Secret Jaguar Page 5

  I punched him across his smug face. “The lady doesn’t want you doing that.”

  “Who are you?” demanded the other guy.

  “Your worst nightmare if you don’t get out of here right now.” I glowered at him, ready to fight the both of them if need be.

  “Oh yeah?”

  He hit me across the jaw.

  Katya cried out.

  Everything turned into a blur of fists, elbows, and blows. I tried to restrain myself in order not to freak out Katya, who knew nothing of the supernatural world. But the other two weren’t holding back.

  I let loose and pummeled them both with all my fury. One of them flew back into the wall, blood gushing from his nose. The other jumped on me, knocking us both to the ground. Before I knew it, they were both pounding on me.

  Katya yelled out and pulled on one of the guys, trying to get him off me. He swung at her, but that only made her fight all the harder. He turned his attention from me to her and shoved her against the wall.

  More anger surged through me. I pushed the one fighting me then kicked him in the crotch, then the knees. He doubled over and stumbled. I grabbed him by the throat and squeezed as hard as I could. He fought against me, but couldn’t remove my hands from him.

  I shoved him against his friend, pushing him away from Katya. “You two need to leave her alone. Don’t ever let me see you near her again.”

  The one gasped for air and glared at me. His friend lunged at me. I hit him across the jaw. Blood spurted from his nose, spraying onto my face.

  “Leave her alone,” I repeated.

  He wiped his nose. “You can’t watch her every second.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.”

  We stared each other down until they finally left.

  Chapter 8

  Katya

  I stared in disbelief at the two jerks as they walked away. Absentmindedly, I rubbed my arm. A bruise was beginning to form from where one of them had grabbed me. It was one of several such places. There was also a rip in the side of my shirt, reaching up to my bra. Luckily, I had a camisole underneath.

  What was even more strange was what had gone on inside of me as soon as those two had attacked me. My bones ached. Burned. Something in the pit of my being felt like it wanted to claw its way out. Something raw and animalistic had started to overcome me.

  “Are you okay?” Carter’s voice broke through my thoughts.

  I turned to him. “What just happened?” Not that I expected him to be able to tell me what was wrong with me. The strange experience had happened one other time before—when a guy had tried to take my purse at a bus stop a couple years before. It was like a switch had been flipped. I had walked away with my purse, and he’d limped away, bloody and bruised.

  Carter brushed some hair away from my face. Some of it stuck, probably with blood. I was pretty sure it wasn’t mine.

  “How did you know they were attacking me? This area’s off limits to guests.”

  “Would you believe I sensed trouble?”

  I arched a brow. “You sensed trouble? What, you sniffed it out like a dog or something?”

  “Not quite, but I did see those guys heading this way and I got a bad feeling from them. Turns out I was right.”

  “Well, either way, thanks.”

  He smiled, his expression brightening. “Maybe I should thank you. You fought pretty good. I have to say I’m impressed.”

  My cheeks warmed. This was happening all too often. “Just instinct, I suppose.”

  “Do you find you have a lot of instincts?”

  “What do you mean?” That was an odd question to ask, wasn’t it? Sure, I was shaken, but that just didn’t seem like a normal question. Or maybe he was just a strange guy. That certainly made sense.

  He shrugged. “Nothing. Do you want to get out of here? This place is starting to give me the creeps.”

  “What? Are you afraid of ghosts?” I grinned.

  “Hardly.” He stood taller. “This wing just feels like a horror movie in the making. It doesn’t help that both of us have blood on us.”

  I rubbed my cheek where my hair had been stuck. A long streak of dried blood crusted from my mouth to my ear. “True.”

  “So, what are you doing all the way over here? Looking for that hidden wing?”

  I hated that he knew exactly what I was doing. “I should be asking what you’re doing here. Didn’t you see the sign?”

  He tilted his head, giving me a sexy look that threatened to melt me into a puddle. “I was following trouble, remember? Do you know what they wanted?”

  My entire body stiffened at the reminder of those two. “I think that was pretty obvious. They wanted to—” My voice trembled, and I shook. I couldn’t even bring myself to say what they had planned. The look of lust in the one guy’s eyes was enough to send a cold chill through me. It was like he thought he had the right to do whatever he wanted to me.

  Carter put his arms around me and pulled me close. His embrace was warm and comforting. Even though I didn’t know him, I leaned into him and accepted the gesture. His strong arms offered protection, and after what had almost just happened, I couldn’t turn it away.

  There was something almost familiar about being in his embrace. Not like we’d ever met before that morning, more like he reminded me of someone. I wasn’t really sure who, since I’d never had a serious boyfriend. That was more of Alley’s expertise. She’d always said I intimidated guys.

  Why not Carter? What made him want to follow those guys who he thought were up to no good? Why pull me into a protective hug when I’d done nothing but push him away all day? What was it about him that wasn’t intimidated by me?

  “Do you want to get cleaned up then grab some coffee?”

  I didn’t budge. I wanted to stay in his arms indefinitely. “That sounds nice, but caffeine would keep me up all night.”

  “Tea? A midnight snack?”

  I laughed. “Sure. That sounds nice. Is it already midnight?”

  “Probably not, but it’s hard to tell without any windows in sight. Are you feeling better?”

  “Yeah.” I stepped back, hating to leave his embrace. If that was what it was like having a boyfriend, I could see why Alley found relationships so appealing.

  “Or if you’re not in the mood for a snack, we could always look for that secret wing. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.”

  “That sounds like fun, but another time.”

  “Is that a date?”

  A warm thrill ran through me, but I just gave him a noncommittal “Sure.”

  Carter put his arm around my shoulders, and we walked back to the main part of the hotel in a comfortable silence. He lifted the rope, letting me go under first, then he followed.

  “Where should we get cleaned up?”

  I hesitated, nearly saying my room since I needed a new shirt. But after everything I’d just been through I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell a guy I’d just met that day where that was—even if he was the one who prevented the assault.

  He gave me a reassuring smile. “How about we clean up in our rooms, then meet down in the lobby?”

  Suddenly, the idea of going to my room alone seemed like the worst idea ever. The thought of running into those two guys shot fear through me. “Mind if we go to my room? We have bigger bathrooms than the guest rooms.”

  That sounded so stupid.

  He didn’t seem to notice. “Sure thing. Lead the way.”

  We walked past the guest rooms, the lounge, the game room, the small theater, and finally to the end where my family and the staff lived. After we passed the staff rooms, I stopped. Just as I was about to grab my key, Alley stepped out of her room.

  Her eyes widened, but then she smiled as her gaze landed on Carter’s arm around my shoulder. She’d been bugging me to get a boyfriend for years. Not that Carter was a boyfriend. Or even a potential boyfriend. I didn’t know what he was.

  “What are you guys doing?” Alley pulled he
r hair back into a ponytail, then her brows came together. “And why are you guys bloody?”

  “You just noticed?”

  She gave me a knowing look, obviously trying to tell me that she had been more taken aback because of the guy hanging on my shoulders. “What happened?”

  Carter cleared his throat. “There are a couple guests who tried to assault your sister. I stopped them, but you should let the hotel security know.”

  Alley’s eyes widened even more. “What? Are you okay?”

  I nodded, but didn’t reply.

  Intensity burned in my sister’s expression. “Who was it? We need to tell Che right away.”

  Carter’s arm tightened around my shoulders. “They were with the last family who checked in. Two guys about our age. Do you mind telling Che while I help Katya?”

  “Yeah, definitely. I’ll make sure he kicks that whole family out on the street!” She pulled out her phone and slid her finger around the screen.

  I dug my keys out of my pocket and unlocked my door.

  Alley turned to me. “Oh, Selina and Brittney are coming over to swim. Want to join us?” She looked at Carter. “You and your friends are more than welcome.”

  My stomach tightened at the thought of wearing a swimsuit in front of Carter. I’d never once given it a thought before, never caring who saw me swim. What was this guy doing to me?

  “What about the guy-hating ghost?”

  Alley laughed. “She won’t be out for at least a couple hours—if she even exists.”

  “I’ll let Bobby and Alex know, but I can’t guarantee Bobby will want to go anywhere near the pool. I’ve never seen him squirm like that before.” Carter turned to me. “Do you want to go for a swim? Or we can grab a snack like we were talking about. I didn’t bring shorts, so I’d just have to sit and dip my feet.”

  Relief washed through me at not having to wear a swimsuit in front of him. “Either way is fine.”

  Alley glanced up from her screen again. “Our gift shop has swimwear.”

  My stomach twisted in knots. Thanks, Alley. I pushed open my door and waved Carter in.

  “Have fun, you two.” Alley winked at me.

  My face flamed. Did she really think we were going to climb into bed? Carter and I had just met!

  Once we were both inside, I slammed the door shut and looked around to make sure I hadn’t left any underwear laying around. Everything looked clear.

  “Bathroom’s over there.” I gestured toward it.

  “Ladies first.” Carter sat at my desk and studied my bulletin board full of pictures from my infancy to this year’s volleyball team. He zoned in on the one of my dad holding me as a tiny baby.

  I wasn’t sure if I liked how quickly he made himself comfortable. It sort of bugged me, but at the same time, it didn’t. He could fluster me like no other.

  “No, I insist. I need to pick out some different clothes first.”

  He turned to me. “Do you want to go to the pool or not? I should probably let Alex and Bobby know, either way. They might want to go even if I’m not there.”

  “Even with the potential of a man-hating ghost?”

  “If pretty girls are there, he’ll risk it.”

  A spark of jealousy ran through me. It didn’t make sense. Why would I be envious of him finding my twin sister pretty? We had the same face. I should’ve been flattered.

  “Do you want to go?” Carter asked again.

  I studied him, finding that I was more interested in seeing him in a suit than I was worried about how I looked. “Sure.”

  Chapter 9

  Carter

  Bobby ran home real quick and came back with three pairs of swim trunks. He was also more than happy to risk a vengeful ghost if it meant swimming with cheerleaders.

  I glanced into the mirror in Katya’s bathroom and held out the pair he’d run over to me. They looked clean. I sniffed them. They smelled like a mixture of chlorine and the fabric softener we used at home.

  I slid them on, hoping for the best, and then looked at myself in the mirror. No blood anywhere. I waited a minute, not sure how much time I should give Katya to get ready.

  “Is it safe to come out?” I called.

  “Hold on!”

  “Take all the time you need.” I spun around and sat on the toilet lid. The bathroom was decorated with a feminine, dark-purple-flowered theme. It even smelled nice. Floral and citrusy.

  The bathroom I shared at the mansion with several other guys was nothing like this. It had plain green everything, mismatched towels, and a funky odor that never went away.

  “You can come out now,” Katya’s voice came through the door.

  I sprang up and threw open the door. My breath caught in my throat.

  She stood in the doorway of her walk-in closet, wearing a thin floral kimono that still showed off the sexy deep-purple one-piece she wore underneath. Her long hair cascaded down over her shoulders like a majestic waterfall.

  I struggled to find my voice. “You look beautiful.”

  Katya’s face flushed pink. “So do you.” Her face turned red. “Handsome, I mean. Handsome, not beautiful.”

  She could call me beautiful if she wanted. Actually, she could call me anything she wanted, and I wouldn’t care. I wanted so badly to walk over to her, cup her chin, and taste her lips. It took all of my self-restraint not to.

  I cleared my throat. “Do you have any towels?”

  Holding my gaze, she nodded. “Yeah, but there are also ones down there.”

  We stood there, staring at each other until she pulled her gaze away. She picked up a hair tie and pulled it onto her wrist. “We should get to the pool. Everyone else is probably there already.”

  In my mind, I pulled her close, dipped her, and gave her a mind-melting kiss. In reality, I opened the door and waited for her to step into the hallway.

  She walked through and waited, holding my gaze. I closed the door behind me, and the lock clicked into place. It took all of my effort to keep from pulling her into my arms.

  I’d never felt this way about anyone before, not even when I’d been in love before. And I’d just met Katya, although I’d sensed her presence years earlier and had been searching fruitlessly until today. But meeting her in person was far different from knowing of her existence.

  She’d been here in this hotel the whole time. How had I not known?

  Katya cleared her throat. “So, uh, are you ready?”

  “Yeah, let’s go.” Hopefully I sounded as relaxed as I tried. It was growing increasingly hard to think clearly around her.

  We headed downstairs to the main lobby. I wanted to put my arm around her again, but feared that if I did, I couldn’t keep myself from kissing her.

  A commotion sounded near the front desk. The entire jaguar shifter family stood with their bags, arguing with a tall, muscular guy wearing a shirt with the hotel logo on the front.

  One of the guys I’d fought pointed to me. The father—the alpha—shot me a death glare. I returned it with a threatening stare of my own. If he thought he could intimidate me that easily, he was sadly mistaken.

  By nature, I was an alpha myself. Had I not walked away from my own family, I’d have been in training to lead our group once my father passed away. Not only that, but my new family was a strong pack who had defeated many enemies far scarier than this dude.

  No way would I back down. They were not going to drag Katya into their lifestyle. I’d fight them to the death if it came down to it. And I wouldn’t hesitate to bring in other powerful supernaturals, either.

  They had no clue who they were dealing with. Whether Katya and I fell in love or not, I would make sure she remained as far away from these monsters as possible. Especially since she had no idea about her true nature.

  How she’d managed to go this long without shifting was beyond me. It was impossible to avoid once puberty struck. Unless not knowing made it possible.

  Katya stepped closer to me as the hotel employee escorted the p
ack of jaguar shifters outside. One of her attackers turned toward her and made an inappropriate gesture.

  I put my arm around her and fought back a shift. With all these almost-shifts, my body would go crazy if I didn’t turn into my jaguar form soon. Once I was certain Katya was safely asleep, I’d head out into the woods for a run.

  Maybe I’d even find one of those losers and tear him apart. My pulse pounded at the thought.

  Katya shook. I smoothed her hair down with my palm and whispered in her ear, “They’re gone now. They can’t hurt you.”

  “I sure hope you’re right.”

  “They won’t.”

  She looked up at me. “How can you be so sure?”

  “I’ll make sure of it. If I need to sleep outside your door, I will.”

  The hotel employee came back inside without the jaguar shifters. He glanced at Katya. “I told them if they show up here again, we’ll call the cops, no questions asked.”

  “Thank you, Che.”

  He stepped closer, holding her gaze. “What happened, exactly?”

  Katya shook some more. I tightened my arm around her shoulders.

  “I need to know,” Che said.

  I glared at him. “She doesn’t want to talk about it.”

  He glared back. “Then why don’t you tell me?”

  “Okay. They followed her to a wing that was marked as off-limits to guests. I could tell they were up to no good, so I followed them. Turns out I was right.”

  Che turned back to Katya. “You know your mom doesn’t want you back there.”

  She stepped forward and stared him down. “I’m an adult. And don’t forget, my dad left this hotel to my sister and me. I can go wherever I want!”

  He jutted his jaw but didn’t respond.

  I stepped up to Katya and put my arm around her again. “Would you make sure she remains safe?”

  “Of course, that’s my job.”

  The way he said job struck me as odd. I sniffed the air. A distinct male jaguar scent hung in the air. It was too strong to be merely lingering from the group that had just vacated.