The Jaguar Prince

by Karen Kelley

  Then it hit her, and she jerked back.

  Oh, no, DeeDee was right. She was falling in love with Rogar. How could it have happened so fast? But she knew. It was just like DeeDee had said. Callie had a bad case of hero worship. She moved off the bed and quietly left the room. She found DeeDee in the family room.

  “Oh, DeeDee, what am I going to do? I think I’ve fallen in love.”

  DeeDee laughed.

  “That’s not exactly the reaction I was hoping from you.”

  “It’s all right to fall in love, Callie.” She patted the cushion beside her. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

  Callie walked over and sat beside her friend. “He wants me to go to New Symtaria with him.”

  “Would that be so bad? You would get to know your people.”

  This conversation was not going in the direction she’d expected. Didn’t DeeDee care enough about their friendship to want her to stay?

  “I know what you’re thinking.”

  Callie studied her face, but she only saw the friendship that had always been there. Still, she had to ask. “You’d want me to leave?”

  “What I want isn’t important. Besides, I have a feeling we would still see each other on occasion. What’s important is that you’re happy. It should never be a choice between me and the man you fall in love with. Do you think you might be more afraid of the unknown?”

  “I think another planet is a little more than the unknown.”

  She chuckled. “Yeah, I guess it is. But look at the adventure you’ll have.”

  “What if I don’t want an adventure?”

  She patted Callie’s hand. “If you think about it, you’ll see that I’m right. You’ve never left this town except when I dragged you to my parents’ cabin.”

  “It was a little more than a cabin. More like luxury enclosed in a log structure.”

  “Don’t tell Mom and Dad that. They like to think they’re roughing it.”

  Her parents were really nice, but they didn’t have a clue about how it felt to scrimp and save. Their idea of roughing it was slower Internet service.

  Callie shrugged. “But he doesn’t love me. He only wants to make love.”

  “I don’t know, he looks like he might care about you more than you think.”

  And if that were the case, could she go on an adventure like Rogar was asking her to take? Give up any chance for the job she’d worked toward getting most of her life? Leave Sheba. The jaguar had become a part of her life as much as any beloved pet.

  But if she stayed, could she learn how to protect herself from people like Zerod? So many questions, and she didn’t have a clue what the answers were.

  “I’m beat, I think I’ll go to bed.” She stood, knowing she would stay in the room with Rogar. Apparently, so did DeeDee because she didn’t ask if she wanted one of the other bedrooms. If Rogar needed her during the night, Callie would have to be close enough to hear him.

  “See you in the morning.”

  There was a light blue chaise in the master bedroom. That would probably be safer than the bed. She took one of the pillows off the bed, and the blanket at the foot, then made herself as comfortable as she could. The chaise was meant for reading. It had a high back on one end and it was open on the other. It wasn’t long enough for someone to stretch out on so she would have to curl on her side. It was only one night, and Rogar had saved her life.

  As she punched her pillow, she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be getting a lot of sleep tonight. Some birthday this had been—an alien called Zerod had tried to kill her. Now that would be a story to tell the grandchildren. Not that they would believe it, except they would be part alien, too.

  Oh, Lord, how would she explain that if she married someone from Earth? No, honey, of course we didn’t get a cat. That’s your daughter.

  Or, worse, what if her animal guide was really a rabbit? Would that mean there was a possibility she would have twelve or more children at one time?

  She shouldn’t have drunk the Margarita. Alcohol always went straight to her head.

  Maybe she would be destined to stay single for the rest of her life. She certainly didn’t want to freak out her husband in the delivery room when she dropped a dozen or more kids.

  Did they even have maternity clothes that big?

  Oh, cripes, what if she delivered a baby rhinoceros? Ouch! That was so not going to happen. She would definitely insist on a c-section.

  Her lids fluttered downward and she yawned. She didn’t want to think about anything else tonight. She only wanted to sleep, and stay safe.

  But her dreams were filled with Zerod chasing her, except he was a tiger. Right before his teeth clamped down on her head, the dream changed. Now she was in the delivery room with some guy who she knew was her husband, but he looked like a complete doofus, and was white as a sheet because this doctor kept catching all these babies that were flying out of her body.

  She sat up with a start, drenched in sweat. The soft glow of morning light had started to creep inside the room. She sat on the side of the chaise, stifling her groan. She felt as though she’d run a marathon—or delivered a dozen or so kids.

  She stretched to get the kinks out, then stood and stretched some more. After a quick check on Rogar, who looked as though he was having great dreams, she dug a pair of sweats out of her bag and headed toward the shower. A shower, then coffee.

  Less than half an hour later, she was in the kitchen with a pot of coffee started.

  “I thought I heard someone up and moving about,” DeeDee said as she joined her. “Good, you have the coffee going.”

  DeeDee wore a flowing caftan and looked positively radiant. “How do you do it?”

  “What?”

  Callie waved her hand toward DeeDee. “Look this good first thing in the morning?”

  “Bad night?”

  “Miserable. I do not recommend sleeping on your chaise.”

  “There are spare guest rooms upstairs.”

  “I needed to be close.”

  She raised her eyebrows.

  “It’s not what you’re thinking. Rogar saved my life so it was the least I could do.” She glanced toward the glass pot. “Coffee’s ready.” And it was a good thing. It was way too early to get into a conversation about her love life.

  “What time are you planning to leave?” DeeDee asked as she sat at the table with her coffee.

  “I want to get out of town as soon as possible. And you?”

  “I’ll call Mom this morning to let her know I’ll be joining them after all. I’ll leave the same time as you.”

  “Good, I don’t want you here if Zerod comes looking for us, and I’d guarantee he will.”

  “Are you scared?”

  She nodded. “But I feel safe with Rogar.”

  “And I’ll keep you safe,” Rogar spoke from the doorway.

  She jumped up and hurried to him. “What are you doing up? You don’t want to start your wound bleeding again.” She rested his arm across her shoulders. He moved his hand a few inches, and as they made their way across the room, she realized how close it was to her breast. In fact, it was brushing the side. By the time she had him in a chair, her nipples were tight and aching for more than a gentle caress.

  “Are you feeling better,” DeeDee asked, apparently she didn’t notice the sexual undercurrent.

  “Much better, but groggy.” His gaze fell on Callie. “Did you give me something? I had a crazy dream that I needed to save you again, and couldn’t find a weapon. Then your lips were touching mine and your hands…”

  “Most of it was a dream,” she quickly inserted.

  “Callie…” DeeDee began.

  “We didn’t. I swear.”

  “Didn’t what?” Rogar looked between them.

  “Nothing. Would you like some coffee?” She could feel the heat rising up her face.

  “Coffee?”

  “It’s a morning drink,” DeeDee explained.

  “Yes, I’d like t
o try coffee.”

  Callie poured Rogar a cup, then carried it to him. He took a drink, then coughed and sputtered before turning accusing eyes on her.

  “Are you trying to kill me?”

  “I guess it’s an acquired taste.”

  She poured him a glass of orange juice instead. He seemed to like that much better.

  “We can’t continue to stay here,” Rogar told them when he’d finished his juice.

  “That’s why you’re going to my parents’ cabin,” DeeDee said. “Zerod won’t think to look for you there.”

  He stiffened. “You know about Zerod?” He looked at Callie.

  “I had to tell her, Rogar. I mean, your wound, and everything. I didn’t want DeeDee to think we were criminals or something.”

  “I swear I won’t say a word.” DeeDee crossed herself—not that she was Catholic.

  “It could be dangerous if you did.”

  She quirked an eyebrow. “That, and my parents would probably send me to a shrink.”

  Rogar sat straighter. “You can shrink people?”

  “She meant psychiatrist. Someone who tries to help crazy people.” Callie hated to put it that way, but it was the only way she thought Rogar would understand.

  “Oh, you mean people with emotional problems,” he said.

  Callie frowned. “Yeah, that’s one way to put it.” She ignored DeeDee’s smile.

  “You will come with us?” Rogar asked. “It won’t be safe here.”

  DeeDee shook her head. “I’ll stay with my parents. My cousin is getting married in a couple of months. They’ll be visiting them in another week so it’s an extended vacation. I like her, even if her fiancé is a jerk.” She curled her lip.

  “Fiancé?” he asked.

  “When two people fall in love, they get engaged. Her fiancé is the man she’s going to marry. They plan to spend their life together.”

  He nodded. “Lifemate.”

  Callie’s heart tripped at the way he said the word, then looked at her, as though he’d already staked his claim. She wondered what it was going to be like over the next few days living with Rogar. If he continued as he was right now, she had a feeling her heart was going to be in deep trouble.

  She jumped up from her seat. The room felt as though it was suddenly closing in on her. “I need to call Mr. Campbell. When all this is over, I’ll still need my job.” She met Rogar’s gaze. She was sure he caught her meaning. Leaving everything she had ever known was not an option.

  Chapter 17

  DeeDee had said they would be going to her parents’ cabin, that it would be safe there. Maybe they would be out of danger long enough that Rogar could find where Zerod was hiding.

  Rogar grit his teeth against the sudden flare of anger. He would kill Zerod, even if it meant death if he ever returned to New Symtaria. His family would ostracize him, as would the people. But he would do it for Callie. He would do it to keep her safe.

  Why?

  His forehead wrinkled. She was stubborn and obstinate. Her customs were odd, at best. She knew nothing of her true heritage, and furthermore, the only reason she was willing to meet her guide was so she could protect herself against Zerod. Not that she would defeat Rogar’s more experienced cousin.

  His hands curled into fists. She would never be able to take care of herself, even if she eventually accepted her guide. Her guide had been dormant too long. It would take years to gain what had been lost. No, Callie was too inexperienced.

  He glanced across the seat at her. She drove the boxy vehicle with ease, he would give her that. There were some things she could do better than him, although he could’ve easily learned the functions. Size was the only difference between this vehicle and the Jaguar.

  She adjusted the temperature setting on her side, then ran her hand along the wheel that steered the machine. Her touch was light, almost like a caress. He closed his eyes, remembering the way she had touched him.

  Maybe that was the reason he’d become infatuated with her. She had a nice touch. But then, she was also very beautiful—more like a Symtarian than someone from Earth. The Symtarian women were beyond comparison.

  She was more emotional, though, and her feelings often showed on her face. He knew when he’d pleased her or angered her in some way. He knew when she was content. Like now, she seemed relaxed.

  Just as suddenly, her expression changed, and she began to nibble on her lower lip.

  Was she thinking of Zerod? She shouldn’t worry, because he would protect her, and when he left, she would come with him. He wouldn’t give her an option, but he would give her a little time to get used to the idea. That was the only solution. There were others like Zerod, and he couldn’t protect her every second.

  “You’re awake,” she said.

  He had been for a while, but he hadn’t wanted her to know he studied her.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “More alert. Better.”

  “Yeah, sorry about giving you a prescription pain pill. I didn’t realize it would have such an adverse reaction on you. We’ll stick with the over-the-counter medication from here on out.” She shifted in her seat. “It won’t be long now. As soon as we arrive, I’ll get you tucked into bed. Your leg must be killing you.”

  He opened his mouth to tell her that it should be completely healed by now, but when she cast a concerned glance in his direction, words failed him. There was such a wealth of sympathy and love in that one look. When she squeezed his hand, he decided he would be better off not explaining that very few Symtarian wounds were life threatening.

  Instead, he quickly spelled cabin on his database. A picture popped up of a small log structure. Beneath it he read: cozy one-room cabin with few amenities. Often used by hunters when trapping or killing game.

  Rogar liked the thought that she would be tucking him into bed inside a secluded, but rustic cabin. They would spend their nights making love. During the day, he would be showing her the path to her animal guide, and eventually the way back to New Symtaria.

  All he had to do was tell her about the wonder and the beauty that New Symtaria had to offer. The wide streams, the green valleys, the highest mountains. The landscape was much the same as that of Earth, except better, so the transition wouldn’t be that difficult for her. He only had to convince Callie to return with him. Since he’d have her all to himself, that shouldn’t be a problem. He’d never had any trouble convincing a Symtarian woman to do his bidding.

  When his body began to react to thoughts of just how he would convince Callie that it would be in her best interest to leave with him, he decided to change the direction of his thoughts.

  “Did Mr. Campbell understand when you told him you were taking a few days away from work?” He rather hoped she’d been dismissed from her duties. Guilt flooded him. He didn’t want her unhappy.

  “There wasn’t any problem getting time off.”

  That surprised him. “Mr. Campbell didn’t seem the type who would be so generous.”

  She chuckled. “He isn’t, but I tempted him.”

  Rogar didn’t think he liked the idea of her tempting her boss.

  “I told him that I was trying to convince you to come back for a few weeks,” she said. “The bribe worked.”

  “And what will you tell him when that doesn’t happen?”

  “That you’re a rotten person and refused to cooperate.”

  He wasn’t sure he liked that solution any better.

  “We’re here,” she said.

  He sat straighter, and looked around. They were just passing under a wooden arch that proclaimed this was Camp in the Pines. They met a tiny vehicle with sticks poking out of bags in the back of the small conveyance. The man and woman smiled and waved, but Rogar thought their smiles were only pasted on their faces.

  “There are many small vehicles here,” he said as more passed them.

  She laughed lightly. “They’re called golf carts. You don’t play golf on New Symtaria?”

 
He pulled out his database and punched in some letters. A video popped up on the screen of a man swinging one of the sticks at a small white ball. He connected with the ball and it sailed through the air. Then he walked back to his cart and drove to where the white ball had stopped. He hit the ball twice more until it went into a small hole.

  Rogar looked at Callie. “No, we don’t play golf. It seems like a pointless game.”

  “You might not want to say that too loudly around here. They take their game very seriously.”

  “Odd.”

  “Welcome to the blueblood society.”

  “Their blood is blue?”

  “An expression. Their blood is actually the same color as mine, not that they would ever admit to it.”

  He punched in some more letters. Blueblood: an expression used to differentiate classes of people in Earth’s societies. Bluebloods are wealthy, and believe themselves above other people. They always run with their own crowd, and consider mingling with the lower classes beneath them.

  “It’s a good thing we won’t need to interact with them because I doubt I would enjoy it.”

  “We’ll see a lot more of them than we want.”

  She pulled in front of a log home. This dwelling was set farther back than the others, and surrounded by tall trees.

  “This is it,” she said as she turned the ignition key and opened the door. “Stay put and I’ll come around to help you.” She climbed out and hurried to his side of the vehicle as he input the word cabin into his database again.

  Callie opened the door. He shook his head and showed her the screen. “This place is not what my database has shown me.”

  She grinned, and for a moment, as he stared at her, he completely lost his train of thought. The spell broke when she glanced at the screen.

  “The rich never do anything like the rest of us,” she said.