Lure of the Jaguar: Hades' Carnival, Book 7 (3 page)

He coasted his hands down her back to her butt. He cupped the curve of her ass and pulled her more firmly against his body. When he lifted her slightly, her mound aligned with his erection.

He tore his mouth from hers. “Let’s go back to your place.”

His words brought her back down to earth with a heavy thud. What was she doing? It was a lot more difficult than it should have been, but she pressed her hands against his shoulders and pushed. “Let me go.”

Stavros immediately released her and took a step back. She wasn’t sure if she was impressed by his control or pissed off because she felt entirely out of control. She straightened her top and ignored the fact that she could still feel the heat from his hands on her behind.

“That shouldn’t have happened,” she told him.

He tilted his head to one side and studied her. “Yes, it should have.”

The man was too cocky for his own good. “Listen, buddy, I’m not looking for a vacation fling.” Too many men made the mistake of thinking because she was alone she must want or need a man.

Stavros reached out and tenderly traced the curve of her jaw. She shuddered before she got her unruly body back under control. Really, it wasn’t fair. The man touched her and she lost all control, forgot the rules she lived by, the biggest of which was no men while she was on a shoot.

“Whatever this is, it’s not a fling.” His deep voice penetrated her skin and sank into her cells. She wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet and that just pissed her off.

She turned away and his hand fell back to his side. “Whatever it is, I don’t want any part of it.” There, that was decisive and assertive.

“Liar.” His soft taunt made her glare at him.

“Okay.” She decided to go with total honesty. “I want you, but I’m not going to do anything about it.” Toni tugged her camera around to the front and reached down to pick up the camera bag she’d set aside when she was shooting the gator. She tugged the strap over her shoulder and settled the bag comfortably against her.

Work, that’s what she was good at. Not relationships. Most men didn’t understand her need to travel to remote places around the world. Nor did they understand her need to be around nature. She liked big cities as much as the next person, but her soul craved the wide open spaces.

She understood the animals whose images she captured more than she understood most people.

Stavros didn’t seem angry with her bluntness. No, his lips twitched upward. The man seemed amused. And that just pissed her off even more.

She turned and headed back toward her cabin. The faster she got away from Mr. Tall, Dark and Dangerous, the better.

She hurried through the woods, listening hard for any sound to indicate he was following her. Disappointment struck her hard when she heard only silence. Had she wanted him to come after her?

Toni shook her head. That wasn’t like her at all. She didn’t play those kinds of games with men.

She glanced over her shoulder and stumbled. She would have fallen flat on her face if Stavros hadn’t grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her upright. Angry at being clumsy and ridiculously pleased to see him, she verbally attacked. “Why are you following me?”

Stavros shrugged his broad shoulders. The almost lazy motion pulled the material taut over his chest. She knew what was beneath that thin cotton T-shirt, had seen his spectacular muscles up close. The man was too distracting for her good.

“You need someone to watch over you.” His voice seemed to vibrate deep in her soul.

“I don’t need anyone,” she shot back. She’d always been a loner. The only child of older parents, she’d spent much of her childhood playing by herself. Not that her parents hadn’t loved her, but parenthood had been more demanding than they’d imagined, and they’d been happy enough to leave her to her own devices. They were currently on a trip around the world, and she occasionally got postcards from them. She talked to them on birthdays and at Christmas, but other than that, they lived separate lives.

He just cocked one eyebrow as if to question her statement.

Toni stomped away, leaving him to follow or not. She was going to work. He’d get bored soon enough when she lost herself in her photography. People always did. They didn’t understand her fascination with capturing a perfect moment in time. She’d sit still for hours waiting for the image she wanted.

No, he’d lose interest and leave her alone sooner rather than later.

And, inexplicably, that made Toni sad. Not that she wanted him to stay with her. Of course she didn’t. But it occurred to her that it might be nice to have some company.

Chapter Three

Stavros leaned against the trunk of a fallen tree and watched Toni work. She wasn’t like most humans. There was a depth of patience within her that rivaled the greatest warrior. She’d sat unmoving for the past three hours, staring intently at the tiny clearing in front of them. A variety of birds had come and gone, and even a deer had made a brief appearance.

The only sound that came from her direction was the slight whirr of the camera as she took picture after picture. The sun was high in the sky and Stavros squinted up at it. It was early afternoon, but Toni didn’t seem like she was getting ready to take a break anytime soon. Not that he minded. He was enjoying the view.

He smiled as she shifted ever so slightly to the right and leaned forward to take a shot. He looked in the direction she was aimed toward and saw the flick of a yellow tail. Stavros took a deep breath and caught the scent of the big cat. Yes, that was a cougar.

Toni was practically quivering with excitement even though her body remained still. He was glad he was with her. She could take pictures to her heart’s content and not have to worry about the cougar bothering her. Not with him here.

He scowled when he imaged her out here all alone, which she would have been if he hadn’t followed her. Still, he knew better than to say anything about that. He was quickly learning that Toni was very independent. He knew what it was like to be caged, and he wouldn’t do that to another person.

The big cat stretched in the afternoon heat and then settled in beneath the shade of a tree on the edge of the clearing. The creature was obviously waiting for game to show while it kept itself cool in the afternoon heat.

Toni moved an inch at a time, slowly repositioning herself for a better shot. He had no idea how many she took before she settled back to wait. They passed nearly an hour that way until the cougar grew tired of waiting. The cat stood and stretched before it sauntered off.

Even though he watched the cat out of the corner of his eye, most of his attention was on Toni. Once again, she took picture after picture, stopping only when the cougar was completely out of sight.

She turned and smiled at him, and his heart stopped beating for a suspended moment in time before it began to race. Something inside him shifted and clicked into place.

No, this couldn’t be happening. Not to him. Not now.

She must have sensed something was wrong, because Toni’s smile slowly disappeared. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Stavros couldn’t tell her. What could he say? I’m an immortal shapeshifting warrior and you’re my mate. That would go over well. Not.

There was no time for her to get to know him. No way to make her understand who and what he was. And if Hades ever caught a whiff of his feelings for Toni, he’d be after her in a second.

Stavros glanced around and cursed himself for a fool. His being near was endangering her. He’d given in to his own wants and needs and disregarded her safety. He knew better.

Hades might not be here now, but there was no telling when the god might be watching. Stavros knew what he had to do.

He slowly stood, turned and walked away from Toni without a word. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done. His jaguar was growling at him, not pleased at all. The animal part of his nature wanted to go back, scoop Toni up and carry her somewhere where he could make love to her and protect her from all harm.

But that was nothing more than a fantasy. A dream that could never be.

“Stavros?” He hesitated when he heard her call out to him. Cursing himself for a fool, he turned and looked at her one more time. She was standing in the path with the sunshine spotlighting her. Her hands still gripped her camera and she was frowning at him. Her blue eyes were filled with questions he couldn’t answer.

Stavros turned and walked away. Agony ripped through him. It felt as though he’d torn out his heart and left it on the path behind him.

If he thought for one second he could make her fall in love and agree to spend eternity with him before Hades discovered her, he wouldn’t hesitate. But her safety was more important than anything else. And if he had to walk away to save her, that’s exactly what he’d do.

The darkness swallowed him. Once again, Stavros was alone. A single tear trickled down his cheek. He ignored it and kept going.

Toni didn’t understand what had just happened. Stavros had sat quietly next to her for hours. She’d felt his gaze on her as she’d worked. His quiet presence had made something cold and hard inside her crumble away.

She’d begun to trust him. To believe that he understood her in a way no one else ever had.

She rubbed her chest. Her heart ached and she had only herself to blame. She knew better than to allow anyone to get close. But it had been so easy with Stavros. There was something about him that called to her in the same way the most elusive animals on the planet did.

“Stupid,” she muttered. “He’s just a hot-looking guy. Nothing more.” She forced herself to look away from the path between the trees that had swallowed Stavros up, taking him from her sight. She was alone. “And that’s the way I like it,” she reminded herself.

Her earlier pleasure over capturing the cougar was gone, and that pissed her off. This was what her entire trip had been about, and Stavros had stolen her happiness. No, even worse, she’d allowed him to take it.

“Suck it up, Toni.” She looked around to make sure she had all her gear before heading back toward her cabin. She needed a shower after sweating for hours in the hot afternoon sun, and she desperately needed something to eat. Usually, she couldn’t wait to see the images she’d captured, but that sense of urgency was missing as she made her way back to her rental unit.

She stopped at the edge of the clearing by the house and waited until she was certain no one was around. No matter what else was happening in her life, Toni was always safety conscious. When she was convinced she was alone, she hurried to the house, let herself in and locked the door behind her.

Toni realized she was feeling slightly spooked, like something or someone was following her. She set her bag and camera down on the kitchen table, which she’d turned into a large workspace, and peered out the window. Nothing.

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. There was nothing to worry about. She was just out of sorts because of Stavros. The man certainly blew hot and cold. One minute, he was kissing her socks off, and the next, walking away like she didn’t matter at all. She was better off without him.

Toni kicked off her shoes and headed to the small bathroom to shower. It didn’t take her long to wash away the day’s sweat, dry off and dress in clean clothes. She didn’t linger. Now that she was home, she was eager to see her pictures.

Still, she made herself a bowl of cereal before removing the memory card from her camera and sliding it into her laptop. She had several more memory cards in her camera bag but was eager to see the shots of the cougar.

Her cereal grew soggy in the bowl and the sun sank in the west as Toni went through the photos one at a time. There was one in particular that caught her attention, and she went back to it again and again.

The cougar was relaxed but alert. You could tell he was ready to explode at a moment’s notice. The predator was at rest, but the hunter was poised to kill. It was primal and raised goose bumps on her arms. This was the money shot. She knew it with all her heart and soul.

Toni swallowed hard when she realized who the cougar reminded her of. Stavros. He’d reclined against the fallen tree much like the cougar had lazed in the shade. And like the mighty cat, there was a sense of alertness, of preparedness about Stavros. He was a predator, like the cougar.

“Shit.” Toni pushed away from the table and began to pace, almost bumping into a chair. She blinked and glanced out the window. “When did it get dark?” Once again, she’d lost herself in her work.

She made a face at the soggy cereal. No way was she eating that. Looked like it was a sandwich once again. She had some shaved turkey and a tomato she could slice to make it a little more substantial.

Yet she didn’t head toward the refrigerator. The short hairs on the back of her neck rose. Not questioning her reaction, Toni pulled on her shoes and went to her camera bag. She unzipped the side pocket and drew out her weapon. The gun was heavy in her hand, and she prayed she wouldn’t have to use it.

She closed her laptop, the only source of light in the cabin, and crept over to the living room window. She stood there and waited for what seemed like forever. And just when she was beginning to think she was imagining things, she saw movement on the edge of the clearing where the yard gave way to the edge of the bayou.

Stavros
. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought it might be him.

Then she saw another movement. And another.

Toni swallowed the lump in her throat. Her heart began to race. Whoever was out there, it wasn’t Stavros. Maybe it was nothing, but three men skulking in the woods was never a good sign. She reached into her back pocket for her cell phone. She swore when she saw the battery was dead. She’d forgotten to charge it. Again.

Toni gripped her weapon and wished Stavros was with her. She might not know him that well, but she knew in her heart he was one of the good guys and would protect her.

But like most critical times in her life—good and bad—Toni was alone.

Stavros cocked his head to one side and listened. He was in his jaguar form, stalking through the night, trying to outrun his need to go to Toni. He chuffed and listened harder. The night was unusually quiet. The insects had gone still, the owl had stopped hooting and the opossum two-hundred yards to his right was frozen in place. They all sensed something.

A chill of fear raced down his spine.

Stavros frowned. It wasn’t his fear he was feeling.

Toni
.

It struck him like a lightning bolt. It wasn’t his fear he was sensing, it was hers. He didn’t question his instincts. The connection he’d felt with her earlier was strong. Whatever was happening at this moment, Toni was afraid. He yowled, his cry sending a flock of egrets into flight.

Stavros raced toward the house where Toni was staying, praying to the goddess that he wasn’t too late. He should have been with her. In trying to be noble, he might have hurt her even more. If she died and he discovered Hades was responsible, he’d descend into Hell itself and kill the conniving god once and for all or die trying.

Toni crept into the bedroom. Her plan was to sneak out the window and hide in the bayou until those men were gone. She’d taken precious seconds to grab her memory cards and tuck them in her pocket. As much as it pained her to do so, she left her cameras and laptop behind. She could always replace her equipment. Her work, on the other hand, was irreplaceable. Her gun was tucked in the waistband of her jeans.

She pushed at the windowpane and swore when it stuck. She bent her knees and shoved with all her might. The window went up three inches, but not without making a loud creaking sound. She held her breath and waited. When there was no shout of discovery, she pushed again. The glass rose until it was about halfway open and then stopped.

It would have to be enough.

Toni threw one leg over the edge of the window and squeezed her body through the opening, thankful for once that she wasn’t all that big. She crouched by the side of the house and made herself as small as possible. Then she listened.

She didn’t hear anything at first. The night was quiet. Too quiet. The bayou was always alive with sound. Now it was still, the air heavy. A bead of sweat rolled down her back.

“Are you sure this is the place?”

Toni stilled at the whisper only a few feet away from her. She scrunched lower and kept her breathing shallow and light.

“That’s what he said,” answered another man.

He
? Who was
he
? The only one she knew around here was Stavros, and he wasn’t the kind of man to send someone skulking around a woman’s home.

“Quiet.” This voice was lower, more ominous. “We need to get her and get out.”

Toni’s blood ran cold. Did they mean to kidnap her or kill her?

“Why does he have such a hard-on for this photographer chick?” the first man asked.

There went the idea that this was a case of mistaken identity. As far as she knew, she was the only photographer chick in the neighborhood. The men moved off to the side of the house and Toni crept to the corner, careful where she put her feet. The last thing she wanted to do was make a sound and alert them to her presence.

“Don’t know and don’t care.” This came from the last man, the one who seemed to be in charge. “Our job is to deliver her to him.” She couldn’t see any of them well, but this man was larger than the other two. “I don’t want him coming after me.”

Crap. Her would-be kidnappers were afraid of this mysterious man. That wasn’t good. Toni had no idea who would be after her or what she’d done to gain the attention of such a dangerous person. Not that it mattered. Not now. The only thing she had to concern herself with at the moment was getting away.

If she made it to the woods, she could hide until morning and then make a run for her car. If they were still here in the morning, she could walk to the nearest gas station, which was about ten miles away. She couldn’t even go to any of the neighbors for help. She had no way of knowing if one of these men was her neighbor.

Stavros popped in her head again, but she immediately dismissed him. She wouldn’t go to him for help. He’d walked away from her and was virtually a stranger anyway. For all she knew, he was behind this.

Even as she thought it, she knew that was wrong. Call it instinct. Call it foolish hope. She knew Stavros wouldn’t hurt her.

Not that he wasn’t dangerous, because he most certainly was. But not to her.

“I’ll go around back,” one of the men whispered.

She had to move. Now. If he came around the corner of the house, he’d see her. Toni came up out of her crouch and began to move as quickly and quietly as she could, heading toward a lone shrub about ten feet away. It wasn’t much cover, but she didn’t need it for long. As soon as the men entered the house, she was out of here.