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The air was heavy with the promise of rain and the jaguar reveled in the feel of the mist as it clung to his heated flesh. He felt a keen sense of melancholy as the familiar scents wove their way deep into his lungs.
So much had already changed out here and it pained him to know that so much was lost.
He clenched his teeth together tightly, letting the muscles work sharply along his jaw. He’d be damned if the otherworld forces at work were going to leave their putrid mark here in the jungle. It would be over his dead body. He jumped to his feet in silence, nodding to the warrior who stood a few paces away. Nico never seemed to sleep. Jagger wasn’t even sure how he functioned.
“I’m going to contact Cracker and the boys,” he said quietly.
Nico looked at him, his eyes glistening eerily in the dark, and nodded back. “I’ll have a look around while you’re at it.”
Jagger’s eyes strayed to the still form wrapped in a blanket. Skye had fallen asleep almost immediately. He knew she was exhausted. The pace they’d set the day before had been relentless, and on top of the demon attack, he knew she wasn’t at full strength.
She’d not complained once. Jagger had to admire the tenacity and perseverance the eagle possessed.
He stretched his long limbs out, but his eyes never left the blonde. The breaths she took were even, her sleep undisturbed.
No more Azaiel, at least for now.
He felt a slow burn tear at his gut as he thought of the faceless demon, or whatever the hell he was. He’d be damned if the fucker would have another shot at her.
Not on his watch.
Once the kinks had been worked out of his stiff legs, Jagger crossed to his bag and retrieved the satellite phone. He slipped outside and began to climb higher, until he was perched atop a large granite slab that jutted out from the earth into a natural ledge. He opened up the phone and quickly punched in the number.
Even though the call was being routed via a secure satellite, Jagger was still nervous about the possibility that it would be intercepted. However, there was no other way.
It was answered after the first ring.
“Yeah, Cracker here.”
“Christ, you’re sounding chipper this morning.” Jagger smiled widely at the sound of Cracker’s rough vocals.
“Must have something to do with the fact I’ve had my ass shot at several times over the last twelve hours, with all sorts of nasty things.”
Jagger’s smile slowly faded away. “Julian all right?” he asked quickly.
“
Julian’s fine, no thanks to the DaCosta bastards who’ve been dogging us for the last twelve hours, but I think we’ve pretty much neutralized ‘em.”
“Good to hear.” Jagger paused. “Nico’s led us to within a day’s hike of the cave. We’ll be there sometime this afternoon. You able to rendezvous?”
“We’re not far behind you, cowboy, so that’s a ten-four.”
Cracker’s answer surprised him. “How the hell do you know where I am, exactly?”
“We managed to snag us a wereshifter.”
“And?”
“A mercenary from Africa. Seems there’s some kind of bounty on the eagle shifter and the entire area is crawling with slimeballs, all gunning for her.” Cracker laughed harshly into the phone. “He thought he’d buy his freedom by passing on a little intel. We took the intel but the poor bastard is rotting at the bottom of the river.”
Silence greeted Cracker’s words as Jagger took a few seconds to process this new information.
“He told us the eagle had been spotted near Placencia. We started heading your way immediately. Figured you could use the help.”
Jagger sighed deeply. Things had just escalated.
He paused, his thoughts running in all directions. “You make contact with Jaxon?”
