Dark Moon Dance [Fire Jaguars 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Nicole Dennis

  “Her mates will take care of her,” Isaac said as he stood and helped Kate.

  Alex shoved hands in pockets, as Melinda walked through the crowds, dressed in wrinkled scrubs. She pulled off a surgical cap and dragged fingers through her hair.

  As much as he wanted to question her about Etienne, Isaac asked, “How are you doing, Doc?”

  Pleased and surprised, Melinda smiled. “Tired, thank you for asking.”

  “How did our boy come through?” Alex asked.

  “Sit. Please. I need to…” Melinda nodded when Collin rushed over with a chair. “Thank you, love.”

  “Welcome, baby. You look like you need a long nap,” Collin said, brushing lips against her cheek.

  “A nap under the moonlight sounds like heaven,” she said and patted his hand. “Is Luca with River?”

  “It’s taking a little longer, but they’ll finish.”

  Melinda dragged fingers through her hair. “Could you get me a cup of mint tea?”

  “Would you like extra sugar?”

  “Please.”

  With another brush of their lips, Collin stepped away to retrieve her request.

  Melinda returned her attention to Isaac and Kate. “Things took a little longer.”

  “It’s understandable considering the damage,” Isaac said. “How is my man?”

  “The cat is damn lucky. I swear he’s got nine lives, though he may have lost one or more.”

  “Yeah. He didn’t tell me much other than it was a gunfight and he was hit several times with mercury-filled bullets. He came here to heal,” Isaac said.

  “It would explain the metal I found with the X-rays,” Melinda said.

  “What did you find?”

  “There were leftover bullet fragments with scar tissue. His overall general health isn’t good with the metal. I opened his previous scars to remove everything.” She let out a sound of displeasure over the other doctors’ work. “Until I get the infusion to push whatever mercury I can’t pluck out with tweezers, he’ll never heal.”

  “Oh sweet goddess,” Kate said.

  Isaac clenched his fists at the thought of how much pain his mate had gone through. Still, Etienne had made love to him all night long. How much did it hurt him? “He’ll make it, right?”

  “He has a difficult recovery. I don’t know if he’ll have full mobility. Even with my gift, I can’t repair everything.” Melinda held out her hands. “I wish I had better news.”

  Dropping his head, Isaac braced his elbows on his knees and pushed his fingers through his hair. He messed with the drying layers, but thought about the doctor’s warning. “Can he shift?”

  “At the moment, no because the mercury poisoning held back his cat. Once it’s removed, he should be able to reconnect to his jaguar. His shifting will not help with his healing process. The shoulder may always be bad. I don’t recommend him returning to his former position.”

  “Etienne wouldn’t want to hear this.” Isaac grimaced. “We may have to tie him down to make him rest.”

  “I’m sure we have ties strong enough,” Collin said as he returned and pressed a cup of tea into Melinda’s hands.

  Melinda took a sip. “Ahh, this is delicious.” Cradling the cup in one hand, Melinda rose to her feet. “I’m sorry I couldn’t offer better news. I want him to stay here for a few days, maybe a week.”

  “You saved his life. It’s more than anyone can ask.” Isaac leaned over to kiss her cheek. He grinned at Collin’s light snarl. “Chill, man, I’m not going to poach.”

  Melinda whacked her hand against Collin’s abs. “Turn down the testosterone.”

  Collin gave her a playful wince.

  “Can we see him?” Kate remained in place, hands folded together.

  “Yes, he’s in a private room on the second floor. I’m sure he would enjoy company, but don’t agitate him. He needs his rest.”

  “He does need rest. He’s been suffering with nightmares and insomnia,” Isaac said.

  “Luca, there you are,” Melinda said when she turned her head at the doors opening. “Hello, River, is the fusion ready?”

  Isaac leaned to the side to see Luca with a slender male with messy ebony hair and reading-type glasses. He recognized it was River Essex. River looked over his shoulder as a huge male entered, carrying an insulated medical cooler bag.

  Kate whispered, “Who are these cats?”

  “The one with the glasses is River Essex, and the big fella is Gideon Ashbury. River is our science geek and has a lab on the town’s inner borders. Since the poisoning, Gideon assigned himself as River’s personal guard,” Isaac said. “I believe they’re mates.”

  “He’s huge.”

  “He’s a marshmallow, but a good cat to have behind you.”

  With a rapid exchange of conversation, Melinda took the cooler bag. “Kate, Isaac, do you wish to come upstairs? I need to hook this up.”

  “Yes, please,” Isaac said. In a few minutes, he stood in a doorway, staring at the long figure under the sheets. He pulled in a sharp breath at the sight. “Oh, sweet Goddess, Etienne.”

  “He looks different,” Kate whispered as she clutched Isaac’s hand.

  “He’s never this still.” Isaac checked out the multiple leads going from Etienne’s body to different machines which beeped, ticked, and scratched. An oxygen nasal cannula supplied fresh oxygen. His skin was pale. His right side was covered in thick white bandages. “Hey, you shaved him.” He touched the smooth, proud chin.

  “For medical reasons, it was needed. Does he prefer scruffy?” Melinda asked.

  “Since I found him outside, yup,” Isaac said. “He looks better without the fuzz.”

  Melinda hung and connected the IV bag filled with a pearlescent liquid. “He’s sleeping off the heavy anesthetic. Sit and talk to him. I know it’s unusual for our kind to be ill, but he’ll recover. Once this fusion enters his system, he’ll heal better.” She checked everything again. “If anything happens, the machines will alert everyone. If you need assistance, hit the blue button.” She left the room.

  “I don’t want to bother him or hurt him,” Kate whispered as she took small, quiet steps until she sat. “He doesn’t know me or my voice.”

  “You’re not going to hurt him. He knows you. It’s unique and he’ll recognize it.”

  Kate rested her fingers on Etienne’s hand, studied his pale body, checked the readings, and brushed her fingers over his hand. “We’re here, Etienne, we’re with you. Isaac and I aren’t leaving you.”

  Chapter 11

  It felt like cotton filled his mouth. A throbbing ache pounded in his right side. Etienne fought his way toward the light. He heard voices—one male and another female. The male voice had his cat stirring in pleasure. The female voice reminded his cat of the hot desert sand, and he wanted to rub against those dulcet tones. Both reminded him of the wavering image of a couple in his dreams.

  Etienne’s memory revved up and retrieved images. He was on a street with a flirting couple ahead of him. Papers in his hand kept pulling his attention, though he enjoyed the fine asses. The sharp popping sounds were distinct. He raced for the couple. Burning, agonizing pain flared.

  Shot. He was shot. Again! In the same shoulder as the last time he faced a fucking gun.

  His breathing increased to a shallow, rapid pace as his eyelids fluttered. He needed to be awake.

  Isaac? Ekat, no, not right, Kate? Isaac and Kate could be hurt. They needed him.

  A frustrated moan left him as he rose from the sluggish feeling.

  “Easy, E. Take it easy. Wake up slow or you’ll worry the doc,” someone called through the fog.

  Beeping sounds raced faster and annoyed him. He felt something in his nose and he tried to remove it, but hands held him down.

  “E? Etienne! You’ll calm down this instant,” the female snapped in a sharp tone. He remembered another woman, Kate, talking to him.

  Etienne opened his eyes, but the bright light made him wince. A heada
che snapped up from the light.

  “Ssh. You’re okay. Calm down, E.”

  “What is happening? Sweet Goddess, the monitors are going crazy,” another person shouted. “You’re supposed to talk to him, not agitate him.”

  “He began to wake and became agitated. I’m trying to calm him down. Give us a minute.”

  Etienne concentrated on his breathing and the voices.

  “E? It’s Isaac. You need to calm down or the doc will knock you out. You’re the lucky one who got knocked around. We’re all safe, love. Give me a sign you hear me.”

  Opening his eyes, Etienne concentrated on focusing past the pain and fuzz and found two faces. One face had been near and dear for so many years. He blinked the faces into sharper, clearer detail.

  Isaac. His Isaac was leaning over him.

  The lady with beautiful deep brunette hair and a honey-toned face had pale hazel eyes filled with concern. He’d known her face for a brief time, but he knew her. He recognized the scent of warmth, spice, and a gentle floral note.

  Kate. Her name was Kate. A beautiful rare flower gifted from the desert.

  He moved his mouth to speak past the cotton, but couldn’t. His eyes closed as he fisted his hands in frustration.

  “Easy, you need to take it easy. You messed up your shoulder,” Isaac said.

  Etienne focused back on Isaac.

  “Hey there, love, how are you feeling? Want some ice chips?”

  Etienne nodded. Yes, anything to remove this wretched feeling in my mouth.

  Kate pressed a freezing cold chip to his lower lip. He opened and she placed it on his tongue. He held it until the chip melted and requested a few more.

  “Doing better?” Isaac asked after a dozen chips.

  “Hmm. Cotton feeling going away,” Etienne said in a hoarse voice. “What happened?”

  “You took the bullet, a pair of them, from what the doc found in your hide. One of the bastard bar owners connected to the rogue group didn’t want to leave, so he took a rifle and went postal.”

  “Alive?”

  “For now, he’s locked in a cell.”

  Etienne glanced to Kate. “Are you good? Were you hurt?”

  “I wasn’t hurt. You did your duty to protect me.” She lifted her fingers and smoothed the annoying curl from his forehead. “Are you in pain? The doc can give you something.”

  “No, no more meds. I don’t like the fuzzy feeling,” he said and saw a pearlescent liquid in an IV bag dripping down. “What’s this stuff? Not saline solution.”

  “No, it’s a special fusion created by the doc and our scientist fella from moon flowers to clean out the metal poisoning.”

  “Moon flowers? No such thing.”

  “I told you we have a Luna jaguar.”

  “Did you tell me this? I’m tired, groggy.”

  “It’s from the heavy dose of anesthetic.”

  Etienne heard something in Isaac’s voice. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “E, it can wait until you sleep off more of the meds.”

  “No.” Etienne swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Tell me.”

  Isaac dropped his head. “Stubborn git.”

  “Tell. Me. Now.”

  “It’s your shoulder, E. The doc isn’t sure, but you may not come back a hundred percent. There was a lot of damage, the poisoning and scar tissue. She recommends you don’t return to your previous position. You need more physical therapy, but she isn’t sure.”

  Etienne turned his head as he clenched his jaw.

  “Don’t give up, big guy. You’re not done healing,” Isaac said.

  “I’ll be useless.”

  “Don’t start this crap, E. Not here. Not now,” Isaac said.

  “Your shoulder was bad, but you saved me and countless others with your sharp attention. No one saw the shooter except you.” Kate placed her fingers on his cheek.

  “It wasn’t this bad.”

  “It had nothing to do with your awareness and alertness to the danger. You protected the clan with your actions. You’re a strong feline, a powerful warrior, and a caring guardian. Never doubt your abilities.”

  Etienne stared at her determined gaze as her words sank into his brain.

  “Sweet Goddess, you’re good,” Isaac said with a chuckle.

  Kate smacked his shoulder.

  Etienne grinned at their playfulness.

  “Ahh. Saw your grin! I saw it,” Isaac said with a shout and pointed his finger at his partner.

  “Shut it. You’re an annoying pest,” Etienne said and closed his eyes to end things.

  “Yeah. Yeah. You still adore me.”

  Etienne opened one eye to peer at him and grunted.

  “You know I’ll never let you go down. Not without me next to you,” Isaac said.

  “Yes, I know.” Etienne lifted his good hand, ignored the pull of the needle, and touched Isaac’s face. “There’s no place I rather be than here with you. Not here here in the hospital.”

  “I know what you mean. I’m not letting you leave me alone again either. Not now when I have you close.”

  “Not going anywhere.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise,” Etienne said. “Now, let me sleep. I can get some without nightmares.”

  Isaac pressed his lips to Etienne’s for a long, comforting kiss. “We’ll be here when you wake.”

  “Go home. Get sleep.”

  “Nah, we’re okay here.”

  Etienne opened his eyes. “Go. Home. Sleep.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Take my phone in case of call.”

  “Do you mean your cell phone?” Isaac picked the phone from the nightstand which lay on the wallet Nathan had pulled from the clothes before cutting them away.

  “Yeah. Call Paul. Give him update.”

  “Paul? The man you called when Alex came to see us?”

  “Yeah. Give update.” Etienne grunted and closed his eyes again. “Go. Love. Go and protect her.”

  Isaac slid the phone into an empty pocket, kissed Etienne again, and caressed his smooth chin. He straightened. When Kate was about to protest, Isaac shook his head. “Nah, Katie-cat, he’s right. Let’s do what he says, otherwise he’ll never relax.”

  Etienne gave a low, rumbling sound in his chest.

  Isaac slid fingers through Etienne’s hair. “Katie, let’s go.”

  “If you insist on this foolish idea, I’ll leave,” Kate said and stared down at Etienne. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

  Another soft, rumbling purr left the sleeping man.

  Chapter 12

  After picking up the keys with the note of how everything was done, Isaac drove Etienne’s SUV. He parked in the garage and they entered the house.

  Instead of dust and mustiness, they caught the scents of pine, citrus, and bleach. The kitchen was clean and sparkled from the cabinets to the floor. There were food items on the counter, and the big cooler was moved to the garage.

  “What a change,” Kate said as she stepped away and looked around. “Your clan is fabulous.” She yawned and held a hand to her mouth. “Excuse me.”

  “It’s been one helluva day. Though, this was an abnormal day. It was a random, bizarre occurrence brewing and decided to pop.” Isaac wrapped his arm around her as he set the keys on a hook. “Let’s go upstairs and to bed. I can sleep all day.”

  Quiet, leaning against him, Kate let him lead her through the house. They went up the wraparound stairs. Her fingers trailed along the smooth maple banister. “There are no photos. Nothing to show anyone lived here.” She touched the nearest empty wall.

  “He ordered them packed away after their death. He didn’t want any reminders.”

  “What? Why not? He lost everyone he loved.”

  “No, he wasn’t loved by them. Etienne was the black sheep and lone survivor of four cubs. He never got along with his parents, who wanted him to follow in their diplomatic footsteps. He wanted to become a guardian. During
our childhood, he spent more time at my place or with our friend, Gage. One day, I went to find him and his truck was gone. His father said he kicked Etienne out and slammed the door in my face.”

  “Oh sweet Goddess, no,” she whispered and clutched his arm.

  “I didn’t see him again until I found him sitting on the lanai sixty years later.”

  “We’ll make it a home for him. He’ll be welcomed and loved here this time.” Kate leaned her head on his shoulder. She placed her fingers on his arm when they stopped at a door. “I don’t want to sleep alone.”

  “What about your father?”

  “At this point, I don’t want to think about him. I care what my cat wants and needs. She’s restless and in pain. I don’t want to be alone, not after what happened.”

  “I didn’t want to be alone either. Not in the bed I shared with Etienne.” He led them to the master suite.

  “This is wonderful.” She stepped into the room with the special built four-post bed dominant in the middle. A thick cream comforter covered the bed, and there were several fluffy pillows at the head.

  “Hmm, this is a new bed. One of males is an awesome craftsman and creates these beds for the tall guys. The ladies changed the colors and bedding. I like this much better than the dark, dusty one.” Isaac kicked off his shoes near the door. He set the two phones and wallet on the dresser. “Do you want to get a nightgown from your suitcase?”

  She held her hands together. She lifted her heel and turned her foot back and forth on the rug.

  “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  “Could I borrow one of Etienne’s shirts?”

  “Ahh. Sure.” Isaac found his way to the bathroom. He located the basket and pulled out a soft T-shirt. He held it to his face and breathed in the scent of his lover on the fabric.

  “Isaac?”

  Lifting his gaze from the shirt, Isaac saw a worried Kate followed him. She stood in the doorway, her arms wrapped around her slender waist. “Sorry. Umm. Here, you can wear this one. This has his scent.” He held out the shirt.

  “Do you mind if I wear it?” She took the shirt from Isaac’s hand. Lifting it to her nose, she breathed in the rich scent. “It does smell like him.” She nuzzled her cheek against the soft cotton.