It was different in the jungle. So humid that you were almost drinking water instead of inhaling it.
Sitka gloried in her wolf form as she ran with her brothers. Sitka was a werewolf along with her brothers. They were on a pack mission to find their long-lost cousin. The report was that Maryann, as her adopted parents named her, had come here to stay with the Chavez family.
Maryann had gone to the Carpathian mountains, which was strange. Lycan tended to avoid that mountain range as a rule. Carpathians were well known for their nasty tempers and jealousy.
Sitka stopped. She had the keenest nose in the family. Lycan have been through here, she told her brothers, but there's something off about the scent.
It smelled a little like old blood. It wasn't Vampire, but it was similar.
Carpathian, growled Sitka's brother Tawny. But the scents are blended together.
Without another word the trio set off. A female jaguar scent joined the Lycan's, then ran off. Maybe Maryann had a friend.
Up ahead! Sitka yipped. She sprang forward, she could see Maryann in her wolf form. Sitka yelped happily in greeting.
Next thing she knew she was pressed into the dirt. She snarled at the heavy male Lycan who had pinned her.
Sitka went limp, as if she was going to offer no resistance. The male relaxed too soon. Sitka lunged, tore his muzzle and leaped back to her brothers, shifting to a human form as they did.
"That was uncalled for! She was just saying hello! You have no right to come between Maryann and Blood kin," Lyle, Sitka's older brother snapped.
"No right? She's my lifemate!" the male snapped back, "Who are you?"
Sitka and her family stilled at the term. They glanced at each other. Now they knew where the Carpathian scent came from. They had gotten into more then they had bargained for. Especially if this male was claiming that Maryann was his lifemate.
"Why do you want to know, Carpathian?" Lyle snapped.
Sitka rolled her eyes and smacked her brother on the head. "You have no tact," she scolded. "This is Maryann's lifemate. He wouldn't hurt her." to the male she said, "I'm Sitka Forthsyng. These are my brothers, Tawny and Lyle. Maryann's our cousin. Who are you?"
"Manolito De La Cruz."
"Manolito let me by!They're my family!" Maryann snapped.
Manolito growled. "Make one bad move toward her and you are dead!" he snapped at us.
Tawny rolled his eyes at Sitka. "How would you respond if we treated you like that?" he asked Sitka. She smiled easily. "I'd settle for snapping your neck." To Maryann she said, "It's great to finally meet you! Mom and Dad, your Aunt and Uncle, had pack business so they sent us!"
Manolito watched as Maryann went to greet them. The young woman had short, spiky hair with red highlights at the tips. She and her brothers shared the same creamy coffee skin as Maryann. The brothers had long curly hair tied back with blue ribbons. All three wore t-shirts and loose cut off shorts. Heavy hiking boots completed the ensemble.
Manolito started everyone walking back to the house. He noticed that the three Lycan were very aware of their surroundings. They hid this by talking to Maryann about Lycan culture.
Sitka seemed confused about the relationship between Maryann and Manolito.
"Why do you let him order you around?" she asked.
"I don't have much choice," Maryann said.
This shocked Sitka, "What? He has no right to tell you what to do! Lycan women rule their men with a firm hand."
"We're Carpathian, the rules are different." Manolito said. Maryann needed no encouragement in being rebellious.
"Oh, right. I could never live with a Carpathian male. I value freedom too much," Sitka said.
"I said the same thing," Maryann replied. "You learn to compromise."
"We'd gut any male that came near you, Sitka." Tawny promised.
"And if we didn't, Josh would!" said Lyle clearly joking.
Sitka scowled. Josh had courted her since she was thirteen and he sixteen. He refused to take no for an answer. He pestered her, sent her flowers and presents. They all ended up in the trash. Sitka knew he was just after the power he would have if he was her Litter-father.
"I can protect myself! I think you remember what happened last April Fools, Tawny." He blushed, while she explained to Maryann and Manolito. "Tawny snuck up on me, yelled BOO and poured ice water over my head. I then proceeded to beat him black and blue and I dumped him in the duck pond."
Sitka grinned, turned a cartwheel and jumped up to catch an overhanging branch. She swung there for a second, building momentum, she let go, completing two flips before touching the earth again.
"She's a gymnast," Lyle explained.
Clapping came from the bushes. Jasmine, Juliette and Solange came out. Manolito introduced the two families to each other.
Tawny and Lyle quickly started making friends with Jasmine. Juliette and Maryann watched with a pleased eye as the young woman laughed and joked.
Sitka and Solange eyed each other. They seemed to be having a silent conversation.
Sitka snapped her teeth together, "Canine versus Feline?" she suggested wickedly.
"Sitka, no! You'll hurt her!" Tawny protested as Jasmine said, "Don't hurt her Solange!"
The two female warriors ignored them. They were already circling.
Juliette went between them. "I know Riordan will want to see this. Can you two wait until we reach a better place?"
Solange bared her teeth in a mockery of a smile, Sitka returned the gesture. Sitka had gotten to the point where she could beat everyone in her pack without breaking a sweat. Above all things, Sitka loved a challenge.
The two women were hustled toward an empty stable yard. The Chavez family quickly came out to watch. Solange had made herself a reputation at the ranch. The Chavez family was curious about the idiot who had challenged her.
The two women were settling the rules. "No shifting and NO outside help. It ends when one of us is pinned," Sitka said as she stripped down to her bra. Her stomach was a mass of scars, as were her arms. Her shorts were shed too, revealing a spandex pair that kept her legs from being chafed by the knives she wore. The knives were shed as well, laid reverently on the pile of clothing.
"Anyone who tries to steal these will have a very good view of my teeth," Sitka warned. "Tawny, guard!"
The women began circling again.
Rafael approached Tawny and Lyle, who looked worried. "Your sister will be fine."
Tawny rolled his eyes. Lyle replied, "It's not Sitka we're worried about. We're worried about Solange. Sitka is the best in our pack. She's deadly."
Rafael raised is brows but didn't respond.
Solange tested Sitka aggressively. Sitka returned the attack. The two warriors erupted, moving too fast for even the Carpathian eye.
In the end, Solange had Sitka pinned beneath her. Sitka looked up at her, completely relaxed. Solange made the mistake of letting her guard down for a brief moment to look at Jasmine.
Sitka took the chance and lunged. Solange landed on her back hard.
To everyone's surprise, the two women were laughing! What had looked like a deadly battle was really two women showing off.
Sitka offered Solange a hand up. They continued laughing as Sitka got dressed. She caressed her knives. "Next time, darlings," she cooed to them.
"Well done, Sitka! You didn't kill her!" Lyle complemented.
Manolito frowned, "That battle didn't adhere to the Carpathian code of honor."
Sitka burst out into an un-ladylike guffaw. Her brothers chuckled as well.
"Codes of honor are for people who do too much thinking," Sitka said, "The bastard in the bushes isn't going to give me a second chance, why should I give him one? If an enemy is stupid enough to turn their back and walk around unarmed, they are stupid enough to die."
Solange, Jasmine and Juliette nodded in agreement. The Carpathian males frowned.
Sitka stretched, did a back flip and asked Solange, "Other forms? Tomorrow night?"
Solange bared her teeth in agreement.
"Would you like us to heal your bruises?" Rafael offered.
Sitka shook her head, "One of my sayings is 'You get what you take and you take what you get'. Each bruise will remind me of mistakes and that memory will serve me well in battles to come."
Rafael nodded his understanding.
"I like her," Solange murmured to Jasmine.
"Lady Moon, girl, you pack a punch," Sitka said to Solange, rubbing her neck, she didn't protest when Tawny took over the process.
Tawny was the family's healer. He could fight and kill when he had to, they all could, but he preferred to save lives.
The Chavez and De La Cruz family continued to make the newcomers welcome. Tawny fell in with Jasmine to everyone's glee. They discussed herbal supplements for pregnancy.
Lyle was discussing the need for an alliance with Manolito, Rafael and Riordan.
Sitka conversed with Solange and Maryann. They shared anecdotes about their lives. Maryann constantly reminded Solange that not all men were evil.
Sitka didn't miss the looks that Maryann kept throwing Manolito. Wolves were very sexual creatures, that combined with Carpathian blood would make for a steamy marriage.
Maryann told Sitka about her life in Seattle helping battered women, then the story of how she met Destiny and came to meet Manolito.
"That makes sense. We were a bit worried when we found out that you had gone to the Carpathian mountains." Sitka smiled at Maryann's surprised look. "We've been looking for you for years! We never expected to find you here!" She glanced at the Carpathians. "Lycan tend to avoid Carpathians. Their males tend to be jealous and possessive. That, and the fact that Lycan women won't take any crap, leads to friction."
"I keep telling my cousin that," Solange said with a glance toward Juliette. The three women watched as Tawny teased Jasmine about her huge stomach.
"I'm going to have to talk with him about the flirting thing," Sitka mused. "We won't be here for very long. We just came to check on Maryann and to see if she knew about her heritage." Sitka glanced at Maryann, "Now that I've met you, I don't think that it's a good idea if you come back with us."
Manolito appeared at Maryann's elbow. "And why not?" he asked in a dangerous tone.
Sitka ignored him, "Is he always this bad?" she asked Maryann, "He's deliberately trying to intimidate me. Trying being the operative word." Sitka met Manolito's cold gaze with her own. "I've taken out more then my share of vampires. Back off."
Solange laughed at the expression on the Carpathian's faces. Sitka joined her.
"You think you're the only ones keeping them off the humans? Dream on!"
Sitka's head came up, nostrils flared. Something or someone was watching her. She had had the feeling all afternoon, but it was stronger now. Pretending to ignore it, she turned back to the conversation.
Zacharias came toward the sound of a fight. His brothers had told him of Maryann's cousins. The female had challenged Solange. This piqued his interest a little.
Laughter rang out from the stable yard. Zacharias froze, he was looking at a deep chestnut mare. He could see COLOR! He could feel the emotions of those around him, worry, admiration, excitement, and a hint of lust. He felt his own emotions, bewilderment, and more then his share of possession. Whoever made that beautiful sound was his. The beast inside him rose at the thought that the lust was for his lifemate.
Zacharias dissolved his body into mist. He heard his brother, Manolito say, "That battle didn't adhere to the Carpathian code of honor."
He heard the full bellied guffaw again. That was the most beautiful sound in the world. He would have to keep her laughing for all eternity.
Zacharias turned the corner and saw her. His lifemate. She had short spiky hair with dyed tips. He reveled in seeing the rich red. Coffee colored skin was very visible. All she wore was a bra and spandex shorts. Zacharias was alarmed by the amount of shiny scars on her stomach and arms. He listened with interest to her reply.
"Codes of honor are for people who think too much. The bastard in the bushes isn't going to give me a second chance, why should I give him one? If an enemy is stupid enough to turn their back and walk around unarmed then they're stupid enough to die."
Zacharias frowned. It sounded like she fought regularly. The scars she wore were a testament to that.
"Would you like us to heal your bruises?" Rafael asked. Zacharias fought his demon, who was insisting that he rip Rafael's head off. Not wanting to kill his brothers, he sent the information to his kin, She is my lifemate. Don't do anything inappropriate.
His brothers joy radiated from them. Zacharias felt he would burst with the love he felt for them.
He watched his lifemate shake her head. "One of my sayings is 'You get what you take and you take what you get'. Each bruise will remind me of mistakes and those memories will serve me well in battles to come."
Rafael nodded his head. Don't encourage her! Zacharias scolded. She will have to give it up soon.
"Lady Moon, girl, you pack a punch!" His lifemate said to Solange. Jealousy and possession rose thick and hot when he saw one of the males rub her neck.
He's her brother, warned Manolito. Zacharias tried to calm down. It was all he could do not to snap the Lycan's neck. He examined the Lycan male's emotions. They were filled with worry for the woman, filled with a need to heal. In a way, the male reminded him of Gregori.
Zacharias followed them in the shape of an owl, stockpiling information about his lifemate. Her name was Sitka. He listened to her comment about Carpathian men, "Lycan tend to avoid Carpathians. Their males tend to be jealous and possessive. That, and the fact that Lycan women won't take any crap, leads to friction."
Zacharias knew that he would have to show Sitka that he was worth living with. He knew from his reaction to her brother that what she was saying was true.
He paid attention again, Sitka was having a confrontation with Manolito.
"Is he always this bad?" she asked Maryann. "He's deliberately trying to intimidate me. Trying being the operative word." Sitka addressed Manolito, "It won't work. I've taken out more then my share of vampires. Back off!"
Zacharias almost lost his owl form from the shock. She fought vampires! That was going to end soon.
Sitka and Solange were laughing at the expression on his brother's faces. "You think you were the only ones keeping them off the humans? Dream on!" Sitka chuckled.
Zacharias shifted to mist and drifted closer. Her head came up, nostrils flared. She scented danger and that danger was him.