by R. E. Butler
“I bet you say that to all the VIPs.”
“Only the pretty ones.”
He winked, and she shook her head as she got back in the Jeep. “What’s next on the tour?”
“Lions.”
“Cool! I love big cats.”
Jasper turned around in the seat. “Oh yeah? I like the wolves, personally.”
Evan snorted and Jasper grinned.
“Sorry, I’m a cat person.”
“Everyone has a favorite,” he said.
When the Jeep stopped, she found herself at the lion paddock. Beyond the chain-link fence was what looked like a savannah. There were large spots of tall, golden grasses, big trees with low-hanging branches, and large, flat rocks. Like in the other paddocks, she saw a shed inside the fence and some small buildings.
“What are the buildings for?”
“The big one is for storage. The others are places for the lions to sleep.”
She climbed out of the Jeep slowly, entirely mesmerized by the lions. They were incredible. The sunlight glinted off their tawny fur, and the rich chocolate of their manes was deeper than she expected. She forgot about everything but the lions as she moved to the fence and, without any fear, hooked her fingers through the chain link. The lions moved gracefully, their muscles bunching and flexing under their fur as they closed in on her.
She counted seven of the big cats making their way in her direction. Like the elephants and wolves, she noticed they were lifting their heads and sniffing the air as they moved, but instead of turning away like the wolves had, the lions kept coming.
One lion, who was bigger than the others, moved swiftly through the group with a snarl, spun to face away from her, and roared. The other lions stopped in their tracks, their heads cocked in confusion.
“What happened?” she whispered, unable to turn away from the sight of one lion holding six others away from the fence with only a roar.
“I don’t know,” Jasper said.
The big lion growled sharply, a sound almost like a command, and the others turned and moved away.
“Holy crap,” she said.
“Um, Evan? Call Joss. I think we have a match.”
Chapter 3
Jupiter and the pride were following a routine that he and the other head of security, Javan, had chosen. Whenever a VIP Jeep arrived, the group would move near the fence to catch the scent of the human. If there was no match, Caesar would subtly signal the tour leader, so he could take the human away to the next paddock. Each time the Jeep’s engine sounded, Jupiter found himself getting more and more frustrated. The tours ran every Saturday and Sunday from four to eight p.m., and depending on how many ticket-holders scheduled their tours on any given day, there could be dozens of females paraded through the safari. There were human males as well, because there were four unmated females in the zoo, including Jenni, a lioness. Jenni only ventured toward the fence if the tour was for a human male; otherwise she was content to sun herself on her favorite rock.
One of the tour Jeep’s engines rumbled near, and Jupiter padded toward the fence as the vehicle stopped and a wolf shifter helped a female out. As she neared the fence and the pride moved toward her, a light breeze blew in their direction, sending a wave of her scent over the group. Immediately, Jupiter knew he was in the presence of his soulmate. A million thoughts raced through his mind at once, chief among them that he needed to get to her so he could make her his. He darted to the front of the group and faced them, roaring an order for them to stay back. They all froze in place, including Caesar, and stared at him in confusion. This was one of those times when the ability to speak in shifted form would’ve been extremely handy.
He growled at them, telling them in the only way he could that it was fine and she was his. They all subtly purred in understanding, turning to leave him to his soulmate. Protocol was that the female would finish the tour and be taken to the security office, where the mate would be introduced. Since shifters were unknown to humans, they had to ensure that the female was interested before they shared their true nature, but at that moment all Jupiter wanted to do was get close to her.
Spinning toward her, he heard the two wolves discussing him and the match. He padded toward her, not really certain what he would do once he reached the fence
Jasper pushed the female behind him. “Jupiter, are you fucking crazy? Follow protocol.”
“Hey!” the female said in annoyance. “What’s going on?”
“Come back to the Jeep,” Evan said. “Sometimes the lions get cranky.”
Jupiter didn’t care for the way that Jasper was standing between him and his female, and he especially didn’t care for Evan’s interest in getting her away from him. The part of him that was human knew that there was protocol in place for a reason, but the lion part of him wasn’t interested in anything except getting to her. He reared onto his hind legs, his big front paws hitting the fence.
Jasper growled, and the female took a large step away from him. “What the hell is going on?” She met Jupiter’s gaze as the acrid scent of her fear reached him. He flexed his claws into the fence and pulled, his muscles bunching as he prepared to rip the fence apart to get to her. He didn’t like her being afraid, and the need to protect her was stronger than anything he’d ever experienced.
A heavy weight barreled into him, and he roared as he was ripped away from the fence and taken to the ground. A large hand grasped his ear and twisted sharply as Caesar snarled, “Get a fucking grip!”
Jupiter reined in the cat as much as he could because his alpha demanded it of him. Still panting, still furious, he relaxed his muscles one by one and went still. Caesar waited a long moment, then released his hold on Jupiter’s ear and climbed off him. Without lifting his head, Jupiter glanced at his dad and saw he was wearing only pants, clearly having shifted quickly in the shed to get to him. He was grateful in a way to have been stopped, because he wasn’t sure what would’ve happened if he hadn’t been.
“Is he okay?” the female asked.
Jupiter lifted his head and saw her standing apart from Jasper, her hands clutched in worry.
“We need to make some changes to protocol,” Caesar said.
“He’s the one who made the rules,” Evan said, his arms folded angrily over his chest.
“Yeah, well. What the fuck ever. What’s your name, honey?” Caesar asked.
“Celeste Patterson.”
“Well, today’s your lucky day, Celeste. You get to hang out at the security office while I find someone special to talk to you.” She opened her mouth, and Caesar cut her off. “See this guy? His name is Jupiter and he’s hanging on by a thread. So no dawdling. You can take the tour another time.”
“Now wait a damn minute,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. Jupiter rolled to his paws and padded toward her, butting his head against Caesar’s leg in annoyance as he passed by. “I’m not going anywhere until someone tells me what’s going on.”
Caesar frowned, and then started to chuckle. “Man, are you perfect for each other. Celeste, please. Get in the Jeep. I promise that everything will be explained to you in the office.”
She stared at Caesar, her lush mouth curved unhappily. Then she made a disgruntled sound and threw up her hands. “Fine.”
Jupiter’s whiskers twitched. She was such a feisty female. He was entranced, watching as she stomped over to the Jeep, where Jasper and Evan were waiting. He growled when Jasper helped her into the vehicle. Even though he wasn’t doing anything inappropriate, Jupiter didn’t particularly care for the wolf touching her. In any way. Ever.
As the Jeep pulled away, Caesar thumped him on the nose and Jupiter made a face. “What the hell did you think you were doing? You were planning to climb the fence, and then what? You’re in your damn shift for fuck’s sake, in plain view of anyone that might come by. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of what’s at stake here. Get your ass into the shed, now.”
Jupiter didn’t like being reprimanded, espec
ially not by his dad. It was important to him to be a good pride member and do his job well. But at the moment, he didn’t particularly care about anything except getting to Celeste, and following Caesar’s orders quickly would ensure he’d get to see her.
He padded swiftly to the shed, waited for Caesar to open it, and hurried inside. The remaining pride members were lounging in the paddock waiting for the next tour. When Caesar shut the door, Jupiter shifted and grabbed his black uniform pants from where he’d hung them on a wall hook.
“I know what you’re going to say,” Jupiter said.
“Oh? You mean about how much of an idiot you are?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’m also going to say that I think we made an error with the protocol, and we need to discuss more in-depth what happens when a soulmate is found.”
Jupiter nodded as he fastened his pants and lifted his shirt from the hook. “I can’t think much past getting to the office to see her. I know it’s not reasonable to bring them into the paddocks when they’re identified as a mate, but there has to be a better way to work this out than hurrying them to the office.”
When he’d fastened his utility belt around his waist, he turned to his dad. “Thanks.”
“What for?”
“You kept me from doing something stupid out there.”
“That’s what I’m here for. And congratulations on finding your soulmate.”
Jupiter pulled up the door and hurried down into the underground level. He heard the door shut, and knew that Caesar would shift and go back out into the paddock to be ready for the next tour. He couldn’t believe that the VIP tour had actually worked, and he was the lucky one to find his soulmate first. He hadn’t believed in fate, but he sure as hell did now.
He rushed through the pride’s private section and into the central area, where the different groups ate meals and purchased goods. At the far wall of what was referred to as the market, he pressed the button to call the service elevator that would take him up to a private building in the park marked ‘For Employees Only.’ It was the ground-level cafeteria, where staff met in their human forms to eat during their shift breaks. After what had to be the freaking slowest elevator ride in history, the door opened and he rushed down the hallway that led to the cafeteria, then out the doors to the park, his only thought getting to the security office.
He hurried into the back room of the security office, only to find Justus, one of the bears, turning to look at him in surprise. No Celeste.
“Is everything okay?” Justus asked.
“No. Where is she?”
“Who?”
“My soulmate!” He couldn’t stop the roar that followed, as his cat demanded he find her.
Justus’s brow arched and he shook his head. “Caesar called. I checked the GPS on Jasper and Evan’s Jeep, and they just parked back at the main station.”
“I should go get her.”
“No, you shouldn’t. Do you have any idea how you look right now? Like you’re about two seconds from shifting. I personally don’t want to be on the business end of your claws, so just stay put. Jasper and Evan are bringing her straight here.”
Pushing at his cat, Jupiter snarled and ground his teeth together, forcing himself to calm down. He didn’t want to frighten Celeste. She wasn’t a shifter, so she wouldn’t understand his possessive nature. He’d have to rein in his natural instincts, which would not be an easy feat since his lion was being very vocal.
“So no shit, you really found your soulmate on a tour? That’s awesome. Congrats,” Justus said, swiveling in his chair and facing Jupiter. “Gives me hope.”
“Why aren’t you in your paddock?”
“Someone has to man security,” he said, shrugging. “I honestly didn’t think that the tours would work. What are the odds that everyone’s soulmates are in New Jersey? I mean it’s nice here and everything, but seriously. I can scent my soulmate as well in my human form as my bear form, so I figured I’d be where the action is. Plus, I didn’t mind a change of pace from cooking.” The bears handled the food stalls in the park as well as in the underground cafeteria.
“I didn’t think they’d be successful either,” Jupiter said. Cracking his neck, he turned to one of the windows and spread his finger and thumb between the slats of the metal blind so he could peer in the direction of the tour station.
“But here you are, about to meet your soulmate for the first time in your human form. That’s got to feel amazing.”
He didn’t answer, as he saw Celeste walking between Jasper and Evan. They were a foot on either side of her, close but not touching, and he made a mental note to his cat not to tear them apart, since they were at least trying not to touch her.
“I’m going to hang outside the building so you can have some privacy,” Justus said.
“Thank you,” Jupiter said, turning and smoothing his hand down the front of his uniform shirt. He shook his head at himself for his primping. They were soulmates. Even though she was human, she’d feel a connection to him, something immediate and deep.
At least he fucking hoped so.
Chapter 4
Celeste wasn’t a happy camper. Evan and Jasper had rushed her through the rest of the tour, barely slowing down at the paddocks. They weren’t talking to her, either, but she wasn’t sure what she’d say if they did. She couldn’t stop thinking about the lion. He’d looked at her so intensely, as if he could tear through the fence – as if he wanted to – so he could get to her. Even though she hadn’t admitted it out loud, she wouldn’t have minded getting a chance to meet the lion up close and personal. Which was insane. Possibly the most insane thing any woman had ever thought.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, she said, “Do you know where my friend Adriana is? She was in the tour Jeep behind ours. I don’t want her to wait for me at the station. And on that note, why couldn’t we wait there? Why do I have to go to the security office?”
Jasper said, “I’ll find out about your friend. As far as the security office goes, it’s best to just leave the details up to the head of security.”
“And who is that?”
“His name is Jupiter Ross,” Evan said.
“You have a security guy named Jupiter, like the lion?”
“Something like that,” Jasper said.
A muscular man wearing a beige jumpsuit strode around the side of a large round building. He paused, stared at them for a moment, and then smiled. “He’s inside. I’m patrolling.”
“Thanks,” Evan said. “Do you need someone to relieve you?”
“I said I’d work up here until the park closes.” He smiled at Celeste and said, “I’m Justus. You can go right in, Jupiter’s waiting for you.”
“The lion or the guy?” she asked with a smirk.
“Yep,” Justus said.
Celeste rolled her eyes, then glanced at her tour guides and said, “I’d say thank you, but honestly this wasn’t a good tour.”
Jasper’s brows rose, and he chuckled. “It’s not over yet.”
Shaking her head, she opened the door to the security office and shivered as a blast of chilled air hit her skin. She stepped into the office, releasing the door and letting it shut behind her. The security office was a large, open room with a long counter. Just beyond the counter were four doors, all of them closed except one.
“Hello?” she called as she walked to the counter.
In a heartbeat, a man appeared in the open door of the room, practically filling the entire doorway. He had blond hair the same tawny color as the lion, and his eyes locked on hers with the same intensity that the lion’s had.
Okay. Stop thinking about the lion.
Shaking her head at her insane train of thought, she said, “I’m supposed to talk to Jupiter. Is that you?”
Something vibrated loudly, and she frowned as she stared at the man. Was that sound coming from him?
“Are you…purring?”
The sound stopped and the man’s cheeks dar
kened in a blush. “I,” he started, cleared his throat, and then said, “I’m Jupiter Ross.”
His voice was so deep it sent a chill down her spine. He was the sexiest man she’d ever seen. She simply couldn’t take her eyes off him, the center of her body heating as she let her gaze roam over his body, from his broad shoulders to the taper of his waist.
He was suddenly in front of her, moving so fast she hadn’t even seen him until he was over the counter and in front of her. He was taller than her by a half a foot at least, thick with muscles that strained against his uniform. She gasped as he cupped her face with large, warm hands and that strange vibrating sound came from him again. She instinctively rose onto her tiptoes and he pressed his lips to hers, sliding his tongue between her parted lips and crushing her to his chest. Her hands landed on his pecs, and she could feel the vibration of his…purr?
Part of her wanted to break away from the kiss and find out what the heck kind of guy thought it was okay to just go around kissing strange women with only the tiniest of introductions. But the larger part of her, too busy pleasurably moaning as he licked and sucked her tongue, was telling that small part of her to shut up. Relaxing into his embrace, she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. She couldn’t remember when a kiss had devastated her so expertly, but her mind was swiftly turning to mush. He tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss. As she chased his tongue with her own, she scraped against something sharp in his mouth and jerked back.
She touched the side of her tongue with her fingertip and looked down at it, surprised to see blood.
“Sorry,” he said gruffly. “Damn it.”
He grasped her wrist gently, tugging her around the counter and through the open door of what turned out to be a surveillance room. Computer monitors, stacked in two rows, covered three desks. She sat in one of the desk chairs when he pointed to it, watching silently as he walked to a mini-fridge, bent over – giving her quite a nice view – and removed a water bottle. He straightened and turned, catching her ogling him. It was her turn to blush.
