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

by Nicole Dennis

  “I said silence! I approved this courtship, which includes my clan,” the Alpha said and snarled at the sheikh and returned his attention to Etienne. “Step aside. I’ll speak with the lady, guardian.” The mystical golden eyes swirled as his voice deepened. “Guardian, step aside.”

  “Etienne, please,” Kate said in a soft tone. “I’ll speak with him.”

  “I don’t want her harmed,” Etienne said, glancing from the powerful Alpha to the vengeful sheikh.

  “No harm will befall her. I swear,” the Alpha said.

  The sheikh sputtered at the Alpha’s vicious snarl. “She’ll be sequestered and punished back home as befitting her shamed—”

  Etienne blinked when the Alpha moved on the sheikh and the two six-plus males in black were knocked to the floor, helpless against the power surge. He moved his arm tighter around Kate to protect her. He watched the Alpha wrap a hand around the sheikh’s throat and slam him into the wall.

  “I ordered you to stay silent and you ignored my request, my demand. Now I’ll force it. You’ll not say another word. You were allowed here amongst my territory as my guest. I can rescind the privilege,” the Alpha said, leaning against the older cat. “Do I make myself clear?”

  The sheikh nodded.

  The Alpha stared at the twin males and waved them to the positions he wanted. “You two stand there. He isn’t allowed to move.”

  Darko bowed his head with respect. “As you wish and order, Alpha.”

  The Alpha dropped his gaze to the protectors on the floor. He sniffed the area above them. “Pull your guns and toss them across the room. Now.”

  The men removed guns from hidden holsters and tossed them.

  “Neither one of you move. If either one of you twitches, I’ll rip you to pieces.”

  The protectors didn’t move.

  The Alpha moved away from the cowering sheikh. “Come, lady, and speak with me.” He lifted his hand and motioned. Dark tips of claws poked from the end of his fingers.

  Etienne glanced at Isaac and squeezed his hand, and they stepped aside. Their parting revealed Kate to the Alpha’s stare.

  “I’ll answer anything you desire of me, Alpha. I hold no secrets over what happened,” Kate said with a bow of her head and a drop into an old-fashioned curtsey.

  The cat touched her throat with two fingers. “Rise. Explain to me what happened in this room,” the Alpha demanded.

  Standing straight, Kate twisted her fingers together. “Everything happened because it’s what I wished and desired, Alpha. Nothing was taken or done against my will since our courtship became official. Before the courtship, these honorable males treated me with the highest respect and care. I kissed these fine guardians. They were embracing me as one. I hope to one day complete our courtship with a dance. I wish to be the center of our circle.” Kate glanced between her father and the Alpha. “I have made a decision.”

  The Alpha clicked his claws together. “Which is, lady?”

  Without a word, she lifted Etienne’s wrist, flashed her cat’s fangs, and bit on the side of his hand into the fleshy part at the base of the pinkie. She flicked her tongue against her gums to add a spurt of a special serum. Before anyone could move, she did the same to Isaac’s hand.

  “Ow,” Etienne said as he stared at his hand.

  “What the…” Isaac turned his wrist to see the bite. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “You’re still talking,” Etienne muttered.

  “Hey!”

  “Holy dark moon, Ekaterina, what have you done?” Darko asked while his father hissed behind him.

  Etienne hissed again and shook his hand. “Why does it burn?”

  “Ow! Yeah, mine, too,” Isaac said as he wiggled his hand.

  “Sweet moon, Kate, the step is irreversible. It will always be felt forever more,” Darko said. Behind him, Malik pushed their father back against the wall.

  “What is happening here? Explain,” the Alpha ordered.

  “I proclaimed my intentions toward these guardians, Alpha, in the manner of sand jaguars. I accepted their offer of courtship and stand with them. Now I have given them my bite to reveal to all that I claim them,” Kate said, lifting her head as she slid her fingers to entwine with both men’s hands.

  “You could have warned us. Ow,” Isaac said.

  Kate turned toward him and smiled. “Isaac Deforrest, do you accept my bite?”

  “Yes, my Katie,” Isaac said as he lifted their joined hands and kissed her palm.

  Kate turned back toward Etienne. “Etienne de la Fontaine, do you accept my bite?”

  “Yes, my Katie,” Etienne said as he kissed her wrist.

  Alpha pointed to the older twin, Darko. “Explain this bite and their pain.”

  “The pain comes from a specialized serum found in female sand jaguars. Though male sand jaguars protect and sequester the females, the beloved Goddess took measures. She made sure the females have all the power in a true mating,” Darko explained.

  “Sounds like something the Goddess would do to kick males in their ass,” Isaac said as he rubbed his hand.

  Etienne popped the back of Isaac’s head.

  “Hey!”

  The Alpha hissed at the short guardian.

  “The female will bite their chosen mate’s hand on the hypothenar, a prominent position on the hand, and punch in the serum which causes the bite to scar. The serum burns as it scars the flesh,” Darko continued. “They’ll re-bite during the dance. If the dance doesn’t happen, the serum wears off, but the mark doesn’t disappear to reveal the male’s shame in not honoring a dance.”

  “Sweet moon, this is a bit of interesting news.” Isaac ducked when Etienne moved to swipe again.

  “Must you?”

  “Yes. You know I can’t hold my tongue,” Isaac said.

  “Even when it’s best for silence,” Alpha said with a rumbling growl.

  “Since you realize what my sister did, I have a question to ask, which could alter multiple lives,” Darko said. He glanced to his twin, and back to Isaac and Etienne. He looked to the Alpha and bowed to him. “If I may intervene and ask as the eldest of our family.”

  The Alpha waved his hand. “Proceed. I wish to see how this action changes things.”

  “Ask,” Etienne said.

  “Do you accept my sister’s bite and claim upon your heart?”

  “We do,” Etienne said with a glance at Isaac, who nodded. “We offered the ancient rite of courtship to this lady, Ekaterina, added our names to book, and announced our request to all when we accompanied her to dinner in view of the clan. We wish to make her our mate during the harvest moon dance.” Etienne looked to Kate. “For the benefit of everyone here, I’ll offer our request once more. Ekaterina Brankovich, do you agree to our offer of courtship?”

  Kate smiled and nodded. “I do.”

  The sheikh leapt away from the wall. In a desperate move, he shoved his sons to the side. In the next step, he reached out with a vicious snarl and slapped Kate across her face. “Shameful whore! You are no daughter of mine! Shamed! Shamed!”

  With a cry, Kate fell back from the force of the blow and was caught in Etienne’s arms. A wave of pure energy knocked everyone off their feet. Her chosen covered her.

  Chapter 20

  When Kate managed to lift her gaze, the Alpha stood over her father, huddled on the floor, abandoned by her brothers who were flung away. As the Alpha crouched and snarled over her father, another tall man emerged. A black trench coat swirled around the man’s slender frame. Deep blond hair flowed around his shoulders, and endless flows of cold power surrounded him.

  “Oh shit, Xavier,” Isaac whispered.

  “Who?”

  “He’s called Xavier, an ancient vampire who runs a nearby club. He stayed within the area and established the club once the Night Wars were through and most of his kind decimated.”

  “Why is he here?”

  “To prevent Alex from committing murder,” the man said in a ve
lvet midnight-deep voice. It curled around Kate's empathic gift, enthralling her with power and need. “You know I can hear you.” The vampire snorted, but didn’t remove his attention.

  “Sorry, sir,” Isaac quipped.

  “No you’re not, but I’ll give you a pass,” Xavier said with a flick of his fingers in a certain bird gesture.

  “Yes, he hung around the guardians,” Etienne said with a snort.

  Kate shoved an elbow into his side.

  “Alexander, you need to step back. He’ll be removed from the territory. He’ll no longer be a threat,” Xavier said in a controlling voice, his hand on the back of the Alpha’s neck.

  “Female. He slapped and threatened a female under my protection,” the Alpha said and ended with a deep growl. “He must pay.”

  “My daughter,” the sniveling sheikh said and cowered when the Alpha hissed.

  “You best shut your mouth if you wish to stay alive,” Xavier said.

  “How dare you—”

  “Don’t test me, old man. You’ll not survive the discussion,” Xavier said, this time giving the man a stare of unknown power and darkness.

  “Bloodsucker, you have no business—”

  “Don’t even go there with me,” Xavier said, flashing bright white fangs.

  Kate squeezed her males’ hands. When she saw her father curled into a fetal position under the vampire’s gaze, she wondered what he saw in Xavier's thundercloud-colored eyes.

  Xavier returned his attention to the Alpha. He moved his fingers against the Alpha’s neck and whispered. They felt a cool breeze of night power sweep around them as he calmed the powerful man.

  The Alpha unclenched his fingers and breathed. The claws disappeared from his fingers. When the tall man rolled his shoulders around, the Alpha blinked and gold eyes returned to blue gray with a touch of the molten color. Alexander returned in full control and grace. An endless wave of power remained curled around him.

  “Good to have you back, Alex,” Xavier said, and his fingers gave the back of Alex’s neck a gentle squeeze.

  “I need a run,” Alex said.

  “I’ll watch over you. First, we must deal with this piece of furball scum,” Xavier said.

  “I know what to do with him.” Alex stared at the sheikh. “For the dishonor and injustice you accused my guardians within my territory, I rescind my invitation for you and your protectors.”

  “My daughter, I must find her,” the sheikh said.

  “Dark Goddess, I heard enough! You don’t have a fucking concern over Naira’s safety or Ekaterina’s well-being, you bastard,” Malik said for the first time since everything had happened.

  Everyone except the sheikh turned to stare at Mal.

  “Explain your accusation,” Alex demanded.

  “He cares nothing for Naira. She’s a female, an undesired child who is shamed for ‘allowing’ herself to be kidnapped. He travels in the name of a search to have his protectors look over the various clans, testing their people, reactions, and security. He wants to expand his territory,” Mal said as he crossed arms over his chest. “He’s using Kate’s situation to create a rift among your guardians and clan to put himself in power and control.”

  “What? No, we must find Naira,” Kate pleaded.

  “We are, sister, Mal and I search everywhere we go, not Father. We conduct the searches,” Darko said to reassure her. “We learned about Father’s true plans after the last clan visit.”

  “Yet you followed him to this day,” Alex said.

  “We must to continue the search for our sister and gather evidence against our father,” Darko said.

  “We’re no longer his primary heirs. There is no reason for him to care if we take chances with our lives,” Mal said.

  “Our mother is his first wife, of course we’re first in the bloodline,” Kate said.

  Mal snatched their father’s right hand. He gives it a twist to reveal the scarred bite mark. “This is the mark of his treasured mate, Marisola, the female who birthed him all males in her three pregnancies. Those males will become his heirs, not us.”

  “He never let Mother bite him. He mated her, but there wasn’t a dance. She told me this one night.” Kate thought back. “The night he mated Marisola, our mother was upset. I’ve never seen her so troubled.”

  “The bitch gave me females. My Mari gives me males, true heirs.” The sheikh snarled and yanked his hand back. “I gave her the gift to mark me.”

  Mal slapped their father with the back of his hand. The older cat cried out. Darko spat with disgust on their father’s face. Kate stepped over and spat.

  “You’re the bastard,” she said and hissed.

  Alex stepped between them and stared down at the sheikh. “I made my decision. You’re banished and your protectors will answer for their devious movements. In payment, I’ll take the cubs of your first wife. They’re no longer part of the Sand Moon Clan, but are Fire Moon Clan jaguars. This includes the missing Naira, whom we’ll resume the search for in earnest.”

  “There is one more cub not here with us,” Mal said as he turned toward Alex.

  “Who else is left?”

  “Naira’s twin brother, Neven, remained behind at our father’s orders. He’s a certified genius, especially with all things computer. He’ll follow our lead and leave the clan.”

  “We could use a cat with knowledge of computers. He is welcomed,” Alex said.

  “What about our mother, Liljana?” Kate asked. “When he returns, he’ll throw his hatred upon her. She isn’t strong enough to stand against him.”

  “If she desires to leave her home, she will be welcomed. I’m sure there is an empty home we can turn into a haven for all of you.”

  “Thank you. You’re generous to strangers and cubs of a traitor.” Kate took hold of Alex’s hand and kissed it before holding his knuckles to her forehead in honor and respect. “In the name and honor of the Goddess, I, Ekaterina Lilyana Brankovich, sand jaguar daughter of the Sand Moon Clan, hereby denounce my connection to Sand Moon and Sheikh Vlatko Brankovich and offer my allegiance, loyalty, and life to the Fire Moon Clan and you, Alpha Alexander Thurston.”

  When Kate stepped back after making her declaration, her twin brothers stepped forward and offered the same pledge of allegiance to Alex.

  “In the name and honor of our Goddess, I proclaim the three of you to be full and honorary members of our clan with all the rights and benefits go along with the membership. Welcome and greetings to the Fire Moon Clan,” Alex said.

  Bouncing with joy, Kate rushed back to her chosen and hugged them. She kissed them with pleasure and joy.

  “Darko, as eldest of your siblings, I give you full ability to search all empty homes with a guardian to find one suitable for your family,” Alex said. “You and your brother will also join the guardians and begin training with them.”

  “Thank you, Alpha, for the gift of a home and position within your clan,” Darko said.

  “Malik, please send word to your mother and brother. Explain what happened and request all belongings for you and your siblings to be sent here along with their presence.” Alex glanced down at the sheikh. “I don’t want anything to happen to your sentimental items in a suspicious fit of revenge.”

  “I’m sure there are some cubs who will attempt such an act,” Mal said.

  “As for you, dear lady,” Alex said as he walked to the trio and took hold of Kate’s hands within his larger ones. “I’m sorry this happened because of your courtship. With knowledge of your claim and offer of courtship, I’ll record my acceptance and full approval in the book. You may remain with these fine guardians and your siblings. We have no sequestering laws. We protect all of you, but out of the love and respect of our Goddess. You’re free to do what you wish. I’ll enact a thorough search for your sister.”

  “I wish to remain with my guardians.”

  “Isaac, contact Gage, I want our guardians detaining all protectors. I want the sheikh’s things packed and toss
ed back in the SUV and taken to their jet, with the two servants. They are to be followed to their jet and boarded on a non-stop flight scheduled for Arizona. I’ll have the twins alert all clans about this man’s actions and warn them to inquire about their security and alter all plans. I want the same done here,” Alex said.

  “As you wish,” Isaac said.

  “You need to leave and shift,” Xavier said as he stepped closer to Alex, when the man tried to hide a full-body shudder which ended in a flex of his fingers. “Otherwise you’ll do irreversible damage.”

  “I know what I must do. I’ve handled this problem since I was a cub,” Alex said in an irritated, growling voice.

  “Don’t argue with me. I’ll handle the riffraff and send one of my people to follow them out of the territory.”

  Alex growled.

  “Go,” Xavier said.

  Alex looked to Isaac. “Contact Zacharias and have him and the twins escort this sheikh out of your home. I don’t want you and Etienne to take your attention from your mate. The usual sexual boundaries of courtship are removed.”

  “Thank you, Alpha,” Isaac said as he stepped away and opened his phone to start contacting those Alex requested.

  “Listen to him, Alpha. I assure you everything will be handled,” Etienne pleaded.

  Alex turned to Etienne. “Do you know what I must deal with?”

  “I’ve heard the stories and seen another. You’re stronger than him, younger than he was. In the end, I watched him give in to the power. Do as the vampire says. Please.”

  “He’s gone to his cat?”

  “No, he chose death when the power won over him.”

  Alex closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

  “Go. Run as your cat. The both of you need this run,” Etienne said, placing a hand on Alex’s shoulder.

  “Do the same. Go see the doctor and enjoy a run.”

  “We will tomorrow, sir. Let Xavier take care of you.”

  Alex gave a nod and headed to the door.

  Before following, Xavier stepped over to Kate. He reached out, took a gentle hold of the thick braid, and wrapped it around his fingers. Kate gasped when he tugged her toward him.