Secrets of the Jaguar (Crimson Romance)

by Jaye Shields

  At the time, Duncan hadn’t been positive Tzinacan was bound to the dark, since most modern vampires he had seen could come and go in the daylight. But Moon Jaguar’s words made sense, and Duncan quickly realized that the treasure Tzinacan sought was not gold, but shimmering daylight, complete freedom.

  A vampire’s hearing was sharp, and so Duncan picked up on many critters moving about in the Ceiba tree fortress, but an ominous presence lurked. He was almost positive Tzinacan approached. He could hear Michelle and Moon Jaguar inside of the pyramid. Duncan worried that as an ancient, his foe could also hear from wherever he was hiding in the dense jungle. Focusing in on the malicious presence that was becoming more familiar to him, Duncan willed his body to leave, to get closer to the source.

  Before he realized it, Duncan had misted directly into Tzinacan’s path. The ancient vampire grinned evilly. “Nice trick,” he said just before he heaved Duncan fifty yards through the dense jungle, branches breaking along the way, until finally his back collided against the flora-covered pyramid.

  Duncan felt the stones crack under the force of his collision. Pain like he had never known made the world a momentary haze. Duncan was pretty sure every bone in his body was broken, but he needed to focus.

  Tzinacan stalked into the clearing and smiled once again, obviously thrilled at the sight of Duncan slumped on the ground. “It’s been some time, but I have returned. I’ll create new, fond memories here indeed.”

  Ignoring the pain, Duncan appeared in a mist before Tzinacan and wiped the smirk off his face. Duncan might not have the age of the ancient vampire, but rage flooded his senses. Raining down on Tzinacan in a flurry of blows, he never heard the army of Zozt vampires descending on the clearing.

  Blood soaked Tzinacan’s face from the impact of Duncan’s fury, but a laugh escaped him, and Duncan cringed as he realized what Tzinacan heard.

  • • •

  “Duncan!” Michelle cried out as she appeared at the mouth of the pyramid. Still naked from her shift, Michelle took one look at the situation and quickly shifted into jaguar form. Leaping forward, Michelle meant to maul the vampire while Duncan had him down, but strong arms immediately came down on the length of her feline body. The crushing weight of what felt like granite squeezed the air out of her lungs.

  Zozt vampire! Moon Jaguar’s voice erupted in Michelle’s thoughts and then suddenly his jaws clamped down on her captor’s arm. But the Zozt never loosened its grip and instead flung the jaguar off like a fly. Michelle was helpless as more of the Zozt surrounded Moon Jaguar.

  Michelle wondered if she might slip out of the vampire’s grip by shifting into human form. But she never got the chance. Duncan misted behind the Zotz and snapped its thick neck before immediately grabbing Michelle tightly by the fur and disappearing once again.

  Duncan misted to the top of the flora-covered pyramid that poked above the jungle canopy.

  “Oh my god!” Michelle teetered on top of the pyramid in human form. She was hundreds of feet high — in fact, she couldn’t even see the ground, just the thick jungle canopy below her.

  Duncan’s eyes were black, twisted, with flickering red embers, the underlying characteristics of his vampire side brought out by the battle. But he pressed a kiss to her lips, reassuring her. “Stay here, the Zotz can’t come into the sun. I need to finish this.” But before Duncan could fade into a mist, Michelle grabbed him.

  “Wait! Drink some of my blood first — you said it made you strong,” she pleaded, her thick dark hair whipping around them as the high winds swirled around them. Michelle tilted her head to the side allowing Duncan intimate access to her jugular. Instead, Duncan grabbed Michelle’s wrist and sank his teeth into the skin. Duncan withdrew only a couple gulps, his face angled upward as if to soothe her with his loving gaze. Without pause he misted below the jungle canopy where all hell was breaking loose.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Meztil was still in jaguar form, but a Zozt held him by the throat, his paws dangling off the ground. Tzinacan and nine Zozt warriors surrounded Moon Jaguar. Tzinacan interrogated the jaguar in a language Duncan couldn’t understand. He had slashed the jaguar across the ribs many times trying to force Moon jaguar to shift back to human form.

  When Tzinacan felt Duncan’s presence on the edge of the clearing he roared, “You can’t keep her from me much longer, filth! I will have her bleeding upon the stone and I will make you watch!”

  Duncan’s body shook with anger, but he relished in his ability to mist when he knew they could not. Disappearing to a boulder out of sight, Duncan brought his fist down hard, causing a large shard to break. Grabbing it, Duncan returned in a flash to Tzinacan.

  He had caught the ancient vampire only slightly off guard, not enough to prevent Tzinacan from grabbing his throat, but Duncan drove the sharp granite shard into his enemy’s chest, and then disappeared in a mist again to grab Meztil from the Zozt warrior, who still dangled, bleeding, in jaguar form.

  Duncan relocated them both deeper into the jungle, and Moon Jaguar shifted into human form. Blood gurgled from his lips as he mumbled in Spanish, “Ella esta segura?” Is she safe?

  There was a dangerous glint in Duncan’s eyes. “Not as safe as I’d like.”

  “They cannot disappear as you do, but they are still faster than any being. And once the sun disappears, they will have the ability to shift into half-man, half-bats with enormous strength.”

  Duncan’s patience dwindled. “I’ve already seen it. Stay here while I handle them.”

  “No! You need me to show you where the stone is. If you can bleed Tzinacan to death upon that stone, his Zozt warriors will die as well.”

  Without hesitation, Duncan grabbed Meztil again and brought them back into the clearing where the Zozt were ravaging the landscape, their strength ripping up thick vines like noodles in search of the stone.

  Before the Zozt realized they had returned, Moon Jaguar quietly pointed to the other side of the pyramid and Duncan misted them there. Unfortunately, the warriors were hacking apart flora on every side of the pyramid and one of them was standing almost directly above where Moon Jaguar pointed.

  Duncan ran at the vampire in a blur of speed and slammed it down, snapping the head with such force that vampire became a ragdoll. A nearby Zotz took notice and used the same speed to confront Duncan. But Duncan could feel Michelle’s blood coursing through his veins and he, too, rushed the Zozt vampire. In a speed that would have been nearly invisible to a human eye, the two vampires met in a disastrous collision of fists and fangs. Duncan used his teeth to rip out his opponent’s jugular.

  For a moment, Duncan stood over the body of the fallen Zotz warrior. Never before had Duncan lost himself to the vampire side of his nature. It made him wary of going too far — how could he ever return to face Michelle as such a monster. But Duncan’s moment of thought was disrupted.

  “Since you’re all I’ve got … ” Tzinacan yelled proudly, and with supernatural speed, grabbed Moon Jaguar and sank his fangs deep. Duncan ran toward them, but Tzinacan also became a blur and dragged Moon Jaguar to where the stone lay hidden. Zotz warriors were right by Tzinacan’s side to yank up the flora revealing the gigantic stone.

  The area was cleared in the blink of an eye. A gigantic limestone monument lay at the foot of the pyramid. Duncan quickly misted to the nearest Zozt warrior and began snapping necks before the warriors had a chance to fight back, but he halted when he heard the scream.

  There was Michelle, huddled midway on the steps of the pyramid. Tzinacan had slammed Moon Jaguar down on the stone so hard, blood was bubbling up from his mouth and the elderly form seemed lifeless. Duncan’s whole body seized up, he knew what came next: Tzinacan would rip out Moon Jaguar’s heart and let his body bleed out.

  Duncan misted to where Tzinacan held Meztil, but the Zotz had gotten used to Duncan’s tricks and Duncan felt a dagger sink into his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Michelle, naked and crawling down the stairs of the pyra
mid. If she came any lower, the Zotz would surely go after her. Fury emanated from his pores.

  “Dammit!” Duncan pulled out the dagger and heaved a breath before disappearing. As Tzinacan plunged his fist down toward Moon Jaguar’s body, Michelle’s scream permeated the distance. Duncan misted directly in front of Tzinacan and drove the dagger through the vampire’s heart. Hindered momentarily by the wound, Tzinacan couldn’t stop Duncan from misting Moon Jaguar away.

  In another moment, Duncan had placed Moon Jaguar in a safe location and was at Michelle’s side on the stairs. “What the hell are you thinking? Do you know how fast those warriors could be up here if they thought it was sheltered enough from the sun?” Before Michelle could protest, he whisked her to the top of the pyramid again.

  Duncan focused to mist, but felt dizzy instead. The blood he had lost and the constant flashing was beginning to wear on him.

  “You’re hurt!” Michelle said as; she put her wrist up against his lips. “Have another drink.”

  “Quit trying to feed me, damnit! Can’t you tell I’m a monster enough already?”

  He knew that should have hurt her feelings, but instead Michelle threw herself against Duncan, her lips seeking his in a passionate frenzy. Duncan felt her naked body mold against his and for a moment, all the violence around them was forgotten and he was whole again.

  When the kiss ended, he smiled at Michelle who still looked distraught. “Don’t worry, baby, I just got my second wind.” Duncan smiled and then disappeared, leaving Michelle to catch herself from falling off the top of the pyramid.

  Below the jungle canopy at the stone of the sun, partially soaked in Moon Jaguar’s blood, only five of the Zotz vampires were still alive and Tzinacan was nowhere to be seen.

  Suddenly Duncan was thrown from behind. “I bet you’ve got plenty of that whore’s jaguar blood within you. Perhaps it will give me a head start until the sun sets.” Tzinacan grabbed Duncan in a blur of speed to apply his now-signature body slam onto the ancient monument, but Duncan misted before his back hit the stone. He would not give the ancient vampire that satisfaction.

  The Zotz warriors had begun ascending the pyramid as the sun began to diminish, and Duncan noticed that once again, Michelle was making her way down the stairs, this time in jaguar form. Tzinacan noticed, too, and Duncan took advantage of the momentary distraction. Duncan misted his hand into Tzinacan’s chest and ripped out the ancient vampire’s heart. Tzinacan stopped short, whether from pain or shock Duncan did not know. Michelle stopped short on the pyramid as she watched the scene below.

  Duncan looked at the still-beating heart in his hand as he stood over Tzinacan’s limp body on the stone of the sun. Standing like the fiercest warrior of all, his blood-soaked shirt clinging to his hard chest, Duncan squeezed his grip and Tzinacan’s heart became nothing more than blood-red rain onto the stone.

  As the monument began filling with Tzinacan’s ancient blood, the Zozt fell in their places one by one. Not dead, but seemingly paralyzed. At that moment, sunlight exploded through the dense jungle canopy, frying the paralyzed Zotz warriors and rendering Tzinacan’s body into ashes at Duncan’s feet.

  Chapter Thirty

  Michelle watched the scene unfold in jaguar form. The Zozt warriors froze in their places as they ascended toward her. And there Duncan stood, a bloody pulp in his hand, his dark hair matted by his own blood clinging to his face, framing frenzied black eyes.

  Sunlight blinded her and for a moment she saw stars. When her vision finally cleared, Tzinacan and his warriors were nothing more than ash. From her high perch, she could see the designs on the Sun Stone illuminated by the crimson blood of her ancient tormentor. The vampire that killed her entire family was dead. Now that she wasn’t surrounded by a bunch of evil bat-warrior guys, Michelle shifted back into her human form.

  Duncan misted to her side high on the pyramid and immediately wrapped his arms around her, his lips and tongue seeking hers in a smoldering embrace. Michelle hugged Duncan even tighter. “Thank God you’re okay.”

  Duncan cupped Michelle’s cheek in his hand. “I love you so much, Michelle, I would die rather than live without you.” His eyes were no longer a dark storm, and Michelle took peace in the loving serenity reflected in his gaze. “Should I get your clothes or — ”

  “No. Just take me to Moon Jaguar.”

  Duncan tore his own shirt over his head and rolled up to slide it over her head. Blood stains permeated the fabric. “Michelle, I can’t promise he’ll … ”

  “I know.” Michelle’s happiness quickly faded away. She had seen the damage Tzinacan had inflicted on Moon Jaguar. Duncan held her tightly and brought them to the jungle floor where he had left the elderly warrior.

  • • •

  Moon Jaguar was conscious, but barely. Blood stained the corners of his mouth. Michelle shuddered at the thought of what harm Tzinacan had done to her elderly friend’s body.

  She held Moon Jaguar in her arms. “Vo`on. You fought bravely. Tzinacan is dead; he has been bled out on the stone.”

  Moon Jaguar nodded his head, and smiled faintly at Michelle. “You have made your family proud,” he told her. Now Moon Jaguar looked over at Duncan and spoke through the pain with admiration. “Mu choplikot.” Looking up at the jungle canopy, Moon Jaguar transformed into a jaguar one last time, and then began his eternal rest.

  She looked at Duncan from beside Moon Jaguar’s resting form. “He said that you are good, Duncan.” And then she began to cry.

  Epilogue

  One year later …

  “Careful, careful,” Michelle cautioned in Tzotzil. On all sides of her, local Mayans buzzed to and fro working hard under the hot sun to help Michelle excavate the large pyramid. Large hands wrapped around Michelle, squeezing her tightly.

  “You’re the sexiest archaeologist of all time, my love. That Indiana Jones hat, mmmmm.” Duncan nibbled on Michelle’s ear playfully and turned her around to kiss her fully on the mouth.

  Michelle giggled and pulled away as his hands slid down to fully appreciate what lay beneath her cargo shorts. “Duncan! Don’t encourage these guys.” Looking sheepishly around at the laborers, all grinning from ear to ear, Michelle shook her head at Duncan, also smiling devilishly, who only silenced her with another kiss.

  “If anyone gets encouraged,” Duncan’s eyes filled with mischief, “they’ll have to deal with me.”

  Michelle noticed a worker behind Duncan getting a little too shovel happy at an area of excavation. “Ahhh, careful, careful.” Michelle rushed past Duncan. “Take your time,” she cautioned the worker.

  For the past six months, Michelle had been hard at work at the site where she and Duncan had fought for their lives. Since she had discovered the site, she named it Meztli Bolom, after her fallen kin. She was now hard at work to get her PhD working at the site, and every day she uncovered more about her origins and her ancestors who once lived in the region.

  Not far from the pyramid, she and Duncan had also uncovered the thatch houses where her family may have lived. Several oil companies had contacted her to sponsor the dig long-term, but of course, Michelle had given them the metaphorical finger. The last thing the region needed was the presence of an oil or mining company. Instead, she used Duncan’s funds from his various real estate across the world. She wondered how long it would hold out because the university funding was pretty much nil, and archaeology was an expensive endeavor.

  Still Michelle smiled in ecstasy. Life had been complete bliss lately. The loss of Moon Jaguar had been difficult, but the discovery of the site and Tzinacan’s vanquishment meant that life could begin again, and life with Duncan had been good. More than good. When they had returned to Alameda, Michelle felt right at home working part-time shifts at the coffee shop with Sparrow, who had quickly become a best friend.

  Switching her focus from the excavation to where Duncan helped out carrying equipment, Michelle stood admiring her man. Duncan’s white shirt was damp with sweat from working
under the hot Mexican sun and clung to his hard length of chest. His face was that of a dark warrior, but Michelle saw so much happiness there.

  The past year had been spent making love and drinking blood. Michelle of course had insisted that he drink from her. And although as a were-jaguar she was immune to his venom to dull the pain, she had gotten use to his fangs penetrating her skin on those romantic occasions. Duncan was gentle with her, and now his fangs took Michelle to the edge of climax every time he drew her blood.

  Michelle was getting slightly aroused when her phone rang. “Is this Ms. James?”

  “Yes?” Michelle didn’t recognize the voice on her cell phone.

  “Hi, I’m Rachel with National Geographic. We received your report and are incredibly excited about your discovery. We’d be honored to sponsor the dig and if possible, document the process in our magazine along the way.”

  Michelle almost dropped the phone, but instead she managed to cling tightly, a death grip on the phone. “Of course. That … would be wonderful.”

  Just then Michelle felt the ground disappear beneath her feet as Duncan literally swept her off her feet.

  The representative sounded pleased. “Great, we’ll be in touch, keep up the good — ” But the phone connection severed as Duncan misted them to their place in Tulum.

  “Time to celebrate, my love.” Duncan smiled proudly. “I’ll be right back.” He returned in just a couple moments with a chilled bottle of Cristal champagne and two glass flutes.

  “Mmmmm.” Michelle’s eyes grew big as she relished in her moment of archaeological glory. “This is the best day ever.” Standing on the bed she finally had a couple inches on Duncan. Leaning her arms on his hard shoulders, Michelle smiled as she kissed Duncan.