Chapter 6 #3
Sandrine had burst into tears the moment Rud said her mother didn’t have a clue who her father was.
“Baby, we know exactly who your father is,” Jasmine whispered. “Don’t you doubt it for a minute. Jubal will come for you. Rud and Percy and Bacus are not going to want to fight him because your father is strong and brave and decent. He’ll come for you.” There was complete conviction in her voice.
“Jubal is at the market. Did you think we weren’t keeping track?” Rud sneered. “He can’t possibly make it back in time, even if word got to him that his precious brat was gone along with her slut of a mother.”
“Call me whatever you want, Rud.” Jasmine lifted her chin at him. His accusations appeared to steady her. “Just let Sandrine go.”
Rud swung the little girl into his arms and took another step away from Jasmine. He narrowed his gaze at Jasmine, looking more sinister than ever. “I’m taking her, Jasmine. If you want to come, that’s your decision.”
“Oh my God, Percy, he is a pedophile. That child is a baby.” Sarika poured alarm into her voice, sent it winging through the forest, her voice a compulsive tool, powerful when needed.
The surrounding jungle seemed to hold its breath.
No movement. No sound. And then it erupted into a wild cacophony of protest. Overhead, monkeys screamed and leapt up and down on boughs, shaking the trees.
Birds took flight. Colorful frogs and lizards skittered up and down the trunks.
Snakes raised their heads and hissed. Vines shivered and undulated in protest. Flowers climbing the trees closed their petals.
“What the hell?” Rud snapped, looking around him warily. “It isn’t yet sunset.”
Just that observation voiced aloud told Sarika that Rud was leery of her cousin.
He seemed aware that Luiz wouldn’t join them until the sun had set.
It wouldn’t be much longer. She needed to distract him.
To stall. He had no idea that the strange reaction in the forest was because of her compelling voice.
“You’ll need to reveal yourself to him if you want to keep him here long enough for Luiz to show up. If he takes that child, he’ll kill her.” The whisper reached her, and at first, she just froze, trying to analyze it. Close. Very close.
Bacus. Now she knew where he was, and it wasn’t a good scenario.
She hadn’t even felt the shiver of branches as the heavier male climbed into the tree.
The male voice came from above her. The thread of sound didn’t carry beyond the tree she was in, leading her to believe he could direct his voice in any direction, as she could.
“Why would you help us when you’re playing second to him?” She directed her voice solely to him. He already knew she was capable.
“I don’t take children from their mothers.”
“But you haven’t challenged him.”
“I have no desire to lead the jaguar people. I attached myself to him in order to try to stop his worst crimes.” There was no inflection in his voice. No way to use his tone to determine if he was telling the truth.
Did she believe him? Could she? If he was capable of manipulating his voice, he could sound truthful when he was a liar.
She didn’t trust him. She didn’t trust anyone, not even Luiz.
This forest was a labyrinth of deception and depravity due to its inhabitants.
She didn’t understand why Jasmine resided there with her daughter when, clearly, they were in danger every moment they stayed.
“Don’t trust Percy. You can’t trust any male associating with Rud,” Bacus continued.
“You associate with him,” she reminded and then raised her voice.
“Rud, I’m coming down to talk to you about this situation.
I can’t believe a man who has leadership over such difficult shifters would harm a child for no reason.
Give me a minute. I’m in human form, and I don’t know the forest yet or the easy way through the trees. ”
“Show yourself,” he shouted. He’d taken two steps toward the interior, swinging Sandrine onto his hip. “You better be still,” he hissed to the child, “or I’ll break your neck and then kill your mother. Do you understand me?”
He spoke softly, directing his voice to the little girl, but he didn’t have Bacus’ talent. Sarika heard every word. She was fairly certain everyone heard. Jaguars had excellent hearing.
As far as she was concerned, Rud was the worst of the worst. She couldn’t believe anyone would follow his lead. He was a monster.
The child went absolutely still, her terrified gaze seeking her mother.
Jasmine gasped, one hand going to her throat.
She looked at the surrounding trees. Sarika couldn’t tell if Jasmine was praying the woman they all wanted revealed would show herself or if Jasmine wanted her to run.
She was running, all right, but to join the fray.
Sarika sprinted along the outstretched branches, leaping from tree to tree, not bothering to hide her route from the male shifters. In any case, Bacus followed her. He was silent and didn’t make the trees so much as shiver, but she was tuned to him now and felt him behind her. Close. Too close.
How long until sunset? Every minute seemed to drag by. She didn’t want Rud or the other two male shifters to think about the time. As she ran, she tried to come up with a plan to continue stalling.
She dropped from the tree nearest Jasmine but allowed several feet between them so it wouldn’t be easy for the male shifters to get their hands on either of them.
She expected Bacus to leap from the tree behind her, but he didn’t.
Again, she had no idea where he was. He’d been running easily on the branches behind her, and now he was somewhere back in the shadows, something else for her to worry about.
Rud’s expression changed as Sarika slowly straightened. His eyes went dark with lust, his face flushed. Percy stepped closer to Sarika, only two steps, but Rud instantly held up his hand to indicate for him to stop moving.
“You can shift.” He made it a statement.
Jasmine’s breath hitched, and she shook her head. “Don’t say anything to him. Don’t give him any information.”
Sarika smiled at her, keeping her expression calm. Jasmine’s anxiety had grown, not lessened, with her having shown herself. Even though she had a child and the circumstances seemed dire, she clearly was opposed to Sarika putting herself in danger. Sarika liked her all the better for that.
“Jasmine, I’m Sarika Silva. My uncle Alois and aunt Gemma raised me.
Uncle Alois was the oldest Silva brother.
” Deliberately, she tried to impart information that wouldn’t be harmful, but so Rud might allow the interaction to go on for a couple of minutes.
That was all she wanted. Eking out time, minute by minute.
She willed Jasmine to follow her example.
“I’m Jasmine Sanders. My husband is Jubal. He’s also a shifter, and he comes from a royal line.” She looked down her nose at Rud. “If he desired, he would be leader.”
Rud sneered. “Jubal doesn’t have the balls to lead the jaguars. He would never do what it takes. It offends his sensibilities.”
“Be very careful, Rud. You haven’t seen him when he’s riled,” Jasmine cautioned. “You can tell yourself a million times that you’re faster and stronger than he is, but bloodlines provide remarkable gifts. You know that. Just look at Solange.”
Sarika wanted to kiss her. She clearly understood the mission and was willing to engage with the male shifter as long as possible.
“Solange?” Sarika deliberately questioned. “I’m afraid I am unfamiliar with that name.” She was certain Luiz had mentioned Solange but just in passing. She didn’t really know much about the woman.
“She’s a legend, isn’t she, Rud?” Jasmine challenged.
“She single-handedly rescued female shifters over and over. She fought and killed several males to do that. She strikes fear in the hearts of the male shifters. Not only that, but Brodrick the Terrible was her father. She killed him, freeing many females until Rud took over.”
Sarika swung her gaze to Rud. His face had darkened to pure rage. “She single-handedly drove our species to near extinction. Brodrick was a great man. A true leader.”
“He was a mass murderer. A madman who tortured and killed his own people,” Jasmine countered.
“You may admire him all you want, but you know it is absolutely the truth that he murdered young women and even men in his rages. Children. Very, very young children. I know you’re following in his footsteps because you threatened to kill Sandrine. ”
Sarika pulled in her breath sharply. It wasn’t a good thing to remind Rud of the child when he was obviously furious.
“Children who couldn’t shift. Those women were betraying our kind, sleeping with humans, having their children instead of doing their duty to our people,” Rud said righteously.
“Babies,” Jasmine emphasized. “He even tried to kill Solange, believing she wouldn’t be able to shift. He thought he’d killed her, but he was wrong. He was wrong about quite a few of those children, but he slaughtered them all the same.”
Sarika stroked her fingers down her throat, her breath catching.
The things Jasmine was saying followed the history Luiz had given her, just from a different perspective.
This Solange had to be a powerhouse. A part of her wanted to stick around to meet her, but she knew that would be crazy.
As far as she was concerned, the quicker she got out of the rainforest, the better off she’d be.
She had all but forgotten Bacus in the ensuing conversation, but Rud made a small gesture with his chin. It appeared as if he was signaling someone. That someone could only be Bacus.
“We’re getting off track,” Rud said. “You need to answer the question of whether or not you’re able to shift.”
She was carrying a small pack with her, one easily identified by shifters. She thought it would be better not to lie to him. “Of course I can. I told you, I’m Luiz’s first cousin.”
“How is it no one has ever mentioned you?”
She shrugged. “I wasn’t raised here. I told you my uncle and aunt raised me in the States. I’m just visiting Luiz. My stay will be very short.”
“Not anymore,” Rud decreed. “We need female shifters. It’s your duty to provide offspring for our people.”
His attempt at sounding clinical failed completely, mostly because looking at her even affected his breathing. It was clear he was aroused—and entitled. She studied him carefully as he slowly put Sandrine on the forest floor. He retained his hold on her arm, but he didn’t appear to be hurting her.
“I don’t fall under your rule,” Sarika pointed out. “I’m a visitor, not a resident.”
“You were born into our realm, and that makes you subject to the rules.” He gestured toward Jasmine. “Just as she is.”
“It sounded to me as if Jasmine has a family. A male, a father for her child. Are you saying that she should be with other men?”
“She needs to provide other children for our species,” Rud said.
“Can’t she do that with her man?”
“It isn’t right that she is only with one man when so many others suffer,” Rud answered.
“Still, she provided Sandrine, and she’s capable of providing more. If her man, this Jubal, has royal bloodlines, wouldn’t it be preferable for him to father any children?” She tried to sound as though she were asking an innocent question.
Rud looked annoyed. His patience was clearly wearing thin. Sarika’s heart rate nearly doubled. She knew she had only a few more minutes, if that, to keep the shifter from attacking her or Jasmine. Where was Bacus? Why couldn’t she spot him?
“I don’t like that your friend Bacus is nowhere in sight,” Sarika said. “What are the three of you planning?”
Percy edged closer to her. “You know I’m your friend. Nothing is going to happen to you, Sarika.” He tried to sound soothing.
“If you were my friend, you would be removing that child from Rud after the casual way he talked about killing children. Any children, let alone those of our species.” She meant that.
If Bacus was listening, she meant it for him as well.
Who would take a chance on a child’s life when Rud spoke so easily of murdering children?
She turned her head to look directly at Percy.
She was unsure of him. She felt he was in solid with Rud, following his lead, able to enjoy all of Rud’s castoffs.
That didn’t mean he was. She didn’t care for the cunning look of superiority that came over his facial features or crept into his eyes when he’d spoken to her earlier.
And on Luiz’s verandah, he’d been scary and demanding.
Just not like Rud. Rud felt completely off. Oily. Slimy. On the verge of insanity. Drunk on his own power and importance. Like the former leader they described, she had no doubt Rud would contribute to the downfall of their society—even the extinction of their species.
Once again, Percy edged closer. Now he was within striking distance of her. She knew how fast the shifters could move. Bacus suddenly emerged from the shadows, once again behind Jasmine.
Rud gave them both a superior smile. “I have claimed this female shifter, as is my right.”
Before the other two men could respond to that declaration, Sarika did. She was outraged that these men believed they had a right to her body without her consent.
“You can go to hell. That isn’t going to happen.”
Rud’s hand around Sandrine’s arm transferred to her throat, fingers lengthening to sharp talons. Jasmine gasped and took a step toward him. Bacus put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
“You will surrender willingly, or this child dies right here. Right now,” Rud decreed.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Percy shake his head, whether to warn her or to disagree with Rud, she wasn’t certain. It didn’t matter. She felt she had no choice but to attack the leader of the jaguar shifters. That meant getting closer.
When she took what appeared to be a reluctant step toward him, Percy exploded into action, catching at her arm to restrain her. Simultaneously, Bacus shoved Jasmine out of the way, hard enough to send her sprawling to the ground behind him.
Around them, in three places, the ground erupted. Dark geysers of whirling dirt, rotted vegetation, leaves and twigs rose high into the air. Everyone froze as a man emerged from one of the geysers. He stood directly in front of Rud, facing him.
Two others were suddenly there as well, one standing to the side of Percy and her while the third man aided Jasmine to her feet. He did so gently and just as gently put her behind him so his body was between hers and Bacus’.