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Things were so much simpler when he’d become one with his jaguar. After the DaCosta compound attack and subsequent destruction, he’d woken up, deep in the jungle, and hadn’t returned to his human form.
He’d not remembered his human side for several weeks after, but even when he did, Jagger had had no desire whatsoever to return to his old life.
He’d welcomed the fierceness of his jaguar blood, and thrived on the wild nature that was left wide open to roam and to hunt, and slowly he’d felt his grip on reality begin to fade. He truly thought he’d never answer the call from his other half again.
As time moved on, his humanity had slowly slipped away, and truthfully, he’d been happy to just be and live with the status quo.
He couldn’t even explain why, he only knew he needed this. His body and mind were tired of war, tired of conflict, and he’d seen enough death and destruction to last a lifetime. Losing people you cared about just wasn’t worth it anymore.
He was done with it.
He’d felt guilt as he thought of his family. His brother, Julian, along with Cracker and Declan, had come back several weeks earlier, and he’d avoided detection by them, wanting only to be left alone.
He had existed peacefully with the vast array of animals that inhabited the dense mountain terrain he’d come to love. He had even made his way north, down the mountains and into the lush rain forest that caressed the lower lands. A jaguar refuge was deep in the heart of the Cayo district and he had spent time amongst his animal kind.
They knew what he was—a shifter, neither fully animal nor human—and they’d steered clear of him. Jaguars were pretty much a solitary breed but he had enjoyed knowing they were nearby.
Yeah, his self-imposed exile had been a long time coming and he felt a flash of resentment run through him as he hauled his body out of the water, still cradling the unconscious woman. What the hell was he going to do with her?
The animal inside of him cried out at the thought, wanting only to do one thing, needing to free the tension that rode both of them hard. Jagger clenched his teeth and hissed as his body began to throb with a hunger that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to control. His gaze passed over her face once more, and with superhuman effort, he managed to keep his emotions at bay and picked his way up the slippery, smooth rocks until his feet landed upon warm, moist earth.
His eyes were constantly on the move, and even though the surrounding forest was eerily quiet, he sensed no danger. He grasped the woman tightly and swallowed a groan at the sensation of her soft, wet skin sliding against his hard flesh.
Without further thought he climbed back up the side of the mountain, his long legs eating the distance in less than five minutes. Once he’d gained the top of the waterfall, the scent of the two dead jaguars clung heavily to the humid air and surrounding mist.
He strode forward, his shoulders squared and nostrils flared as rage simmered along the edges of his mind.
Dirty filth! How dare they creep into his domain and foul his small corner of paradise with their DaCosta stink. His eyes found themselves once more regarding the unconscious woman he held so close to his chest.
Her scent was tantalizing in its simplicity and he frowned slightly, sensing something a bit off. He lowered his head until his face was merely inches from hers and without thinking, closed the remaining space between them as his nose nuzzled the soft cheek that lay there.
Her skin was cool to the touch and he savored the feminine texture, drawing her essence deep into his lungs. There was no false scent clinging to her skin, no manufactured perfumes to cover the unique and musky odor that was all her own. She was of the earth, the sky, and his body began to quiver in excitement.
The cat clawed at him hard and his skin began to shimmer and burn. He felt his fingernails begin to grow and he growled loudly, pushing the animal back once more.
Jagger tore his face from hers and his eyes landed on the corpse near the edge of the pool of water. He jumped over a large boulder and quickly made his way inside the dark opening of his cave. Here the air was cool and he deposited the still form near the back where he usually slumbered.
Returning outside, he made quick work of the bodies, dragging them down the side of the mountain and into the thick, silent forest. He disposed of them, leaving the remains on display at the edge of his territory as a warning to all.
He would not tolerate any form of human jaguar in his domain. If the DaCostas were starting to make noise once more, he was more than ready to battle.
It was almost an hour later when Jagger returned to the cave, silently returning to where he had left the woman. She was still unconscious, and he found her balled into the fetal position, her skin damp, and shivering with cold.
He knelt down beside her, probing the back of her head with his fingers, and she winced, jerking uncontrollably when he passed over a wound at the back. Her hair was matted here, stiff and sticky with blood, but the wound had stopped seeping.
Jagger sighed softly. What the hell was he going to do with her? He rocked back on his haunches, his face a mask of indecision.
There were still several hours until daylight, and while normally he was active at this time of night, he knew that the woman would become feverish and sick if he left her on her own. His gaze slowly made its way over her body. She was shivering and he briefly considered removing her wet clothes. Indeed the white tank top did nothing to hide her lush curves. In fact the dark circles of her hardened nipples were clearly visible.
He tore his eyes from her chest only to focus on the outline of her butt, where the wet shorts she wore cupped each delicious mound. Jagger groaned as his body once more reacted to such a display of feminine beauty. He glanced down at his own rigid hardness, realizing for the first time he had not one stitch of clothing with him.
He righted himself and frowned, feeling tension begin to trickle down his neck and settle in his shoulders. Resentment danced along his mind as well.
His mouth formed a thin line as once more his gaze raked over the shaking form beneath him.
He inhaled slowly and let his breath out, his hands combing through the thick waves of hair at his neck. He wanted nothing more than to leave and forget the woman even existed.
But he could never do that. His genetic makeup would not allow him to callously leave a defenseless woman alone out here in the jungle.
