Trina pulled her energy back into human form. She and Carmen were back-to-back now, surrounded by male mountain lions horny as hell and pissed off on top of it. The men shifted to cat and paced a slow circle around her and Carmen.
"Can you hear me?” Carmen asked.
"Yes."
"Good. They can't mindspeak."
"Can you shift?” Trina asked.
"Not fully while I'm pregnant, but I can put up one hell of a fight."
"All we have to do is hang on. Our men will be here soon.” Trina curled her hands behind her, trying to somehow protect the other woman.
"Our men?"
"Hopefully, we'll all live long enough to explain it."
"We'll do our best, ladies.” Wyatt leaped down the main staircase, a black flash of smooth, sleek muscle.
The circle of mountain lions surged back when Wyatt's paws hit the floor in front of her. Fangs warned them farther away, yet none of them moved. Trina shifted back into her snow leopard form, adding her force to Wyatt's.
Another inky shadow cut her peripheral vision.
"Joaquin!” Carmen cried out.
He soared over the circle and landed with pinpoint accuracy next to his mate. A blink of an eye later his arms wrapped around her. Carmen sobbed and tossed herself around him as best her bulk would allow.
Wyatt shifted to human form. “You'll let us pass now,” he stated and stared down each mountain lion.
Black jaguars darted forward, surrounding the lions. Trina held her breath. They were evenly matched. There was no telling who would win in a battle. But she knew she'd fight to her last breath to protect the clan.
Wyatt's hand on her head steadied her. “Love, you're leaking pheromones again. Very distracting."
"Sorry.” Trina changed to human once more.
"Tail?” The reminder came from Cristían.
Trina felt her cheeks heat and pulled it in.
The tawny cats exchanged a glance. Muscles rippled as they prepared to pounce. Trina's heart raced. Could she shift fast enough to fight?
Wyatt pushed her behind him. “Protect Carmen.” “This ends now,” he told the mountain lions.
Shadows darkened the open front door. Trina dared a glance in that direction and saw more blond men cross the threshold. One strode forward. Trina recognized him as Steven Bernard, the one who'd posed as a paramedic.
"Stop this. This senseless bloodshed ends now."
Joaquin's snarl stopped him in his tracks.
"No.” Carmen pulled her mate back. “He's a friend."
Wyatt blocked his passage. Trina's heart swelled with pride, her clit with lust. It took one hell of an alpha male to challenge someone else in the nude. Sporting a battle erection, Wyatt truly was the big man in charge.
"A friend who killed three of our people,” Wyatt replied. “No, five of our people and kept you captive for six months."
"He helped keep me alive,” Carmen said.
"It seems his help would have been better served getting you home,” Joaquin snapped.
"I did what I could,” Steven said. “I'm sure you can appreciate our distrust and fear. You encroached on our territory first."
"A simple ‘no trespassing’ sign would have sufficed,” Wyatt said.
"Not so simple, when you are trying to keep as low a profile as possible.” Steven's sigh seemed to signal resignation throughout his group.
"We've been hunted to near extinction from the time we were created. From Arizona to Texas and then all the way here. Everywhere we moved, we found someone else ready to take from us. We finally found what we hoped was sanctuary here. You can imagine our surprise when we stumbled upon Carmen and her sisters."
"We went up there for a quiet picnic. We'd planned it for a while.” Carmen kneaded Joaquin's chest. So much affection in that small gesture. “I'd learned that morning about the babies ... our daughters. I couldn't wait to share the news. We were giddy with excitement. Thought we were safe. Then she attacked.” She jerked her chin toward Willa's dead body. “My sisters never had a chance. I clawed her face, her body. I fought for my life, the lives of our daughters. She picked up a rock and knocked me out."
Steven sighed again and stared at Willa. “We were divided from the start about what to do. Willa is—was—volatile and quick to defend our people from outside threats. Discovering humans had found us was one thing, but other shape-shifters? We heard the tales from our ancestors of other shifters, of wars fought and civilizations destroyed. We thought they were myths and were shocked to discover them in our own backyard. We were prepared to do whatever it took to protect ourselves and our lands."
"Even if we weren't a threat?” Joaquin shouted.
Steven passed a sad look his way. “Would you have been willing to take that chance?” He shook his head. “We monitored their little picnic for a long time, watching the women shift into and out of jaguar form. No one moved on them until they started making plans to build a home—a sanctuary, one said—to house all of you. We'd just lost everything."
He rubbed his hand over his face, as if trying to wipe away the memory. “In hindsight, most of us agree we acted rashly. We decided to use Carmen as bait to find the rest of you. We couldn't risk our home being taken, our people killed. We started the fire to cover the deaths of the other two women. Willa assumed Carmen's form. But there was disagreement in how—or if—we should proceed. The babies were innocents in all this. Some of us had grown fond of Carmen rather quickly. It became a vicious cycle of what to do. Willa finally decided to take matters into her own hands and gathered her followers. A few of us trailed them and convinced her men to leave. I didn't get there in time to save your female."
"Who was at my house last night?” Trina asked.
"We'd lost track of Willa and were trying to find her. I'd marked all the vehicles and each one of us followed one. We didn't realize she'd be off killing your other two men. At first I thought she'd killed our man at your house—"
"Believe it or not, he tangled with a house cat and fell off the roof,” Joaquin said.
Steven's smile was sad. “Jaime was always rather clumsy. Better an accident, though, than at the hands of another.” He pulled his head up on a sharp breath. “No more blood spilled. We have a mutual interest in keeping silent about each other's identities. You'll have no more trouble from us. We can't undo what's been done. Please accept that poor decisions were made based on past history and our desperate need for self-preservation. Had you been in our position, you might have done the same."
Maybe not the same thing, but something similar. Trina held her breath in the silence that followed. No words, not even mindspeak, filled the void. The clan waited for their leader to guide their next move, no matter what his choice. Finally, he extended his hand to Steven.
"Perhaps it would be best if we sat down and worked together. There's no need for you to be alone and live in fear. We have resources we don't mind sharing with others like us. We know what it's like to lose everything."
Steven stared at Wyatt's expression for what felt like forever, then accepted the handshake. “Thank you. From what I know of Carmen, I'd very much like mutual cooperation.” He dropped his hand. “If you'll excuse us, we'd like to take care of Willa."
"Of course,” Wyatt said with a single nod. “You know how to reach me."
Steven's gaze slid to Carmen. “And you'll know how to reach me soon enough.” He glanced to Joaquin. “She's a noble and brave woman."
Joaquin lifted his chin and tightened his arm around her shoulders.
Steven's eyes settled on Trina, then darted away. If he hadn't seen her as a snow leopard, he'd hear about it soon enough from his people. He motioned to his men to help with Willa's body. The jaguar clan stepped away as they did so. Once the mountain lion shifters drove away, the last of the tension finally seeped from the group.
"I'll call the cleaning company.” Barry hurried off to work his magic. Trina didn't want to know how he was going to spin this o
ne.
Joaquin squeezed a hug around Carmen. “We need to have a doctor look at you and the girls. Girls.” He kissed her head. Tears fell into her dark hair. “Such a blessing."
"A true blessing.” She wrapped her arms around him. “We'll go soon. It looks like I have a lot of catching up to do.” She smiled at Trina. “You must be Trina Tate. We've never met in person, yet I feel I know you. I recognize you from photos."
Trina opened her arms to the other woman. “I feel I finally know myself."
Carmen kissed her cheek, then held her at arm's length. “You will make a worthy queen for our El-ian."
Wyatt draped his arm around Trina. “She most certainly will—the queen of my heart. The time for titles, even figurehead titles, is over. We're all in this together. Our future depends on it.” He lifted her chin on his finger and traced his thumb over her lips. “And I can think of no woman I'd rather spend it with than you."
Trina sucked his thumb into her mouth and twirled her tongue over it.
Eyes dancing with mischief, he raised his eyebrow. An erection nudged her hip. “Hungry, my beauty?"
A purr rumbled from her throat. She released his thumb with a pop. “Starving.” Tugging on his chest hairs, she pulled him toward the staircase. “Feed me."
"As you wish, my queen,” he said with a smile.
"Aren't you forgetting something?” Cristían called out.
They turned puzzled expressions his way.
"What about her transition ceremony?"
Wyatt's soft laughter sounded forced. “I think someone's feeling slighted."
Trina smirked. “I think he's merely fascinated with my tail."
"Guilty,” Cristían said. “It's so fluffy and soft."
"Maybe we should introduce him to Lupe.” Humor brightened Wyatt's eyes.
Trina giggled. “She'd love that.” The little cat would be in love all over again.
Wyatt's expression sobered. “You've done the transition on your own. But you deserve the full ceremony, the full experience, if you want."
She tilted her head to one side. Old Trina would have jumped at the opportunity for group sex. Thank God she was gone. New Trina would do whatever pleased this gorgeous man. “What do you want?"
He pulled her against his body. His erection anchored her in place. “It's not about what I want or need. It's about you. The choice is yours."
If she didn't already love him, those words would have stolen her heart.
Trina cupped his cheek and locked his gaze on those golden brown eyes that mesmerized her. “I want ... I need ... no one but you.” Nothing in her life had ever felt more right.
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Epilogue
They stood on the mountaintop, jaguar, snow leopard, and mountain lion, shape-shifters all, and watched the ashes of their dead drift and mingle on the wind. Wyatt thought it was a fitting memorial for Rose, Dean, and Paolo. But Willa ... If it meant a peaceful coexistence and a firm alliance, he could accept it. He had accepted it.
Also among the remains were one normal mountain lion who'd given his life to cover the deaths of the other four. Wyatt never asked Steven the where and how of the animal. The fact he had been sacrificed to protect all of their people meant he, too, deserved the honor of a memorial.
It still had taken twelve weeks to have their loved ones cremated. There'd been a lot of discussion during that time. Suspicions still lingered on both sides, but they were all willing to work through it.
Jeremy and Barry, with the help of their new associates, had spent considerable time researching every clue regarding the possibility of shape-shifters elsewhere in the world. Every legend and myth became possible facts in their search. Wyatt still couldn't believe there were others. That they weren't alone. They just had to find the rest and assure them of the same. So far, there still was no evidence regarding Victor Gregory. Wyatt doubted they'd ever find the man ... if he was even alive anymore.
The wind carried the ashes onward. He lifted his nose to catch the ocean breeze. As always, Trina's scent filtered in. He glanced her way, watching the breeze lift tendrils of her snow-white hair around her. She smiled at the baby girl in her arms—Rose. Her sister Kara lay nestled in Carmen's arms.
His gaze caressed his wife's figure. Already she was fuller in the middle. Their children, their own twins, were safe within Trina's warmth. Every time he thought of the blessing, Wyatt choked up. He had no doubt he'd be bawling his eyes out with joy when they arrived, just as Joaquin had done when his daughters were born.
Wyatt wondered what they'd be—boys or girls, jaguars or snow leopards, or perhaps one of each or a mix of both. Whichever, there was no doubt they would be cherished.
Hope rested in the heart of the clan. The future, too. And above all, love.
He wrapped his arm around Trina and kissed her on the forehead. She sighed and leaned into him. Contentment filled his soul.
"Hungry?” he asked his beautiful mate.
Trina laughed lightly. “Always. Tired, too. Apparently, that's common when one is carrying a litter."
He chuckled and pulled her back against him so he could wrap his arms around her. “Two does not a litter make."
She pushed his hands down to her rounded stomach. “How about three?"
Wyatt gasped. His fingers shook as he caressed her. Their race truly would live on, birthed and nurtured on love and family.
He was determined their descendents never know the fear of being alone. He and his people would find the other shape-shifters. Somehow. Some way.
THE END
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Into the Night [Into the Heart 2] Page 16