Thankfully, Cadence spoke up, saving him from such a dilemma. “We met in Texas, where I was visiting a friend.” Her smile was radiant as she turned to face him. “Didn’t we, honey?”
Honey. God, he loved it when she called him that. “Yes, we did.” He grinned. “The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one I’d been searching for.”
“I couldn’t help but be completely captivated by him. He even saved my life.”
“And you’ve completely transformed mine, sweetheart.”
Samantha piped in. “Did you say he saved your life? Tell us what happened.”
“I was bit by a rattlesnake and Jonah had to suck out the poison.”
His mother held her hand over her heart. “Oh, my goodness, dear!”
“If he hadn’t acted so quickly, and been so brave, I would have died,” Cadence continued with a dramatic flair.
Most likely. Probably not, but Jonah thought it made for a good story.
Samantha clasped her hands together over her heart and sighed dramatically. “Oh, that’s so romantic!”
Romantic?
“Sammy, dear, you have got to stop reading those sensation novels.” His mother’s tone was resigned, as though that very subject had come up on more than one occasion. “What could possibly be so romantic about being bitten by a poisonous snake?”
Samantha huffed. “Not that part, mother. The part about saving her life. Now, that’s romantic.”
His mother blinked several times, and then must have decided it was time to change the subject, turning her attention back to Jonah and Cadence. “Have you two set a date yet?
Jonah cleared his throat. “In three days.”
His mother’s gaze flicked to Cadence’s abdomen, and then quickly shot back up again, her cheeks turning pink. “Is there—” It was her turn to clear her throat. “Is there any particular reason why so soon?”
Jonah narrowed his eyes at his mother, her insinuation suddenly clear. “No, mother,” he said with exasperation. “It’s not what you think.” His quick glance at Cadence revealed that her cheeks were also flushed with color. “Her sister is preparing to travel and we’d like to have the ceremony before she leaves.”
“Oh! Well, then, we don’t have much time. Have you considered where you’d like to have the ceremony?” His mother glanced from Jonah to Cadence and back again. When neither one of them answered, she became suddenly animated, focusing on Cadence. “Why, we’ll have it right here. What do you think? Do you have a dress?”
“Well, I—”
“You need a dress! Jonah’s embarrassingly rich, so he can take care of that. And a new wardrobe, as well. Have you seen his house?”
“Yes, we—”
“But, of course it will be your house too. Did you know he also has a stable full of prime horseflesh?”
“No, as a matter of fact—”
His mother waved her hand. “Well, he can show you later.”
“Mother.” Jonah had to stop her before she scared Cadence away. Already, she was looking overwhelmed. “Whatever Cadence wants is fine with me. Why don’t you two discuss it while I have a talk with father.” His father had been quiet while the women carried the conversation. It was his way. Unless it had to do with business, he preferred to stay out of it. Not because he didn’t care, but because he adored his wife. Jonah turned toward Cadence, his voice softening. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not.”
Jonah fixed his gaze on Samantha as he rose from the sofa. “Sammy, I’m sure there’s something a girl your age can find to do.”
“But—”
“Go, young lady,” his mother ordered.
Samantha sighed heavily. “Very well. You can fill me in on the details later, mother.” She popped up with a smile, gave Jonah and Cadence each a quick hug, and in a flurry of pastels, skipped out of the room.
His mother’s sigh echoed Samantha’s. “My apologies. Our Sammy’s only just turned sixteen, and a little overly exuberant, I’m afraid.”
“There’s no need to apologize, Mrs. Kincaid. She’s quite sweet and lovely.”
Jonah snorted. “She’s a scamp.”
“Please, call me Rosalind, dear,” his mother said to Cadence. “Soon, very soon, in fact, you’re going to be Mrs. Kincaid as well. If we all went around saying, ‘Mrs. Kincaid,’ no one could be sure which one of us was being referred to, would we?”
Cadence laughed softly. “I suppose you have a point, M—Rosalind.”
Jonah walked with his father to his study, the women’s voices fading as they moved further away, down the hall.
There was something he wanted to talk to his father about, something that had been nagging in the back of his mind about their family history. He recalled hearing stories about gypsies in their family tree, tales about dark-haired, dark-skinned strangers who had, according to legend, possessed magical powers. As a boy, he’d been enthralled by the stories, but as he’d grown older, had dismissed them as merely folklore, fairytales.
Now, he wasn’t so sure.
Having met Ba'cho and his people, Jonah had to wonder if there was a connection, something that perhaps had been passed to him through blood ties. It could explain how it was possible that he’d become a shape-shifter after tending Cadence’s snake bite, why tasting her blood had affected him.
Should he tell his father what had happened – what Cadence and her sisters were? Could he risk ruining his relationship with his mother, father, and sister? What about when he and Cadence had children? His parents would have to deal with grandchildren who were able to shape-shift. Jonah didn’t know if they’d be able to keep it a secret from them – didn’t know if he wanted to.
He loved and respected his father, thought he knew him fairly well, but frankly, Jonah was at a loss as to how his father might react to such news. By the time they reached the study, Jonah had made his decision. “Get out your strongest whiskey, father, I have a story to tell you.”
Twenty Seven
JONAH COULDN’T BELIEVE it. His father wasn’t running from the room, screaming in terror. He’d just laid out the entire fantastical tale, and his father’s only response so far, had been, “Hmmm.” Just, “Hmmm.” Did he have nothing to say?
A long, tense moment passed in silence. Finally, Jonah couldn’t stand it any more. “Do you believe me?” His voice was low, tentative.
His father swirled the amber liquid in his glass, took a sip, and then looked up. “Can you show me?”
“It would shred my clothes. Either that, or I’d have to take them off first.” For some reason, Jonah felt a little sheepish about doing that in front of his father.
“Would I be in danger – are you in control when you’re this…panther-creature?”
“I have full cognitive abilities, so the answer is no, you wouldn’t be in any danger. Do I still have clothes here?”
“Your room is just as you left it. There are still a few of your things there.” His father rose and stepped into the hall. Jonah could hear him speaking quietly to one of the servants.
When his father returned to his chair behind the desk, Jonah said, “You’re taking this all rather well. Why?”
His father let out a long breath. “You remember those stories we used to tell you – when you were young?”
Surprised, Jonah nodded. It had been his intention to ask his father about that very thing.
“It occurred to me quite a while back, that the dark-haired, dark-skinned strangers were most likely…Indians. From what you told me about your friend, Ba'cho, it is entirely conceivable it was his people who visited our ancestors generations ago. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Ba'cho himself had been among them.”
Jonah was surprised to have his suspicions confirmed. “Are there – are there shape-shifters in our family?”
His father laughed. “No. Not that I know of at least. The bloodline most likely became too thinned out. But you, my boy, carry it within you. All it took was a catalyst to regenera
te what was already inside you, lying dormant.”
“But that would mean Ba'cho and his people are—”
“Shape-shifters? I don’t know. But from what I recall, it was said they were an exceptionally handsome group of people.” His father grinned. “So it’s not inconceivable that our bloodlines mixed. Have you seen any of them shift?”
“No.”
His father rubbed his thumb and two fingers along his chin, something he often did when he was thinking out a problem. “It could be just a fluke, the effect Cadence’s blood had on you.”
They were interrupted by the arrival of Jonah’s clothes. There was a pair of trousers, a silk shirt, drawers, socks and shoes. They were of a much better quality than the clothes Jonah had borrowed from Cadence’s father, but not that he cared. He was used to riding a dusty trail wearing the simple garb of a cowboy.
Jonah waited until the door was closed, and then he locked it. “You ready?”
His father took a deep breath before finishing off his drink. “As ready as I’ll ever be, son.”
Jonah emptied his own glass in one swallow. Well, here goes. It only took an instant and Jonah had ripped through his clothes, transforming into a large black panther. He heard his father’s sharp intake of breath.
“Good Holy God.” His father shot up from his chair, bracing his hands on the desk, transfixed by what he’d just witnessed. “That’s some talent you got there, son.”
Jonah changed back to his human form, immediately reaching for the pile of clothes he’d set within easy reach. When he finished dressing, he watched his father warily, who’d sat back down, and was pouring more whiskey into his glass with steady hands. His father’s strength and courage had always impressed Jonah. “You’re not…disgusted?” Jonah’s voice was rough.
His father’s gaze snapped to Jonah’s, his expression showing surprise. “Of course not. I’ll admit I’m a little shocked, but I’m most definitely not disgusted.” His features softened. “You’re my son, Jonah. I love you. I’m proud of you, of what you’ve accomplished, of the man you’ve become.”
Jonah had to fight the lump tightening his throat. He’d always known his father loved him, but had never actually heard him say the words out loud. “I love you too, father,” he said, his voice rough.
“Maybe if I’d said it more often to you and to Robert—”
“Don’t, father,” Jonah said gently. He’d told his father a little of the story he’d come up with, about Robert’s death and the ‘gunfight’ with his killer. “Robert was a grown man. He’d set his own path. Let him rest in peace.”
His father sighed heavily. “You’re right.”
Neither one of them spoke for a drawn-out moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Perhaps, someday, Jonah would tell his parents what had really happened. But for now, he wanted them to keep their good memories of Robert. Snapping himself back to the current situation, he asked, “What about mother?”
“We’ll have to tell her about your special talents, you know.”
“I thought so, too. Once Cadence and I have children—”
“I see what you mean. That could present a problem if we’re not prepared. I’m not sure about Samantha just yet, however. She’s such a little flibbertigibbet. I love my sweet girl dearly, but she might let the cat out of the bag without really meaning to.”
“She’ll have to be told sometime.” Jonah dragged his fingers through his hair. “I’m not even sure what shape-shifter children are like – how they behave, how they develop, or if they’re born as human babies. I’m going to have to talk to Cadence about it.”
Jonah’s mind suddenly filled with an image of Cadence, her belly swollen with his child, and felt a surge of male possessiveness the likes of which he’d never experienced before. It nearly made him growl. The thought of his seed taking root inside her body, creating a new life, a part of them both, was heady, intoxicating. Suppressing a grin, he thought about how much he would like to get working on it right away.
“OH, MY GOODNESS gracious!”
Jonah’s mother had just witnessed the same transformation his father had less than an hour ago. Another change of clothes had been sent for, and a makeshift curtain had been erected in his father’s study in deference to his mother’s, and his, modesty.
She turned toward Cadence. “And you can do this as well…change into a panther?”
Jonah answered before Cadence was able to. “Yes, she can mother. My fiancé will not be tearing out of her clothes in front her future in-laws, however, so we won’t be having a demonstration. I’m sure it would break some very important rule of propriety, but if not, we should adopt one immediately.” He nearly growled that last bit. Cadence was his and his alone. She belonged to him. No one would be witnessing a glimpse of her perfect naked glory, no matter how fleeting.
Cadence chuckled, her green eyes twinkling. “There you have it. The new Kincaid credo: One should not shape-shift in mixed company, lest one has a change of clothes at hand, and a curtain to hide behind.”
Darkness suddenly clouded Jonah’s vision. When it cleared, he focused with sharp clarity on his father. His nostrils flared. His gut clenched. Muscles tensed, clamping down on bone in preparation to eliminate a rival male. He let out a low, rumbling snarl.
“Jonah?”
Cadence.
It was her soft voice that broke through the violent haze shrouding his mind. Her dewy-fresh scent insinuated itself into his consciousness, calming him.
What was he doing?
This was his father, for Christ sake! He was not a threat. The darkness that had engulfed Jonah abruptly dissipated, revealing the stark reality of what he’d almost done. He broke out in a sweat, his limbs trembling. He’d had the insane urge to rip out his father’s throat. The only thing that had mattered was that there was another male in the room who had to be eliminated.
Thank God he was able to pull himself out of it before he’d gone too far. Jonah let out a sigh of relief, once again aware of his surroundings. He looked around the room, only to find three pairs of eyes staring at him in stunned silence.
Jonah’s gaze met his father’s. “I’m sorry.” His voice was raw with the guilt that nearly consumed him. “It won’t happen again, I’ll make sure of it.” He definitely needed to get control of that particular instinct. It wouldn’t go over too well if he were to rip out the throat of some man at a dinner party for merely speaking to Cadence.
His father let out a relieved breath. “It’s all right, son. No harm, no foul.”
Cadence moved to stand next to Jonah, fitting her hand through his arm. She gave him a gentle squeeze, and looked up at him with a smile. “We’ll have to work on that, won’t we, honey?” She shifted her attention to his parents. “I’ve been helping him learn how to control his shape-shifting ability, but I hadn’t considered the territorial behavior of a male panther. As females, the only time our protective instinct surfaces, is when someone we care about is in danger, and to a more intense degree, when our children are threatened.”
His mother sank into one of the chairs by the fireplace. “I must admit it’s come as quite a shock to find out my son can transform himself into a panther.” Her gaze shifted to Cadence. “And you too, my dear. It’s all quite extraordinary.”
Jonah hadn’t mentioned the fact that he could travel from one place to another in the blink of an eye. He’d decided to save that one for another day. He figured he’d dropped enough surprises on his parents. “You seem to be taking it all rather well, mother.”
“Well, dear, we may only be your parents,” his mother said with a sniff, “but we’re not made of spun sugar, you know.”
Jonah laughed. “Yes, I do know that, and I apologize if I might have inadvertently suggested that you were.”
“After all,” his mother continued, “we’ve known about our family history for much longer than you. I, for one, have always held the conviction that there was more truth than fiction to those stories.”
“More like wishful thinking, I would say.” His father moved to put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Your mother has always been a bit of a believer in metaphysical phenomena. In fact her women’s club has made a study of it.”
His mother piped up, excitement in her voice. “Yes, indeed. You wouldn’t believe the things that go on in this city. All you have to do is pay attention. Too many people just go about their business without having a clue about the voodoo, black magic, and secret ceremonies that go on right under their very noses.”
Jonah looked at his mother and wondered how he’d missed this interesting aspect of her. He dragged a hand through his hair. “And on that note, I think it’s time we get back. There’s much to be done in the next few days.”
After saying their goodbyes, Jonah was helping Cadence into the carriage when she experienced the sensation that they were being watched. The suddenness with which it hit her, along with its intensity, made her stumble.
Jonah steadied her, concern etched on his features. “Are you all right?”
Something bad was going to happen, but she didn’t know what is was, or when it would happen. “Yes, I’m fine.” No sense in alarming Jonah just yet.
Twenty Eight
THERE WAS THAT feeling again. Cadence couldn’t shake the sensation of eyes watching her as she stuffed another item into her bag. She’d gone back to the house to get the last of her things. A shiver ran down her spine as she realized the house was empty except for her – and possibly whoever it was she felt watching her.
Twelfth Moon Page 26