Jaguar (The Madison Wolves Book 12)

by Robin Roseau

  “There is power in this room,” Prudence said. “Blended power never seen in this place before. This land already carries magic, and each of us brings fresh magic with us. There is life in this place, and renewal. There are bonds in this room, bonds of love, bonds of respect, bonds of mystery, bonds of blood. There is family, and pack, and friendship.”

  She looked around then continued. “There are beliefs in this room.” Her gaze settled on someone, a human male. “There are beliefs of gods.” The she swiveled her gaze to the head of the table. “And there are beliefs of science.” And then she lifted her hands higher, as a gesture. “Neither of which explains those of us gathered today.”

  She paused again. “This day was originally celebrated by a group of Christian pilgrims, thankful for a harvest, and thankful for the help received that made the harvest possible. But this is not a Christian holiday but instead a holiday for all. It has become more than a celebration of the harvest, but is an opportunity to thank the universe for the joys found in life. And so I want us each to consider something for which we are thankful. And then I wish you to offer your thanks, perhaps in your heart, or perhaps in words. Let us take a minute or two.”

  She bowed her head, and it was a signal for the rest. I bowed my own and closed my eyes.

  I was thankful for so many things, but right then, what came to mind were the friendships. Carissa, of course, and Anika and Joanna. But Michaela was a new friend, and Lara, and her wolves.

  And so, quietly so no one else would hear, not even Michaela and Carissa, but in my mind, I decided the universe could hear, I said, “Friends. Today I am filled with joy to have such beautiful friends.”

  And maybe Michaela didn’t hear me. And maybe Carissa didn’t hear me. But I was sure -- I am convinced -- that Prudence heard me, even though she shouldn’t have. She squeezed my hand, and I felt something in the bonded hands we shared. I felt something, a rush of joy from her hand into mine.

  I didn’t understand it, but I opened my heart to it, and I let myself accept it.

  From around me, I heard others speaking, quietly, and I heard no specific words. But then it grew still, and Prudence spoke again.

  “I felt joy,” she said. I opened my eyes and looked at her. She was smiling, and around the table, I saw others smiling as well. “I felt much joy,” she continued. She turned to the head of the table. “Alpha, everyone here is a friend. Today, there is no strife in this room. Today there is friendship and respect and loyalty.”

  Both Michaela and Lara inclined their heads, smiling.

  Then Prudence paused. “In a moment, those who wish may offer their own prayers, but I wish to express gratitude for this meal we are about to receive. I wish to give thanks to the Earth for this bounty, and to the creatures who died so that we may live. I wish to offer thanks to those who prepared this feast, and to those who help to serve, and to those who help to clean afterwards. Thank you all.”

  From around the table, there was a chorus of “Thank you,” some of those appending, “Francesca” to the end.

  At that, Prudence turned to look at Lara’s aunt and nodded once.

  “I had help,” Francesca said. “And more help to come. Thank you to all of you. As young as some of you are, you help to make the pack strong.”

  There was another chorus of thank yous, and then everyone looked to Prudence again.

  “There is such diversity in this room today. A human household might see a variety of ethnic backgrounds, but in this room today we represent not only different backgrounds, but six different species. When is the last time any of us sat at a table with five other species?”

  She paused a moment before continuing. “Let us bow our heads and close our eyes,” Prudence said. “And let us each in our own hearts offer our prayers.”

  It was not my custom to pray, but it was not my custom to belittle those who did, either. And so I closed my eyes and bowed my head.

  Most of us were quiet, but I heard a few voices, most of them muted, the words unintelligible. But from the human male seated beside Scarlett, I heard the Lord’s Prayer.

  And from Carissa I heard Latin, and I thought it was also the Lord’s Prayer, said in time with the human male.

  I opened my eyes at that, and I watched. The human wasn’t an idiot. When he was done, he crossed himself before clasping hands to either side again and then he opened his eyes and turned his head to Carissa.

  She was already watching him, and she nodded to him.

  Well, well.

  Prudence gave us another moment before looking up again. She turned to look at the head of the table. “Thank you, Alpha, for this honor.”

  They both nodded, and then Lara said, “Please be seated. Francesca?”

  Most of us took our seats. Francesca did not, but instead she directed a small army of teenagers. They disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, returning shortly with platter after platter of food. And then they worked their way around the room, letting us each select from our favorites.

  There was so much food, but this was a wolf pack, and I knew there would be no waste.

  And it was all amazing. There were two large turkeys, but there was also freshly braised venison, and a lamb dish that smelled amazing. And there were potatoes and stuffing and all the dishes a human might expect for Thanksgiving, although some of them in much smaller quantities.

  Jello? Seriously. But I saw over the course of the meal it, along with most of the other foods, would entirely disappear.

  I wondered what Zoe would eat. The teenagers all seemed to know she was vegan, and they only stopped beside her with some of the dishes. She smiled at them, and she didn’t seem at all put out at what the rest of us were eating.

  She, Portia, and Ember were all seated together, Ember in the middle, across from Prudence and me, and slightly closer to Carissa. And throughout the meal, they all smiled, and teased each other, and touched each other. Ember seemed quite accepting of the affection even though some of her friends were in the room.

  I wondered at that story.

  Prudence waited until the food was served, and the wine poured, and the conversations fully begun before she leaned over to whisper into my ear. “I am thankful every day,” she said. “But today, I am especially thankful for meeting you.”

  No one had ever said something like that to me before, and I completely believed her besides.

  I leaned back. “You said six species. I count five. Wolf, human, fox, jaguar, and vampire. And I’m not sure she shouldn’t be counted as human.”

  Prudence smiled. “And then there is me. I am also wolf, but no one is sure that is all I am.”

  Well, well.

  * * * *

  Prudence was physically affectionate and attentive. During the meal, she touched me often, usually on the arm, but then her leg stole over and pressed against mine.

  I didn’t move away, although I wasn’t quite sure how to respond.

  Was she trying to seduce me? Normally I was the one doing the seducing. I wasn’t at all sure what to make of this.

  But she touched me, and she filled my wine for me. And she asked about me and talked a little about herself.

  She had a lovely voice, and an even lovelier smile. It lit her entire face, and if we were touching, I could even feel her smile, if that even makes sense.

  I couldn’t say what we talked about, but I was left mesmerized nevertheless, and I completely ignored the rest of the table.

  How unlike me.

  Finally, I leaned to her. “What are you doing?”

  “Enchanting you,” she replied with a smile. “Don’t even try to resist.”

  “Prudence,” I said, but she put her hand on my arm.

  “We are all friends here,” she said. “And I am harmless. I only seek a night or two of joy, freely offered and freely accepted, if you are willing. We are not for each other, but I cannot see more than that. But we can be for each other tonight, and tomorrow too.”

  I thought
about it and smiled. “Enchant away,” I said.

  She lifted my hand and kissed it.

  After that, I didn’t resist, and I found myself smiling at her, more and more.

  But then, some time later, when the meal was nearly devoured, she set her hand on my arm again. “This is important. Can you still think?”

  I nodded, surprised, and I turned to follow her gaze.

  Iris and Lindsey were standing behind the alphas, and they were holding hands. Then Michaela and Lara both stood and hugged the girls, Michaela whispering to each of them. They whispered back, and then they stepped away.

  Every eye in the room watched as the two girls turned and walked around the table from one end to the other, still holding hands, until they came to a stop at Carissa’s side. By the time they reached her, she had pushed her chair away from the table, doing so silently and without notice as only a vampire could, and so there was room for both to stand before her.

  “Carissa,” said Iris. “This is not an offer we’ve seen made before. Do we kneel?”

  “Girls,” said Carissa. “This isn’t necessary.”

  “Please guide us,” Lindsey requested.

  Carissa looked up the table. “Am I misunderstanding?”

  “I find that unlikely,” Michaela replied.

  “I told you this wasn’t necessary.”

  “We felt no obligation,” Michaela said. “They feel no obligation. This is an offer of friends. And now you have no obligation, but you should guide them.”

  Carissa stared at Michaela for a moment, then turned to me. Finally she turned to her right, to the girls. “You should kneel,” she said. “Both of you here for now.” She gestured to the place beside her.

  Prudence looked over to me and clasped my hand, holding tightly.

  The girls lowered slowly, but they kept their backs straight and their heads up, just like Carissa preferred.

  “Are there special words?” Iris asked.

  “Only the words in your heart,” Carissa replied. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Will it hurt?”

  “Not if I take my time.”

  “Carissa,” said Lindsey. “We are both 18. Adults. You have come to us in friendship, and you have dined with us, but you have not dined as you most need.”

  “We offer ourselves,” Iris continued. “Um. We wouldn’t become thralls, would we?”

  “No,” Carissa said. “Girls.”

  “We don’t know how much you take,” Iris said. “But we are strong, adult wolves.”

  “What do we do?”

  “You offer a wrist,” Carissa said.

  “A wrist?” Iris said. She looked up the table, I was sure at Michaela. She looked back. “Not?” She touched her throat.

  “That is far more intimate,” Carissa said gently.

  “That’s not what you prefer?” Lindsey said.

  “Girls,” she said, and I’d lost track of how many times she’d said that.

  I considered saying nothing, but I looked around the room and then turned back to the vampire. “Carissa.” She turned to me, and I could read the indecision. “They offer a gift, but almost no one here fully understands.”

  “They don’t even understand,” she said with a gesture to the kneeling wolves.

  “I think they understand as well as they could,” I replied.

  Carissa stared into my eyes and then looked up to Lara and Michaela. “The different master vampires call themselves many things. I am not the one who first dubbed me the Queen of Louisiana. I remember kings and queens, and I would not style myself after any of the ones I remember best. But for this conversation, that is the best term.”

  “Yes,” Michaela said.

  “In my home, I almost never drink from a wrist. But I am a visitor here. If I were to visit another queen, I might receive an offer such as this. It might be a throat or it might be a wrist. If the queen were about as powerful as I am, then she would offer someone close to her, but not from her closest. If the queen is significantly weaker, then she offers her closest, sometimes a human, sometimes a wolf.”

  “Have we insulted you?” Lara asked.

  “Certainly not,” Carissa said. “But I do not believe these girls understand what they are offering.” She turned to them. “If I take a wrist, then it is a simple offer of a portion of your strength. You would be fully recovered by morning. Your throats would be far more intimate, and I would become possessive.”

  “How possessive.”

  “I would expect you both to spend the night, and it would be difficult for me to release you before I depart, unless I were offered a replacement.”

  “Both of us?” Lindsey asked.

  “That is what you are offering me if you offer your throats,” Carissa said.

  The two girls -- although suddenly I could no longer see them as girls, but as women -- looked at each other. Then Iris grinned, Lindsey’s expression following. They both turned to Carissa. “But we don’t know what to do,” Iris said.

  Carissa looked up to the other end of the table. “Alpha, these are your wolves, and I do not believe you knew you were making this offer.”

  “Carissa, if neither Iris nor Lindsey pleases you,” said Lara, “there may be others who would offer.”

  Carissa locked gazes with Lara for a moment, and then she smiled. She smiled broadly and turned to the wolves kneeling beside her chair. She caressed one, then the other. “Are you both sure?”

  “Iris. Lindsey. Speak bluntly,” Michaela said. “Carissa will not be offended.”

  “Me first,” Lindsey said. “Your majesty-“

  But at that, Carissa placed her fingers over the wolf’s lips. “No. My name. Please.”

  “Carissa,” Lindsey said around the fingers, and Carissa nodded, caressing her cheek again. “No, I’m not sure. But Michaela said to speak bluntly. I’m curious as hell.”

  Carissa laughed at that, breaking a portion of the tension.

  “We volunteered,” Iris said. “Okay, the alphas asked, but we volunteered. But I’m a little scared.”

  “Carissa,” I said. “Ask her why.”

  Carissa flicked her gaze to me then back to the girls. “Are you afraid of the bite?”

  “No. I just don’t know what happens after. In the movies...”

  “Forget the movies.”

  “I know,” she said. “But in the movies, once a vampire bites you, you can’t stop thinking about him. And I’m not offering to move to New Orleans.”

  Carissa caressed each of them again. “I would not take more than is offered,” Carissa said. “We would part no later than Sunday. You will miss me, and I will miss you, but it is no different than an intense weekend.” She paused. “You are both so young.”

  “We’re not virgins,” Lindsey said. “I’ve had a weekend or two like that.”

  “I will not be offended if you offer a wrist,” Carissa said. “Or if you withdraw your offers entirely. But if you repeat your offer of your throat, I will accept.”

  Iris caressed her own neck and nodded, but it was Lindsey who asked, “What do we do?”

  Without taking her gaze from the two wolves, Carissa asked, “Is there to be a run and a hunt?”

  “A run,” Lara said. “We’ll save the hunt for a night we haven’t already gorged.”

  “And drinks later?”

  “Yes. Inside. We can tell stories near the fireplace.”

  “Then I will take you now,” Carissa said, caressing Iris’s cheek. “And you later,” she said with a touch to Lindsey. She stood. “When this is a human, she sits in my lap, but for a wolf, I believe we will do it the other way. Iris, sit here.” She gestured to the seat.

  Iris gulped but rose to her feet and slipped into the chair.

  “Lindsey, move behind her where I can see you.” And while Lindsey rose and did that, Carissa climbed into Iris’s lap, adjusting for the chair. It didn’t look fully comfortable, but I knew in a minute no one was going to care. She squirmed
a little, settling in, and then stared into Iris’s eyes.

  “I can do this different ways,” she said gently. At that point, she was speaking directly to Iris, but the rest of the room was absolutely silent, and when I looked around, everyone was watching intently. “I can bespell you with my eyes, and you won’t notice when I bite, or I can tease.”

  “I don’t know what that means,” Iris said.

  “Look into my eyes, Iris,” she said. It took only a second, not even that, and I knew the wolf was trapped. She didn’t even struggle. Instead she relaxed, and her mouth opened slightly.

  Carissa held her like that for only a short time, then she bent her head, fitting perfectly, and even though I couldn’t see, I knew what she did. She licked, and she nipped, and then she straightened to caress Iris’s cheek.

  There were a few tiny drops of blood on Iris’s neck, just a few drops.

  “Come back to us now, Iris,” Carissa said gently. “You can think again.”

  Iris blinked her eyes. She shook her head then turned her eyes back to Carissa. “Is it over?”

  “It has barely begun,” Carissa said. “I only nipped you.”

  Iris lifted her fingers to her neck. They found the blood. She pulled them away and looked at them. “I don’t remember,” she whispered. She put on an expression. “I thought I’d remember.”

  “Then I can tease,” Carissa said.

  “All right,” Iris said. “Do I have to do anything?”

  “No.” Carissa lowered her head again, forcing Iris’s chin up.

  I knew Carissa actually preferred to tease. She’d certainly teased me a time or two in the past. I knew she’d lick for a while, and tease with her fangs.

  We all watched. It was a deeply intimate moment, and we all watched. We watched as Iris closed her eyes and lifted her chin higher. We watched as she wrapped her arms around the vampire, clutching at her a little.

  I could tell the moment Carissa sank her fangs, and I was sure Anika and Joanna did. Iris didn’t gasp. Carissa was far too delicate to let it hurt, and Iris was a strong wolf, anyway. She wouldn’t let a little thing like a vampire bite cause her to gasp.