There was something so incredible about the mating call, she thought, but it could also be so brutal. She had dated other guys before meeting Richard, so knew what a crush felt like and what attraction was. But with Richard? The moment he’d kissed her, she had felt desperate to be with him. She didn’t want to be away from him for even a moment. To this day, he always said that the one thing he regretted about that night was that maybe if he hadn’t kissed her, she wouldn’t have insisted on going home and telling her family so she could be with him.
If times were hard for a young shifter now, she thought, back then, it had been next to impossible. Shifters rarely told people who and what they were. Richard told her that he had made the mistake of telling his parents after his first phase, only a year earlier. He’d begged her to be cautious and give it some time, but she had been so convinced that her family would understand. She had marched back to her house with him in tow, told her parents what had happened, and announced that she wanted to be with Richard. It had taken her about twenty minutes to pack her things and leave home.
She never saw her parents again.
With a sigh, she quietly got out of bed and went out on the porch, where she stood and looked out into the garden. It was so beautiful at night with the moon shining on the fruit trees. She was exhausted, but her brain just wouldn’t shut down. She’d been having a lot of those nonstop nights lately. Moments later, Richard came up behind her, slid his arms around her, and rested his chin on her shoulder.
“Can’t sleep again?” he whispered.
“Uh-uh.”
“Come here, female.”
She turned around and put her arms up around her mate’s neck.
“Let it go,” he whispered. “Just let go.”
That was all it took. When she burst into tears in spite of herself, he picked her up and carried her to a chair and sat down. He must have held her for half an hour as she sobbed. She felt awful. If she was tired, then with all he did, he must be near death. She couldn’t help it.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be. We haven’t had much time for each other lately, and we both know we’re strongest when we’re together. I’ll make sure I’m back at a decent hour from now on.”
“I…” She looked into his beautiful gray eyes and her mouth clamped tight. Why couldn’t she just say it?
He kissed her gently, and then rested his forehead against hers. “What is it?”
She took a deep breath, then let it out. “I’m pregnant.”
Richard looked into her eyes. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you. I’m sorry.”
He pushed her hair away from her face. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about.”
“But, but—we didn’t want this. We can’t do this. I…” She stopped when she realized he was smiling at her. “What’s so funny?”
He shook his head. “You.”
“Why?”
“Do you want this baby?”
“I don’t know, I—”
He framed her face with his hands. “Do. You. Want. This. Baby?”
Adriana slowly started to nod. “Yes.”
He smiled and pulled her into his arms. “I love you.”
“You’re not mad?”
He laughed. “Mad? Are you kidding?”
Suddenly, she was laughing with him. As her mate picked her up and carried her off to bed, she couldn’t even remember why she was so upset in the first place.
***
Adriana woke feeling better than she had in a long time. She stretched and looked out the window. It was light outside, very light. She looked at the clock. It was after nine!
There was a knock at the door. She pulled up the covers in case it was one of the kids. “Who is it?”
The door opened and Richard came in, carrying a tray with what looked like all her favorite breakfast foods.
“What’s all this?” she asked.
“This,” he said as he set the tray on the bedside table and poured her a cup of herbal tea from a small pot, “is a major apology.”
“Apology? What for?”
He sat on the edge of the bed. “When my mate can’t come to me and tell me that she’s going to have our baby, then I’m obviously doing something seriously wrong.”
“Oh, no, it wasn’t you! The timing is just so bad. I thought for sure you’d think it was a terrible idea. I wasn’t so sure it was a good idea myself.”
“But you know you can come to me about anything, right? Just like always?”
“Of course! I think…well…between the hormones and everything that’s been going on, I just couldn’t seem to think straight.”
He leaned over and kissed her, sliding his hand to her belly. She took him by the back of the neck and deepened the kiss. Suddenly he pulled away, and a strange look came over his face. He put his hands behind his head and exhaled.
“Shit.”
“Richard, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Protective instinct.” He exhaled again. “Wow, it’s been a long time since I felt like that.”
Adriana put her hand to her mouth.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “It’s nothing new. All part of the process. It’s just been a long time since it’s been so strong.” He managed a weak grin. “You know how it gets for the male. After a while, I’ll practically want to lock us both in here and guard the door until you give birth. Now, female, eat your breakfast before it gets cold. We want to have a strong baby.”
“Okay, if you’re sure that you’re all right.”
He pushed a lock of dark hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. “I’m positive. Take your time.”
She bit into a corner of toast. “I love you,” she said. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
***
Richard closed the door behind him and leaned back against it. He stood there, motionless, his eyes closed, trying to catch his breath. After a minute or two, he stood up straighter, pushed off from the door, and walked down the hall.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The demons came on hard and fast while some of the shifters were walking back from breakfast. Lyssa was the first to hear them screeching. She started to scan the sky around them. At first, there was nothing. Within seconds, the sky was filled with them.
“Everybody down!” she yelled. “Cesar? Cesar!” WTF? He was just standing there like a statue. And then it hit her—he couldn’t move. “Ryan!” she yelled. “I need you!”
Instantly, Ryan was moving toward her along the ground.
“No!” she yelled, pointing at her mate. “Run! Run! Take him down!”
Ryan stood up and ran. He leaped forward, phasing into a tiger on the fly. He rammed into Cesar’s back, knocking him to the ground before phasing back. “Sorry, dude,” he said, “I’m not big enough to take you down any other way.”
“You all right?” Lyssa yelled.
Shaking his head a few times like he was trying to clear it, he finally said, “I’m good.”
Seconds later, she was sending a telepathic message to her twin. There were too many demons up there. She needed his help, and fast.
Damn it, Damian! Where are you?
Right behind you!
She turned and saw her twin crawling toward her, with Matt not far behind.
“Shifters,” Matt was yelling, “move toward the cabins. Slowly. And stay low!”
“Ready, little brother?”
Damian nodded. “Let’s do it.”
The twins stood up side by side.
“Wanna double our pleasure?” Lyssa asked.
“Why not?” Damian took her hand.
The twins raised their free hands and held them, palm out, in the direction of the incoming demons. Lyssa could feel their power grow as they worked together to enter the demons’ psyches, and convince them to turn around and go away. Sweat poured down their faces as they forced the demons, one by one, to turn and head back to where they had come f
rom. If Lyssa’s count was right, there were sixteen of them. As the last demon disappeared, the twins dropped hands and tried to catch their breath.
Matt gave Damian a pat on the back that nearly knocked him down. “Nice work. That was a bad one.”
Lyssa looked over at Cesar. He still didn’t look right. Something was up, and it wasn’t good.
The four of them waited a few minutes to see if there were any strays, but the sky remained clear, so they started the walk back toward the main house. They found Richard and Adriana waiting in the kitchen.
“We just heard,” Adriana said.
“Any injuries?” Richard asked.
“Nope!” Matt grinned. “The shifters are back at the cabins safe and sound, thanks to the Wonder Twins here.”
“Thank God.” Richard nodded at the twins. “Looks like your training is paying off.”
“It was awesome,” Damian said. “There were at least fifteen of them.”
“Sixteen,” Lyssa corrected.
“What direction did they come in from?” Adriana asked.
“East. Same as last time,” Matt answered.
Richard pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down at the table. Everyone else followed, and Nate came in from the living room, looking relieved to discover Damian in one piece.
“Any news, Nate?” Adriana asked.
Nate sat down. “There haven’t been any other sightings or news reports, as far as I can tell.”
Richard rubbed his eyes. “Sure as shit, we’re the only target.”
“That’s a good thing,” Adriana said. “I’m not thrilled to have to go after Toltec, but it sure beats chasing the demons all over the place.”
“Wait. Isn’t Avery Wells’ ranch to the north of us?” Matt asked. “Like near Merida someplace?”
“That’s true,” Adriana said. “Victrixa is out to the east.” She turned to Richard. “Do you think she’s splintered off from the rest of the group?”
“It wouldn’t be unlike her,” he replied. “She’s been known to do that before.”
“You know,” Nate said, “Damian and I have been doing a bit of interesting online research.”
Damian nodded. “We’re looking for clues as to how they’re controlling the demons.”
“It’s just lore, really,” Nate said, “but you never know. I’ll go get what we’ve collected.”
Lyssa giggled. Lore? Are you two watching Lord of the Rings again?
Shut it.
As she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at her brother, Nate came back with his arms full of printouts. He laid them on the floor, then Damian helped him spread a large map across the table.
“Okay,” Nate said, “legend has it that there are two entrances to Xibalba, the Mayan Underworld. It has long been believed that one entrance is at Cobán in Guatemala.” He pointed to the location on the map. “Right here.”
Damian took over. “Four years ago, news outlets were reporting that eleven sacred temples had been found along a system of underground caves here in the Yucatán. Right around this area here.” He ran his finger across the map. “There was also an underground road that went some distance. They theorized that this was the second entrance to Xibalba.”
Richard studied the map for a minute. “Okay, so you think Victrixa is somehow using this entrance to summon the demons?”
“Not this entrance, no,” Nate said.
Lyssa sighed. “Okay, I’m lost.”
“Even if it is an entrance to the Underworld, Victrixa wouldn’t try to use it,” Damian said. “It would attract too much attention. But it probably gave her the idea. We think she’s found another way in.”
Nate nodded. “Victrixa’s villa was not purchased with the land. She had it constructed later.”
“And you think she had it built there for a reason? Maybe near another entrance?” Adriana asked. “Are there caves nearby?”
“No,” said Matt. “A cenote.”
Damian nodded. “Exactly. One that runs completely underground.”
Richard was looking thoughtful. “So the question is, where is the cenote and how many people know about it?”
“Not many, if I know Victrixa,” Adriana said. “I wonder if she has shifters guarding it.”
Richard stood up and looked out the window. “Looks like our avian shifters have some reconnaissance to do,” he said. “I’ll let them know.”
***
Cesar walked down the hallway of the main house and knocked on Richard’s door.
“It’s open.”
He peeked in. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Richard motioned to Cesar to close the door. “Of course,” he said. “What’s up?”
“I just…a really strange thing happened this morning…during the attack.”
“Oh?”
“Ya. I…I’m sorry, I don’t know how to say this.”
“Take a deep breath and start at the beginning.”
Cesar took a breath, but it came out as an exasperated sigh. “When Lyssa yelled that the demons were coming and told everyone to get down, I just stood there. I totally froze.”
“Okay, have a seat.” Richard turned his desk chair so he was fully facing Cesar, who sat down on the bed. “So, basically, you’re saying that you panicked.”
“I guess so, I…I was afraid.” Cesar looked down at his boots. He felt so ashamed.
“Cesar, I’ve known you your whole life. You are not a coward. In fact, you’re probably one of the bravest people I’ve ever met, shifter or not. You weren’t afraid for yourself, were you. You were afraid for Lyssa. Am I right?”
Cesar swallowed hard and nodded.
“Look, I know bravery is highly thought of in your father’s tribe,” Richard said. “I get it, I really do. But just a couple of weeks into being newly mated, and you were forced to deal with the kind of situation that is every male’s worst nightmare. You watched as your female was brutally injured. And then you almost lost her. I know shifters my age who couldn’t deal with that kind of shit. It’ll take time, but all of that instinctual stuff, it’s gonna calm down.”
Cesar clenched his jaw and shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “It’s everything! I saw the demons coming toward us and I just couldn’t get the pictures out of my head. I saw myself missing her by inches, her being dragged away, her lying on this bed…on this bed!” He gave the sideboard of the bed a kick with his boot.
Richard stood up and laid his hands on Cesar’s shoulders. “Easy now.”
“I can’t lose her, Richard. I know I won’t survive that. I know it.”
“Listen. You lost your family so young. And the way that you lost your dad, having to watch him lose his humanity after your mom died, I know that was so hard on you. But, Cesar, you’re not him.”
“I know. I just…what if I’m going to lose my mate? Like my dad did?”
Richard looked thoughtful. “You finally have a family again,” he said, “I can see how that would cause you to have a lot of mixed emotions. You’ve got human emotions all mixed up with the protective instinct. And probably some PTSD added in, too. But you will get past this. And there’s something else I think you need to keep in mind.”
Cesar looked up and wiped his face on his sleeve. “What?”
“That mate of yours is a very powerful young lady. So is Damian. They’re here to fulfill a purpose. And I just don’t think dying is part of what fate’s got planned for them.”
“You’re right, I know.”
“Talk to her,” Richard said. “Tell her about your fears. Tell her about your past. Being strong for her doesn’t mean destroying yourself in the process. If she’s going to do what she needs to do, she needs you whole.”
As Cesar walked back across the compound, he suddenly couldn’t wait to be in his mate’s arms. He started at a fast walk, which became a trot, which turned into an all-out sprint to the cabin. He threw open the bedroom door—
And Lyssa jumped. “Hey! What’s g
oing on?”
Not even slowing down, he crossed the room, picked her up, and held her in his arms.
“In Lak’ech,” he said.
“Ala K’in,” she whispered.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Victrixa picked up her bag from the passenger seat and got out of the car, then walked across the driveway and shoved the key into the lock of her front door. “Jesus, it’s hot,” she muttered. “This humidity’s going to drive me insane!” The knob turned, and she was startled to find that the lock had already been opened. Someone was inside, and whoever it was had obviously heard her pull up. Too late now. She quietly pushed the door open and tiptoed inside, only to be confronted by Avery Wells sitting on her new sofa.
She sighed. “What do you want, Avery? It’s too hot.”
“Trixa,” he said courteously, “you and I have a few things we need to discuss.”
She threw her bag and sunglasses on a chair. “Such as?”
“Lucas Moss is missing, for one thing.”
“Oh, please.” She turned abruptly, walked into the kitchen, took out a glass out of the cabinet, and opened the refrigerator.
“Wait, there’s more,” Avery called from the living room. “It seems the last time anyone saw him, it was right before he headed here.”
Victrixa froze. Did Avery know? How could he? He had no reason to suspect her of anything. And there was no evidence to find, anyway. Good ol’ Lucas was lying at the bottom of the cenote somewhere. Or perhaps he’d made it all the way to Xibalba. Even better. She opened a can of mango Jumex and poured it into her glass. She sipped it as she walked back into the living room.
“I’d offer you something tall and cool, Avery, but I’m not in a particularly generous mood. Not with you sitting on my sofa and accusing me of murder.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything,” he said. “For all I know, he’s been taken by Richard and his zoo of Mammalia!”
“Careful, Avery. There are certain reptiles on the premises that may take offense at that. Have you called the police?”
Jaguar Moon (Jaguar Sun Series Book 2) Page 13