by Bianca D'Arc
Nick got out of the Jeep and tossed the keys to a nearby youngster whose job it was to keep the drive clear. He’d park the Jeep around back, out of sight, with the other vehicles as soon as Nick escorted his new mate into the mansion. The kid would also unload their bags and put them in Nick’s room, so Nick was unencumbered as he offered Sal his arm and led her up to the doorway.
The door was thrown open before they got there, the new Alpha female offering a cheery welcome to Sal, and a somewhat suspicious look thrown toward Nick. Shelly still hadn’t forgiven him for interrogating her when they’d first met, but he figured she’d give up her mad in a few months…or, maybe years. Possibly.
“I’m Shelly Howell…uh…Pepard. Sorry, that’s still kind of new to me.” Shelly’s open smile invited all around to join in. She had a naturally sunny personality that had only gotten brighter since her mating. “My dad’s been telling me all about you, Miss Lane.”
Sal offered her hand and returned Shelly’s smile. “Oh, please, call me Sal. Your dad’s been helping me a lot. He’s a really great guy. And congratulations on your marriage.” Sal was making small talk, offering all the right noises as the two women moved into the foyer of the big house.
Nick was aware of Mark standing at the back of the open space, watching his mate and the newcomers. The fact that he’d let his mate come forward on her own to greet Sal was a good sign. It showed a level of trust Nick, quite frankly, hadn’t expected so soon.
Maybe… Maybe the trust wasn’t for Sal, per se, but more for Nick’s judgment. After so many years growing up together, working together, and facing danger together, Mark and Nick had formed a friendship based on mutual respect. Up ‘til now, Mark had trusted Nick to watch his back in many different types of dangerous situations. Perhaps that had earned Nick a bit of leeway when it came to introducing an unknown into the Clan.
Though, really, after spending time with Howell and passing Abuela’s tests—whatever they had been—Sal wasn’t really that much of an unknown anymore. Oh, she probably still had a few surprises in store, but Nick knew deep in his heart that his mate could never pose a real threat to anyone he loved. Mark and his mate were part of that select group.
Nick caught Mark’s eye, and the Alpha nodded, moving smoothly forward to intercept the women. Nick made the introductions.
“Sal, this is Mark Pepard.” Nick watched as she reached forward to take the Alpha’s hand, each of them taking careful stock of each other.
“Welcome to Jaguar Island, Miss Lane,” Mark said, pouring on the charm as Nick breathed a sigh of relief.
“Please, call me Sal.”
“I thought the newspapers all called you Sully?” Shelly asked.
“They do, but…that just doesn’t feel right. I was born Sally Lannier. I only became Sully Lane recently, and only the newspapers and a few of the people I work with call me that. Somehow, when I met Nick, it didn’t feel appropriate to hide behind the stage name. The only one who still calls me Sal is my mom,” Sal’s voice dropped into a sad tone. “And now, you guys.”
“I’m honored,” Mark replied, equally somber. He seemed to understand the importance of what Sal was telling them.
For his part, Nick was blown away by the fact that she’d been following her instincts since the moment they met and she’d asked him to call her by the name only her mother still used. That meant something to him. It was a clear indication that the Goddess did, indeed, move in mysterious ways, and that his mate had known, on some instinctual level, when they met that there was something special happening. Nick’s inner cat wanted to purr in both triumph and satisfaction.
“We were just about to head in for dinner. Do you guys need to freshen up or are you good to go?” Shelly asked.
Sal looked at Nick, shrugging. “I’m kind of hungry,” she offered, letting him decide for both of them.
“I could eat, thanks,” Nick said. “We’ll head in with you.”
And just like that, the two couples were walking together through the large house, heading for the far dining room and the Clan members already gathered there. One hurdle jumped, and things were starting to look really good for the future. Nick started to breathe a little easier, though he was still on guard. Mark had to give his formal welcome—accepting Sal into the Clan—before they would be home free.
“Where’s your dad?” Nick asked Shelly as they walked.
“He flew out to California this afternoon, to meet Sal’s mother,” she replied almost offhandedly, though she had to know how big this news was. “My dad’s been known to commit the odd philanthropic gesture. This move could be made to fit into that scenario because, though I was kept in the dark for a long time, apparently, my father has done this sort of thing before—rescuing mages who’ve had little or no training and helping them learn control.”
Beside him, Sal’s steps faltered, and she grabbed for Nick’s hand. Mark and Shelly stopped walking and turned to face Nick and Sal. Mark eyed them both.
“I’m looking into your mother’s case,” he told Sal directly. “There’s a good chance I’ll be able to pull some strings and get her released into Mr. Howell’s care. He’s got a foundation already set up that has done this sort of thing before, oddly enough.” Mark smiled and shook his head as if he was surprised by the turn of events himself. “Eventually, if you’re agreeable, and depending on my father-in-law’s recommendation, I wouldn’t be opposed to moving your mother to the island so she could continue learning how to control her wild magic. At least here, her chances of hurting anyone are greatly diminished, even if her magic goes out of control again.”
“Really?” Sal looked like she was about to cry. “How?” she choked out. “Why?”
“Shifters have a bit more protection from magic than most beings. It’s part of what makes us unique among the supernatural races. We can take hits that would destroy most other kinds of folk. The magic sort of rolls off our fur, even when we’re not wearing it,” Nick explained, finding it hard to find the right words. “It would take a lot for your mom to hurt any of us, even the cubs,” he tried to reassure her.
Sal squeezed his hand tight, and a single tear tracked down her soft cheek. He bent to kiss it away, knowing how monumental the past few moments had been for her.
“I’m…” She tried to talk, but it took a couple of tries before her voice would work. “Thank you, Mark. Shelly. I…I don’t know what to say.” More tears threatened, but they were happy tears. Ecstatic tears.
“I’m glad Mark and my dad could help,” Shelly assured Sal. “And I’m certain we’re going to be great friends. And probably classmates. I understand we both came to mage-craft kind of late in life.” Shelly’s conspiratorial giggle invited Sal to join in.
“I guess so,” Sal agreed, looking at Nick and then turning her gaze to Mark. “That is… If the Alpha agrees to let me stay.”
Nick sucked in a breath. Sal had pushed the issue, and he was still somewhat afraid of what Mark would say.
“You’re welcome among us, Sal,” Mark said formally. “As friend to the Clan. As mate to my best friend, Beta, and protector of the Clan. And as a Clan member in your own right by virtue of that mating.”
Nick’s breath rushed out in relief. This couldn’t have gone better. He wouldn’t have to leave his people, and Sal had just gotten a giant-sized welcome from the Alpha. Mark couldn’t make it much plainer than that.
Nick held out his hand, drawing Mark in for a back-pounding hug. “Thank you, Mark,” he said low, near Mark’s ear. “I won’t let you down.”
Mark stepped back and looked at Nick. “You never have, and you never could. Congratulations on finding your mate.”
“Thanks,” Nick said, feeling it down to the soles of his feet. He was so grateful to be alive and mated to the most wonderful woman in the world.
Shelly was hugging Sal, and when the two women broke apart, Sal came right back to fit under his outstretched arm. The two couples just stood there for a moment, joy betwe
en them.
“I’m going to do the official welcome at dinner,” Mark told them. “Try to act surprised.”
Sal laughed. “I usually get paid to act,” she said, then looked as if she might want to recall those words, but Shelly and Mark laughed with her.
“Speaking of which, you’ll be able to keep acting, if that’s what you want,” Mark told her when the laughter had died down. “I’ve managed a very public life in the human world, and I think you can, too.”
“I hadn’t thought about it much, to be honest,” Sal admitted. “But, if I still have a career, I might as well take advantage of it while it lasts. As long as I can get a handle on the magic, I might just look into taking on a few roles to build a little nest egg. That is, if Nick doesn’t mind.”
“Mind?” Nick replied, hugging her to his side. “Why should I mind? As long as you let me run your security, you can go just about anywhere you want, sweetheart.”
“Does this mean I’m losing you as my head of security?” Mark asked, but there was a grin on his face.
“You’ve got enough young jaguars to watch your back when you leave the island,” Nick told him. “And I’ll go along when I can, but you have to understand, my mate is my first priority now, Mark.” Nick looked into Sal’s eyes and got lost in the love he saw there.
Mark’s words came as if from a distance. “I understand, my friend, and I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Nick didn’t hear if Mark said anything else because he was kissing his mate. As far as he was concerned only the two of them existed on the entire planet.
Shelly and Mark walked away, leaving the two newlyweds to their kisses, but as they tiptoed along the corridor, Shelly put her hand in her mate’s. “Do you think we should send someone to get them if they don’t surface for a while?”
Mark grinned down at her and shrugged. “If they miss dinner, they can always do a midnight kitchen raid. Nick knows where everything is.”
Having done quite a few of those midnight kitchen raids herself over the past few weeks with her new mate, Shelly couldn’t help but smile. She hadn’t liked Nick when they first met, but she found herself softening toward the man she’d dubbed Atilla the Bodyguard. Sal was a nice woman, and somehow, she softened the hard-assed security chief.
With a shrug, Shelly turned her attention fully to her new husband. “I guess you’re right. What do you say we cut this dinner short and raid the kitchen for ice cream around midnight?”
Mark smiled at his adventurous mate. “I’m game if you are.”
The official welcome announcement happened the next day, but nobody really minded. It was clear to everyone in the Clan that the Alpha and Beta couples were lost in love, and the jaguars were incredibly happy. Things were looking up for the Jaguar Clan and the island that they were turning into a true home.
*
Thank you for reading The Jaguar Bodyguard. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review.
A complete list of all of my books, separated by series, follows the excerpt. You can also check out my website at WWW.BIANCADARC.COM. Or you can sign up for my new release list to be alerted when new books are released.
Howls Romance
Classic romance… with a furry twist!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bianca D’Arc has run a laboratory, climbed the corporate ladder in the shark-infested streets of lower Manhattan, studied and taught martial arts, and earned the right to put a whole bunch of letters after her name, but she’s always enjoyed writing more than any of her other pursuits. She grew up and still lives on Long Island, where she keeps busy with an extensive garden, several aquariums full of very demanding fish, and writing her favorite genres of paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.
Bianca loves to hear from readers and can be reached through Twitter (@BiancaDArc), Facebook (BiancaDArcAuthor) or through the various links on her website.
OTHER BOOKS BY BIANCA D’ARC
Paranormal Romance
Brotherhood of Blood
One & Only
Rare Vintage
Phantom Desires
Sweeter Than Wine
Forever Valentine
Wolf Hills*
Wolf Quest
Tales of the Were
Lords of the Were
Inferno
Tales of the Were ~ The Others
Rocky
Slade
Tales of the Were ~ String of Fate
Cat’s Cradle
King’s Throne
Jacob’s Ladder
Her Warriors
Tales of the Were ~ Redstone Clan
The Purrfect Stranger
Grif
Red
Magnus
Bobcat
Matt
Tales of the Were ~ Grizzly Cove
All About the Bear
Mating Dance
Night Shift
Alpha Bear
Saving Grace
Bearliest Catch
The Bear’s Healing Touch
The Luck of the Shifters
Badass Bear
Loaded for Bear
Tales of the Were ~ Were-Fey
Lone Wolf
Snow Magic
Midnight Kiss
Tales of the Were ~ Jaguar Island (Howls Romance)
The Jaguar Tycoon
The Jaguar Bodyguard
Guardians of the Dark
Half Past Dead
Once Bitten, Twice Dead
A Darker Shade of Dead
The Beast Within
Dead Alert
Gifts of the Ancients: Warrior’s Heart
Epic Fantasy Erotic Romance
Dragon Knights ~ Daughters of the Dragon
Maiden Flight*
Border Lair
The Ice Dragon**
Prince of Spies***
Dragon Knights ~ The Novellas
The Dragon Healer
Master at Arms
Wings of Change
Dragon Knights ~ Sons of Draconia
FireDrake
Dragon Storm
Keeper of the Flame
Hidden Dragons
Dragon Knights ~ The Sea Captain’s Daughter Trilogy
Book 1: Sea Dragon
Book 2: Dragon Fire
Book 3: Dragon Mates
Science Fiction Romance
StarLords
Hidden Talent
Talent For Trouble
Shy Talent
Jit’Suku Chronicles ~ Arcana
King of Swords
King of Cups
King of Clubs
King of Stars
End of the Line
Diva
Jit’Suku Chronicles ~ Sons of Amber
Angel in the Badlands
Master of Her Heart
Futuristic Erotic Romance
Resonance Mates
Hara’s Legacy**
Davin’s Quest
Jaci’s Experiment
Grady’s Awakening
Harry’s Sacrifice
* RT Book Reviews Awards Nominee
** EPPIE Award Winner
*** CAPA Award Winner
