by Anna Lowe
Soon, his tiger growled. Soon.
“Just one thing,” Jody added.
“Anything.”
Anything, his tiger agreed.
She pursed her lips. “Don’t take this the wrong way, okay?”
His heart sank. What was she getting ready to say?
“I’d rather you didn’t watch this time,” she said.
Her words nicked his heart like a chisel over stone, chipping off one chunk at a time. They’d spent an incredible night together. He’d touched, kissed, and licked her everywhere. Yet suddenly, she didn’t want him to see her half naked under a waterfall?
“This isn’t me,” she whispered, holding his hand — the one he wanted to yank away. “Not the real me.”
He stared. The pictures Guy snapped here were bound for magazine and billboards all over the world, but Jody didn’t want him to see?
His face must have shown the hurt, because she smoothed a hand over his chest and added, “I don’t mean it in a bad way. I just don’t…don’t…”
You just don’t want me anywhere near you, he nearly said.
Give her a break, his tiger tried. She’s human. They do strange things sometimes.
Yeah, he shot back. Humans are unpredictable. Irrational. Even dangerous sometimes. Dangerous to fools like himself who didn’t protect their hearts. He shook his head slowly, feeling sick to his stomach. I thought she was different.
She is different. She’s special, his tiger insisted.
But suddenly, he wasn’t sure what to believe any more.
She’s right. This isn’t really Jody. The real her is who we saw at home, his tiger said.
Cruz knew that made sense, but all he felt was the rejection. Richard and Guy could watch her, but he couldn’t?
“You call the shots,” he mumbled, backing away slowly.
Jody looked stricken, but Richard and Guy hurried her off before she could say a word, and that was that.
Cruz turned his back and stared at his shoes as his tiger raged inside.
Don’t make a big deal of it. Just try to understand.
Kind of ironic, having his tiger lecture his human side for a change.
“Step under the waterfall, honey. Beautiful. Now lean toward me…”
Cruz closed his eyes, wishing he couldn’t hear Guy instruct Jody. Wishing he couldn’t hear the camera click away.
You need to blow off the steam, his tiger said. Move a little bit.
Cruz felt like running into the woods and snarling until his ire echoed across the mountains, but he couldn’t do that. Not when he was committed to protecting Jody.
Of course, there was no reason why he shouldn’t check the surrounding area, so he took off into the jungle until the sound of the waterfall and rustling leaves drowned out Guy’s voice. Every step he took tempted him to shift and run, and before long, he gave in to the urge, leaving his clothes bundled on a rock. He let his tiger take over his body, wincing throughout the shift. When his two sides were in accord, changing shapes was a smooth, effortless transition he barely felt. But when his two sides conflicted, shifting was a creaky, painful process that made seconds feel like torturous hours. His shoulders ached as they dropped into their feline position. His skin burned as tiger stripes broke out over his body, and his jaw stretched.
All your fault, his tiger grumbled, giving himself a hearty shake when the transition was finally complete. Then he took off, sticking to the undergrowth. He dipped his nose to the ground then pointed it up to sniff the air. He didn’t really expect to find a whiff of danger, but—
The valley filled with the sound of an engine, and he rushed to a rocky outcrop.
What the hell? Kai? he called, watching the helicopter take off and soar away.
Bad timing, but there’s a mayday call, Kai replied in a tense tone. A couple of teenagers headed out on windsurfers and haven’t come back. Emergency services is calling for everyone in the area to help locate them before the weather deteriorates.
Cruz looked up. Mist was wafting over the mountaintops, but the real issue was the dark, angry clouds that were inching into sight. How long do you think the weather will hold?
The valley is still clear, but shit, you should see the clouds rolling in from the northeast, Kai said from his vantage point high above.
Cruz jumped back off the rock and pawed the earth as he called to Kai once more. Get back as quick as you can. We need to get Jody out of here.
Roger, Kai said as he sped out of view.
Cruz muttered to himself and circled back toward the waterfall. He jumped over a mossy tree trunk, heading back to the place he’d left his clothes. Then the wind shifted, teasing him with a faint new scent.
He froze, immobile but for the twitch of his whiskers and the sharp flick of his tail. The earthy scent of lobelia permeated the valley, along with native ferns and even a whiff of the rare Nau plant. But somewhere back behind them all…
He jerked his head around, following the faint smell of mammal. Of shifter. Of…of…a fellow feline?
The hair along his back prickled and stood as he rushed up the valley, chasing the unfamiliar scent. He couldn’t even bring himself to stalk it properly. Instead, he rushed headlong to confront the intruder who had no business that deep in the mountains — or that close to Jody. The ground blurred into a patchy green-brown rug under his feet. Vines whipped his sides as he hurtled along.
Ahead, branches snapped, the telltale sound of panicked flight. Leaves swayed, shedding water as the intruder raced away, and the pungent scent of fear speared into the air. Cruz sprinted in hot pursuit, catching glimpses of tawny fur and a tufted tail. He ran, fast and furious, driving the beast upslope. Then, with a final burst of speed, he launched himself at the intruder. They both exploded into snarls as they tumbled downslope, flailing at each other with deadly claws and fangs.
Cruz roared and threw his weight to one side, dragging his enemy to the ground until he had it pinned, belly up. He stared at the dark nose and furry neck.
A lion. What was a goddamn lion shifter doing on Maui?
He clacked his teeth a hair away from the beast’s throat, sending a clear message. Move and you die.
The lion, young and inexperienced — that much was immediately evident — panted wildly and held his paws still, submitting immediately.
Who the hell are you? Cruz barked. Most shifters could communicate mind-to-mind, and though it was harder to hear an unknown shifter’s thoughts, similar species could often make themselves understood.
He’d better well make himself understood, Cruz’s inner tiger snarled.
Don’t hurt me, the lion cried in terror. Don’t kill me.
The ruff around his neck hadn’t thickened into a proper mane, he was that young. Young and stupid, Cruz thought. And definitely from off-island. Cruz didn’t know of a single lion shifter on Maui.
What the hell are you doing here?
Just, uh…uh…
Yeah, the kid was up to no good, all right. Cruz leaned closer and snarled in a deeper tone while perking his ears. He doubted this cub of a lion had wandered all this way by himself. Were there other shifters out there?
Who are you with? he demanded. What are you up to?
Nothing. The lion yelped. When Cruz snarled again, he capitulated. All I’m supposed to do is watch from up here. I swear I’m not even going to get close. I’m just supposed to watch and learn—
The lion snapped his mouth shut, aware he’d said too much.
Cruz showed every inch of his teeth. Learn? From whom?
The lion hesitated until Cruz waved the claws of his left paw in front of its face.
My uncle. I’m just supposed to watch. I swear I wasn’t going to do anything else.
Cruz’s mind spun. Was there a pride of lion shifters moving in to Maui? Were they working for Moira or trying to sabotage the photo shoot? Did his family ever cross paths with a pride of lions who might want to cause trouble for him now?
None of
it made sense, no matter how he tried piecing it all together.
A helicopter buzzed back into the valley, and Cruz exhaled. If Kai was back, he could help get to the bottom of this.
Cruz lifted his head and sniffed deeply. And just then — in that split second of inattention — the young lion shifter bolted into the underbrush.
Cruz snarled but didn’t bother setting off in pursuit. With Kai back, one fleeing lion wasn’t much of a threat. The question was what other shifters might be out there, lying in wait.
No matter how he sniffed, though, he couldn’t pick out anything but the scent of the rapidly retreating lion.
He padded back downslope, flicking his ears at the buzz of the helicopter. The pitch sounded higher than before. Was Kai in a rush? He bounded up to a boulder for a clear look as the chopper touched down.
Whoa. Wait, his tiger snarled inside.
Kai’s helicopter was brown with red and yellow stripes, but the chopper swooping in now was a big blue A-Star. Cruz growled under his breath as five bulky men stepped out. Big, meaty, mercenary types, except the leader, who was taller and leaner. Lion shifters?
When he sniffed again, his blood ran cold. Among the other scents came one singular smell. Not so much a scent as an interruption of scents that ought to have been there.
What kind of creature didn’t smell like anything? What beast chased scents away rather than carrying its own?
Then it hit him, and he cursed. Vampire. That lack of scent was the hallmark of a vampire.
Cruz didn’t watch a second longer, because he’d chased the young lion a long way upslope, and the newcomers were much closer to Jody than he was.
Shit, he cursed, tearing down the slope with his heart in his throat. Jody. Jody…
Chapter Seventeen
“Lift your chin higher. Turn a little more,” Guy said. He was crouched by Jody’s knees, aiming the camera upward to catch the water cascading over her body.
She did her best to channel her inner minx, but she just couldn’t force herself to do it. Standing under the waterfall ought to have been cool and refreshing, but she felt dirty and used, especially with Richard leering from the background like that.
“What’s with you today?” Richard complained. “Where’s the magic we had in the last shoot?”
She hid a scowl. The magic was Cruz, but she’d sent him away. Worse, she’d upset him. Didn’t he understand why she didn’t want him to watch? She’d bared her truest, most private self to him the day before, and she wanted him to treasure that, not pollute the memory with this caricature of herself. And damn it, she was helping him by doing this, too. Wasn’t he grateful for that?
But Cruz had barely looked at the sapphire after a first glance, so maybe it wasn’t the jewel he and Silas were interested in.
Doubt clouded her mind. What if Cruz didn’t care? What if he was only interested in a jewel — a different jewel — and not truly interested in her? What if he had been using her all along?
Without thinking, she brought her thumbnail to her mouth to gnaw on, then yanked it away before Richard could comment. Had she been too trusting, too eager? Had she been too entranced by the dark, brooding warrior so shrouded in mystery?
“Center the necklace and lean forward,” Guy said.
When she bent at the waist, the sapphire swung away from her chest. She caught and steadied it, then glanced down. Despite the cool temperature of the water, the gem felt warmer than it had at first. Was that from her body heat?
She scowled. Her body heat that wasn’t all that high, not with Cruz gone.
“Try lifting it up,” Guy said. “Let’s see if we can get it to catch the light.”
She held the gem higher. Clouds were sneaking over the sky as he spoke, but sunlight still pierced the valley — for the moment, at least.
“Right there. Great. I love how it splits the light,” Guy said.
Jody studied it. Wow. The jewel really did reflect the light.
“Get under the waterfall. Put your head back like you’re in the shower.”
Letting go of the sapphire, she did as she was told. A warm spot on her chest told her where the gem lay, though her attention jerked away when a helicopter zoomed overhead. Not Kai’s brown striped machine — a different one. Moments later, several men appeared on the rise she’d hiked down from.
“Who’s that?” she asked, breaking out of the pose.
Richard snubbed his cigarette against a rock and tossed it into the pool at her feet. “Must be the guys from the Elements corporate office I invited.” He rubbed his hands together. “When they see these pictures and bring them back to the boss, we’ll be the primary ad team, for sure.”
You what? she wanted to yelp, but she held back — barely. The last thing she wanted was more people to watch her prance around half naked. Of course, the photos would end up being published, but having people see her pose in person seemed even more an invasion of her privacy.
“Concentrate,” Richard grunted.
Jody did her best, but the water skipping over her body came in thin, irregular bursts, and having the men watch from above made her skin crawl. Where was Cruz?
“I wish we had a little more water,” Guy said.
Jody knew just what he meant. The waterfall split into six separate streams, and each was more of a trickle than a shower. She imagined the rock pool at Cruz’s place. That had been just the right amount.
A second later, she squealed as what felt like a bucket emptied over her head. Guy jumped back and turned to protect his camera from the splash. Jody blinked, looking up at the waterfall.
“Ha. Watch what you think, sweetheart,” Guy joked. “Now quick, while it’s running. Look this way and hold the sapphire against your heart.”
She expected the jewel to feel cold and edgy, but it was surprisingly comfortable — almost as if it wanted her to hold it close.
“Perfect! Hold it right there so I can get the light reflecting off it.”
She couldn’t help peeking down. That wasn’t just the light. The sapphire was glowing.
“Come on, honey. Let’s have some of that magic from the other day.”
She didn’t have an ounce of magic in her, not with Cruz gone. But, wow — maybe the sapphire did, because the light streaming off it intensified. The facets didn’t just reflect daylight — they seemed to project their own luminescence.
“Good. Now, shut your eyes…”
She closed her eyes and found herself adrift in images of water of all kinds. Rushing river water. Roiling surf at the edge of the sea. Pitter-patter rainwater. Babbling brooks. All those scenes merged together like one of those relaxation videos city dwellers used to conjure peace.
Footsteps splashed nearby, and at first, she thought that was part of the menu of water conditions bubbling through her head. But then Richard called out in greeting.
“Gentlemen, gentlemen. Glad you could make it.”
Jody snapped her eyes open, and her hands flew to her chest. She’d grown accustomed to Guy and Richard — more or less. But five newcomers had appeared — big guys with long, leonine hair — and to have them look on…
“Oh, don’t let us hold you up,” the tallest one said, looking right at Jody.
Guy coaxed her on. “Come on, honey, one more set. Chin up…”
Jody shivered. The clouds marched steadily on, and the temperature dropped. She cast her eyes around for Cruz, feeling naked and vulnerable. Clutching the sapphire made her feel more grounded, though. More powerful, somehow. Slowly, she straightened her shoulders.
I can do this. I can do this…
“Good. Now angle that way…”
She did her best, but it was hard with those men there, undressing her with their eyes.
“Nice. Keep that up. Bring it right up to your eyes,” Guy said.
She blinked as she cupped the jewel with both hands. Light danced and flickered within the facets, taking on a life of its own.
Guy muttered to
himself, as he always did. Richard chattered away at one of the big guys flanking the tallest, leanest man. And then — in spite of all the distraction and the noise of the waterfall — she heard the tall man’s sharp intake of breath. His eyes shifted to the sapphire, and his lips moved.
A shiver went down her spine, and she clutched the jewel tighter.
“I love the way the light reflects in that stone,” Richard said.
Thunder rumbled over the mountaintops, making everyone peer up.
“Damn it. We’ll have to hurry to get these last shots,” Guy said, fumbling with his lens.
The tall, lean man stepped forward, hopping from one rock to another with incredible speed and grace. One second, he was far away, and the next, he was far too close. Every step he took forward made Jody retreat, pressing her back to the waterfall.
“Miss Monroe?” he asked.
His eyes were black and eerily dull. The whites of his eyes were a jaundiced yellow. His hair was shiny and slicked back, his voice deep and commanding.
“Hang on there, Vasco,” Richard said. “Let Guy finish shooting.”
She could see anger flare in the newcomer’s eyes. Vasco. Who was he?
“I say when you’re done shooting,” Vasco said in a scary monotone. His eyes locked on hers, a predator fully focused on its prey.
Richard shook his head. “We’re on a tight schedule.”
Richard, she wanted to whisper. Be quiet. Don’t push him.
Vasco had a simmering undercurrent of strength, much like Cruz. But unlike Cruz, he exuded a scary feeling of ruthlessness. Of evil, almost. She tore her gaze away from him to search the hillsides. God, where was Cruz?
“Moira LeGrange may be the big boss,” Richard blustered, “but I’m the product manager of this shoot, and I say—”
Vasco twisted the hand Richard placed on his shoulder and shoved so hard, the manager fell backward into knee-high water. He came up sputtering, but the other men grabbed his arms, pinning him in place.
Guy, oblivious, played with the zoom. The camera was so close to his eyes, he hadn’t noticed the shove. “All right, now I need you to—”
Jody’s heart pounded as she backed a few inches along the face of the waterfall. The tall, lean man was clearly capable of terrible deeds. The urge to run coursed through her bones.