The Jaguar Prince

by Karen Kelley

  “That’s illegal.” She furtively glanced around the room, expecting the police to pounce on them any second, but everything looked the same as it had a moment ago. God, how had she gotten herself into this? Not only was he a psychopath, but a criminal as well.

  “Would you like coffee, ma’am?” The waiter asked, bearing a silver coffeepot.

  “No, I’m finished. Just the bill.” The waiter looked surprised that she didn’t want to linger, but then he eyed her uniform as though he found her quite uncouth.

  The waiter cocked an imperious eyebrow. “As you wish.”

  Ass.

  “You don’t find the restaurant to your liking?” Rogar asked.

  “It’s great.” She would never be able to show her face in here again, though. Not that she could afford this place.

  Oh, no, they knew she worked at the zoo since she still wore her uniform. When they discovered the bills were phony, they’d come to arrest her, and she’d never get to work with the big cats.

  The waiter came back with a leather folder and placed it beside Rogar. She reached across and grabbed it. Maybe she could leave them an IOU. No, that would probably get her in bigger trouble. She opened it and looked at the total. It took her a second to catch her breath. She wanted to cry.

  The wine they’d had with their dinner had been three hundred dollars a bottle. The meal was one hundred and eighty. Oh, good Lord! The mousse was thirty dollars! Thirty freakin’ dollars for pudding? It didn’t matter that it was decadent and exquisite—no dessert was worth thirty dollars.

  The waiter pried the leather folder from her hands and handed it back to Rogar, who casually reached into his pocket and peeled off 6, one-hundred-dollar bills. Before she could snatch the folder again, the waiter scooped it up in his hands with a wide grin and bowed before making a hasty exit.

  Rogar came to his feet, then waited for her. A waiter hurried over and nudged her chair. What could she do? She came to her feet as the waiter pulled the chair out for her. Rogar handed him a twenty.

  Of course they would fall all over themselves to do his bidding when he flashed money at them. She was halfway to the door when she remembered something and hurried back to the table. The staff had already started to clear it. She marched over to the silver wine bucket and grabbed what was left of the three-hundred-dollar wine, hugging the bottle close to her chest. If she was going to jail eventually, then she was damn well going to enjoy the fruits of her criminal behavior.

  Her gaze dared Rogar to say something when she rejoined him. He didn’t.

  The valet brought the car around. The young man lovingly caressed the side as he got out. She suddenly thrust the bottle of wine toward Rogar. “Here, I’m driving.”

  He shrugged. “It makes no difference to me.”

  He didn’t seem to care if she could even drive a standard. This car meant nothing to him. The high-dollar meal probably hadn’t, either. The injustice was almost too much to bear.

  She scooted in on the driver’s side, and the valet closed her door. For a moment she just sat there, eyes closed as she got the feel of such an exquisite piece of machinery. Then she opened her eyes and fastened her seat belt.

  “Buckle up,” she told Rogar. She was so going to show him what this baby could do.

  “You can operate this vehicle?”

  Now he wonders about his safety? She adjusted the seat to reach the pedals better. “Oh, yeah, I can drive it.” An old boyfriend had taught her what a real car could do, and she’d been hooked.

  After pulling out into traffic, she headed toward the outskirts of the city. As soon as the traffic thinned to nothing but an occasional vehicle, she glanced toward Rogar. “Hang on.” For the first time, he looked a little nervous. He shouldn’t, she knew what she was doing.

  She downshifted, then tapped the gas, that’s all it took with this baby, but she could feel the surge of power all the way up her arms. The wind blew her hair as a rush of excitement flowed over her entire body.

  It had been a long time since she’d felt this free. No more problems, no more troubles. She was outrunning them. She didn’t have to think about how many times she’d been passed over when it came to the animal keeper job or the crappy house she rented or never having enough money, always being caught between a rock and a hard place. No, everything was blown away like the wind through her hair.

  Trees rushed past, buildings and businesses were replaced by pastures, which is why she chose this isolated area to test the car’s speed. She laughed for the pure joy of it. But when she glanced at the gas gauge, she knew she’d have to turn around and go back or they would get stuck walking. The needle was almost on empty. It was fantastic while it lasted. She slowed, then pulled into a roadside park.

  “Well, what did you think?” she asked after she turned the key off and slid around in her seat to face him.

  “I think you know how to operate the antiquated machine,” he said very nonchalantly.

  “You’re not fooling me for a moment.” She grinned. “Admit it, you loved the ride.”

  He studied her, then before she could react, he leaned over, cupped her head with his hand, and brought her lips to his. She was just startled enough that she didn’t stop him. But then his lips were brushing across hers, and the heat began to build.

  His tongue delved inside her mouth, caressing, touching, at the same time his hand slid over the front of her shirt, un-buttoning it as he went, then cupping her breast, brushing his thumb across her nipple. She moaned, pleasurable sensations sweeping over her.

  She had to stop him. She barely knew the guy, and what she did know, made her question his sanity. Maybe she should start questioning hers as well because it felt so good, and it had been so long since a man had touched her.

  The headlights from a passing eighteen wheeler caught them for a brief moment, but it was enough to bring her back to her senses. She pushed on his shoulders. He stopped, but when she looked at him, she could see the effort written on his face.

  “I can’t,” she spoke softly.

  “Why? You enjoyed my touch.”

  He definitely said what he was thinking. Most guys would’ve tried to pull her back into their arms and attempt to kiss her into submission, or given up and tried again on another date, or moved on to greener pastures. They never asked why.

  She took a deep breath. His gaze lowered. Damned full moon that left nothing to the imagination. She quickly buttoned her blouse. “I’m not ready to go that far with you.” How prim and proper did that sound? Sheesh!

  He moved back to his seat. “Then I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

  This guy was really full of himself. “And what if I’m never ready?”

  “You were ready a moment ago, more than ready. You ached for more, and you were panting. You still haven’t accepted what you are. When you do, then we will mate.”

  “Excuse me?” He really had his nerve.

  She wasn’t about to get into a conversation about how bad she might have wanted him. She frowned. Probably because he was right. She moved the topic to safer ground. “I won’t ever believe that I can shift into an animal. It’s a ridiculous notion. I think you’re crazy.” Had she actually just told him he was crazy while sitting at a roadside park, no one around to hear her scream while he killed her?

  “I’m not crazy.”

  “Of course not.” She attempted a friendly smile. “It was only a figure of speech. We’d better get back.” She quickly started the car and pulled out onto the road, keeping the speed limit this time.

  Maybe she didn’t really think he was crazy. Not serial killer crazy, anyway. He had saved that boy’s life. Killers didn’t normally go around saving lives. But he was—different.

  She knew he watched her for the first few minutes before he turned his attention back to the road. Rogar was quiet. What was he thinking?

  Rogar closed his eyes, feeling the wind on his face. It was a feeling much like the one he had when he became one with the jagu
ar and they would run through the jungles on New Symtaria. It was the same kind of freedom.

  He closed his eyes for a moment, frustrated with how things were going. He had to convince Callie of who she really was, what she could do. He opened his eyes, narrowing them as he scanned the passing scenery. The moonlight made it as bright as day, but there were still shadows all around them.

  But were the shadows safe or dangerous?

  Not all Symtarians thought it was a good thing to bring their people home if they had mixed blood. They thought it would weaken their race. These rogue Symtarians weren’t willing to admit the purity of the Symtarian blood was killing who they were. They needed impures like Callie to ensure their survival.

  Yes, Earth was inferior in many ways, but there were good things, too. He enjoyed listening to Callie’s laughter, and watching her interaction with Sheba that first night. There was kindness inside her.

  And he liked the way she immediately responded to his touch, pupils dilating, nipples hardening.

  He drew in a shaky breath. Symtarians needed to mate often, needed the release that went with it.

  A sign flashed, drawing his attention to the fact that they were back in the city. It wasn’t good that he would become so lost in thought. Danger was still out there, still waiting. He had to remain alert. If for no other reason, he had to protect Callie.

  Chapter 6

  “Thanks for dinner, and letting me drive your car.” She got out, leaving it running, and hoping he would take the hint and leave.

  “Can I use your bathroom?” he asked.

  Now what was he up to? That was the oldest line in the book. If he thought she would succumb to his charm, he’d better think again. No way was she inviting him into her bed.

  She sighed. But he had given her a ride home and bought her supper—sort of. “But then you’ll need to leave,” she told him.

  He reached over and shut off the engine, pocketing his keys before getting out of the car. She couldn’t fault him for that. In this neighborhood it probably wasn’t wise to leave a Jag running. Shoot, it might not even be wise to leave one in the driveway. Not that he would be here that long.

  She unlocked the front door, flipped on the light, and they went inside. He started toward the bathroom, but turned, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders. Okay, here it was, his move to get her into bed. But he only looked deep into her eyes.

  “You have the ability to change form. Your guide is there”—he tapped her chest—“in your heart…and in your soul, waiting for you to acknowledge her. You need her as much as she needs you.”

  Funny, she didn’t feel afraid because he was talking crazy again. Maybe because she knew he really believed what he was telling her.

  She might as well play along and humor him.

  Yeah, sure, who was she kidding? She was beginning to buy into his fantasy…sort of.

  She cocked her head to the side. “And exactly how do I change form?”

  “You only have to close your eyes and think about your guide. Think about your other form. It will happen if you let it.”

  He moved his hands from her shoulders, taking his warmth with him as he walked out of the room.

  What if he was right? What if she was part alien? She’d been about eight when she’d first heard the voice inside her. What if it had been her guide? Callie had been scared. She’d told one of the counselors and the next thing she knew, she was sitting in front of a psychiatrist.

  Who would want to adopt a kid who heard a voice talking to her? She’d stopped listening, and eventually it went away.

  Callie was so confused. Rogar had said to change form, she had to close her eyes and think about her guide. If she did this, and didn’t change, that would prove to him, and her, that she wasn’t part alien.

  Before she could chastise herself for being as crazy as Rogar for even thinking she quite possibly could be part alien, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then exhaled. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, and looked at her arms. They still looked like her arms.

  Rogar had said she needed to concentrate. She took another deep breath, exhaled, and relaxed her whole body. She pictured fields of green grass waving in the breeze, and could almost feel the wind on her face. Animal guide, are you there? The sun raced across the sky. The moon came out. There was strength in the magical orb in the sky. She could hear people speaking, and knew it was her ancestors who had crossed before her. She felt her body changing.

  What was happening? Was she dying? Had Rogar come back and killed her while she wasn’t looking, and she didn’t know she was dead yet?

  Ridiculous, she wasn’t dead. At least, she was pretty sure she wasn’t, but she hurt. Her body ached in places she didn’t know she could ache. And burned with an intensity she didn’t know existed.

  She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn’t, and yet, she felt the damp fog surrounding her. Weakness enveloped her, and she slowly sank to the floor and curled into a ball as her heart began to race. The blood rushed through her veins. Her skin stretched, then tightened.

  This wasn’t funny. Stop!

  No sound came from her.

  Oh, God, she couldn’t speak! She couldn’t see!

  She whimpered.

  As she lay there, everything began to return to normal. She heard a dog barking outside. A car zoomed past. A neighbor called her children to come inside.

  For a moment, Callie just lay on the floor, trying to catch her breath, letting the world catch up to her. The pain wasn’t so bad now. At least, she didn’t feel as though her body was going to explode.

  Finally, she opened her eyes. Something wasn’t right. She felt different. The room looked the same, only bigger. Why did everything look so big?

  Her movements were disjointed as she made her way to the bedroom. Rogar better have some answers, and he’d better have them damned fast. She paused in front of the full-length mirror in the hallway, which was the only place she had space for it.

  There was a rabbit in her house. Why was there a white furry rabbit in her house? And where was her reflection? She only saw the damned rabbit.

  She had her explanation, Rogar was a vampire! They did exist. He’d probably bitten her that first night and now she was a vampire, too, and that was why she had no reflection. She’d never be able to go into the daylight again. Oh, God, no more Krispy Kremes.

  Oh, great, the rabbit crapped in her floor. Black pellets were on her clean floor.

  “You’ve changed form,” Rogar said from her bedroom doorway at the end of the hall.

  He was still talking crazy. Why didn’t he just admit she was a vampire and now would be doomed to live forever? Never to know if her makeup was on straight because she had no reflection.

  She thought about that for a moment. If she lived forever, she was bound to get the animal keeper job. But then, she couldn’t go into the light of day. It might be kind of difficult to work only at night.

  Rogar came toward her. Good, because she was about to lay into him. He would regret ever turning her. Bleh, she was not about to drink blood to stay alive.

  He stooped and picked up the rabbit, except she knew he was picking her up.

  “I know things are confusing right now, but it will all get easier in time.”

  What the hell was he talking about?

  “You make a cute rabbit,” he said.

  Rabbit? Rabbit! She’d shifted into a freakin’ rabbit? That was her guide? Hey guide, I don’t want to be a rabbit. If I’m going to be anything, I want to be a sexy animal. Rabbits were anything but sexy.

  Oh, this was fantastic. Didn’t jaguars eat rabbits? Rogar had probably wanted her to change form so he could have a late-night snack.

  She didn’t want to be a rabbit. She wanted to be Callie again.

  “To change back, you only need to think about who you were before the change,” he said as if he sensed her thoughts.

  Okay, she could do this because she damned well didn’t want t
o stay a friggin’ bunny. What would that accomplish? That she could be the life of the party leading the bunny hop? That she could have hundreds of baby bunnies? That sex would be really quick—wham, bam, thank you ma’am? Actually, that pretty well summed up her sex life now.

  Nope, she was changing back ASAP. She willed her eyes, the rabbit’s eyes, to close. She thought about driving the Jaguar home and feeling the wind on her face, working at the zoo, how Mrs. Winkle would flip out if she realized Callie not only had a rabbit in the house, but a two-hundred-pound sleek muscled black jaguar.

  I want to be Callie again, she thought to herself. I want to be Callie. I want to be Callie.

  The fog once again rolled in and she began to change.

  Everything went black.

  Callie stretched her limbs. Her body ached. A burning sensation slammed her gut. She arched her back, moaning. There was pain, but not severe enough that she couldn’t stand it.

  She didn’t hear the voices this time. Only soothing words coming from Rogar as he helped her to return.

  God, she was so tired. As though she’d just run a ten-mile marathon.

  “Callie?” Rogar whispered close to her ear.

  She realized he was sitting on her bed, and she was on his lap. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. A myriad of emotions washed over her. “You weren’t lying. I’m part Symtarian.” She hiccupped.

  “No, I wasn’t lying to you.”

  “But I don’t want to be a bunny rabbit. I want to be something exotic.”

  She could feel the rumble of laughter in his chest.

  “It’s not funny. And I didn’t hear any kind of guide talking to me, either.”

  “Callie, you surprise and mystify me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” He sighed. “I remember the first time I took another form. It terrified me.”

  “Yeah, well, it scared the crap out of me.” She frowned. Literally, actually. That was so embarrassing. Rabbit pellets on her floor. “I still didn’t hear my guide.”