by Laura Wylde
Mated to the Panthers
Laura Wylde
Copyright © 2019 by CWG Publishers.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Contents
1. Reese
2. Jakar
3. Reese
4. Jakar
5. Reese
6. Dean
7. Reese
8. Reese
9. Jakar
10. Jakar
11. Reese
12. Dean
13. Reese
14. Jakar
15. Reese
16. Jakar
17. Reese
Afterword
Also by Laura Wylde
Reese
“What the hell?” I demanded as if I was actually about to get an answer out of thin air. “I don’t understand.”
I scratched my head hard, willing information to fly into my brain, but that wasn’t going to happen here, was it? In my luxurious office which looked over the sleek New York skyline, I couldn’t work out what had happened all the way in Brazil, could I? The last time I saw Dr. Kayla Trucane, she was headed out on an expedition to Brazil, using my money to research some ancient ruins… but at some point, we lost contact, and now I had no idea where she was.
I couldn’t stand that. My intense need for control couldn’t let me lose a part of myself. Or my investment, at least.
I’d made a living specializing in investing in expedition groups and archeological digs, and I’d never come across anything like this before. It was a real mystery. And not the fun kind with a treasure map to follow.
“It’s been several months,” I tapped my chin thoughtfully as I spoke aloud to myself. Sometimes, by admitting things with volume, it forced me to make plans I’d been putting off. This was sure as hell one of those! I kept trying to believe that it would all get back on track soon, but I couldn’t lie to myself any longer. “Any reports I’ve had have been sketchy. Nothing to outline what happened at the ancient ruins or where she is now.”
I sighed loudly, knowing where this was headed. Deep down, I’d already accepted it, I just needed to set it all in motion. If I wanted to discover what was happening in Brazil… then I needed to be there.
“Fuck!” I clicked my heel hard on my lovely marble flooring that cost me a damn fortune. “Brazil.”
I loved to travel when it was for fun, but much less so when it was for work. Particularly, alone to some strange place where I had no idea what I was about to walk into. But by funding the trip, I’d invested in Trucane, so I had a certain responsibility to make sure that she was okay. I wasn’t sure what her family situation was so perhaps there wasn’t anyone else out there looking for her. If it was me… well, I’d obviously prefer to know someone cared!
The more I thought about Kayla, the more the tight knot of anxiety twisted in my gut. Images of what could be happening to her freaked me the hell out. She could have been kidnapped, she could be stuck in some hole in the middle of nowhere like the guy who eventually had to cut his own arm off, she could be lost somewhere in the jungle.
The possibilities were endless, and none of them very great. My blood was actually cold now. I needed to get my plane ticket booked before I completely crumbled. A deep pull had grown in my chest as if she was trying to pull me to Brazil using a magnet. I sat down at my computer quickly and brought it to life, unable to relax until I had my ride booked. I needed to be accountable, to make myself go before I managed to talk myself out of it again…
I tapped my foot on the ground, anxiety zig-zagging through me as I waited for my flight to be called. I needed to get out of here now, to be on the way already. As soon as I’d booked my one-way ticket, my life had been a rush. I’d needed to get packed up and ready to leave, which took a lot longer than I intended. Then I needed to get my ass to the airport and head through security. I hadn’t really had a single moment to rest and think until right now.
Only, it turned out that my thoughts were unpleasant and unhelpful, wanting to believe the worst was happening.
Come on, come on, come on. I stared at the departures board, waiting for my flight to just go ahead and get a gate already. It wasn’t late; it had been ‘on time’ the whole time I’d been sitting here, so why wasn’t I on it already?
I pulled out my cell phone and checked my emails for what felt like the millionth time. I wasn’t sure why because I already knew that if I got any work-related ones, I couldn’t do anything about from here, and everyone who needed to know that I was away was already aware. I still needed to do something with my hands. Something to keep me distracted.
The loud ticking of the clock, the scream of children who’d had enough of the airport, the complaints from people at the information desk nearby…it was all getting too much for me, about to overload me. But I couldn’t run. I needed to stay, I had to be here. I needed to find a way to block all of that out before I exploded…
Thankfully, right at the moment I couldn’t stand it any longer, the gate number appeared on the board. Almost as if the fates had plotted to ensure I couldn’t panic. At that moment, everything returned to moving a lot faster. I got to the gate as the air hostesses started boarding the plane, and I found my seat. Most people liked the window seats which made it easier to always get one at the aisle, which I preferred, so I had control over getting up and down as much as I wanted…not that there would likely be a lot of that today. Once I strapped myself into this chair, I didn’t think I would rise again until I was in Brazil. I needed the time to prepare, to get my thoughts in order, to be ready for whatever Brazil had to offer me. There was only one way to find out, and there was no turning back now!
Exhaustion flooded me as I finally got into Santarem. It had been one hell of a journey. Leaving New York was tiring enough, and the plane ride didn’t help, but that wasn’t the end of it. Then there was a bus ride to the Amazon which was…well, just something else. Unlike any New York bus. Cramped full of people, animals as well some times, and hot too. Humidity like I hadn’t ever experienced before now. The drive was through a lot of rickety roads which didn’t help my travel sickness one bit. I felt green most of the time. Then, just when I couldn’t take it any longer, there was the boat ride. I wasn’t great with water at the best of times, but after everything else I’d been through, it was hell. Sure, the scenery was incredible, but I could hardly appreciate it in the state I was in.
Urgh, thank God I was here. I couldn’t move any longer.
I glanced at the map the moment my feet hit dry, unmoving land, trying to locate my room. I needed to dump my stuff; I couldn’t lug these big bags around with me as I started on my mission to find Kayla. Perhaps that was something I should do after a night of sleep, considering I wasn’t in the best place in that department, but my feet itched. I needed to move about, to get started on my investigation. The sooner I got some information about Kayla’s whereabouts, the more I’d get to relax…just a little bit.
I followed the map as best as I could, wandering down the strange roads, admiring the pale and sandy colored buildings as I went by. It was beautiful here, very unlike home, and I kinda liked it. If only I was here for a vacation rather than something potentially dangerous. I could
have spent forever exploring this place.
Finally, I found the address that I was hunting for, and I stepped inside. There, I found an elderly gentleman with weathered, sun damaged skin and the brightest smile on his face. His hand outstretched to shake my hand and greet me, which was nice. His grin was infectious, despite my exhaustion, and I matched it. He didn’t seem to speak a lot of English, but he just about got my name across which was a place for us to start. He wasn’t going to be the man to help me find Kayla, but he got me to my room which was all I needed for the moment.
The room was nice as well, for the price. It didn’t exactly cost me the earth, which was perfect because I didn’t know how long I would be here. It didn’t have any luxuries, but the basics were just fine, thank you very much. A small bathroom just for me with a nice - if a little old fashioned - toilet and a shower. A queen sized bed with a strange floral bedspread across it, a lamp, and a small table with an outlet for my laptop and phone charger.
I plugged my cell phone into the wall and unpacked my suitcase. Not all of it, just a few items of clothing that had to be hung up on the small rail in the corner. Once I was done, I ignored the pull of the bed and headed towards the door instead. Kayla needed me more than I needed sleep.
I couldn’t forget about her.
After a brief, challenging conversation with the man who owned this place - where neither of us could really understand one another but it was still pleasant enough - I left. The darkness had started to fall, and everything began to look quite different, but I didn’t allow that to deter me. I would be able to find my way back, surely?
Yeah, I was just going to have to find my way back, because there was somewhere I needed to be.
It took me about an hour, and I needed to ask a few people for help, but soon I found myself in the bar Kayla had mentioned to me once, where one of her crew members liked to drink when he wasn’t working. It was my only one lead, so it was the best place to start. Someone there had to know his whereabouts.
As I pushed the door open, the stench of beer infected my nostrils right away. It was a busy bar, rowdy already considering the early night hour, and there was a soccer game playing on a big screen. All of a sudden, this didn’t feel like the right time to ask for information… but I couldn’t turn around now. I’d made it this far.
“Excuse me,” I said pointlessly as I tried to get past the endless ocean of much bigger bodies to find the bar. My voice was dissolved by the racket, no one could hear me, but I kept trying regardless. “Excuse me.”
Finally, my patience paid off and I leaned up against the wooden bar, pushing on to my tip toes so someone would see me. I waved a piece of paper around to show that I didn’t want a drink, I just needed some help from someone.
“Como posso ajudá-lo, senhorita?” a kindly looking man asked.
I attempted to lean closer to him. “I’m looking for Paulos Santos, is he here?”
The man didn’t hear me at first. He leaned in closer and I practically yelled into his ear.
“Santos?” he finally asked, getting it a bit. “Paulos?”
I nodded enthusiastically, relief flooding me as he held up a finger to indicate one minute and he moved away from me. If Paulos was here, then I wasn’t about to get the worst news. All would be okay…
But the man who came to speak to me next, who wiggled his finger at me, indicating for me to follow him, didn’t look like the sort of man I could picture on an archeological dig. Not to be judgmental, but I had been to several of those, and the tattooed type who wore leathers in the sweltering heat like they belonged to a motorcycle gang, was a rare sight.
But he had information and I needed him, so I didn’t hesitate to follow him.
“You’re looking for Paulos Santos?” he asked as soon as we reached a small outside area.
“You aren’t him? I thought that the guy said…”
“He doesn’t speak English and I do. I need to be able to communicate with you effectively to make you understand where Paulos is. It isn’t the easiest to explain.” Those words froze me. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. “He has been…unwell recently and he’s in the hospital getting some treatment. The mental hospital.”
He almost looked like this was shameful to say. He certainly didn’t need to be embarrassed. He just need to explain more.
“Why is he in there? What’s happened to him? Is it…?” I wanted to ask if it was anything to do with the expedition, but somehow, I couldn’t quite get the words out. “Is it bad?”
He couldn’t look at me as he answered. “You have to see him to believe it. I have written the address down.”
His attitude confused the hell out of me. Why couldn’t he just tell me what was going on? I couldn’t push him, though, he’d been more helpful to me than anyone else. “Thank you so much, I really appreciate this. Can I go now?”
“I… I don’t know.” He shrugged. “It would be better to go in the morning when there is a guarantee that they will let you in… but to be honest, you don’t seem like the sort of woman to take no for an answer.”
I couldn’t help but smirk at him just a little. He had my card already. “Sure, thanks again.”
My mind spun as I left the bar, I tried to process all that had just happened, but it seemed a bit much. Could there be a link between Paulos’s mental health deterioration and Kayla? Was she there too? If so, what the hell happened out there at the ruins? It had to be something really bad, something I couldn’t even begin to imagine.
I found a cab willing to take me to the hospital, for a hefty price of course. During the drive there, I got myself all tied up in knots. I knew that Paulos would give me a lead, but I wasn’t expecting it to lead me here.
It took me a while to find a nurse that I could communicate with, and thankfully by that time they seemed to feel sorry for me, and they took me to Paulos’s room, even if it was after hours. There, I found a man who looked a lot more like the archeologists that I was used to. He was the sort of man that I could speak to easily, aside from the fear in his eyes. There was no shying away from the sheer terror dancing constantly.
“Paulos?” I asked quietly, not wanting to stun him. “Paulos, do you have a moment?” Nothing. He didn’t even react to me. It was like I wasn’t even in the room. “Paulos, I need to talk to you, about Dr. Kayla Trucane.”
Those words got his attention. His eyes snapped around to me and he parted his lips. I assumed this was to answer me, but instead, a deep howl burst from him. One that sounded animalistic, it came right from his gut.
“Panthers… monsters… Kayla… they took her… she’s gone… the ruins…”
I skated back from where I stood and plastered myself against the wall, scared of what he was going to do.
“Someone… took Kayla?” So, she was in trouble. My instinct was right. “Where is she?”
But I didn’t get a chance to find out. The staff burst in through the door like a hurricane and pinned Paulos down before he could react any further, silencing him. It seemed a little excessive to me, but then again, I had no idea what had really happened to him or how dangerous he’d become. All I knew was that I needed to solve this mystery, quick!
I gulpedback the rest of my coffee quickly, frustration fizzing through my veins. I wasn’t getting anywhere! I’d contacted every single travel business that I could find in the city, just looking for a guide to take me to the ruins since I had no idea where they were, but everyone refused. I even checked out of my room with the idea that I would be leaving today to go on a longer journey, so now I had all my bags with me and nowhere to go.
“Did I hear you right?” an older gentleman said in a gruff voice beside me. “You want to go to the antigas ruínas de Panthera?” I cocked my head curiously at him, unable to believe that he’d been listening in. “The ruins?”
“That was actually a private conversation,” I bit back. “So, if you can’t show me the way, then…”
“I can show you the way
,” he insisted. “That’s why I’m talking to you.”
He finally met my eyes and I could see a glimpse of darkness there. I just wasn’t sure if it was the color of his irises, or something deeper. But still, I was intrigued by the idea that he could help.
“Of course, it would be wrong of me not to suggest that you don’t go. It’s a very dangerous place…”
“Which is why I need to go. My friend is there. I have to find her.”
“Ah, I see.” He nodded slowly. “So, you find yourself in a bit of a situation then. I suppose I shall have to take you. I suppose it would be better for you to go right away.”
I didn’t think that going anywhere with this strange man was a good idea, especially not into the jungle alone; there was something creepy about him… but I was rapidly running out of options, so it seemed like I would have to.
“Okay,” I eventually agreed. “Let’s go.”
Jakar
“What are we going to do about Garret?” my brother, Javier, asked me in frustration. “He’s becoming a pest.”
“Look, I know what you mean, but he’s just a prankster, isn’t he? I don’t think he means any harm…”
But I could already see that my words were falling on deaf ears. Javier took his role as pack leader very seriously, which I could understand because I was the same about my own pack, but I always left a little wiggle room for fun too. Over time, it seemed like Javier had let that slide which was why Garret really got to him.
“There needs to be discipline,” he insisted. “There needs to be punishment for bad behavior. Whether it’s supposed to be a joke or not, people could get hurt. People have been hurt in the past, it isn’t good.”
