“How about we deal with this situation before you let your hormones out to play again? I was there for the last go round and would appreciate sticking to business.”
I couldn’t help but smirk to myself. I just loved Ena, she was nothing like my mother yet something about her endears me like a second mom. I felt my cheeks redden as I dropped my eyes to the floor and turned towards Ena. I smiled impishly at her and said
“Right then, let’s head out and see if we can find this camp. I’m going to drive us as far as I can. Once we get out of the Jeep, Jeremy can take the lead. My brother Liam says you will be able to sniff them out. So if you don’t mind Ena and I will just follow behind your cat.”
We all hopped into the Jeep and I took off towards the Serengeti. I drove for a few hours before the landscape became more difficult traversing in the vehicle then it was worth. I stopped the Jeep and put the keys in my pocket. I looked back at Jeremy with a small tentative smile and said in an almost whisper
“Well tiger man you’re up. Ena and I will fall back and follow you from here.”
I watched as Jeremy leap smoothly out of the jeep and landed with grace just a few feet in front of me. He smiled back then said in a deep voice
“How about you two turn around so that I can save the few clothes I brought with me.”
Something about his voice and the sweat rolling off his too damn good looking chin stopped me in my tracks. I wanted to reach out and pull my fingers through his hair. I wanted to get closer and drown in his scent. I could feel my heart slamming into my rib cage and even my wolf was yipping in desire and approval. I watched as Jeremy pulled off the hat he was wearing then reached down and unbuckled his pants.
I felt my cheeks flame and I know my eyes grew two sizes larger. I wanted to say the hell with everything and jump on top of him. I looked around and realized Ena too was looking at Jeremy with more than just appreciation in her eyes. That’s when I felt my wolf still. It was clear my wolf was becoming angry and unreasonable. I heard her shrill voice calling Jeremy a charlatan. My wolfs words were like a blast of cold water as she hissed in my head
'Your cat is a womanizer and can’t be trusted. Look what he does to us. He was willing to strip in front of us and another woman. He would make a bad mate. Reject him and save both us the pain.'
I knew that I was going to probably regret it, but I couldn’t stop myself from very forcefully grabbing Ena’s arm and twisting us both around. Then before I could regain control of myself I screeched out
“Damn it Jeremy! Can you please stop inciting my wolf? She thinks you’re a fucking womanizer and would be a bad unfaithful mate. For god’s sake, can you just try to keep it in your pants unless we are completely alone?”
My beloved said not a single word. I felt the air shimmer and knew that Jeremy shifted into his tiger form. Then without any preamble he sauntered off deeper into the Serengeti. We walked for several hours in silence. Not a single sound but those of the indigenous animals. Then just as we could tell we were coming upon civilization Ena asked Jeremy to go on without us. The moment Jeremy was out of earshot Ena turned and blasted me
“Laura, I want to give you ample space to work things out between you and Jeremy. But if you ever put your hands on me again in anger or aggression, you and I will have to come to terms. I am not afraid of you and I will make sure that I am the winner.
You might not be easy to kill, but I don’t have to kill you to render you useless. If I blast you with a psoinic charge your brain will be nothing but mashed potatoes. Then even your block head of a wolf won’t be able to cause trouble. I think of you as family and would never want to hurt you but, I will not be attacked over and over again by a jealous, mistrustful and misguided wolf.
Damn it Laura! Get control of your wolf and do the right thing. Either bond with the guy or cut him loose. Jeremy deserves better. Your shenanigans are hell on his ego and his conscience. You seem to forget the man tried to end his life over his mistakes and you just keep rubbing salt in the wounds.”
I hung my head in shame and felt tears roll down my cheeks. I hiccupped as I moved from soft whimpering into full blown tears. I felt Ena move closer to me and her arms gently wrapped themselves around me. Ena was right. I was behaving like a green-eyed monster. I am constantly so jealous and angry. Jeremy is so good looking and every woman wants him. I am just a little on the plain side and well it gets to me that Jeremy could have and has had other woman. That doesn’t give my wolf the right to lash out at him and me. I was ashamed again and felt the need to lash out at my wolf. I wanted to hurt her and I found myself telling her:
'You are a bad bad dog. You know you want Jeremy as much as I do. Jeremy scares you because you want him so much. You say he’s my beloved but you know as much as I do that he’s our true mate as well. There is no one else for us. Stop being a bad dog or we are going to spend our lives alone and lonely.'
I wanted to say I was sorry to Ena but before I could say anything Ena lifted my face to hers and she stared into my eyes and said
“You are letting your wolf side and Jeremy's tiger sides lead this relationship. It’s a mistake. I know you two are mates but words and your beasts are getting in the way. You need to let him touch your soul and you need to touch his. Then the truth will reveal itself. All this pain and bad behavior is the result of misunderstandings.
Believe me when I tell you that to Jeremy you are more beautiful than any other woman in the world. Now that Jeremy has met you he will never again want to hold another woman in his arms. You're it Laura! You are the one for him. No one else. Trust me when I tell you this. Just please do yourself and Jeremy a favor and just blood with him. It will all be easy from there.”
Then Ena let me go and took off at her top speed towards the human camp. I wiped my cheeks, pulled my battered self-importance and ego together and ran after her.
CHAPTER 7
Jeremy's POV
We arrived at the tree camp just moments before my mate’s brother Liam. Liam gathered us together and immediately launched into the details of why he thought he was being influenced. Liam explained how he had gaps and differences in his own memories and how sometimes he could tell others would confuse situations too. As I listened I realized they were experiencing the same type of memory issues as I did. I also knew that Grier couldn't have manipulated my entire Bastet pride all by himself. Grier had to have had help. More help possibly then the four of us could deal with on our own. I tried to make several suggestions but was shut down by my mate every time.
The woman seemed to think I was incapable of coming up with a good idea. Laura all but patted me on the head and told me to keep my mouth shut. My cat didn't like the negative dismissive behavior towards us. We are a dominant animal and the leader of our entire Bastet pride. We do not like being bossed around by a small slip of a female. After several more attempts to be included in the efforts I finally shut up and went for a walk. My instincts were screaming at me that Bastet were more qualified and capable of sniffing out Bastet than any vampire or hybrids. With that in mind, I asked Quinza the tribal leader where the nearest Bastet pride was located.
Then without a single comment to Laura or the others I shifted and headed towards the Bastet pride. I had strong feelings that they were underestimating the capabilities of an elder Bastet. Bastet are crafty and very smart. If there was more than one Bastet working together it would take a lot more than two hybrids and vampire to beat them. The fight wouldn't happen in the flesh with muscle and bones. It would happen in the mind with dreams and deception. The elder Bastet would have them eating out of his hands. He could make them believe anything he wanted them to. Worse if several Bastet were working together they could fool hundreds of people at the same time.
I'd been stung before and I would make sure I was never tricked again. I built tall strong walls in my mind and I knew no one would ever pull the wool over my eyes again. I reached the Bastet pride in just under an hour. I threw my head back an
d let go of a roar worthy of my Leo status. People rushed from their huts to greet me. The Leo stepped out from his and eyed me wearily trying to determine if I would be challenging for his position. I shifted quickly and knelt down on one knee to show my respect for the Leo's territory and his pride. I waited as was customary for him to send a robe to me. Once I adorned the robe I addressed him in the way of our people. Once we both listed out our heritage and blood family the Leo moved forward and pulled my hands into his hands for a strong embrace. Then he asked
"Tell me, why are you honoring my pride with your presence?" I looked him in his eyes and said firmly
"I have family nearby and am in need of assistance. I was told by Quinza that you are the closest Bastet Pride."
The Leo nodded and motioned towards a large hut just slightly behind the main camp. I moved in the direction he pointed and was quickly guided by a female inside. She pointed towards two very comfortable looking chairs then left the room. The Leo came in and sat down opposite of me. I gave him a tentative smile and launched into the situation. I was honest and told him of how I and my pack had been manipulated. Then I told him what Liam said to us.
I could tell as I walked through the situation that the Leo immediately assessed the risk to the wolves and to his own Bastet pride. I could even tell that he was gut checking himself to make sure that nothing in his recent memories indicated that he had been manipulated. Before long the Leo called in several of his best men. He explained the situation to them and they all agreed to go into town with me. I waited patiently while his men pulled together their things and we took off as a unit towards the hotel that my mate’s family was staying in. We arrived to see the Bastet Renalda collapse onto the ground, we all moved forward with the intention of helping her when I heard Ena say
"I can see her, follow me and let’s go save Micah"
I realized that Renalda must have been astral projecting and I alerted the others. Knowing that she was safe we decided to fan out and start to look for the cracks in the illusions. We would easily be able to see through the illusion, and we had a good chance of finding the Bastet that were casting it. It didn't take long before I saw the inconsistencies all around us. People were acting odd and several humans in medical clothes were taking what appeared to be blood samples.
I caught a glimpse of a tall chocolate black woman pushing a stroller and could tell by the scent that my cubs were inside. I became distracted and found myself approaching her. Initially she was very defensive and wouldn't allow me to even see the cubs. But after a little sweet talk and shifting just my paw she smiled brightly and moved aside so I could look at the babies. After a few minutes she started talking and told me all kinds of stuff. I learned that her name was Nuella and that she lived in Quinza's camp. After just a little while she motioned for me to join her inside.
We went in and sat down on the couch. She pulled out my daughter and gently placed her in my arms. My daughter was so soft and she smelled so good. I felt my heart swell with instant gratification and love. I realized that the cubs might be my greatest accomplishment in life. I may have been under a sick illusion when I got Renalda pregnant, but I was having a hard time looking at the cubs as a mistake. They were just so perfect. Everything about them seemed just right. I couldn't help the few tears of amazement that slipped from my eyes. Nuella then took my son out of the stroller and was holding him in her arms. She looked at me and smiled very big before she said
"You hold de boy too. It good for de daddy to hold his babies. It does my heart good to know that you see dem before they takes them away."
Then she carefully added my son to my arms. I'm not sure how much time passed while I sat there gazing at both of them with such wonderment and love. I was just so amazed with how incredible they felt and what a miracle the babies really were. I heard the turmoil before I saw anything. I kissed my babies on the forehead and carefully handed Nuella put them back. I watched her as she gently placed them both back in the stroller. Then I instructed her to return to her room with the babies and stay hidden until Renalda came for her cubs. She agreed and quickly made her way to the hotel elevators.
I looked around the hotel and was confident no intruders had come in while I'd been sitting in the lobby with Nuella and the babies. If they were inside they had already been in here before I came in. I sniffed around and while I smelled a lot of different animals none of them was Bastet. I exited the hotel and allowed my ears to take me to the chaos. Bastet were engaged in battle all over the grounds. I was ready to jump into the ruckus but changed directions when I spotted Renalda behind the hotel in a relatively remote and isolated location. She was holding a very large sword against her own neck. It was clear that she intended to cut off her own head.
I moved slowly forward with the intention of disarming her before she could injure herself. Just as I reached her side she turned her eyes towards me. It was clear she recognized me because the cloudiness cleared for just a moment and I saw her sorrow and shame. Then they clouded back over and she moved just enough to cause the blade to slide effortlessly into her neck. I stopped feeling sorry for myself and instantly twisted her arm back and prevented her for damaging herself any further.
She struggled and fought back. I felt her body shudder and knew she was shifting into her leopard. I too shifted and our cats fought the age old battle for dominance. I was stronger and much larger. Thankfully, her leopard was already injured and really wasn't putting up much of a fight. It was really over before it had started. The moment her leopard realized I was the dominant she purred in approval. Something changed and I suddenly smelled the sweet scent of her heat again. I shook my head and double checked my walls to make sure that no one had gotten into my head. I was positive this was not an illusion.
Renalda started to rub herself all over me in an attempt to start the mating process. While my mind was clean it was clear that she was under a mind whammy. I knew that she had no idea or control over what she was doing. The more I tried to calm her down the more her cat climbed all over me. I finally had enough and pinned her down on her back. She chose that moment to shift back to her human form. I immediately also shifted in an attempt to keep my large tiger from hurting her weak human body. Of course as luck would have it, it was at that exact moment that my mate Laura came charging out of the jungle.
My mate looked at me lying naked on top of a very naked Renalda and screeched. I saw Laura’s eyes turn blood-red and a vein pulsed in her forehead. Then while Laura was still moving towards me she shifted into her wolf and attacked. I managed to roll off of Renalda and shift just as Laura's fangs sunk deep into my neck. If I hadn't shifted she would have ripped out my jugular and likely killed me. As it was Laura caused enough damage that I would probably not be able to speak for days to come. Laura attacked over and over again trying to establish dominance. In the end I had to make a choice to force her wolf to submit or run away.
Somehow I just knew if I took the choice away from my mate that I would eventually lose her. It was clear that my mate was full of arrogance and had a very large ego. Not to mention that, despite the fact that it had become abundantly clear that Laura could not win she refused to give up. The best I could figure out was she had lived too many years in a male dominant world and didn't like it. I didn't know a lot about Lycan culture but I did know that the females were subservient and often treated like dolls. That must have made my mate very resentful.
Bastet females were considered equals. Often the females were also the more dominant of the sexes. Had my mate been the stronger and the more dominant of us I would have submitted willingly. Hell, even knowing that I was the dominant I did my best to allow Laura to think she was. But no matter how much I tried to fake it for her happiness. My cat and I both know that her wolf is the weaker of beasts.
I finally had enough fighting with my mate and shifted back to my human form. I didn't care that Laura couldn't beat me. I was willing to try to submit if it meant peace with my mate. I put both
hands up in front of me as a gesture of surrender. I watched Laura's body shimmer and she too shifted back to human. I watched Laura's face crinkled in what looked like disgust, and then she spit in my face and said
"You disgust me. You and your tom cat just can't keep your paws off of every female you see. Didn't you have enough fun the first time your raped her. Did you really have to come back for seconds?"
A million things ran through my mind as I processed Laura's words. I can't believe that Laura jumped to that conclusion. All I could think was I had enough. That was it! I was done. I was not sticking around and allowing Laura to accuse me of raping and coming on to every female I come in contact with. I took one last look at my mate and without saying a single word I shifted back to my cat and took off into the Jungle. The other Bastet could help with the illusions. I'd done enough, good and bad. I was going home and leaving all of this behind me.
Shredded Bonds, a Blood Ties Novel, Book 4 Page 4
