by Terry Spear
She knew her brother didn't like Halloween parties, not after his former girlfriend dumped him in a big row at last year's party. Bethany had told her all about it. Her brother had never spoken about it to her otherwise. Jane had broken up with James, all because she'd met some other jaguar. He wasn't part of their special, jaguar policing force, but was a real cop on the human police force.
Which was all right with them, because any of the jaguars who could work secretly among the humans and help other jaguars out was a good thing. But it also meant no one would hassle him for fear they'd get ticketed. Though Erin had heard the man—she didn't know his name—was soon going to be a homicide detective.
"You're not going without me," James said.
She let out her breath in exasperation. "You have to wear a costume."
He dropped his bags in his bedroom.
She followed him into the room. "You can't go unless you're dressed in a costume." She was certain he didn't have anything lying around to wear for the party. But she knew that stubborn look he was wearing meant he was going no matter what. "What if Jane is there?"
He grunted.
She smiled. Then she frowned. She hoped he didn't think he might get back together with her. Since Jane was going with another jaguar now, Erin thought that she liked that he wasn't with the JAG branch.
"Why do you think you have to be so overprotective of me when I'm just going to a party? I'm a JAG agent just like you, for heaven's sake," she said.
The doorbell rang and he pulled off his shirt. She huffed and headed for the front door. When she answered it, she was expecting Bethany, but a bunch of trick-or-treaters held up their sacks for treats. She passed out candy to the passel of Star Wars outfitted kids—one Darth Vader and two storm troopers. Then she had an idea. James could just stay here and hand out candy to the kids. Like that would go over big with him. The kids thanked her and ran to the next house.
Then she saw Bethany pull up out front and Erin waved at her, motioning to the house and shaking her head. She was trying to tell her that James was home, but Bethany came out of the car, shrugging her shoulders and raising her hands, palms up, indicating she didn't understand.
Erin pointed with her thumb toward the house. She even considered leaving home before James could join them. She was certain that he would much prefer just staying home after the long tour he'd had. Which she should have asked him about. Why was he home so soon? He must have completed his mission.
Bethany's eyes widened as she looked behind Erin. Shoot, Erin's brother was right behind her.
"Hey, Bethany. Hope you don't mind if I join you," James said.
Bethany smiled brightly. "Oh, no, we'll have even more fun."
Erin rolled her eyes. She was hoping Bethany would say she had no more room for him in her car. Then the cad got into the front seat and made Erin sit in back with the cupcakes.
"You know, you can protect me all you want," Bethany said. "Erin's got a handle on this."
"I'll protect you both."
Bethany laughed. "Good show. But if you need protecting, I'll be right there for you. How did your trip go?"
"Good. Bad guys are either all dead or turned over to the proper authorities. If I have to return there to take care of them again, I won't be turning them over to the police the next time though."
"I don't blame you. Did Erin tell you she took care of a bank robber today? See? She doesn't need your help." Bethany smiled at James.
Frowning, James glanced over the back seat at Erin, waiting for the whole story.
Erin sighed and explained everything, except she left out one bit of information—the light just dawning. How likely would it be that the musketeer was the guy who broke up her brother and Jane's relationship? A cop on the human police force. A jaguar. Bethany glanced up at the rearview mirror, her brows raised, evidently drawing the same conclusion. So what was the guy doing, if he was the same jaguar, asking her out for a cup of coffee? Unless he'd broken up with Jane already. But it didn't matter. She wasn't going out with someone who had caused the trouble between her brother and his former girlfriend. Then she frowned. He surely wasn't going to be at their party tonight, was he?
"Oh, and by the way, they're doing portraits for the Halloween party this time. So if you're not going to wear a costume, you can strip and shift, and be my very big, black, kitty-cat familiar," Erin said to her brother. They hadn't had family portraits in forever, so this would have to do.
"And Erin and I are going to get photos of us together, witch sisters, you know, and you can sit between us as our shared black jaguar familiar." Bethany turned down another country road.
Erin smiled.
"Works for me. I'll just show my growly side," James said, sounding growly.
The ladies laughed. Erin loved her brother, and she loved it when he could play along with the game. It was just his macho, overprotectiveness that drove her crazy. She just hoped that if Bryce was the one who had broken up her brother's relationship with Jane, he wasn't there tonight.
Because so many jaguars were attending the party, they had to park a long distance from the house that was way out in the country, the perfect place for jaguars to live so they could go on a prowl whenever they wanted to. The party was hosted by a brother and sister who were Guardian agents, who took care of injured jaguars, or those who needed to be transported to families to be cared for. They were always off for Halloween so they could host the annual party. That had to do with their Guardian boss always getting invited, and so he made sure they were off the duty schedule for the special occasion.
Paper luminaria bags lighted their driveway all the way to the house. The two-story, colonial brick home was decorated with bats, orange lights, ghosts, jack-o'-lanterns, even hers and Bethany's, spiderwebs, and owls, looking beautifully spooky. She and Bethany and a number of Guardian agents and JAG agents had helped decorate for Halloween, but she hadn't known how beautiful it would look at night.
A black and red dragon—as tall as the ladies—growled as they drew close, its eyes glowing red, smoke coming out of its mouth full of wicked-looking teeth. She loved this time of year.
It was cold out, the fall leaves sporting a full burst of color: orange, red, yellows, purple, with a backdrop of the ever-dependable evergreens of holly, boxwood, and pine trees.
As soon as she and her brother and Bethany entered the house, they were greeted by several JAG, Guardian, and Enforcer agents. Even a couple of JAG agents from the newly-formed United Shifter Force, a combination of jaguars and wolves, were there. Even their JAG boss, Martin, was there. The Enforcer agents were the ones who strictly took down rogue jaguars and others who were murderers. They couldn't allow their kind to end up in prison, concerned they might shift, so they took them down instead.
Erin's boss was no-nonsense when it came to leading the JAG branch, but he was also fun to be around when he let down his hair. He was dressed as Hans Solo, a rebel leader, even though in real life, Martin was always on the right side of the law. Or…almost always, as long as he ensured his people stayed safe. She set the cupcakes with the other treats on the food table.
"Good job on finding those three jaguar poachers and turning them over to the local police in Belize," Martin said to James. "Eliminating the others was a necessary evil, unfortunately. I would have preferred that you turned them all over to the local police to handle, but I know when they're trying to kill you and you're outnumbered, you don't have much of a choice."
"Thanks, boss."
"You know, you have to wear a costume for this event." Martin was always a stickler for propriety. Rules were rules. Even if it was just a party held by some of the agents for fun.
"Yeah, so my sister tells me. I'm going to get something to eat and drink and then I'll prowl around as a jaguar and protect everyone."
Martin laughed and saluted him with his bottle of beer. "Go for it."
Good. Her brother wasn't going to watch her the whole night through.
Bethany immediately began telling their boss about Erin and the bank robbery. Even about the musketeer who was an off-duty cop and jaguar. It didn't hurt that Erin's boss would know that she was doing some off-duty work herself to save the day, as long as it ended with the bad guys going to jail and the good guys being safe.
"You wouldn't be talking about Bryce Jenkins, would you?" Martin asked.
That's when Erin saw Jane with Bryce talking to each other across the party room. So he was the man who had broken up her brother and his girlfriend.
"Yeah, one and the same." Erin hoped her brother didn't chew on the guy for being here again once he shifted, though she wanted to march up to Bryce and give him a piece of her mind herself.
Wearing his musketeer's outfit, complete with his red cape, shiny sword, and plumed hat, Bryce watched as Erin visited with her friends and he wished he could visit with her in the worst way. But he suspected she thought he was dating Jane, when he wasn't, yet he had no other way to get an invitation to the agent-only and significant others' party. He hadn't realized she was the same woman as he'd seen at the JAG training, until he saw her name on her business card after the bank robbery and finally put two and two together.
Jane was a friend, and she had let on that they were dating, so Bryce could come, since she'd dumped her previous boyfriend, James Hawkins, brother to the woman he was interested in! And James was being his growly self, only in jaguar form now. He glanced in Bryce's direction, showed off his teeth, and sauntered off.
Dressed as a lady of the Elizabethan Era, Jane smiled at Bryce. "If you want to talk to Erin, you'd better make it quick. I know I told you her brother was out on a mission, but it appears he handled it and he's returned home. He wouldn't risk getting kicked off the force if he tangled with you tonight though. Erin's going outside to have pictures taken with her girlfriend right now."
"I should have had someone else invite me to the party last year, so it wouldn't appear that you broke up with James to date me." Even though Bryce hadn't met Erin in person until the bank incident, Jane had said nothing but good things about her and how he should try to meet her.
Jane smiled. "You are a 'civilian' as in not one of the jaguar policing force. I'm the only one you're friends with on the force. Too bad she didn't invite you to the party tonight instead when you met her at the bank. It wouldn't have hurt my feelings if you'd gone with her. So you're stuck with me if you want to have a chance to meet her here."
He was fairly certain Erin wouldn't be interested in him now, thinking that he had caused the breakup. Beyond that, Bryce didn't work for the jaguar policing agency, and he assumed Erin might want to find a mate among one of the people she worked with.
Bryce reminded himself he had his heart set on being a homicide detective, and he was nearly there.
With a bottle of beer in hand, he headed outside to see if he could speak with Erin. If he told her he wasn't dating Jane, would Erin even believe him?
Erin was having fun having pictures taken with her friend, Bethany. The two witches were sexy and cute.
He thought, as soon as the witches finished having their Halloween pictures taken, he'd approach Erin, but then her growly brother came along and sat between the two witches who were standing behind a stack of pumpkins for photo ops. The black jaguar gave him a fearsome, snarly look. Bryce couldn't help but smile a little at him. He could give the jaguar just as fearsome a look right back when he was in his jaguar coat. Though he had to admit James's black coat did make the cat look angry and ready to kill.
Erin and James's boss joined Bryce and pointed his beer bottle at the two witches and the jaguar. "I'm kind of surprised you came back to the party this year after breaking up Jane and James's relationship."
"I didn't break them up," Bryce said, figuring if he was going to get thrown out of here, fine. He wanted to clear the air. "Jane invited me because she's the only way I can come to the party. We've been friends for years. Since we were little, actually."
Martin glanced at Bryce and raised a brow. "Hell, you're interested in Erin?"
"Yeah."
Martin laughed. Then he sobered. "I heard about the bank robbery. Good job, both of you. But I don't want you to get into it with James. I like him."
"I didn't cause their breakup," Bryce repeated. "She didn't want to date him any longer. She hasn't been seeing anyone. She just needed her space. She just wasn't ready to settle down and from what she told me, James was looking at marrying her."
"Both Erin and James think otherwise, as far as the breakup is concerned. Just don't start a fight here, or you won't ever be coming back," Martin promised.
Bryce knew Martin was a stern and fair boss, and he looked out for his agents. Yet, Bryce didn't know what came over him to say, "If you're ever looking for another agent…" He let his words trail off.
Martin stared at him for a moment, then smiled. "I thought you were going to make homicide detective soon."
"I was. I mean, I am."
Martin's smile broadened. "So you're thinking of joining us just so you can see Erin?"
"Hell, yeah."
"You don't even know her."
"Jane tells me everything she's done with her job, the times she's worked with her. I was completely impressed with the way she handled the bank robber, and she seems really nice. There may not be anything there, but I want to give it a shot. But then I have this issue with her brother."
"All right. I'll introduce the two of you. Her brother might be standing there growling at you, but he won't bite. Not at least while I'm standing here. And if you and Erin hit it off, she can invite you to the party next year."
"What about a job with the agency?"
"I know your track record. The fact you're ready to become a homicide detective speaks volumes about you. And you helped her out when she took care of the one bank robber. She couldn't have taken care of two on her own. Why don't you see how things go between you and Erin first before you give up your other career? But if you really do want to join us, I wouldn't have any trouble signing you on."
Feeling relieved that Martin thought enough of him to hire him, Bryce nodded. Now the big hurdle was proving to Erin and her brother that he and Jane were just friends and had never been dating. Erin and he might not even hit it off. What then? He supposed he could continue to do what he planned. Take the job as a homicide detective. Yet there was the allure of being a JAG agent and helping other jaguars out and working with fellow jaguars.
Erin's friend Bethany moved out of the picture so that Erin and her brother could get a few alone, her beautiful purple hair flying in the breeze and her brother giving Bryce another snarly growl.
Martin chuckled. Bethany came to see the two of them, and said, "Hey, boss, thanks for giving us the time off for Halloween this year."
"You deserved it. You and Erin had hard missions to complete. Have you met Bryce?" Martin asked.
"Yeah, I mean, not really, but he broke up Jane and James."
"Jane broke up with James," Bryce corrected her, shaking his head. Man, he would never live that down. "She and I are just platonic friends. We've never dated. She's like a sister to me. I gave her a warning and not a ticket some years ago when she was seventeen and speeding. But we'd been friends much earlier than that."
"Oh," Bethany said and glanced back at Erin. "Don't tell me you're interested in meeting Erin."
"Yeah. Except I have to get around her growly brother."
"Which is why the boss is here protecting you?" Bethany asked, smiling.
"I've offered him a job, if he wants it," Martin said.
"Ohmigod." Bethany laughed. "Cat fur is going to fly. I was going to get something to eat and drink, but I think I'll hang around a little longer to see what goes down."
Erin and her brother finished their photo session and Bryce couldn't believe how nervous he felt about seeing her. She was frowning at him, yet he could see in her blue eyes, she knew something was up—the way her boss and best friend
were standing with him. She hesitated to join them, glancing at her brother, as if checking to see if he was going to attack Bryce first. Her brother appeared to be waiting for her to make the first move.
She headed for them then, and Bryce was reminded that she was a JAG agent, fearless in her job, and dealing with the man who caused the breakup between her brother and Jane would be an easy task. Her darkened eyes were focused on him, her look as growly as her brother's.
"I'm Bryce Jenkins, we met earlier during the bank robbery, and I'm going to be joining the JAG branch." He didn't know what made him say the words when he had every intention of clearing up the issue on how he wasn't dating Jane, first, and to see if he and Erin could even make a go of it.
Martin chuckled and shook his head.
"I didn't break your brother and Jane up. I've never dated her in my life. I swear it. We've just been friends, like a brother and sister. That's why she invited me to the Halloween party, only she didn't tell me she was breaking up with James that night. So it made it look like I was dating her instead. But it's not like that at all. In truth, she hasn't been dating anyone else since the breakup."
Erin glanced at her brother. He grunted.
"Okay, now that's straightened out, I'm off to enjoy the rest of the party tonight," Martin said, and headed back inside for some more refreshments.
Bryce was hoping the growly jaguar would leave, but he looked intent on staying by his sister's side.
"You're really joining the JAG branch?" Erin asked, sounding astounded, but just a little bit interested too and that gave Bryce hope that he and she could have a few dates, maybe lots more than that.
