The Jaguar Prince

Chapter 8

What happened? Rogar’s thoughts filled the jaguar.

Ahh, you’re awake, Balam communicated the same way. I had begun to wonder if you would ever regain consciousness.

Where’s Callie? Fear filled him. Rogar wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he’d harmed her in any way.

We didn’t eat her if that’s what you’re asking.

Then where is she?

I believe she’s in the other room. She slammed the door and locked it.

Rogar felt relief wash over him. I’ve never lost control like that before.

Because you’ve never lost control at all. It was not I who initiated the change. This sometimes happens with the males of our species when passions rule. Don’t worry, I have no desire to dominate.

Don’t you? Rogar could feel Balam’s amusement. Guilt filled him for even having those kinds of thoughts. Balam was a friend, not just his guide. I’m sorry.

You lead a more exciting life than I ever could. I don’t mind living vicariously through you. There was a deep sigh. Besides, our bond is stronger than most. It’s when man and beast don’t respect each other’s needs that trouble begins.

You’re right.

Of course I am. The jaguar jumped to the bed. You’d better go to her. I’m sure she didn’t sleep well last night.

Rogar flinched. I doubt she’ll be happy with me.

She’s very beautiful you know.

Yes, I do.

Rogar closed his eyes, felt the transformation begin, the damp fog as it began to roll in. He was used to it. The first time had been the hardest. At one point during the change, his thoughts were no longer entirely his. Rogar knew Balam experienced the same feeling. It was as though they stopped being two, and became one, if only for a moment in time. Never once had Rogar felt threatened—which made his guilt all the more harder to swallow. They’d always respected each other’s identity.

He growled from low in his throat. It changed to a moan. A paw became a hand, a jaw that could crush a human head returned to human form, hair changed to flesh.

Rogar opened his eyes, blinking several times until the room came into focus. It was always the same—as if he’d walked from darkness into light. Tiredness washed over him in waves. He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, and waited for everything to come into focus. To catch up to being human again.

He finally stood, remembered he was naked, and quickly slipped on his briefs and slacks. Rogar wasn’t quite sure if Callie would feel the same way about his nakedness as she did last night before they mated. And since she’d spent the night in the bathroom, he thought it might be wiser not to push his luck.

When he turned the doorknob and pushed, there was a catch that prevented him from opening the door all the way. He peered through the small crack, but he couldn’t see Callie, nor did he hear her moving around. She might be sleeping. If he could manage to get inside, he would know for sure she was all right.

He looked around, spotting a card on her bedside table that might work to unlatch the door. He picked it up, and slid it through the crack, then upward, unhooking the latch. He tossed the card on the bed, and opened the door.

She wasn’t in the room. Had Balam lied and ate her after all?

I don’t lie, Balam’s voice interjected into his thoughts. Try looking behind the curtain.

Sometimes you pain me, Rogar told him. He knew Balam was smiling.

Rogar slid the curtain open, making very little sound, then grimaced. Callie was curled in the tub, her knees scrunched to her chest. He leaned over and shook her shoulder. “Callie.”

She stretched, groaning. “Oh, Lord, I feel like death warmed over.”

He wasn’t sure what death warmed over meant, but from the pained expression on her face, he was pretty certain it didn’t feel good.

Callie opened her eyes, then frowned. “Why am I in the bathtub?”

“We mated last night…”

She smiled. “I remember.”

He felt heartened that her smile was full of satisfaction when she remembered.

Her smile quickly turned downward. “Was I so bad at making love that I had to sleep in the bathtub, rather than in bed with you?” she asked.

“You were magnificent.”

“No,” she said as if he hadn’t spoken. “I remember now, you changed into a jaguar and I was afraid.”

He nodded.

Her eyes grew round. “Oh, crap, it is all true. I didn’t dream I was alien—I am an alien. I changed right before we made love—into a freakin’ bunny which was so uncool.” She quickly sat up, then grabbed her neck. “Oh, damn!”

“Here, let me help you.” He practically lifted her out of the tub, then aimed her toward the bedroom. She held her neck as though it might snap in two at any second. More guilt washed over him. He helped her ease down to the side of the bed, then began to massage her neck.

“Oh, oh, oh that hurts…Ahh.” She sighed. “Better.” She leaned her head to the other side. “You have magical hands. I mean…”

When their gazes met, he saw her cheeks were a rosy hue. He couldn’t stop his grin from forming.

“That’s not what I meant, so deflate your ego,” she said, one eyebrow arching.

“You didn’t like when I touched you?”

She looked down, picking at the material of her white robe. “Yes, I liked it a lot.”

Heat flared inside him.

Someone knocked on the front door.

Callie came to her feet, looked toward the door, then at him.

“Hide?” he guessed.

She nodded. “I’ll get rid of them, then I have to get ready for work. Not all of us can make their own money.” She paused briefly. “We’ll talk about that later, too.”

Callie hurried to the door, her movements stiff. That was something else they’d be talking about, too. The next time they made love, there would be no more changing form, and if he did, he would be the one sleeping in a bathtub.

She glanced at the clock as she passed by. Who would be knocking on her door this early in the morning? It was barely seven.

For safety, she peeked through the window before opening the door. Not that she had much to worry about. All Rogar had to do was shift into the jaguar, and whoever was on the other side would have a heart attack.

But it was her heart that pounded when she saw her landlady’s car in the driveway. Great. What did she want?

Callie unlocked the door, then opened it. “Mrs. Winkle, is there something wrong?”

The older woman raised her chin. “That’s what I was about to ask you. I saw you with the policeman yesterday and it looked like he was doing a sobriety test.”

The old busybody. Callie took a deep breath and smiled sweetly. “A bad case of allergies, that’s all. Was there anything else?”

Mrs. Winkle glanced over her shoulder.

Damn, she’d forgotten about Rogar’s car being parked out front.

Mrs. Winkle looked at Callie again. “I won’t have any shenanigans going on in one of my rent houses. Mr. Abner, a few blocks over, didn’t keep a close eye on one of his renters. I told him more than once that he had to keep up with what’s going on, but he only laughed.” She puffed out her chest. “The next thing he knew, they were throwing wild parties. I tried to warn him.”

“I’m sure you did your best.”

“So, did you get a raise? That’s a pretty fancy car for someone who works at the zoo.”

Callie gritted her teeth to keep from saying something she might regret, but before she could say anything, Rogar stepped into the living room.

No good could come from this. Mrs. Winkle would kick her out for sure, and houses this cheap weren’t easy to find in a halfway decent neighborhood. At least, he’d put on a shirt, although he hadn’t bothered to button it, and he was barefoot. She glanced at Mrs. Winkle. The woman’s mouth had dropped open. The old battle-ax finally drew in a long, deep breath.

“You have a man in your house.”

Rogar continued forward, took Mrs. Winkle’s hand in his, and brought it to his lips. “Prince Rogar Valkyir, at your service.”

Callie almost lost it. He hadn’t lied. Did the man not know how? He was going to get her thrown out on her butt.

“Prince? Here, in one of my houses?” She drew her hand out of his, her eyes narrowing, then sneezed. “Oh, excuse me.” Her brow puckered. “Is there a cat in the house? I swear, I sneeze every time I come over.”

“And each time I tell you, there are no animals,” Callie said with more than a little exasperation.

“I met Callie when she was attending college,” Rogar interrupted. “We became friends. She was gracious enough to let me spend the night.”

Mrs. Winkle still looked skeptical. “You’re a prince and you stay here, rather than a five-star hotel?”

“No matter how lavish one’s surroundings are, they can’t dispel the coldness of a hotel room. Only the warmth of a friend’s hospitality can do that, and I find the home Callie rents from you is quite warm.”

Mrs. Winkle’s frown turned to a smile. Wow! Callie had never seen her landlady smile. In fact, she was actually simpering. Of course, why wouldn’t she, Rogar had complemented one of her rent houses. Couldn’t she see they were practically dumps?

“I do try to make the houses as nice as possible. My daddy always told me that you could judge a woman’s worth by the property she owned.” She sneezed. “Excuse me. It must be pollen or something.”

“You’ve done a splendid job making this home so exquisite, and Callie has told me more than once that she looks up to you.”

“I have?” Callie cleared her throat. “I have. I mean, you are a businesswoman, after all.”

“You have to run a tight ship,” Mrs. Winkle nodded.

“It’s the same way with a country, even one as small and insignificant as mine. If you don’t stay on top of everything, you soon have wars.”

Mrs. Winkle nodded. “Exactly.” Then sneezed.

“But I’m sorry. I’ve interrupted your conversation. What were you saying?” Rogar’s gaze never left Mrs. Winkle.

“It was nothing, really. I mean, I don’t actually let my renters have people move in with them, but since you won’t be staying long…” She let her words pointedly trail off and Callie saw Rogar hadn’t quite sweet-talked the old biddy.

“It’s so peaceful here that I might decide to stay longer than I’d planned.” He reached into his pocket. When he pulled out his roll of bills, Mrs. Winkle’s eyes grew big.

Oh, yeah, give my landlady counterfeit money. Dig the hole a little deeper, why don’t you.

He peeled off 5 one-hundred-dollar bills. “I believe this will cover the cost of Callie having a guest more than a few nights. If I should decide to stay longer, I’m sure we can come to an arrangement that will benefit us both.”

Mrs. Winkle grabbed the money out of his hand, practically salivating. “I’m sure we can.” She sneezed twice before stuffing the money down the front of her dress.

“And you won’t mention that I’m here. The press can be quite annoying at times. I never seem to have a moment of peace when they discover my whereabouts.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“If you don’t mind, I need to get ready for work.” Callie looked between the two. It was nauseating watching Mrs. Winkle being reduced to a giggling schoolgirl as Rogar fed her ego and her bank account.

“Of course, dear.” She looked at Rogar as if she hoped he planned on lingering.

“It was nice meeting you,” Rogar said.

Mrs. Winkle held out her hand and Rogar kissed it. She blushed, then hurried back to her car, sneezing three more times before she got inside and drove away.

Callie thought she was going to be sick from all the sugar that had flowed between Rogar and Mrs. Winkle.

Bleh!