgan nodded, not liking the reminder. She’d managed to get her mind off that thing. “Have you seen it?” she asked her sister.
Claire nodded. “Jake told me where it was,” she said with some excitement evident in her tone. “I had to go and peek,” she said.
Morgan shook her head, going to take the plates out of the cupboard. “How can you be so happy about this?” Morgan asked, glancing at her as she worked.
Alex took the plates from her and went to set them on the dining room table in the other room. As always, she felt a surge of love for him, realizing he was giving them some room to talk.
Claire glanced at her, from where she now stood in front of the countertop stove that sat on the island in the kitchen. She stirred the spaghetti sauce, then sniffed at the aroma curling from the pot. “How can you not?” she said back to Morgan. “It’s so beautiful—and old—and it feels amazing,” she said.
Morgan stopped halfway through pulling the flatware out of the drawer. “We don’t even know where it came from….” She finished for her sister.
Claire wrinkled her nose. “Well, there is that,” she said. “But you have to be intrigued, none-the-less,” she said, looking at her sister expectantly.
Morgan frowned and shook her head. Finally, she shrugged. “Okay,” she admitted. “Yes—I am,” she glowered at her sister now. “But only because I remember that wand,” she pointed toward the living room.
Claire looked sharply at her sister. “You do?”
Morgan nodded emphatically.
“From where?” Claire asked, suspicious now.
Morgan looked away, then back at her sister. “From a past life….”
You have read the prequel of Cat People, Cry of the Jaguar.
Do you want to read more?
Watch for Book One, Cry of the Jaguar, coming out in the early spring of 2017.
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Check out sister series Daughters of the Circle, at your favorite online store, now.
You can find Mira and Micah in
Jaguar Witch—Doorway of the Triquetra
Book One
Check back for Jaguar Witch
Book Two of Children of Atlantis
Due out in 2017
You can also find Mira in the
Daughters of the Circle
As a mentor for Alli in Fire Sprite, Realm of the Elemental Witch
And with the Sisters of Three in
The Fallen One, Sons of the Dark Mother
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The next Book in this Series. Book TWO in this Jaguar Witch Series: Mira’s Magick will be out this winter. Follow my newsletters is find out how this book is progressing and my release dates, previews and giveaways:)
Short blurb Mira’s Magick:
Mira finds out she has sisters, and not any sisters—the Sisters of Three!
Don't forget Mira is also in
SISTER-SERIES OF JAGUAR WITCH
IN ORDER OF WRITINGS
SONS OF THE DARK MOTHER
NOVELLAS
THE FALLEN ONE
VOLUME I
VOLUME II
REALM OF THE ELEMENTAL WITCH
FIRE SPRITE
BOOK ONE
DAUGHTERS OF THE CIRCLE:
SHADOWS IN RAVENWOOD
BOOK ONE
BONUS SHORT-STORY
MORGAN'S WAND
Previews at end of this book
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lenora grew up in Montana and Alaska, and currently lives in the central US. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Northern Colorado, with a minor in writing, and is a student of the Shaman path. She lives her dream, daily, as a writer. She is also the mother of four grown children, inherited four more when they each took mates and has several beautiful grandchildren.
ALSO BY LENORE WOLFE
HISTORICAL WESTERN ROMANCE
Dark Cloth Series:
Best Selling
Dark Warrior: To Tame a Wild Hawk
Dark Warrior: Kid
Dark Gunman: Cord
Coming this summer
Dark Gunman: Jake
Coming this fall….
Bonus Short-Story
Dark Warrior to Tame a Wild Hawk
Bonus Short Story
DARK FANTASY
CHILDREN OF ATLANTIS
Book One
Jaguar Witch
Doorway of the Triquetra
Book Two
Coming out this summer
Bonus Short-Story
DARK FANTASY
SONS OF THE DARK MOTHER SERIES
Vol. 1
The Fallen One
Vol. 2
Justice
Coming out this spring
Vol. 3
Dracon
Coming out this summer
Vol. 4
Coming out this fall
Jess
YOUNG ADULT FANTASY
Daughters of the Circle
Shadows in Ravenwood
Vol. 1
Released March 2015
Daughters of the Circle
Witches of Ravenwood
Vol. 2
Released June 2015
Faerie in Ravenwood
Vol. 3
Released March 2015
Daughters of the Circle
Magick in Ravenwood
Vol. 4
Released June 2015
Ongoing series….
Bonus Short-Story
MIDDLESCHOOL FANTASY
Trilogy
REALM OF THE ELEMENTAL WITCH
Fire Sprite
Vol. 1
Released March 2015
Khan
Vol. 2
Coming out this summer
Alli
Vol. 3
Coming out this fall
DARK WITCH FANTASY
Trilogy
CAT PEOPLE
Prequel Short-Story
Cry of the Jaguar
Vol. 1
Released in the spring of 2017
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am thankful for my soft place to land, even though he had absolutely no reason to do so, and even though his fears would make it difficult, it was still a roof over my head, and f
or that I am truly thankful. I am thankful for my family. I had some of the most difficult years of my life. I’ve lived through things I shouldn’t have survived.
I’m thankful to my children. I know I’ve worried you. I’m especially thankful to my youngest son, you’re pretty fearless and stayed right by my side. To my oldest son, you are always so kind to me. To my daughter, you were willing to do a difficult thing for me. And to my middle son, I will always love you. I love you all. I always feel our Great Mother watching over us. And I always come out stronger.
I’m thankful for all my angels and guides for brining me through my dark night of my soul. I see the light of day, and I’m thankful I’ve survived. I’m thankful to myself for having the strength to reach for life, even when I wanted to quit and cease to exist. I’m thankful for the wisdom to know I would be glad I made it through, even when I was screaming in my car so no one else would know. I’m especially thankful for my friends for reaching out when I most needed it and trying to help me through. I will never forget it.
I love you all so much. I’m thankful to my fans. My friends and family. It saved my sanity. I threw myself into my writing, and it took all my time and provided a chance to heal. It also gave me a place to express myself in creative and healing ways. Her Dark Mirror may be fiction, but it allowed me to write without censor. Thank you for putting up with me, even when I hit a wall and didn’t update my blogs:) You all are the greatest.
Most of all I’m thankful for the divine—how could anyone question all the help we get. It is the reason we make it through. It’s in the soft petal of a flower, the sun’s rays upon the damp earth, the ocean’s waves upon the sandy beach, and the crest of the mountain top. We are loved. May we always have some place inside that knows it, even when we’re in our darkest hour. I am grateful mother. I am your daughter, and I am grateful. And I love you so.